04-07-2013, 10:06 AM
I was reluctant to comment on this thread because of my involvement in another FIDE affiliate.
There are many reasons for the current state of chess in Scotland.
1 there are more competition for our leisure time now than when most of us started playing
eg: computers, computer games particularly for the younger generation.
2 The population is much more mobile than ever before. This is due to economic necessity and the needs of the job market. It is much more difficult to put down steady roots in one particular place because of this need to be mobile. Military families have had to deal with this for years.
3 status of the game: The lack of funding is also the part of the problem. A change of status maybe needed to allow access to new sources of funding. There has been fierce debate in this forum in the past. I have made my own position clear that chess is a sport and I make no apologies for that. There are many who disagree with my own position. Alternative sources of funding have to be found. a fund raiser should be hired paid on a commission basis only to raise funds for CS.
These are just some thoughts and perhaps others will have other thoughts I have missed.
There are many reasons for the current state of chess in Scotland.
1 there are more competition for our leisure time now than when most of us started playing
eg: computers, computer games particularly for the younger generation.
2 The population is much more mobile than ever before. This is due to economic necessity and the needs of the job market. It is much more difficult to put down steady roots in one particular place because of this need to be mobile. Military families have had to deal with this for years.
3 status of the game: The lack of funding is also the part of the problem. A change of status maybe needed to allow access to new sources of funding. There has been fierce debate in this forum in the past. I have made my own position clear that chess is a sport and I make no apologies for that. There are many who disagree
with my own position. Alternative sources of funding have to be found. a fund raiser should be hired paid on a commission basis only to raise funds for CS.These are just some thoughts and perhaps others will have other thoughts I have missed.