2020 Olympiad (Moscow 5 August – 17 August 2020)

Appointment of Non-Playing Captains/Coaches for the Welsh Teams In the Open And Women’s Sections

Expressions of interest, together with details of previous experience and/or other qualifications, are invited for one or other of the two posts – by 31 March to Howard Williams, Chair WCU Selection Committee, Chairmanselectors@welshchessunion.org.uk.  The Committee will meet in mid April to take the matter forward.

Background

The event is an eleven-round Swiss held at a rate of one round per day over four boards (though, like other teams, we shall be sending squads of five plus a non-playing captain). Unlike the European Team Championships there will be plenty of teams weaker than Wales taking part and we do not expect to be outclassed in many matches.

Captains’ Duties

  1. Helping as required with players’ opening etc preparation immediately before the event.
  2. Input (via the Chairman of Selectors) on team board order (which is finalised for all teams on arrival in Moscow).
  3. Dealing with team administration, including the duties and responsibilites set out in 6.3.9 of the FIDE Olympiad Regulations.  The selection of the team for each round is an important element here.
  4. Helping as required with preparation for each game and going over the games after their conclusion with the players.
  5. Supplying a  report on his/her team’s performance to the Chairman of Selectors (by the end of October 2018).

Captain’s Objectives

To ensure –

    a. that the team does as well as possible in relation to its seeding;

    b. that individual players do as well as possible in relation to their expected score (based on ratings);

    c. that they learn as much as possible from the experience.

Captains’ expenses and remuneration

It is expected that the organisers will be supplying full board gratis for each team and its captain in 2 single and 2 double rooms. The WCU team captains will each be entitled to one of these single rooms.  Captains with suitable chess qualifications will also have their travelling expenses to Moscow met and be offered a fee.  Applicants should give some indication of the level of fee they would expect.  

 

2020 Cardiff and the Vale Schools Chess Championships Results (2/2/20)

This year’s event was on 2nd February at Cardiff Council Hall. The event, as usual, attracted a large number of entrants all keen to compete in these popular Championships. We sincerely thank Cardiff City Council for once again hosting the Championships.

We also thank Cardiff Bay Rotary Club for their continued support of these Championships.

The prizes were presented by the The Right Honourable, The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Councillor Dan De’Ath and we thank him for his attendance at the Championships.

Continue reading 2020 Cardiff and the Vale Schools Chess Championships Results (2/2/20)

Latest Games now added!

Games have now been added to the Games page for the SW New Year Major, WCPL Round 3 and U1850 Round 1.

Welsh Girls Championships and Boys Starters Results (25/1/20)

U8 Champions: Louise Davies, Amelie Caesar 3rd= Yuxin Wu, Lola Mealing

U9 Champions: Lydia Thomas, Esther Williams

U10 Champion: Emma Kong, 2nd Vivien Townsend, 3rd= Gwennan Evans, Keeley Fowler

U11 Champion: Swar Gamare, 2nd Mia Jones, 3rd Isra Hussain

U12 Champion: Khushi Bagga, 2nd= Ava Choung, Ashika Shahameeran

U14 Champions: Kirby Paul, Alice Todd

A Boys Starters event was held alongside this

1st= Antonio Rosco, Ethan Shah-Clark, Harris Kumar

New Rating system now live!

The new rating system is now live with a dedicated webpage for all zones.

This can be found here:

First Rank Edition 32

This can be viewed here.

ECU E-Magazine December 2019

This can be viewed here.

First Welsh Correspondence International Open Chess Championship

Attention all WCU members!

The WCCF has now created this major event and request that any interested WCU members who wish to try correspondence chess should consider entering.

Anyone wishing to compete in this event will find information here.

New Rating Software

Due to technical problems I have decided that we will be moving over to Matthew Lunnon’s new rating software with immediate effect. Completing this process will take just a week or two. This obviously involves a short delay in publishing the 2020 rating changes following Hastings, Bridgend and several league matches. My apologies for any inconvenience this might cause.

Can I also remind everyone that we are still looking for rating officers for the Gwent and North Wales zones. Jon Maybery has recently retired from the North Wales post after several years of diligent work on behalf of his fellow players – we badly need someone to replace him.

Finally I would like to express my sincere thanks to Robert Taylor for his sterling work in creating (and maintaining) rating software that has served us incredibly well, under his guidance, for 12 years.

Paul Orton

National Rating Officer

Geof Tyrrell Best Game Prize 2019: Approaching Deadline

The deadline for entries for the 2019 award for games played in the calendar year 2019 is 31 January 2020; so there is still time to nominate a game (which need not have been played by the person making the nomination).  The detailed rules can be found here but briefly to qualify for consideration a 2019 game must be a win or a draw by a player qualified to represent Wales in a FIDE competition against a non-Welsh opponent graded over 2250 and FIDE-rated at least 150 points above the entrant at the time the game was played.

Entries should be sent to Howard Williams (howard.swnynant@btinternet.com). Continue reading Geof Tyrrell Best Game Prize 2019: Approaching Deadline