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It may be perceived as odd that someone is writing on chess websites about a book nearly 30 years old and penned by a javelin thrower. Why should it be relevant to chess players? Continued in attached file...

It is now more than fifty years since I first entered an individual chess championship. The Hull & District Chess Association Junior Individual Championship 1970 was organised by R.P. Ross and scheduled to take place on 4th and 11th December at Carron House, 78, Beverley Road, Hull – at that time the home of Hull Chess Club. The building was either owned or rented by the Amalgamated Engineering Union but is now residential accommodation divided into flats. I cannot recall the number of entrants but assume that the figure was less than 16 as the event took the form of a 4 round Swiss tournament. To the best of my knowledge, all of the competitors were in the 16 to 18 years age range and attending local grammar schools or Hymers College. Each round lasted 1½ hours and my records suggest that a time control of 32 moves in ¾ hour was in operation. Unfinished games were adjudicated by the organiser... Continued in file attached..

This months edition available to download!

This months edition available to download!

The first ever telephone-chess match to be played in Hull has been organised by the enthusiastic president of St. Andrew's Chess Club, Bert Milner, and will take place on July 10. The Hull team face a stiff task, as their opponents will be from the Alcazar (London) club, one of the strongest in the country. The club also play the leading role in the organisation of the big Enfield Chess Congress, which several Hull players will again be attending at the end of August. Hull team for the telephone match will be: R. D. Westra, J. W. Atkinson, E. Starkey, R. Bilton, J. P. Lawson, D. Hancock, B. Carrington, C. Wright, P. Hughes and B. Cundill. Hull Chess League will have at least four new teams when the new season opens in September. They are Gliksten Doors, Hull Teachers, Britannia House and Hull E, who will all be playing in the third division. There is a possibility of even more teams entering before the closing date in August. Hull players will soon be able to see how they compare with other local players when the first Hull grading list is published in the next few weeks. It is expected that within the next two years most local players will qualify for inclusion in the official British Chess Federation list.

Good Evening. We are now approaching the end of February and still St Andrews is faced with the prospect of having two teams in division two from next season and if this happens by the time the end of season is reached then the AGM will no doubt have a deep and meaningful discussion as to what this means for all of us. Do we share the responsibility of both teams equally to give each a chance at having a good season or do we remain as separate entities with a strong and strong (ish) team in the league with the sole aim of ensuring one team returns to the top division ? Of course at this early stage this is merely speculation and come the end of the season this may not happen. Onto another subject and the internal tournaments which have to put too fine a point on it been nothing short of "shambolic".  The championship has run smoothly despite a number of player withdrawals and is thanks in its entirety to the existing players getting their games played,  the intermediate has suffered numerous withdrawals under different reasons and the majority of games are completed.  The major still has 6 players in its ranks but only 4 games have been played to date. The problem with the internal events is that they cannot function alongside a pre-arranged fixture list as it quickly becomes apparent that their are limited dates available when games can be played especially when most chess players who play in teams have real life problems to deal with so i am not putting the blame on anyone for this situation. This makes my task as tournament controller difficult in trying to find a system that appeals for all while taking into account all the external factors,  our long standing internal events (5 minute, pairs, lightning etc) have all been removed from the calendar. I've got a few ideas on how to make any future event for Championship, Major, Intermediate work for next season but i need your help so if you have any ideas of your own then please send me an email with these ideas, I would be happy to share my own thoughts too.  I will then have something to present at the AGM which will either receive the backing of the attending majority or not. For now, sit back with a customary cup of tea or something stronger and examine the latest spreadsheet edition of the White Cross which league results, internals, Yorkshire league, events and your latest published grades. Have a good evening MP - Tournament Controller.

A handicap system is designed to reward a team that does better than expected in the match about to be played. Then: ·         If a team does worse than expected it will lose. ·         If a team does as expected, it will draw. ·         If a team does better than expected it will win. ·         It is obviously essential to have an expected score. The handicapper (or the set of rules which replace him) predicts the score of each board separately and hence the match score if played in the normal manner. He then gives the lesser team the exact start necessary to make the expected result a draw. Note that he predicts the score and then gives the start, not the other way around. To predict the score of a chess match he must predict each board separately, and there are only three possibilities for each board, namely 1-0, 0-1 and Draw. The current arrangement makes no attempt to predict the score on any board and for that reason alone however sophisticated it may appear it is not applicable to a chess match and is not a handicap system. Before the match starts you should have a score sheet giving the predicted score for each board, each team’s total, and the start necessary to make the expected result a draw. Prior to the EGM an example was given where one team had starts of 0.4, 0.2 and 0.2 The other team also had a start of 0.2 which meant a team start of 0.6 and this was rounded up to 1. However, that is an increase of 0.4 which is two thirds of the original 0.6 and also equal to the highest start on any board which means it is significant. It is different from rounding up 99.9 to 100. It also means team starts of 0.6, 0.8, 1, 1.2, and 1.4 all finish up with 1 point start. There are serious errors in the way defaulted boards are treated; If you look at the match between St Andrews and East Hull B in 4 board Div 2 on 2nd Dec you will see that E Hull defaulted on board 1. So, St Andrews won that board 1-0 but also got 0.8 start via the handicap calculation making a total of 1.8 from one board. However, it could have been much worse. If St Andrews had defaulted E Hull would have won that board 1-0 but as the rules stand St Andrews would still have got 0.8 start despite not having anybody on the board at all. Everybody knows that when a board is defaulted there is no play at all on that board and the system should reflect that. So, the board should be awarded 1-0 to the non-offending team but not play any part in the calculation of the handicap. Any start given to either team on that board should be cancelled. So, for example a 4-board match with one default would become a 3-board match plus 1 point penalty for the default. It would also mean that default values would be redundant. When a 4-board cup match has ended in a draw and the tie break has still left a draw the rules say “the side with the handicap should progress. “. However, I am not sure that was what was intended. If one team has a start the team with the handicap is their opponents. They have the handicap of starting the match knowing that their opponents have a start on them, and they have to catch up.   There is also an error in the use of board count to decide the winner of a 6-board cup match which has ended in a draw (Rule 3.7). Board count was designed to split a tie when a match ended in a draw in a competition with no handicapping whatsoever. The match having ended in a draw meant that each team had won the same number of boards, and the idea was to decide which team had won the more important boards. But if one team has had a start this no longer applies. For example, if one team has had a start of 2 and the match has ended in a draw then the other team has won 2 more boards than they have and would have 2 more boards more on its list of winning boards which invalidates the logic.   If you have any questions or comments do not hesitate to contact me.

Readers may have seen the recent news regarding the dispute between F.I.D.E. and Magnus Carlsen concerning dress standards, which resulted in him ceasing to participate in the F.I.D.E. World Rapid Chess Championship. I understand that the matter has now been resolved but thought other players might like to know my views on this subject. I would be interested to know if others are of the same mind or regard me as a dangerous rebel. Please submit your comments to the person who operates the website where you saw this article. This is the old story of 'The Establishment' enforcing their views - usually on younger or independently minded people - who object to being told what is good for them. I have been challenging such policies for years and am now into my 70s. I do not wear, and would not wish to be seen dead, in jeans - especially those which fall down your backside and display your underpants. But that is simply my opinion, and why should it be imposed upon others? During the late 1960s and early 1970s, when I was completing 'A' and 'O' level studies, the headmaster at my school did not like long hair and sideboards and tried to impose his views on students. Many of us pushed our opposition to the limit. In recent years, schools have been suspending pupils for having short hair or having patterns cut into it. This is all about power, attempting to force ‘unco-operative individuals’ to conform and enforcing what many consider outdated opinions. Around 20 years ago, when I was working in the civil service, dictats came down from on high that all male staff should wear a tie. I was employed in a post which did not involve face to face contact with the public. Nevertheless, we were informed that the rule applied to all staff working in the Department for Work and Pensions. The trade union opposed the policy. I arrived at work one day with a tie knotted around my waist to hold up my trousers and one around my head. No action was taken as I was complying with the instructions that had been issued! The policy was withdrawn soon afterwards. Cleanliness is another matter, as it affects other people - especially opponents - and some basic standards are understandable. In this case, involving Magnus Carlsen, the arbiter was correct in enforcing the policy laid down by the organisers. I am not a qualified arbiter, but had I been asked to officiate in an event requiring such rules, I would have decined the offer. Compare this with national and world governing bodies, authorising events in nations where those in power do not accept basic human rights for minorities, women, etc.. The word 'hypocrisy' springs to mind. David G. Mills. 30 th December 2024. Joint President of St. Andrews Chess Club, Hull. Former National Civil Service Chess Association Match Captain.

My best wishes to all members for the coming year.   During the holiday period, a number of matters have arisen that need to be brought to your attention. In the circumstances, I have also decided to update members regarding several longer-term subjects which may be of interest.   Lester Jones On 19th December 2024, Lester sent me an e-mail which included the following words:-   “I will not be attending the club until further notice. Regrettably, I am giving up the captaincy of the 4B Minus 4 team - certainly for this season. I will communicate with Ted about any further matters.”   Our good wishes go out to Lester and we look forward to him returning to club evenings in the future. Lester was subsequently informed that I propose to undertake the role of captain of the Four Board Minus 4 team, on an interim basis, until the 2025 Annual General Meeting, if that is acceptable to members.   Hull & East Riding Chess Association League teams   St. Andrews ‘A’. The first team has experienced a difficult first half of the 2024/2025 season. Changes in the composition of other Six Board Division One teams have improved their playing strength and our ‘A’ team currently occupies bottom place with one point from five matches. Moving out of the relegation slot is a priority and the availability or otherwise of team members may mean reserves standing in when required. It you are asked to help, please do your utmost to assist Andrew Bettley.   St. Andrews White Rose. A draw in the final fixture before Christmas saw the White Rose team move off the bottom of the Six Board Division Two table, with two draws and three defeats. Nevertheless, my calculations indicate that this team has not recorded a victory in over 50 local league matches. My aim, and hopefully that of other team members, is to change that statistic and finish the season in mid-table.   St. Andrews ‘C’. Two wins, two draws and two defeats have the ‘C’ team in fourth place in Division One of the Four Board League entering the New Year. A good run of results and a title challenge could arise. John Thackray has an unbeaten record of three wins and two draws against strong opposition.   St. Andrews ‘D’. Two wins, a draw and three defeats have the ‘D’ team in sixth spot in Division One of the Four Board League, two points above the relegation places. Best performer at the moment is David Thrun on 50% from three games.   St. Andrews Minus Four. Three victories and two defeats have given rise to third position approaching the half way point, with Hull Futures 2 topping the Four Board Second Division on nine league points. Ten club members have featured for this team to date. Internal Club Competitions These events are proceeding slowly and have been affected by withdrawals. Those involved are asked not to leave the scheduling of games until a few weeks before the closing date. Lester informs me that he has withdrawn from this season’s Club Championship.   Hull & East Riding Chess Association. The Club’s relationship with our local association is much improved, compared with this time last year. Meetings of the trustees have been attended by Dan Malbon, John Thackray and me. The relevant minutes of these meetings are published on the Hull & East Riding Chess Association website. If you wish something to be raised at any of these meetings, please inform Dan Malbon, John Thackray or me and we will try to ensure that the trustees are notified.   The St. Andrews Chess Club website The initiation and operation of a club website was one of my proposals on seeking the office of Club President back in 2023. Congratulations are due to Dan Malbon for his work on bringing it to fruition and updating the material for publication. I have provided some articles and photographs and will forward more in the coming weeks. A wide variety of submissions are needed to attract interest from current and prospective members – games, anecdotes, book reviews, etc. – and if you are reluctant to compose an item yourself, please send me the basic details and I will do the rest.   Challenge Matches. Having organised such fixtures for a variety of organisations over many years, I was keen to offer such opportunities to St. Andrews members. The first such contest was held on 15th July 2024 against an Appleby Frodingham (Scunthorpe) team at Barton-on-Humber Chess Club. As many of you will know, I have been a member of the Appleby Frodingham Club for several years and previously, a member of the Barton-on-Humber Chess Club. A report of the match, including games and photographs, has now been completed and will be published in the coming weeks. In the next few days, I intend to challenge Grimsby Chess Club to a similar match at the same venue. Another possibility is to enter competitions organised by the Northern Counties Chess Union. Beverley Chess Club participated in some of these events when I was a member. I am currently making enquiries to see if any are scheduled for 2025.   Provision of Refreshments on Club/Match Evenings A number of local chess clubs are currently offering basic refreshments – tea, coffee and biscuits – to members and guests. This is in return for a contribution towards the cost of such items. I intend to approach our landlord to see if arrangements can be put in place whereby St. Andrews can provide a similar service, if not on every club evening, at least on some of them.   Social Events I have attended a yoga group in Beverley for around 20 years and once or twice per year, organise a meal for members plus partners/friends at a local public house. Please let me know if you would be interested in such an event. You will not be committing yourself to attending at this stage. If there is a reasonable response – say eight or more – I will make further enquiries at establishments in the Cottingham Road area and issue details of possible dates and prices. Meals scheduled for a Saturday, around midday, tend to offer best value. Coaching Sessions I am willing to organise some coaching sessions at our club if members want such a service. The tutor would be a local player from our own or another club. I would require details of the type of instruction being sought. Said tutor would be decided in the light of the playing strength of those attending. For example, I can supply some advice to players rated up to around 1500 but stronger players would require a tutor of a higher playing standard. For this to be successful, we would have to suspend other activities if the coaching was on a club evening. Alternatively, we could try to book an additional night or nights.   First Aid For several years, I have been trying to persuade the local chess association to fund first aid training for volunteers – at least one per club. My own training goes back many years and guidance changes over time. Despite funding now being available, I am currently the only person willing to attend a basic training course, most of which take place locally over a period of up to one day. Is anyone else willing to give up a day to receive instruction that could save a life or prevent serious injury? I have intervened on a couple of occasions (not at chess fixtures) to prevent helpful members of the public doing things that could have, unintentionally, caused a long-term injury or disability. Several years ago, I was present at a Yorkshire Chess Association match in Hull where a player collapsed and had to be hospitalised. Two weeks later, also at a Yorkshire Chess Association fixture in Leeds, a player suffered a heart attack and was fortunate that the opposing team included three doctors. Soon after I retired, a friend suffered a panic attack on a train journey to Bradford, via Leeds, and benefited from the fact that a large group of doctors were travelling in the same carriage to Manchester for a conference. They liaised with the rail authorities to have an ambulance available at Leeds station to take her to St. James’ Hospital. I understand that the local chess association either has, or will arrange to have, insurance cover for first aid volunteers.   As Joint President of St. Andrews Chess Club, I hope that members know that they have the opportunity to contact me to discuss chess or non-chess matters in confidence. In my opinion, the duties of this post extend beyond opening meetings and using a casting vote in certain circumstances. The general welfare of club members and their friends and relatives is important to me. Despite retiring nearly 12 years ago, I have acquired a variety of skills, working for over 40 years in the civil service, serving as a local officer in the P.C.S. trade union and volunteering as a sports organiser/player/writer for HASSRA (Health & Social Security Recreational Association) and CSSC Sports & Leisure (formerly, the Civil Service Sports Council). I cannot guarantee to assist everyone but will try, at the very least, to listen to what you have to say and, if appropriate, suggest organisations which may be qualified to offer suitable advice.   David G. Mills. Joint President. 29th December 2024.