Minutes April 2019
2019-08-30
Minutes of the Chess Edinburgh Council Meeting held at the Edinburgh Chess Club, 1 Alva Street, Edinburgh on Thursday 25thApril 2019 at 19.30.
Present: David Stewart (Chairman), Dave Watson, Calum McGillivray Jenny Wilson and David Archibald (Lothian Junior Chess), Chihon Ley, Martin Robinson Jim Wallace and Jim O’Neil.
Maurice Kelly (Musselburgh) was co-opted onto the committee proposed by David Archibald and seconded by Martin Robinson.
1. Apologies for Absence: Andrew Green, Alistair Small, Crawford Macnab, and. Eddie Gillespie,
2. Minutes of Last Meeting
The Minutes of the previous meeting, held on 28th February 2019, were approved: proposed by Chihon Ley and seconded by David Stewart.
3. Matters Arising
David Stewart is still to get the records of the previous winners from Martin Robinson in order to complete the engraving of the Division 1 Trophy.
4. Edinburgh Chess League
1. (a) Chihon Ley reported that he had spoken to the captain of the Edinburgh University first team
regarding its failure to fulfil fixtures and that he had found it very disorganised. He apologised
on behalf of the University Club.
(b) The Council agreed (by seven votes to three) to propose David Archibald’s suggestion to the AGM that the rule for the defaulting of League matches be amended to read If no member of a team has turned up after 30 minutes and that there has been no message from them regarding a delay the match should be considered a default.
(c) Regarding a team frequently defaulting on matches having their results removed from the
League David Stewart reported that he had found nothing in the rules to cover this. After some
discussion the Council agreed to propose a new rule to the AGM that: If a team defaults on
25% of its matches in a season it will be relegated and its results removed from the
League. Individual games played will still be put forward for grading.
2. David Stewart has written to Sandy Bells regarding Peter Middleton’s inability to record his moves reminding them that permission has to be requested from the League Secretary (which they had done) and that his opponent should record the moves on a duplicate score sheet.
3. Jim O’Neill will make a braille clock for David Burns and Corstorphine will provide someone at home matches to record his moves and watch for any communication problems. When this is not possible, his opponent will record the moves on a duplicate score sheet.
4. With the exception of two play-off matches, the Leagues have been completed.
Winners Relegated Play- Off
Premier Edinburgh 1 Edinburgh University 1 Edinburgh 2 v Bank of Scotland 1
Division 1 Civil Service 1 Corstorphine 1 Edinburgh University 2 scratched
Division 2 Sandy Bells 1 Wandering Dragons 3 Edinburgh West 2 v Edinburgh 5
Division 3 Musselburgh
5. The Council supported David Stewart’s proposal that Wandering Dragons get the option to play all their League matches away while the Polish Club is being refurbished.
5. Edinburgh Allegro Chess League
1. This has been successfully completed and the winners were Wandering Dragons B
2. David Stewart has received a complaint regarding the number of defaults and the Council decided to propose to the AGM that the deposit is raised from £10 to £20 and that clubs will forfeit their deposit if they default on a total of four boards during the season.
In view of this it was felt no longer necessary for a letter to Sandy Bells.
3. The cost of hiring the venue at Slateford Bowling Club is to increase from £35 to £40.
4. Maurice Kelly (Musselburgh) has agreed to take over from Jim Wallace as organiser.
6. Lothians Allegro Congress
1. Martin Robinson is dealing with the repair of the trophy.
2. Organiser Martin Robinson is to write a report on the Congress.
7. Summer Cup/Plate
1. The 1st round of the Cup is under way with twelve teams; down from 18 last year.
2. As there were no for ideas on a replacement for the Plate Trophy, which has no more room for the names of the winners to be inscribed, it was decided to continue with the current trophy but without inscription.
3. Calum McGillivray is still to send out the Result Cards, although they can be downloaded from the Chess Edinburgh website.
8. Edinburgh Congress
1. David Stewart has posted his Report on the Chess Scotland and Chess Edinburgh sites and he
has almost completed his report on the 2018 Congress for Chess Scotland.
2. The 2019 Congress took place at St Thomas Aquin’s High School from 5th – 7th April.
3. The entry of 233 players was a considerable increase on previous years.
4. There were a number of issues that need attention to improve the Congress.
(a) Problems with the venue: A lack of heating
No internet
Some toilets were locked.
No microphone
(b) There was a lengthy delay in the prize-giving being the last games finished thirty minutes later.
(c) The Arbiters want entries made on the Chess Results site and Dave Watson will learn how to
do this for next year.
(d) Jim O’Neil is keen that players can enter online.
(e) The operation of the Group entry was complicated.
5. Sean Marsh was unable to attend and so there were no coaching sessions for people interested in
organising chess for juniors.
6. The catering provided by the school’s Parent Teachers Association was excellent.
7. The Congress had a surplus of approximately £200.
8. There are still some prize winners to be paid: Dave Watson and Eddie Gillespie dealing with it.
9. Dave Watson is to get the Evening News Cup engraved with the names of the 2018 and 2019
winners. Arrangements have then to be made to present the trophy to Jake Sanger.
10. Eddie Gillespie had previously pointed out that the collection of the entry fees is the responsibility
of the Entry Secretary, not the Treasurer.
11. David Stewart is investigating alternative venues for the 2020 Congress, including Edinburgh
University, Broughton High School and Boroughmuir High School.
12. Council agreed to set up a subcommittee to assist David Stewart in the running of the Congress.
Members will include David Stewart, Dave Watson, Martin Robinson, Jim O’Neil, Chihon Ley,
Jenny Wilson and anyone else who expresses interest at the AGM.
9. Lothians Championship
1. Chihon Ley has spoken to Christopher Wu regarding collecting the trophy and cheque for last
Year and he (Christopher) said that he will contact the Treasurer.
2. This season’s championship is now at Round 5.
3. All players have now paid.
10. Lothian Schools
Jenny Wilson and David Archibald reported that:
1. The Lothian Junior Championships were held on Sunday 3rd March. Although numbers were slightly down due partly to the event being held on Mother’s Day, they were a success.
2. The Mega Finals were held in Edinburgh with 228 competitors. This was another successful event
and was one of the largest in the UK.
3. There will be a team tournament for Primary and Secondary schools on 16th June.
11. Balerno Chess Club Equipment
1. The equipment donated by the now defunct Balerno Club is being divided between Chess in the
Park, Towerbank Primary School and a café on Easter Road. There are still some sets available
currently stored at Slateford Bowling Club.
12. 2019 Scottish Championships
David Stewart and Chihon Ley are working on a programme of social events during the Championships and would welcome any other volunteers.
13. Website
1. Chihon Ley and Jim O’Neil will look at the website and following their recommendations David
Stewart will write to Bill Marshall.
2.Provision for Jim O’Neil to be a back-up administrator is still to be made.
3.Chihon Ley is receiving training in Social Media Management.
14 President’s Report
David Stewart reported that
1. Chess in the Park has restarted and is proving a great success with as many as 50 players taking
part some days.
The Herald newspaper has had an article on it.
15. Treasurer’s Report
1. The Treasurer Eddie Gillespie was absent but recommended that the subscriptions for the Edinburgh League and Allegre League be reduced from £42 to £40 and £21 to £20 respectively. This was accepted by the Council but there was considerable support for further reductions to £30 and £15. Tthis can be put forward at the AGM.
2. The Treasurer has intimated that he would like to stand down in the near future and it was
agreed that Jim O’Neil should have talks with him regarding possibly taking over.
16. Chess Edinburgh AGM
1. This will be held on Thursday 23rd May at Slateford Bowling Club commencing at 7:30 pm.
2. All of the current council members are willing to stand again.
17. AOCB
1. Jim O’Neil is still to contact Richard Payne and Chess Scotland for guidance on clubs having
a written constitution with particular need for a child safety policy.
2. The Fixtures Meeting will take place on Monday 30th September at Slateford Bowling Club
commencing at 7:30 pm.
18. Date of Next Meeting
Thursday 29th August at 7.30pm at the Edinburgh Chess Club.
Calum McGillivray to book.