Membership of the English Chess Federation enables playing ECF-graded games, such as the club’s own internal tournaments, plus Southampton Chess League matches, County matches, and Congresses (tournaments) across the country. The different membership levels will determine what is covered.

There are other benefits too: a range of discounts at online chess retailers Chess & Bridge (chess.co.uk) and Chess Direct, as well as discounts with other partners. See Membership partners and benefits – English Chess Federation for more information.

ECF Membership 2022-3 due

The ECF Membership year runs from 1st September to 31st August each year.

ECF Membership levels: what’s best for me?

• Basic Bronze level ECF membership gives players ECF Grading for their game results in club tournaments, local Leagues, and County games. 
• Silver as Bronze, plus grading at chess tournaments (Congresses – but not FIDE rated standard-play ones). 
• Gold membership: as Silver, plus it includes FIDE rated standard play tournaments.

For most club players, Bronze or Silver Memberships are sufficient: Bronze if you don’t plan to go to Congresses, but do want to play in the club’s events and the League.

Other ECF Membership types

Whilst Bronze or Silver would suit most of our Club members, there are other ECF membership types, and, just for information, here’s a brief overview:

• ECF Supporter: access, and ECF grading to ECF online members clubs and events on chess.com and lichess.org together with free online rating of all ECF rated online events. £10.
• Queen’s Gambit Scheme Supporter: Available to women aged 18 and over who have not been members of the ECF before, for their first membership year. Grants access to ECF online members clubs and events on Chess.com and Lichess, together with free online rating of all ECF rated online events. Free.
• Platinum. As per Gold, plus printed ECF Yearbook. £75.

ECF Membership rates for 2022/23

Bronze – £18.00 | Junior Bronze – £6.00
Silver – £27.00 | Junior Silver – £6.00
Gold – £39.00 | Junior Gold – £19.50
Platinum – £75.00

It looks like the ECF have kept the membership rates at the previous prices, which is good in these inflationary times.

Renewing your ECF Membership

This may automatically happen, and the subs will be taken (today, actually). If you are an existing ECF Member, but haven’t set up for automatic payments, you can renew by going to the ECF’s membership payment page ecf.justgo.com – or via the ECF’s Membership page:

Any other costs for chess players?

English Chess Federation membership is one of 3 possible costs of being an active member of Chandler’s Ford Chess Club. The other costs are joining our chess club, and membership of our venue, the Chandler’s Ford Central Club. See our ‘What does it cost?” Page:

Keith Gregory’s 4th simultaneous match against his friends in Chandler’s Ford Chess Club. Congratulations to Keith on being unbeaten in the match: he won 5 of the 6 games and drew the other game (Graham Stuart thwarted the whitewash).

Simultaneous Exhibitions

Keith has now set up four of these club simultaneous tournaments online. These events, where one player takes on multiple opponents, are known as Simultaneous Exhibitions, or ‘simuls’ . Simuls can be over the (several) boards, or online. Keith has set up four of the online simuls so far.

These are very busy for Keith of course – and good fun for all of us. Keith copes well with the pressure of multiple opponents and the technical issues, and plays very well, and scores impressively highly each time.

Keith’s 4th Simul vs Chandler’s Ford

The 4th ‘Simul‘ tournament was on Monday evening, 21st August, on the online platform lichess.org. The games had full, standard time control, this event being 60 minutes for each player plus an increment of 20 seconds per move. As host, Keith played as white, and had an overall extra 20 minutes. As it happened time was never an issue for Keith as he kept up a good pace of play in all the games.

Previous Simultaneous Exhibitions with Keith

Keith’s 1st Simul on 11th November 2021.

With all the pressures of setting up a type of online tournament we hadn’t played before, then playing nine of us from the Chandler’s Ford Chess Club simultaneously online, how would Keith do? Very well actually: see results at 1st Simul

Keith’s 2nd Simul. December 2021.

Keith takes on no fewer than twelve players simultaneously! See results at 2nd Simul.

Keith’s 3rd Simul. March 2022.

Players who had been so used to playing in the online rapid-play tournaments had now learnt that there is ample time in a classic length 60+20 time-control game. So a tougher prospect for Keith with eleven opponents all playing better with the time limits. He still does well though… See 3rd Simul

Round 1 of the 2022 Knockout Tournament saw 8 of the remaining 16 players eliminated. Eight now remain. The Knockout Round 2 Draw has now been made. The Knockout is organised by Steve Dunleavy.

The Knockout 2022 so far

26 players entered this year’s Knockout. The Preliminaries, 10 games and 6 byes, saw that field reduced to 16 to compete in Round 1. Eight of the Round 1 players have been eliminated. Eight players have made it to the second round.

Round 2 Draw

• Graham Stuart vs Joe Henbury
• David Culliford vs Keith Gregory
• Dick Meredith  vs John Kooner
• Rob Sims vs Nobby George

Pairings and results for each Round can be seen on the Knockout 2022 Page:

Rules recap

1) the player drawn first plays with white(in the event of a draw colours
are reversed in the replay)
2) both players have their clocks set at 90 minutes
3) all games to be played by the 24th August; please let me know if for any reason you need a time extension to that deadline
4) if possible all games to be played over the board at club nights(2/8,
9/8,16/8,23/8) or at an agreed alternative venue
5) if necessary games may be played on the internet but please check with me first that this is okay
6) enjoy your games and please email me your result asap + when you have agreed to play the game to enable me to monitor progress

Steve Dunleavy

The club’s popular Ladder Tournament has seen its numbers climb recently, and there are now 25 players in the contest. Tournament organiser Rob Sims reports on the latest games on Tuesday 26th July. The current, 2021-22 Ladder, ends on 13th September.

Three games were played at club on Tuesday night:-

• Peter Przybycin beat Lee Mundy  ( no change needed in Ladder positions)
• Nobby  George beat Daniel Phillips
• Cary Xie beat Pablo Vidal

The last two games have resulted in Cary and Nobby moving up while Daniel and Pablo drop down.

Only 7 more club nights before the current ladder finishes on 13th September and the mini tournament to decide the winner takes place.

A new ladder will start at the end of September.

Best wishes to all,

Rob Sims

For full Ladder player positions (latest is from 28th July), see the Ladder 2021-22 Page:

Ladder rules recap

• All games to be played on the clock, which will be set at ninety minutes and then played to a finish.
• Players may challenge up to four places above their own step.
•  If the challenger wins, he will exchange places with the loser, all other results then the positions remain the same.
• The same players may not play each other again without first playing another player.   
• Once a challenge is accepted neither the challenger nor the player being challenged may make or accept another challenge.
• A challenge cannot be made more than seven days ahead of the game to be played.
• The challenger will have the white pieces.
• All games to be played over the board, other than games for Mike Henbury, which can be played online.
• Please notify Rob Sims with the results of all games played.

The current Ladder will end on 13th September 2022. In previous years, after the ladder ends the two players in second and third place play each other and the winner of that game plays a final match against the player who is top, so we’ll go through that process when the final ladder positions are revealed on September 13th.