ECF membership

Reading SirDubaLot's chess lessons thread, I was looking at maybe getting an ECF rating (such is my addiction to this frustrating game) but you need a membership first. Anyone got one on here? I would like to get an ECF rating play in tournaments but I'd no doubt get hammered by an eight year old but hey, I'd still enjoy it. Can an absolute beginner like me be allowed to play in "proper" tournaments?

fc

I've been a member of the ECF in the past. I'm not now because I have issues with the way the organisation is run.

There are four levels of membership:
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/membership/info/

To play in the sort of tournaments you want to play in you'd need silver membership. The only difference between silver and gold is that the latter enables you to play in FIDE rated tournaments, which are actually quite rare in Britain because the required time rates don't suit the weekend tournament structure very well.

Quite a lot of tournaments are listed on the ECF website:
http://www.englishchess.org.uk/event-calendar/
But there are some which aren't.

Depending on where you live, you might find that evening league chess is an option. That's the only over-the-board chess that I play, I've only played in two tournaments (both rapidplay) in the last 25 years!

Edit: I forgot to mention that long play tournaments in Britain almost always have at least three sections, often named minor, major and open. There are generally five or six rounds and run on a Swiss system, meaning that you play in every round and will be paired against someone with the same number of points as yourself (or as close as possible). I've gone through some of your games and I think you'd be perfectly OK playing in a minor section and would probably win at least a couple of games.

Rapidplays, where each player has half an hour on the clock, are usually just run as one section, so you might find yourself paired against a very strong player in the first round. The whole tournament (usually six rounds) is played on one day.

Much appreciated DF for the great reply, might just see about the silver membership and see how it goes.

Cheers

fc

Originally posted by flyingcod
Reading SirDubaLot's chess lessons thread, I was looking at maybe getting an ECF rating (such is my addiction to this frustrating game) but you need a membership first. Anyone got one on here? I would like to get an ECF rating play in tournaments but I'd no doubt get hammered by an eight year old but hey, I'd still enjoy it. Can an absolute beginner like me be allowed to play in "proper" tournaments?

fc

Hi fc
I played a few times at the Southend Easter Congress and some weekend
competitions in Herts without an official grade or ECF membership.

Basically you give an estimate of your grade for seeding purposes
but aren't allowed to win any prize money!

Looks like the top two in last year's Southend Congress (Intermediate)ere both non-ECF members. http://www.southendchessclub.co.uk/

You do not require ECF membership to get a rating. However to cover admin costs any game rated for a non-ECF member will carry a charge of £2 in order to be rated (although that price may be out of date). Because of this most chess clubs require their members to join the ECF, with the possible exception of people who are purely social members. So in theory you don't need to be an ECF member, in practise you do.

Edit: Unless they've changed the rules in the last year.

Thanks DT!

fc