SOMERSET COUNTY CHESS ASSOCIATION

SOMERSET COUNTY CHESS ASSOCIATON

Issue 1 Minutes of 116^th Annual General Meeting, 6 June 2011

1 Members present were: M R Baker, G T Berryman, F Burridge, R Carver, I Chacon, B Edgell, R Fenton, J Fewkes, G Jepps, S Marsh, C McKinley (President), T Miller, R Morgan, K Paine, J Parsons, R Quin, A W Ruston, M Turner, G Udell, B White, D Wood, D G Woodruff (22 members). Apologies for absence were received form A Bamford, C Barratt, P Moody, A Ransom (4 members).

2 The minutes of the 115^th meeting were accepted and then countersigned by the President.

3 Matters Arising. None.

4 Announcement of trophy winners

Somerset Cup Taunton

Division 1 Taunton

Division 2 East Frome

Division 2 West Chard

Division 2 Central Glastonbury

Division 3 East Bath

Division 3 West Chard

5 Treasurer’s report. (1) In the absence of the Treasurer the Secretary circulated printed copies of the balance sheet and reported that in the year ending 15/5/2011 there had been a surplus of £949.05. The finances of the Association had benefited from a generous legacy from the estate of Brian West, formerly secretary of the Norton Radstock Chess club. It was agreed that when a suitable opportunity arises some form of memorial to Mr West should be instituted. (2) It was agreed that affiliation fees 2011/12 will be £7.00 for the first team in Divisions 1 and 2, £4.50 for each additional team and £3.50 for a team in division 3. (3) It was noted that in 2011/12 ECF Game Fee will be 58 pence per player per game for the League & Cup matches. Games in internal club competitions are charged at one third of the normal rate. (4) In subsequent discussion it was agreed that a sum of up to £100 could be used by the Junior Organiser and the sum of up to £200 could be spent by the Match Captain to improve the quality of the County Clocks.

6 Other reports. The following officers reported to the meeting.

6.1 Match Captain

In the division 1 WECU Competition we won against Cornwall 9.5-4.5, won against Devon 12.5-3.5, drew against Gloucestershire 8-8 and had a walkover against Hampshire. We were Division 1 champions. Next year a team will be entered for the National stages of either the ECF County Championship or the ECF Minor Counties Championship. The second team won a friendly match against Dorset 10.5-5.5.

6.2 The League Secretaries

Division1. Taunton 16, Yeovil 11, Glastonbury 8, Sedgemoor 3, Frome 2.

Division 2 East. Frome 9, Trowbridge 7, Bath 4, N/Radstock 4.

Division 2 West. Chard/Ilminster 15, Yeovil 14, Glastonbury 14, Taunton 12, Weston-s-Mare 3, Wellington 2.

Division 3 East. Bath 8, Trowbridge 8, N/Radstock 5, Frome 3

Division 3 West. Chard & Ilminster 19, Glastonbury 15, Weston B 13, Weston A 12, Wellington 10, Sedgemoor 10, Taunton 6.

Division 3 Central. Glastonbury 8, Gillingham 7, Yeovil 3.

6.3 CC Match Captain. In the season 2009-19 the Somerset team scored 4.5/10 in the Butler-Thomas competition. In 2010-11 so far we have scored 3.5/6.

6.4 Tournament Secretary. A detailed written report of 22^nd From Congress held at Selwood Middle School on May 6-8 was circulated. There were 170 players and 4 sections. The Somerset trophies were won as follows:-

Denys Bonner Trophy (Open) David Buckley (Bath)

Leon York Memorial (Major) Stephen Williams (Colchester)

Roy Hossell (Intermediate) Patrick Wojcik (Taunton)

Cyril Chapman (Minor) Roger Fenton (Glastonbury)

Jean Mackereth Trophy Pawel Ploskonka (Weston-s-Mare

6.5 ECF Delegate gave a brief oral report mainly covering details of Board Members newly elected at the last ECF Council Meeting.

6.6 WECU Executive Delegate gave a brief oral report covering the WECU meetings and a summary of the WECU financial position.

6.7 Results Secretary. A detailed written report was circulated.

2010-2011 Season

Results of all the Somerset League games have been submitted to the ECF for grading. Results are on the Somerset web site (follow the grading link). I have been trying to keep the record of games on the web site up-to-date during the season so that clubs/players can check whether results have been processed correctly. Please can clubs keep an eye on those results as mistakes do sometimes happen. (Not all match score-sheets are legible and mistakes can be made in inputting the data.)

The results on the web site include an analysis of games played, showing how each player has performed over the season relative to their most recent published grade.

At the time of writing (01-06-2011) results of club internal tournament games have been received and submitted to the ECF for Frome, Norton Radstock, Taunton, Wellington and Weston-super-Mare.

I thank those match captains who have been conscientious in supplying full names and dates of birth for new players and who have been careful in writing names down on a match score sheet Full (and correct!) information is essential to avoid confusion between players of similar name. (It is not necessarily obvious, for example, that A. Smith and T. Smith are one and the same Anthony Smith or, as another example, that a player prefers to be known by his middle name instead of his first, thereby causing confusion if the first initial is omitted).

2011-2012 Season

The ECF are moving to six-monthly grading lists. This will have the following effects.

a) The grading half-years will be January to June and July to December. Note that the new end-of-June end date is one month on from the current end-of-May deadline.

b) The new grading lists will be available within about a month of the half-year end date.

c) A new ‘X’ grade will be published, in addition to the usual grade. This X grade will be the grade based on games played in the most recent half-year period.

In addition the ECF on-line database is being enhanced. This means that ECF members will be able to access additional information such as individual game results, match results and tournament cross-tables.

Because of the new six-month periods it will be essential for results to be forwarded promptly for processing. Waiting for the end of the season before submitting (for example) club results will detract from the quality of the published grades. In addition, few clubs at the moment provide dates for their club tournament games. This should change.

The Somerset League rules will also require clarification to make it clear which grading list should be applied. I suggest that for the purpose of determining eligibility for grade-limited teams the grades applying at the start of the season should be used.

Finally, game fee is increasing to 58p next season.

6.8 Junior Organiser. Mr Morgan reported that he had contacted all the secondary schools in Somerset. Only two showed interest in an inter-Schools competition. He did not have the time available to make a sustained follow-up but he would be willing to stand again for re-election as Junior organiser. He asked about the question of financial support. The sum of up to £100 was mutually acceptable to Mr Morgan and the meeting.

7 Motions on the agenda.

7.1 League Rule 1(a). It was agreed (15-0 with 7 abstentions) that the section of rule 1(a) dealing with division 2 should be modified to read “In Division 2 teams are restricted in that there is an upper limit of 145 on the average grade per player”. The issue of ungraded players and low graded players is dealt with in section 2 of the League Rules. Possible variations were discussed but no decision to change was taken.

7.2 Knockout Cup Rule 8d. It was agreed (20-0 with 2 abstentions) that part (ii) of Rule 8(b) should be deleted. Rule 8(d) now states “players shall have an authentic connection with the club they represent.

8 Election of Officers

President C McKinley

Vice-presidents: A Bamford, C F Barratt, G T Berryman, B J Francis, R W Gregory, G N Jepps, R Maishman, C Winch.

Secretary: J E Fewkes

Treasurer: C F Barratt

League Secretary East & Central: G Udell

League Secretary West: R Fenton

Match Captain: R Morgan

Correspondence Match Captain: J E Fewkes

Senior Tournament Secretary: G N Jepps

Junior Organiser: R Morgan

Results Officer: G N Jepps

ECF Delegate: B Edgell

WECU Executive Delegate: B Edgell

WECU Council Delegate: G N Jepps

Committee Members: R Carver, D G Woodruff

9 Appointments

Accounts Examiner: D J Smith

Arbiters: N Belinfante, A T Mordue, J Rudd, D Woodruff

10 Vote of Thanks. There was a unanimous vote of thanks and appreciation to Mr Woodruff on his retirement from the posts of ECF Delegate and WECU Executive Delegate after many years of service.

11 Any Other business

11.1 Rule 1(d). In the league rules section 1(d) shall be added stating “for the purpose of determining eligibility for grade-limited teams the grades applying at the start of the season shall be used throughout the season”.

11.2 ECF Direct Membership Scheme. At the Autumn Council of the ECF a proposal will be brought forward that Game Fee should be discontinued and replaced by a mandatory Direct Membership Scheme with a likely fee of £18. This was explained by Messrs Jepps and Edgell in some detail. If implemented fully this would significantly raise the cost of playing league chess in Somerset for most players. The considered opinion of Messrs Jepps and Edgell was that the scheme should be opposed at Council and this was strongly supported by the meeting.

11.3 Proposal from Trowbridge Chess Club. “In the Somerset D2 and D3 leagues clubs that cannot raise a full team can field a higher graded player with the agreement of the opposing captain who will field a player of equivalent grade so as not to disadvantage their team.” No-one was willing to second the motion.

11.4 Weston-s-Mare CC will be changing its venue with effect from the beginning of next season.

12 117^th AGM. The 117^th AGM will be held at The Tor Leisure Centre, Glastonbury BA6 9EF at 7.30 pm on either Monday May 28 or Monday May 4 according to which date is not a Bank Holiday. Items for inclusion in the formal agenda should reach the secretary no later than 30 April.