It’s the big question everyone is asking: when will we start playing league chess again? In fact, when will we be playing any over the board chess again?
That doubt, centering around how chess as a sport can be played safely during or after the COVID-19 pandemic, was at the forefront of discussions at the London Chess League’s AGM on Monday night.
The lockdown forced league chess in London to grind to a halt four months ago now with the last match taking place between Morley College and Hammersmith Hedgers at the former’s venue on March 13.
The league, in line with other local and regional leagues around the country, then suspended the season and it was left hanging.
On Monday it was discussed – much like for Premier League football – whether to leave the season null and void or to resume it.
It became clear early on that the answer lay in the timing. If the league can restart in September we can fit it in.
Indeed, it was revealed the LCL has in fact reserved 6 nights up until November at the Citadines venue in case that becomes possible.
However, there was a huge amount of skepticism about whether that would happen and a number of questions raised.
With the current social distancing rules, how can chess even take place? How many boards can a venue safely support? Would teams struggle to find enough players willing to travel to matches?
Some clubs expressed fears the next season may have to wait until 2021/22. It is a huge challenge for the league, which already has other significant challenges to deal with.
Before lockdown struck, the league had already been rocked by the withdrawal of long-standing member Drunken Knights and also hit financially by the loss of Smartacus, who fielded a team in division 5.
As a result, treasurer Andy Heard said the league has burned through half of its cash reserves. He is also expecting fees at the Citadines to rise by at least 10 per cent, meaning board fees for clubs will have to go up from £5 a game to £5.50.
All this means increased costs for clubs like Battersea which will have to be passed onto members. Without prejudicing a future LCL committee decision, it is also likely that clubs will be asked to pay a percentage of their total fees upfront and that may be a struggle for some.
Even if league chess were to start immediately there would be problems.
It is estimated that due to the current social distancing rules the absolute maximum the Citadines could hold is 15 boards. It is, as we know, rather tight in there.
Pimlico’s rep stated that his club venue, which normally hosts most Central London League matches, can only support around 10 boards – down from 33. We haven’t got the measuring tape out at Battersea – because we haven’t been allowed in – but I would expect something in the region of 20.
Several clubs reported members saying they did not want to travel on public transport to Holborn during the pandemic and one club, Wimbledon, saying it would probably have to cut down its teams significantly.
That is totally understandable and, while we haven’t surveyed our members yet, it wouldn’t be a surprise to find some, particularly older, members having concerns about how to get to matches.
These questions have largely been left unanswered – it is impossible to come to a conclusion until more guidelines about how over the board chess can be played are released.
In fact, Huw Williams, secretary, Richmond & Twickenham Club, told how he had already had been involved in much the same discussion at the Surrey Chess League AGM (which Battersea was invited to, but did not attend) and was expecting the same at the Thames Valley League’s.
So, in the meantime, the league is looking to bodies like the ECF for guidance there and keeping an eye out at what is going on elsewhere.
For example, over the board chess has already resumed in Armenia:
Also, The Biel Chess Festival, starting this weekend, looks like being the first high-level international event to take place over-the-board since normal chess live ground to a halt.
And also in Iceland, Croatia and Hungary:
Representatives from the league resolved to meet again when the situation becomes clearer – Monday was deemed an “interim” AGM and a “special AGM” will be called in due course.
It should be noted that all the league’s officers – including Battersea chairman Alan Palmer as president – were re-elected en bloc for the coming year.
As far as Battersea is concerned, we currently have no plans to reopen our Tuesday club nights.
Our venue, the Battersea Labour Club, has posted a notice on its website saying it will reopen on August 3, but long discussions need to be had before we return.
COVID-19 brings implications that mean procedures may need to be put in place for entry/exit and how casual games are played. There may even be insurance implications. We simply don’t know yet.
Battersea’s AGM normally takes place in the first week in June but was – for obvious reasons – been postponed. A committee meeting has been held online in the interim, however, and you can read the draft minutes of it here.
There was also one heartening note from the London Chess League AGM to report: a surprise announcement from the chair was made that the first division trophy will be renamed the Brian Smith Trophy, in honour of the current league secretary’s 20-year stint in the job.
Brian, who couldn’t get his camera working so we couldn’t see his face when it was announced, is stepping down having seen his club Wood Green dominate that period.
Battersea supported this proposal wholeheartedly. Well done Brian.
