CYCC - Playing Up

[Bob Armstrong]

Posted on the confidential Governors' Discussion Board ( slightly edited ):

Evaluation of Current CYCC Playing Up Policy of CFC

My proposed motion on playing up a the 2013 CYCC ( now to be filed at the July AGM if the motion does go ahead ) had been based on concerns stated by both governors and CYCC junior Parents, that the current CFC unrestricted right to play up would water down upper sections if large numbers of players played up, believing they stood better chances of prize-winning there.

Do governors see this as a legitimate concern?

Should playing up be restricted to some degree, or is playing up a " right " that cannot be interfered with, without facing possible legal challenge?

Would proposing that a player had to have a rating equal to or greater than the fifth placed player in the higher section be considered too restrictive? not restrictive enough?

Bob A

I would be pleased to hear on this members' board, any non-governor comments, especially CYCC junior parents ( or juniors themselves ), as well as from any governors.

Bob A

[Ken Craft]

I support the current position as stated by the CFC Junior Coordinator. I do not support any additional restrictions.

[Jonathan Berry]

I think you need to be careful. Personal freedom is great, but not when it reduces the fulfillment of others. For example, to add an uncompetitive 11-year old to the U18 CYCC not only lessens the collegial and competitive rewards to the 16- and 17- year-olds, it also could influence the results, if one contender is Swiss paired (especially in the last round, of a small group) against the outlier while another is not. I can just hear the parental rationalization: "Johnny is a very nervous child. Playing with the big boys will calm him down." Yeah, right.

On the other hand, if 11-year-old Johnnie, instead of being nervous, has a 2300 rating, the considerations are quite different.

See my post on the same thread in chesstalk for more discussion.

[Bob Armstrong]

Posted on the confidential CFC Governors' Discussion Board:

Evaluation of Current CYCC Playing Up Policy of CFC

Although some concerns have now been raised on the public discussion boards about the CFC Policy on CYCC Playing Up, they have been limited.

Also, this seems to be the first time CFC has publicized a detailed, comprehensive and clear policy on this, and advertised it well in advance of the year's CYCC.

So rather than bringing a motion to the CFC AGM in July as I had planned, I am inclined now to wait for the 2012 CYCC in July in Vancouver to conclude, and then do an evaluation of the extent to which there were " playing up " registrations, and whether there were any processing problems with the applications, and whether any issues surfaced around the issue.

Since I do still personally have some concerns about the policy, I would then be in position to decide whether any motion amending the policy needed to be brought to the 2012 Fall ( October ) Governors' On-line Meeting, affecting the 2013 CYCC.

Bob A