Minutes of AGM 2008
Held at Lindley Liberal Club, Wednesday 4th June at 7.45 pm
Present
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President
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WF Lumley
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Secretary
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GM Peake
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Treasurer
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D Firth
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Brighouse
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-
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David Browns
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A Ward J. Hill
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Chartist
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AR Tuddenham, D. Toulson
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Huddersfield
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E Priestley, D Firth, P Czerwinski, R.S. Boylan, E. Mellor, C. Stratford
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Dewsbury
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-
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Netherton
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P Shaw, WF Lumley, P. Jackson, J.Newsome
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Holme Valley
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GM Peake, K Haigh, N Battye, R Keely, L Keely, SV Thompson, J. Harrison
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Wakefield
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B. Brian
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1. Absent Friends
The President asked everyone to bow their heads for one minute silence in memory of Maurice Child and Andrew Chadwicjk.
2. Apologies
Apologies had been received from Chris Booth [in Spain], and Joe Froggatt.
3. Minutes
2007 AGM minutes were approved .
4. Matters Arising
Richard Boylan pointed out that the chess set [Fiona Midgley] had not yet been purchased.
5. General Meeting 6th March 2007 [see minutes]
6. President’s Report
President Bill Lumley said his speech would not be inspiring or long, and that Geoff would give thanks to all who had contributed. He paid tribute to the work of treasurer David Firth, and thanked Barry Brian for donating the David Woodhead trophy. He praised Geoff Peake's web site. He refered to problems this last year, that had unsettled various members, but hoped that these had been settled amicably, thanks to the work of Roger Keely and Geoff Peake.
7. Secretary’s Report
Congratulations to Bill Lumley for winning the British Correspondence chess championship, thanks for his work as President, and the years he spent as secretary.
Andrew Chadwick, Maurice Child — there is a section on the website to perpetuate their memory.
We also lost Bobby Fischer, of course. He made a massive contribution to chess, though sadly opted out in 1973, making a 5 million dollar comeback in 1992. His other major contribution to chess was the Fischer clock.
Thanks to
Roger Tuddenham, who made an interesting proposition for improved accuracy in the Handicap competition. Note that he won the Handicap, so does he know something we don’t ?!
Nigel Hepworth who has done a fantastic job with Huddersfield Congress and Rapidplay and Juniors, and now has a Huddersfield Club website running. Huddersfield have a variety of in house competitions such as Summer Tournament. Swiss Championship etc.
Congratulations to the Huddersfield team for winning the Calderdale League Lightning trophy, Calderdale league
Stewart Thompson for his positive attitude, and advice.
Peter Czerwinski for spotting various errors and his help with hosting Rapidplay, booking rooms, Individual KO.
Edgar Priestley who is a mine of information about HDCA chess.
David Firth for his help and support, work as treasurer.
Paddy Senior for his excellent Yorkshire web site.
John Newsome. He may be small in stature, but a colossus of a man ! Thanks for his advice, and the work he did for the Bill Lumley Rapidplay finals,
Paul Jackson for his common sense in meetings, and John will tell us how much Paul has helped Netherton.
Thanks to Holme Valley, Chartist and David Browns and Huddersfield for hosting Rapidplay rounds.
Thanks to all those who gave up their time to attend the General Committee meeting 31/7/07.
Thanks to all the Captains. Remember being a Captain is a very responsible position. It should not be entered into lightly, and undertaken with great care.
Also the secretaries, car drivers.
You have to look after the people that I have mentioned you know. They are the ones that make these wonderful chess events happen.
If you just turn up and play, remember that without these organisers the events just would not take place, and we should show our appreciation for their hard work.
Congratulations to all our Winners
Yorkshire League
Congratulations to Huddersfield for hanging on to the Woodhouse by the skin of their teeth.
Grading
I graded all leagues games, Individual KO, Netherton Club games, Huddersfield Summer Tournament, Huddersfield Swiss Tournament, Huddersfield Congress, Yorkshire League games, Calderdale League games
Rapidplay results for the last four years graded.
The Web site
I've always liked the idea of having all the information such as fixtures, results, tables, grades etc. in one place, so you can view it at the click of a mouse.
You can many photos as well as playing through many games on line, including Bill Lumley's games in the British Correspondence Chess Championship, and information and links to other chess events.
I have tried to make the info as quick to load as possible.
Apologies
For any mistakes I may have made
FW Brown trophy The HDCA registered player who achieves the highest grade in the Huddersfield CC Rapidplay [Jos Woolley]
Defaults,
Congratulations Captains ! No team defaults ! a few individual defaults.
Email
Email and the web is the future. If anyone here has email, and is not on the Chess distribution list, the please contact me after the meeting.
Absence
I shall probably be away during the season. Contact Roger Tuddenham if problems while I am away.
Problems
Review We should always look at what went wrong, what went right. Why? What can be improved ? [last year we improved the Handicap Competition] This year there are two areas that I believe we can improve hence the propositions we shall deal with later.
The Conduct of the players
How should we conduct our lives with regard to chess ?
Well it should be straightforward, but the history of chess proves that it isn’t.
Kramnik — Topalov recently. Also many of you will have read of the incident where Nigel Short ‘s opponent refused to shake hands. Karpov said it shouldn’t happen, and you don’t need a ruling. Of course it shouldn’t happen, but sorry, I disagree, you do need a ruling. Nigel Short had to appeal to someone. It’s no good saying sort it out amongst yourselves like gentlemen. They couldn’t, and wanted a resolution. This can, and does happen. I know of at least 7 incidents in the Huddersfield League. I have been contacted by players many times with people howling for blood and vengeance and justice. I didn’t say sort it out amongst yourselves like gentlemen !
1. Chess is full of players with paranoia, imagined wrongs, depression.
2. Beware the users and abusers of chess. They use chess to flatter and boost their own egos. They are on a trophy hunt, only interested in winning. Winning is everything ? Import as many high grade ringers as possible in order to win the match. It doesn’t matter if they haven’t played for your team before, or in that season. Bring them in for that play off. Never mind the guys who have been playing all season and who got you to that play off ! Do me a favour !
I quite understand why Mark Howitt’s book is called “Playing to Win” !
3.Golden rules
My golden rule is that chess should always be the winner.
Added one recently — If a guy doesn’t want to play, he doesn’t want to play — you can’t make him ! It’s a game !
4. Beware Worshipping False Gods
[tanning beds, women’s cosmetics, the money god - The Apprentice, Noel Edmonds TV show opening the Box]. Don’t worship the Winning at all costs God.
Well what actually matters to the chess Gods ?
Chess may be a battle between two men, but does it matter to the Chess Gods who was white, who was Black ? Whether it was Kasparov or Karpov ? Actually they don’t care, you see the basic truth is
THE RESULT DOES NOT MATTER TO THE CHESS GODS !
The game’s the thing !
The beauty, brilliance of combinations, imagination, technical brilliance, the awe and wonder of chess — And played in the right spirit !
Are the Chess Gods bothered who gets relegated and promoted ?
The Chess Gods want to see a positional master class manoeuvring Petrosian middlegame, a Tal-like magical, stupendous earth shattering explosion, analytical perfection of Botvinnik, the iron will, killer instinct, stamina of Fischer, a seething powerful volcanic Korchnoic entity, a Nimzowitschian immortal Zugswang, or the refined tranquillity of Rubinstein, the flawless technique, grace and elegance of Capablance, the brilliant imagination of Alekhine or Spassky, a precise, exquisite Smyslov ending.
The hills are alive with the groans of the Chess Gods. Once many years ago Tal shook his head "You know there's no courage," he said, "One must throw away the shackles. Only freedom releases the creative spirit ! It's the cheapness of victory obsession. Where is the imagination ? Where is the insight ? Where is the adventure ?
The result does not matter to the Chess Gods!
Apart from the chess moves on the board there is the “mind”, nerves, pressure, mind games, psychology aspect.
What do the Chess Gods think ?
Well Fischer said "I don’t believe in psychology, I only believe in good moves." But his actions tell a different story !
Do the Chess Gods appreciate the aggressive posturing, the swollen, vulnerable egos ? the psychological warfare ? the victory obsession ?
I personally doubt it.
The game of chess, the Chess Gods will remember the brilliant games, not the pathetic posturing trying to psyche out, or trap the opponent.
8. Treasurer’s Report
Mr Firth produced the Accounts for the year ending 31 May 2008.
The balance sheet showed a surplus for the year of £29.55, with net assets of £772.75.
The Treasurer proposed that team entry fees be kept at £5 again for this year, seconded by Edgar Priestley, unanimously accepted.
The Accounts were accepted unanimously, and a vote of thanks to Mr Firth, was proposed by Mr A. Ward, supported by R. Keely.
9. Confirmation of Fees for 2007-2008
See Treasurer's Report.
10. Presentation of Trophies
Watkinson Huddersfield Knights
Littlewood Netherton 1
Examiner Chartist
Team K.O. Holme Valley
FW Brown Rapidplay Champion [Jos Woolley ]
Bill Lumley Rapidplay Netherton B
Individual K.O.
Section 1 P Shaw (Netherton) beat C.P. Booth (Huddersfield)
Section 2a D. Gray (David Browns) beat A. R. Tuddenham (Chartist)
Section 2b [David Woodhead] J. Hill (David Browns) beat W.F. Lumley (Netherton)
Section 3 C. Stratford (Huddersfield) beat N Battye (Holme Valley)
11. Election of Officers
The President: W F Lumley [J. Newsome, P. Jackson]
Treasurer: D Firth [A.Ward, R. Boylan]
Secretary: G M Peake [J. Newsome, P. Jackson]
12. Election of Handicap/Competition Committee.
WF Lumley , AR Tuddenham, PH Jackson, G M Peake.
13. PROPOSITIONS (G M Peake/A R Tuddenham)
The propositions below were all passed.
Proposition 1
In the Watkinson [scratch] competition, all teams first play each other in an all-play-all.
THEN, IN ADDITION, the top 4 teams all play each other in reverse of previous fixtures [i.e. if home before, then match is away] [NOT a play-off or KO, and points being carried forward.]
These matches are to be called the Watkinson Finals.
1st week 1 v 4, 2 v 3
2nd week 1 v 3, 2 v 4
3rd week 1 v 2, 3 v 4
The winner is the team that has scored most points from all matches.
Teams finishing level on points shall play off to determine the League Championship.
In the event of more than 2 teams being involved in a play off, a draw shall be made.
In the event of a tie in play off games, the result will be decided on board elimination starting at board 6.
If two or more teams tie for 4th place after first all-play-all part then...
a} result[s] of individual match[es] decides qualifier.
b} If this does not resolve 4th place then total points scored in all games decides 4th qualifier. [see the current Watkinson table for points scored in all games]
c} If this does not resolve 4th place, then play-off[s] [with board elimination starting at board 6 if 3-3]
d} In the {unlikely} event of the play off having every game drawn then replay.
The teams from 5th place onwards also play one another in the reverse of previous fixtures, the draw depending on the number of teams involved.
The team with most points in this, the lower section of the Watkinson Finals, receives the Littlewood Shield.
Teams finishing level on points shall play off to determine the League Championship.
In the event of more than 2 teams being involved in a play off, a draw shall be made.
In the event of a tie in play off games, the result will be decided on board elimination starting at board 6.
The voting for the above was For: 20, Abstained: 1, Against : 1
In the discussion Norman Battye requested a similar system in the Examiner Handicap.
Proposition 2
[B] Player Registration rule 8 is below:
8. Players must have played a minimum of two league games for the Club to be eligible for play-off games
[note they may have played these games for the Club in any competition, e.g. in Examiner when Play-Off is in Watkinson ].
In the light of the new proposed [Geoff Peake] format for the Watkinson competition
The following amended rule 8 is proposed by Roger Tuddenham, seconded by Geoff Peake.
8. Players must have played a minimum of two league games for the Club in that season to be eligible for play-off games or the Watkinson finals *
[note they may have played these games for the Club in the Examiner or the Watkinson ].
*[The Watkinson Finals are the extra 3 rounds of games to be played at the end of the season between the top four teams, if Geoff Peake's proposal for change in the Watkinson next season is passed].
After much discussion this was passed unanimously.
Proposition 3
The Conduct of the Players
{1} Any member or Club may ask the Executive Committee for a ruling on any issue and/or may make a complaint concerning any or all of the following
{a} An alleged contravention of Article 12 Conduct of the Players, FIDE Laws of Chess, or any of the FIDE Laws of Chess .
{b} Contravention of the rules or constitution of the HDCA.
{c} The conduct of any Club and/or member.
[2] Without prejudice to the generality of the above provision, the Committee shall have power to consider allegations of abusive or drunken behaviour, cheating, or failure to honour a match.
[3] Any complaint or request for a ruling shall be in writing to the League Secretary giving full details of the allegations and of all supporting evidence. A fee of £10 must be sent with the complaint, which shall be refunded if the complaint is successful, otherwise retained by the H.D.C.A.
[4] The Secretary shall serve a copy of the allegations on the Respondent to the complaint and allow 14 days from the date of service for a reply.
[5] The complaint and reply shall be considered at an Executive Committee meeting.
[6] Both parties to the complaint shall be given at least 7 days notice of the meeting and shall be entitled to attend and make oral representations.
[7] The Executive Committee may reprimand the Respondent or suspend his/her registration for no longer than 5 years.
[8] The Executive Committee's decision be final and binding on the parties.
[9] The Executive Committee may at its absolute discretion refer the issue to the General Committee for determination.
[10] The League Secretary shall fix a date and time for consideration of the complaint or request for a ruling.
[11] The parties shall be given at least 7 days notice of the hearing and the parties may attend to make oral representations.
[12] The General Committee may reprimand the Respondent or suspend him/her for no longer than 5 years.
[13] The General Committee's decision shall be final and binding on the parties.
This was passed For: 21 Abstained : 1, Against: 0
14. Recording of Games by Young Players
The Secretary recommended that young players should be encouraged to score their games.
However, players should agree to play young players even if they do not score, and not subsequently try to claim the game if their young opponents do not score the games.
The Secretary pointed out that young players who do not score the game lose their rights, such as draw by repetition, claiming a win on time [unless they have recorded the number of moves played in some way].
The Secretary hoped that young players are taught the importance and advantages of scoring their games by Captains, parents and fellow players.
15. AOB
There was discussion [C. Stratford] about how we could encourage young people to play chess [possible use of funds].
The President said that any detailed proposal [with costings etc] would be sympathetically considered, and invited interested parties to consider this.
The Meeting closed at 9.40 pm
