Congress of the Year 2008

The first winner of this award is the South Lakes Congress.

The 12th South Lakes Chess Congress (SLC) took place at the Grand Hotel in Grange-over-Sands on the weekend of 6-8th June 2008. The congress is an annual event and the 9th time it has been held in the Ballroom at the Grand Hotel. 189 Chess players from all over the country played in the five round Swiss, making it the best attended event ever. 70 players attended in 1997 when the SLC was first held and its popularity has grown every single year. The setting of the Grand, in Grange, overlooking Morecambe Bay with acres of grounds and woodland, plus the fine summer weather are making it a Mecca for chess players and is growing in popularity, with many players bringing their families to enjoy the weekend. Players as far a field as Guernsey and the Orkneys attended this year. Given the demand, if players who had originally entered had not withdrawn (due to other commitments) we would have reached over 200 players.

Many players commented that it is the best chess event in the country, which is an accolade indeed given the amount of congresses held every weekend in all areas of the UK. Indeed, an impromptu cricket match on the lawns took place last year with Jeff Horner and a number of other chess players taking part on the balmy summer evening after the chess. This year was too hot for such energetic activity, but many players and families were to be found relaxing on the lawns with a cool drink, whilst peacocks strolled by unfurling their plumage into dazzling arrays.

The fact that the Grand hotel has 128 rooms and is almost exclusively taken over for the weekend chess and that most players are staying at the chess venue, is an added bonus for many; it is always pleasant to rise, have breakfast and saunter a few steps down to the Ballroom to play, without leaving the building and with a 9.30am start, not too early! Refreshments are available in one of the hotels bars alongside the ballroom next to Andrew Butterworth’s ‘Chess Direct’ book stall, so players and spectators alike do not have to go far. The congress and hotel also cater for dogs, which is ideal for blind players who have a guide dog and there is a lift to the Ballroom for disabled players.

The number of sections has been increased over the years with now 5 sections (Open, U161, U131, U111, U90) recognising the importance of players in the lower sections by equalising the prize money and entry fees. The Congress tries to be as informal and friendly as possible with a lack of bureaucracy and tries to help all players with their queries and problems.
In terms of prizes, the Congress increased prize money this year (totalling over £3000) with each section having two grading prizes as well as the main prize money. Junior prizes were given (a trophy and three chess sets) and also ‘best’ Cumbria player prizes.

Nearly 1000 entry forms go out to clubs, players and Congresses, along with publicising on various websites. Most publicity however, we are reliably informed, is by word of mouth from players who have been to the congress before. It is indicative of the events’ popularity that for the past two years a ‘notional’ limit has been set on the number of entrants; although in practice we have always surpassed it. The organisers, Dave Cole, Trevor and Janet Blower are continually amazed by the amount of interest shown in the congress. For future events, the Congress is looking to expand and utilise other rooms in the hotel, but only if the playing conditions are good and where players will not feel cramped. At the end of the day, the aim is to provide a weekend congress which has superb playing conditions at a reasonable cost and above all make the event and weekend enjoyable.