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Last update: Wednesday July 9, 2008 11:57
Events for which
the ECF selects juniors
• World and European Youth
• The Glorney & Faber Cups
• Age groups
• Eligibility for selection
• How does the selection committee make their decisions
• If you are selected to represent England…
Contact the
Director of Junior Chess & Education
The ECF selects juniors to represent England at international individual and team events, which usually include:
World Junior Championships (male and female U20)
World Youth Championships (boys and girls U18, U16, U14, U12 and U10) (One player of each sex per age group)
European Youth Championships (boys and girls U18, U16, U14, U12 and U10) (One player of each sex per age group)
Glorney Cup (boys U18, team of 5)
Faber Cup (girls U18, team of 3)
British Isles Championships U16, U12 teams of 6 (either sex)
If considered appropriate, the ECF may also make junior selections for other FIDE recognised international events, for example the World U16 Olympiad.
The so-called ‘boys’ events at the World and European Youth and Junior championships are in fact open to both males and females.
Other bodies affiliated to the ECF organise teams and trips to international tournaments, where juniors may be invited to represent England. In particular, the National Chess Junior Squad organises international team matches. The chairman is Peter Purland (currently also Junior Director). These and other selections are not the responsibility of the ECF and will be done on a totally separate basis.
World and European Youth Championships
The ECF aim to send the strongest juniors to represent England against their contemporaries from other national federations. Players invited to the trial for the World Youth Championship must be prepared to play in it if they win the tournament. It is unlikely that a player would be invited to both championships.
The Glorney & Faber Cups
Are team competitions for, usually, 8 teams from (mostly) Western European federations. Players in U18 and U16 age groups will be considered for selection. Those invited to the World and European Championships are often not selected for these teams, so others can have the opportunity to compete in an international junior event. There are also U14 and U12 events attached to these tournaments. These are for 6 players of either sex.
Age Groups
Age groups for international events are determined by players’ ages on the 1st January of the year in question, which differs from most UK tournaments, when a 1st September cut-off date is used.
Age groups are typically every other year: U10, U12, U14 etc. Players are considered for the youngest age group for which they qualify by date of birth.
Please note that in general we do not select players to ‘play up’ a whole age group, even when an exceptional player outranks the players from the next age group up e.g. an U12 who is also the best U14. Juniors selected for the honour of representing England in international championships should aspire to the best result possible, including the winning of medals! Obviously if we had a gold medallist we would review the situation!
The World Junior (U20) is held separately from the World Youth Championships and is an exception to this rule. Outstanding younger players whose playing strength is equal to or higher than those aged 18-20 will be considered for selection. Where appropriate, a player may be invited to both the World Junior in addition to the World or European Youth Championships.
The selectors reserve the right not to make a selection in an age-group, on
the rare occasions where it is felt that players of suitable strength and experience
are not available. The World and European Youth Championships are exceptionally
strong and demanding events and we do not want juniors to become demoralised
by bad experiences at these tournaments.
We wish to send players to represent England who:
• show enthusiasm for and commitment to their chess
• have already shown significant achievements in tournaments in the UK
(and possibly internationally)
• demonstrate continued improvement
As regular tournament play is essential to a players’ continued improvement, we would expect candidates for selection to be playing at least 40 long-play graded games a year and in some cases many more.
This year the Grand Prix is made up of junior events as we are selecting for junior competitions. However, we also feel that playing in adult events is essential for a player’s continued improvement and also, in selected events, playing above your grade can prove a good exercise.
Eligibility for Selection
• All long-term English residents (including those temporarily based
abroad) are eligible for selection. There is no requirement to be a UK national.
• All candidates who wish to be considered for selection must be ECF members.
• If a player has previously represented another FIDE member federation,
transferring to England may be possible, but the player must advise ECF officials
well in advance that he/she wishes to transfer. The time scale for this will
be advised on request.
• Any player owing the ECF money will not be selected to represent England.
What do you need to do to be selected?
There will be a single very restricted trial for the World Championships on the first weekend in March (7th & 8th) – U18s please keep this date free) and players for other tournaments and matches will be selected from Grand Prix results in other existing junior tournaments. We will continue to have a group of “selectors” who will monitor the situation and help with the selection where players qualify for more than one tournament and where players in the Grand Prix are tied. We would like to have a broad range of players in representative positions. I will give full details of the Grand Prix at a later date but the tournaments which we will use are as follows.
British Championships Liverpool 28 July - 9 August 2008
Forms can be got from ECF Office or downloaded from ECF
Website
U11, U13 and U16 tournaments are Week 1, U10, U12 & U14 Week 2. Ideally
you should enter your own age group although if unavailable the one above. If
you play two weeks any tournament in the second week will be fine. Only
your better result would count for GP.
London Junior 13\14 December (U14, U10) 28-30 December
(U16, U12) 2008
Information from Marc Shaw 020 8931 2276. Please enter correct age group - one
to count.
South of England Championships provisionally at Yateley
Manor Jan 31\Feb 1 2009
Peter Purland 0151 733 4854 petepurland@btopenworld.com
West of England Championships at Swindon February 21\2
2009
Information from Bev Schofield 01793 487575
Junior Squad at John Moores University Liverpool April
17-19 2009
Information from Glynis South 0151 639 3331 glynissouth@yahoo.co.uk
We would expect all players to enter at least three of the above
events as best three scores will count.
This type of system is used by most other European Countries and I hope it will
prove successful here. We can but try!
NB Grades are irrelevant to this procedure!
If you are selected to represent England
Well done! You have achieved something which all young chess players should aspire to. We hope you have an enjoyable time although it must be stressed that you are going to the tournament to do a job of work not to have a holiday with chess. We want you to do your best and in most cases will arrange for coaching by an IM or GM during the tournament. In the time running up to the tournament you will need to work hard to prepare yourself for what could well be the hardest tournament you will ever play in. This does not mean you have to spend a lot of money on extra coaching but any help you need the Manager of Coaching, Andrew Martin, can advise you.
Members of the Selection Committee
The members of the ECF junior selection committee are: Victor Cross, Andrew Martin, Peter Purland and to include at least one other.
In the event of a player having to drop out late on the selection
committee would try to arrange a replacement using common sense!!
You can contact the Director of Junior Chess & Education (Peter Purland)
at: Telephone: 0151 639 1797
Email:
