A number of parents have begun discussing a trend that is happening with greater frequency – “Stalling for the clock”. We find that a small but growing number of children are using a tactic of deliberately using up time until there are 20 minutes left in the round, at which time, a clock is placed on the board and a player that may be unfamiliar with using a clock is forced to play very quickly. We believe this is  unsportsmanlike behavior. It attempts to use “the system” to their advantage in a manner it was never intended for.

There are different opinions within the community. Some believe that this is not a big deal, others, see it as larger problem, still others think its an issue that there is no good solution for. It’s a difficult issue but one in which we have an obligation to provide a fair environment for all.

This issue was brought to the Board for discussion. At the meeting, there was unanimous agreement that “Stalling” was considered to be “Unsportsmanlike behavior” and should be discouraged. The Board also reaffirmed the practice of allowing judges to use their discretion to provide a warning or place a clock on the board to assure that a fair environment is maintained.

We are also examining the rights of players to use a clock and to try to find ways to encourage the use of clocks at the State Tournament. These topics will be discussed more during the year. Ideas include:

• Allowing the right of a player in grades 2 and 3 to request the use of a clock (just like Grades 4-6 today),
• Providing “Tournament Clocks” to be requested by players (on an as available basis). This will increase the likelihood that a child will be required to play with a clock.
• Require clocks to be used on Top boards

Currently, Nationals required clocks to be used on all rated games. Part of what we are looking at is the idea of how we can raise the standard of Chess in WA State and provide a fairer environment for all.

We welcome everyone’s input and want to hear if this is something we should adjust for or not. We welcome your thoughts, for, against, or neutral. We want to hear from you so we can make an event that serves the needs of the community.

Welcome everyone! After much negotiation and discussion over the summer, we have new information on the location AND DATE for the 2011 State Elementary Chess Championships. We will be hosting the event at the Tacoma Convention Center on April 30th, 2011. Both of these are changes from the original bid for a number of reasons explained below.

We selected the Convention Center for the bid initially because it was the only site that allowed us to house everyone we expected under a single roof. We were able to secure 105,000 sq ft. with the expectation that we would be able to get more. When that failed to occur, we went to “Plan B” – the Bellevue College. Unfortunately, at the last minute, we were unable to get a reasonable date in April other than Easter Weekend. After much discussion and consultation with the Board, we asked, and received permission from the Board to hold it at the Tacoma Convention Center for 2011 (as well as 2010).

The Tacoma Convention Center is the second largest facility in the area (after the WA State Convention Center) and we believe will be an ideal venue for the event. A separate discussion about the thinking that went into allowing this to occur is posted HERE.

We hope these changes are seen as positive for the community. We know there are a number of issues that will arise from this change of venue and we hope that you make your comments public on this blog – both positive and negative. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Help us make this the best event possible!