Cancelled tournaments worldwide....

[Vadim Tsypin]

Is it time for Canadian chess organizers to cancel all events, or would that be "overreacting"?

The Québec government has just prohibited any gatherings of 250 or more people in confined spaces and asked the organizers to cancel all such events.

https://www.lapresse.ca/covid-19/202...it-legault.php

[Grey Guo]

In Toronto so far, the Annex Chess Club met Monday night, and tonight (Thursday) the Scarborough Chess Club will meet.

There is a small drop in the attendance of registered players, but most are coming out.

The shaking of hands has become optional, with the asking that players respect the concerns of those declining to shake hands.

Finally, although the number of cases in Ontario is rising, give the population of Toronto, the number of cases actually in Toronto is relatively small - though the precautions being taken elsewhere are in place in Toronto as well. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable on COVID-19 can advise if my observation on Toronto is correct.

Bob A

I observed people started to avoid to present in crowdy situation, including
- gym, 50% drop
- Go train, many my friends started to drive
- school, especially after March break, people started discussion on take two weeks off school and some private schools planned to do online class after March break in the fear of massive travel during March Break
- Work place, many companies started everyone work from home, my company is also under planning to let everyone work from home

[Vadim Tsypin]

"Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Department of Health Director, Amy Acton, MD, MPH, have signed an order banning large gatherings of 100 or more people. US Chess is waiting to get the official text of the order before announcing any changes to the National High School (K-12) Championship in Columbus, Ohio, currently scheduled for April 3-5.

We appreciate your patience as we await official language we can review."

https://new.uschess.org/administrati...nterim-update/

[Larry Bevand]

They have closed all the schools in Ontario a few minutes ago for 3 weeks

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

They have closed all the schools in Ontario a few minutes ago for 3 weeks

I think that it a smart move: a lot of people will travel (even it is not recommended) during the break, then follows a 14-day forced quarantine.

[Bob Armstrong]

Tonight (Thursday, March 12), Scarborough Chess Club ended the Winter Swiss with the Rd. 4 tonight.

It has suspended play for the next 3 consecutive weeks - COVID-19 (There were 47 byes tonight out of 122 registered players); the closing of some Ontario schools; the possibility of an inside workers strike, which would exclude us from the community centre during the strike.

Then the Executive will review the situation and see if the club can resume play on Thursday, April 9, with Rd. 1 of the new Club Championship tournament.

Bob A (Just an ordinary member)

[Michael Yip]

The Budapest Spring Festival 2020 has been cancelled. I expect things to get worse before anything improves. It is hard to get news that makes sense here. I would not make travel plans for European tournaments and definitely not Hungary. I known one small out of town tournament has been cancelled(from a student of mine that was about to play in it. He arrived and then the tournament abruptly just did not start. No tournament is safe here. I would stay home. I don't even like going to the market now. Today I took the precaution of stockpiling non-perishable food, just in case store access and opening hrs are limited. Better to stockpile before everyone else gets the same idea. I expect close to 100% tournaments will be suspended or cancelled in Hungary pretty soon.

[Vadim Tsypin]

I don't even like going to the market now. Today I took the precaution of stockpiling non-perishable food, just in case store access and opening hrs are limited. Better to stockpile before everyone else gets the same idea.

Sounds like a sensible strategy. People panic, start buying desperately, and empty store shelves. We've seen it in North America by now, too.

Stay safe Michael! All the best!

[Vadim Tsypin]

The FQE formulated guidelines and published a policy for chess tournaments in the time of coronavirus.

Original French. Google Translate`d in English.

[Hugh Brodie]

The FQE formulated guidelines and published a policy for chess tournaments in the time of coronavirus.

Original French. Google Translate`d in English.

Can you imagine organizers trying to sanitize 50, 100, or more chess sets between each round (picture a 5-round one-day Active event)? They will simply say "I won't do it - let the players bring their own sets" - bringing us back to the Dark Ages of people complaining about the other guy's pieces, and the organizers being pestered with requests for a loan of a set.

If the organizers are supplying clocks - shouldn't they obliged to clean the clock "buttons" as well?

[Roger Patterson]

Can you imagine organizers trying to sanitize 50, 100, or more chess sets between each round (picture a 5-round one-day Active event)? They will simply say "I won't do it - let the players bring their own sets" - bringing us back to the Dark Ages of people complaining about the other guy's pieces, and the organizers being pestered with requests for a loan of a set.

If the organizers are supplying clocks - shouldn't they obliged to clean the clock "buttons" as well?

is it the norm now in Quebec to supply sets? Norms sure have changed.

The other issue with "cleaning" the sets is that whatever liquid is used will inevitably get into the felt on the bottom of the pieces which will then leave green dye stains on the boards. Doesn't seem practical.

[Hugh Brodie]

Sets have ALWAYS been provided in most Quebec tournaments for years. I can't remember the last one where I had to bring a set.

[Vadim Tsypin]

"Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Department of Health Director, Amy Acton, MD, MPH, have signed an order banning large gatherings of 100 or more people. US Chess is waiting to get the official text of the order before announcing any changes to the National High School (K-12) Championship in Columbus, Ohio, currently scheduled for April 3-5.

We appreciate your patience as we await official language we can review."

https://new.uschess.org/administrati...nterim-update/

U.S. National High School (K-12) Championship has been cancelled.

[Vadim Tsypin]

Grenke Open 2020 in Karlsruhe.

[Vadim Tsypin]

The USCF suspends its Rules "to help organizers and to show US Chess supports its organizers because without them events would not happen."

"If you must cancel an event, no sanctions will be brought against you by US Chess because the situation is not in your control."