English Chess Federation Grand Prix 2006/7

Welcome to the home page of the 2006/7 ECF Grand Prix. Details from the 2005/6 event can be found by clicking the link on the right.

This year grand prix points are calculated via the ECF Grading system, therefore as soon as possible after the event the grading files for the event should be submitted to the Grading Database Manager. Please make sure that the Grand Prix check box on the program is ticked. For more information please see the rules.

However please also send your congress reports/results to the ECF Office for publication in ChessMoves and on the website.

This year the Grand Prix standings were calculated by the central grading system using the results files submitted for grading. Thanks are due to Howard Grist who did the necessary re-programming of the software and to Richard Haddrell who used the software to provide the Grand Prix standings during the year. Whilst the approach of using the grading system for the Grand Prix has worked smoothly, it does mean that the standings are inevitably less up to date than when the Grand Prix was administered by a dedicated officer.

The various sections winners were as follows:

The winners received £200, the runners-up a £50 discount for entry for a British championship event.

Reduced entry fees at the British Championships from the 2007 Grand Prix may be claimed at the 2008 British Championships in Liverpool if they were not taken up in 2007.

Sadly the Grand Prix had declined from the important position it held in the 1980s. Then, due to sponsorship, there was a large prize fund and the event was a significant factor in encouraging chess in the country. In recent years, it has been keep going by ECF funding although at ever more modest levels. In April ECF Council determined that 2007/8 would be the last Grand Prix. It also decided that no prize money would be made available from ECF funding. Consequently, for the 2007/8 season the main prize will be reduced entry to a British Championship event. Since then, CCF MindGames have offered to provide commemorative trophies for the winners of each section on an annual basis. I intend to go back to ECF Council and propose that the Grand Prix is continued beyond 2008 on the same basis.

Chris Majer
ECF Director of Home Chess

English Chess Federation Grand Prix 2006/7
Final Leader Boards 12 July 2007

Shading indicates players who are counting the maximum number of events.