Cumbernauld Chess Club

George Thomson · Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 150

It would appear that my old friend Cumbernauld Chess Club is slowly slipping away. And looks certain to die.
If the number who attended on Monday evening is anything to go by then this seems to be the case.
I turned up with Sarah and Angelique and the only other person who turned up was David Bonella.
Why is no one interested in supporting the club?
Would people be happy to see the club end?
I for one would miss the opportunity to play real people face to face on a Monday night.
Yes I have a computer, yes I can play my fritz, but this is not the same as playing people over a real chess board.
What seems to be the problem?
Ian I know that you go to college on a Monday night so you can be excused from participating in any feedback.
But what of all the other club members, if we do not addresss this problem even the few who do attend will cease to do so and the club will just Die!
Derek McAteer is one of the few who still attends regularly, even he was not there last night. Was there a Gla Div 4 match on?
Any way must dash as I have a computer to play.

Ian · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 161

Hi George,

Your comments are very pertinent. I'll reply anyway Smile

This is not a new phenomenon, nor is it exclusive to us. It has been a problem for many clubs down through the years. I share your sentiments. It is a shame that the club of the town which is hosting the next Scottish Championship has trouble drawing the crowds on club nights. No doubt many reasons could be suggested, but there are no easy answers.

I suspect that one of the factors is that a good proportion of the adult membership does not live locally, e.g. Mark, the Davids B. and J. and Ronnie live many miles away. For them, and anyone in their boat, 'dropping in' is not really an option (and that isn't to say that they don't support the club any less).

I'd say another factor is the changing attitude to letting children and young people out on their own at night. I could be wrong on this, but when I think back to my own early days of attending a club, the place was full of juniors aged about 11/12-teens. This was the late 60s, the era of the Glasgow gangs, but that didn't stop kids just getting up and going to the club (and often walking a good distance to get there). Nowadays, perhaps due to OTT media scaremongering, many parents are scarcely willing to let their children out after dark and, if they don't have access to a car, or can't drop the kids off because of work, then there's less likelihood of the kids turning up at the club. Changing work patterns might also mean that adults find it more difficult to attend on a regular basis. I've no proof; I'm just speculating.

There is also the matter of other things to do (and I'm not going to mention computer games). Back at that time, there was nothing where I lived for young people bar the scouts and BB. No swimming pool, certainly no sports centre. We in Cumbernauld are blessed with a fine sports centre offering a wide variety of activities. If these clash with our club night(s), and if a potential junior (or even adult member) is involved, then bang goes attendance at the chess club Sad

Compare our situation with that of, say, Giffnock. Giffnock is based on an area of Glasgow smaller than Cumbernauld, and with no A80 dividing it in two. Giffnock is usually hoaching with juniors. Easier to get to and, dare I say it, probably safer.

Final factor, and I think it's a biggie. We operate in a slum. Compare our gaff with Bearsden's, Giffnock's, EK's... This is no criticism of anyone, but our club rooms are hardly Beverly Hills. I wonder if any potential members have come along, had a look, and thought "What a dump". You get what you pay for. Ailing surroundings suggest an ailing club. I don't know what other venues are available in Cumbernauld or what they might cost, but I do know, for example, that Dullatur Golf Club has some swish accommodation. A possibility? There must be some place!

Basically, I think you have to look at what members want out of their club. Some see it as an outlet for their competitive instincts and will mainly turn out on match nights; others may see it as a social facility where they can enjoy a couple of offhand games with a friend; and there's every shade of opinion in between. None is mutually exclusive of the other; all are equally valid!

However people view the club, there has got to be something on to attract them. That was one of the reasons I suggested the coaching evenings (and was pleased at the response!). I'll be happy to do more this year. I could maybe drum up a titled player for a simul. Hold one of those at the start of the season, get some Noddy News coverage and we might get some more bodies on board.

Maybe at the AGM (or beforehand, via the noticeboard) we could canvass for what the membership would like?

ronniewallace · Site Admin Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 128

Firstly, I don't like the title of the dicussion as I feel it could reflect badly on potential new
members reading this when the problems we face are similar to those of most other chess clubs. I don't see us folding, the worst case senario I'd see would be say a merger with Crowwood.

The fact that we have so many league teams is pretty much a kiler for club nights as most
folk only occasionally want to play twice or more a week due to other time commitments.

The deal we get for renting the Muirfield Centre is very good and it has the advantatge of
being centrally located I also think there are plans to renovate the roof and windows this year. I could imagine Dullatur GC being more expensive but perhaps
Derek could get special rates as I think he is on the committee, there might also be a dress code issue!
Anyway, I've decided to contact the manager of the new Croy Miners Welfare centre to sound out
them as a potential venue. As most of the kids that come along attend Holy Cross that
would possibly encourage more of them to attend and for the rest of us.

DavidJ · Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 39

there is a lot happening at the club as can be seen from the events calendar and the club is quite friendly and welcoming. derek has taken an interest in the kids and i think that is great. so i would say things are quite positive on the whole. i think we need to make sure we can be as inclusive as possible for the lower ranked players as a more competive structure like we currently have suits the higher graded guys. my interest in chess was started in school. it was not the casual games that i enjoyed but the organised school league matches and tournaments. but i got a game.... and that is important.

the internet is another factor obviously. anyone with internet access can play casual chess online very easily and also against more suitable and varied opponents. Admittedly it is not too sociable Smile

me, im intersted in playing over the board competitive chess on weeknights but not too often and without going to weekend tournaments or anything.

we can think of ways of making the club nights better but we should try and find out what people want. me .. i am honestly not bothered at all about club nights but still really enjoy the club. i wasn't at the coaching but that sort of thing helps. i would also suggest a club championship based on the following lines...

say we have 16 players with 1 the strongest by grading..
about august september october 9-16 play each other and the winner goes forward if he/she desired ... then in dec jan feb 5-8 + winner play each other... and the winner goes forward if desired to play against 1-4 for the title Smile

elitist seeding or what but it is more realistic to play only a few games and not to be too dependant on others to play. i'd be happy to organise something or something else if folks want that.

Ian · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 161

I re-read my post and it sounds a bit gloomy. An active fixtures calendar indicates an active club!, but maybe if folk have turned out for a team 3-4 times in a month, they don't feel like coming along on a 'spare' Monday. That's understandable; everyone needs a break.

I take your point, Ronnie, about the value-for-money aspect of our accommodation, but it's still a dump. Maybe if we (or other bodies) were charged more, the Council could raise the cash to replace the windows! They've been like that since I rejoined the club and for goodness knows how long before that. I think the users of the centre deserve better.

Re David's comments about a club championship, I'm all for it, whatever the format, but, having run club championships in the past, I know that sometimes not even that is enough to get some people out on a club night, and when defaults and withdrawals build up, and keen attenders don't get the games they signed up for, it becomes demoralising. Also, club championships in Scotland seem to be going the way of the dodo. Not sure why!