To mask, or not to mask?

that is the question organisers and players are asking - Matthew Wilson gives his opinion

In November I am involved in two weekend congresses in London. The first event is the Central London Congress @ Imperial College from 12-14 November. This is an unusual event in that only players of 18 and over can take part, due to the licensing laws in operation at the Student Union.

In the Central London event, mask-wearing indoors is mandatory, but players can mutually agree not to wear them at the board. You have to agree to wear masks as part of your entry terms and conditions.

The second congress is a new venture for me in Mill Hill, London NW7, on 27 and 28 November, and there I have gone with the government guidelines and the requirements of the venue (if any). Wearing masks is advised, but not mandatory. This is also the case with our rapid tournaments at Golders Green.

Which is correct? Should organisers go even further and oblige entrants to wear masks at the board too? Needless to say both events observe the usual protocols regarding social distancing.

Experienced player and blogger Matthew Wilson (pictured below pre-Covid by Brendan O’Gorman) has written an open letter to the ECF and congress organisers on his blog - https://www.matthewwilsonphd.com/post/covid-safety-uk-chess which makes interesting reading.

“In almost all other western, modern countries, it would not be possible to run a chess event without mandatory mask-wearing. This includes France, Spain and Italy which have higher vaccination rates and covid prevalence which are many times lower than in the UK. In France and Italy, you would also have to prove your vaccination status to play. I understand that this is not currently the law in the UK. However, while there is currently no legal requirement to introduce such safety measures, I would suggest there is a moral case and a duty of care on behalf of the organisers.”

I look forward to hearing your comments!