If John Lewis ran chess tournaments

The Golders Green Open – the one about which I’ve been banging on for the past couple of weeks (BORP? XIX; My Light Shines on) – was my fifth appearance in a row at Adam Raoof's event. I’ll be back for more on 8th June and trying out the new King’s Place Chess Festival on the 15th too. Add on the two S&BCC events (the first three rounds of the summer championship were played last night) and I’ll have notched up 9 tournaments before the first half of 2013 is out. Not bad for somebody who began the year claiming that he wasn't playing much chess.

Today’s post is about why it will be only 9 tournaments from January to June and not 10. Specifically, it’s why I didn’t play at the recent Richmond Rapidplay and why I won’t be playing there for the foreseeable future. Since today’s theme is good service let me cut to the chase for anybody who lacks the time (or, indeed, the enthusiasm) to read the whole post: the new Richmond is no John Lewis.





I bought a washing machine from John Lewis a couple of months ago. The precise reasons as to why need not concern us here. Today we need know only that I paid Mr Lewis not just for the washing machine, but also to install it. We need know only this and the fact that whilst said washing machine was indeed inserted into my kitchen as per our agreement, the delivery chaps left with the bugger entirely unplumbed in.

Situation fucked.

What was the nature of the problem? Who cares? It’s not important. Although I dare say there was a good reason that things went pear-shaped.

What matters is what happened next. Which was:-

• A kindly chap called Simon called to ask what had happened;
• Simon immediately accepted that his company’s service hadn’t reached an acceptable standard;
• Simon apologised;
• Simon arranged for the delivery costs to be refunded;
• Simon agreed that John Lewis would cover the additional expense to which I’d been put;
• Simon arranged for that money – some £100 – to be transferred to my bank account.

Situation unfucked.

That, my friends, is service. Service and the reason why, screw-up notwithstanding, I’d go back to John Lewis in a heartbeat.




And so to the Richmond Rapidplay.

After 100+ successful editions under the old management(s), this time around, as some amongst our esteemed and valued readership might already be aware, the tournament was cancelled at very late notice. Only 45 minutes in fact. 30-odd players turned up at the venue but the organiser had experienced “an emergency” so there was no chessing to be had.

What was the nature of the emergency? Who cares? It isn’t important. Although I dare say there was a good reason that things went pear-shaped.

What matters is what happened next. Which was:-

• Absolutely;
• nothing;
• at;
• all.

At the time of writing no acknowledgement of the cancellation has appeared on the Richmond website. There has been no apology (should one be warranted) or any reassurance that the next or any future tournament will be going ahead.




If the cancellation itself isn't at all important, the absence of response is.

Something else that matters is the editor of one of the country’s two printed chess magazines having to ask whether the Richmond Rapidplay has ceased to be. Ditto that he can ask the question and not receive a reply and while we're making a list we could add the necessity to merge sections at previous tournaments due to lack of entries and the fact that somebody who is in a position to know says that this is because the tournament has not been publicised properly. Since we're here, why not round things off with an observation that the tournament's website makes it really rather difficult to discover even the most basic information (like the scheduled start times of the first round, for instance)?





The real problem, it seems to me, is not that one tournament didn't take place for whatever reason, it's the lack of any evidence that the organiser gives much of a damn . And if they don’t care why should I?

As it happens I was thinking of entering Richmond this month, but the website was so unhelpful* I decided that I’d take my chessing trade somewhere that I knew for sure would be well organised. Somewhere else, I mean. Ironic I suppose, but it was their online presence being so utterly piss-poor that saved me a fruitless journey.

Not sure that’s much of a recommendation for the future, though, and I think I’ll be giving Richmond a miss until there’s some evidence that it’s sorted itself out. That’s assuming that there are going to be more tournaments, of course.

So, no, I won’t be playing in Richmond anytime soon. On the other hand, if I’m ever back in the market for consumer durables I’ll definitely be returning to John Lewis. Yes, they mistakes too - things can go wrong for anybody - but at least when John Lewis fuck things up they do it in style.






* Richard James (who is no longer responsible for the event), on the other hand, was very helpful indeed.