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Note on Processing of ECF Data

This is the information note about ECF data processing referred to in the SCCU Conditions of Entry for events the SCCU runs adopted in July 2018.

What information will be held by the ECF?

All SCCU chess events are graded through the national grading system operated by the ECF. As a result, the information you supply to the ECF through the SCCU or other chess organisations will be held by them, although differing information will be used in differing circumstances.

Grading of Results

All SCCU chess competitions will be graded by the ECF. The following information if known appears in the published ECF grading database (data that is not essential for grading is identified as optional):

  • Name of Choice and (optionally) Initials
  • Surname
  • Date of Birth (optional but mandatory if a junior bonus is to be given)
  • ECF Grading Reference (for new players the ECF will generate a Reference using the above name details supplied)
  • Gender (optional)
  • Club/County/team designation
  • The results of all games played (including the name of each player and optionally the colour played and provided a game is played in the requisite grading period the date of the game)

In January and July, the ECF provide new grading lists, which appear at www.ecfgrading.org.uk/. This website will display the following information in public:

  • Name (comprising name of choice and any given initials and Surname)
  • ECF Grading Reference
  • If declared, age at 01/09 of the year in which the grading list is published
  • If declared, age at 01/01 of the year in which the grading list is published
  • If declared, gender
  • School/Club etc where you play chess, or the geographic area where you play chess
  • The results of all games played (including the name of each player and if reported the date of the game and the colour played)
  • The player’s grade
  • If a player has played for a long time, historic information about their grade

This information is made public because it is of legitimate interest. Many tournaments in England are restricted to players of a particular grade, a particular region (e.g. county), a particular age, or a particular gender. Organisers need to be able to identify the players to ensure that eligible players are playing in their tournaments, and the grading list does this.

In addition to this, people assigned to submit these results to the ECF have private access to a master-list of players. The full date of birth is available to these graders, which are held in private. The ECF’s Grading Administrator will also have full access to all submitted information.

The player will be assigned a grading reference, which will appear on the ECF grading website, due to playing in an ECF-graded event. You can contact the ECF Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any remaining concerns that are not answered by this document.

Membership

You may be required to become a member of the ECF to play in one of the SCCU’s events or may wish to become a member to avoid incurring a levy for the grading of your results played in SCCU events if you are not an ECF member. Different competitions and tournaments require different levels of ECF membership, depending on both the event and your Federation. This will be explained by the event organiser or your team captain/manager if it is likely to apply to you. ECF membership year is from 1st September to 31st August and retrospective memberships are available up to the 30th June.

A list of current members can be downloaded from the ECF website at http://www.englishchess.org.uk/membership/Membership.xls. This list will usually display the following personal information:

  • Title (e.g. GM, Dr, Miss/Mr, which may indicate the member’s gender)
  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Membership Number (and may also display the level and expiry date of membership)
  • ECF Grading Reference
  • Club, County, School played for if you inform us that you have one

This information is public to help the ECF to identify players and to enable organisers to know what level of membership players have when entering their events. They are required to pay charges to the ECF depending on the type of event they are organising and the level of membership the players who have entered have. This information being public allows organisers to see this and pass on any of these charges as they deem appropriate. The SCCU is such an organiser. In addition, ECF office staff will have access to the full data that is submitted.

The following is recommended by the ECF if you have concerns:

  • Satisfy yourself with the public display of membership information at the following link: http://www.englishchess.org.uk/membership/Membership.xls
  • Phone the ECF at 01424775222 to sign your child up as a Silver member of the ECF directly, without going through this process of passing on information. You can then speak to the ECF directly about the data they will hold and the data that they will publish on the public membership list.

Who is responsible for processing your information?

The ECF will have a designated official responsible for their data processing. Details of how to contact this official can be found on the ECF website at www.englishchess.org.uk/about/ecf-officials/ or by contacting the ECF office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The SCCU official responsible for grading is our Grading Officer. The County Match Controller and the Junior Organiser are the main SCCU officials responsible for obtaining information for grading and membership purposes. Contact details at: www.sccu-chess.com/index.php/en/clear-2.

What information will the Union pass on to ECF?

Where a competition or event is graded organisers are required to send the following information to the ECF, all of which is shown on the public grading list except where specified otherwise below:

  • Name of choice and provided initials
  • Surname
  • Federation if applicable
  • FIDE ID (known as a FIN) if applicable
  • Provided information as to day, month and year of birth
  • If declared, gender
  • County or another team grouping
  • The results of all games played (including the name of each player and where known the date of the game and the colour played)

The ECF’s Grading Officer will also have access to this when processing the grading files, and this will include, if known, the date of birth in full.

What information will the Union (or the ECF) pass on to FIDE?

Where a tournament is FIDE-rated, organisers are required to send the following information to FIDE, all of which is shown on the public rating list except where specified otherwise below:

  • Forename
  • Surname
  • Federation
  • FIDE ID (if you are English, the ECF will create one for you if you do not have one)
  • Date of Birth (only the Year of Birth is made public)
  • Gender
  • The results of all games played (including date of the game, the name of each player, the colour played)
  • The moves of all games played, except for games which are neither recorded on live boards nor recorded on scoresheets (note: this is only required for the title norm tournaments, but the ECF intends to do this for all games captured)

The ECF’s International Rating Officer will also have access to this when processing the rating files, and this will include the date of birth in full. SCCU Executive

July 2018