Search found 154 matches

by Paul Bielby
Fri Jun 03, 2022 10:06 pm
Forum: ECF Matters
Topic: New ECF ratings codes
Replies: 29
Views: 6034

Re: New ECF ratings codes

Well, I had my brief moment (48 hours) of glory at the top of a top players list. But it all looks a lot more reasonable now.

Many thanks too, Brian, for the 85+ list and for including the NM titles. Would anybody qualify for a 90+ list?
by Paul Bielby
Fri Jun 03, 2022 9:18 am
Forum: ECF Matters
Topic: New ECF ratings codes
Replies: 29
Views: 6034

Re: New ECF ratings codes

As I turn 86 later this month, I was very surprised to find myself at the top of the 'Top players' list for Over-80s. I know at least half a dozen, probably more, octogenarian players much better than I am. Then the list implies that there are only 16 rated players over-80. Have the missing 84 playe...
by Paul Bielby
Tue Apr 25, 2017 9:05 pm
Forum: ECF Matters
Topic: PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2017
Replies: 58
Views: 10810

PLAYER OF THE YEAR 2017

With a large amount of news appearing on the ECF website today, the invitation to submit nominations for the PLAYER of the YEAR Award has disappeared from the front page of the website. If you have not yet made your nominations DON'T PANIC. You can find the invitation by typing 'PLAYER OF THE YEAR' ...
by Paul Bielby
Tue Dec 06, 2016 11:44 am
Forum: Deaths & Obituaries
Topic: Roger Simpson (1932-2016)
Replies: 1
Views: 1354

Roger Simpson (1932-2016)

I was very sorry to learn that Roger Simpson had passed away at the end of November. A member of Chester-Le-Street Chess Club and more recently Durham City, he was twice President of the NCCU and was president and held many other offices in the Durham Association. I first met him in the '60s when he...
by Paul Bielby
Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:44 pm
Forum: Junior Chess
Topic: Pennine Cup 2016
Replies: 6
Views: 1903

Pennine Cup 2016

The NCCU Pennine Cup was founded several years ago by Gary Kenworthy as a team competition between the Northern Counties at an Under-16 level. This year it was Northumberland's turn to hold the competition in Newcastle on 27th March.. Disappointingly the more southerly of the Northern Counties were ...
by Paul Bielby
Mon Apr 04, 2016 8:16 pm
Forum: Junior Chess
Topic: NCCU Schools Award
Replies: 1
Views: 1031

NCCU Schools Award

Each year the NCCU makes its Schools Award to a school that has made a good contribution to chess in its area. This year the award went about as far North as it could go, being made to St Paul's Middle School in Alnwick. Congratulations to the School Chess Club, which also includes ex-St Paul's pupi...
by Paul Bielby
Mon Nov 02, 2015 1:12 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Dramatic changes in congress performances
Replies: 166
Views: 20829

Re: Dramatic changes in congress performances

My first congress was the Yorkshire Easter Congress, played in Huddersfield in 1953. Organised by Edgar Priestley, it had 60 entries, divided into 10 all-play-all sections each of 6 players. This was, of course, before the days of gradings so the organiser had to arrange the sections according to th...
by Paul Bielby
Thu Oct 29, 2015 5:51 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Change in BCC Qualification Regulations
Replies: 36
Views: 3589

Re: Change in BCC Qualification Regulations

To answer Mick.

Both the over-50 champions are, I think, already qualified for the 2016 British Championship
Nigel Povah is an IM; Glen House is an FM and is rated >2200. Does this mean that the third-placed player gets the Senior qualification? We'll no doubt find out in due course ....
by Paul Bielby
Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:54 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Change in BCC Qualification Regulations
Replies: 36
Views: 3589

Re: Change in BCC Qualification Regulations

I am pleased to say that I received an e-mail response from Alex this morning, answering my questions. See John Philpott's message above. It is just a pity that the out-of-date regulations stayed up for so long - it got me too excited! I don't necessarily agree with Kevin and Alex's decision that th...
by Paul Bielby
Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:50 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Change in BCC Qualification Regulations
Replies: 36
Views: 3589

Change in BCC Qualification Regulations

In the last three days there has been a change in the Qualification Regulations for the 2016 British championship Regulations. Last week item 3 read that the British Senior Champion from 2015 qualified. Today I find that the words 'Over-50' have been added before 'Senior Champion'. Now I cannot clai...
by Paul Bielby
Wed Sep 09, 2015 11:54 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: WHERE IN THE UK TO PLAY CHESS?
Replies: 69
Views: 8452

Re: WHERE IN THE UK TO PLAY CHESS?

At the Northumberland County Congress (North Shields, 25-27th September) they include a FOUNDATION TOURNAMENT for ungraded and players <100. This consists of 10 games, 2 each against each of 5 opponents played with all moves to be made in 1 hour (Thus qualifying for grading). Each pair of games runs...
by Paul Bielby
Thu Jul 23, 2015 5:57 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Which Two Books ?
Replies: 54
Views: 10098

Re: Which Two Books ?

Note that Karl Georg is only 8 years old (possibly 7). His draw in R6 came when his opponent - with 4 queens - gave stalemate. Having played in Paleochora twice in previous years, I am most impressed with the standards of the Greek youngsters. I suspect that their standard of play improves because t...
by Paul Bielby
Mon Jul 20, 2015 9:03 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Vaguely Yorkshire themed chess calendar
Replies: 15
Views: 2425

Re: Vaguely Yorkshire themed chess calendar

No mention of the 5th Annual Harrogate Congress on the 4th-6th September. See the ECF Congress calendar. Entry forms, written in Noel Boustred's inimitable style, available. Odd that Castle Chess are running another congress, also in Harrogate, just a week later. No wonder Mike Truran was confused w...
by Paul Bielby
Fri Dec 19, 2014 4:42 pm
Forum: Chess History
Topic: British Championship Qualifying Competition
Replies: 11
Views: 3047

Re: British Championship Qualifying Competition

I played in the BCQC several times in the '60s and early '70s, qualifying just the once in 1969. As far as I was concerned, living in Sunderland. there were two stages. The first, a North-East stage, was an all-play-all tournament with about 6 players taking part. The games had to be arranged, as de...
by Paul Bielby
Wed Oct 29, 2014 12:09 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: New York Times axes chess column
Replies: 53
Views: 7095

Re: New York Times axes chess column

All is not black on the newspaper front, despite the demise of the NEW YORK TIMES column! Tne SOUTH SHIELDS GAZETTE has decided to promote its excellent fortnightly chess column to weekly! Congratulations to Simon McGuinness the writer of the column! Mind you it is a very local column - Simon told m...