LONDON LEAGUE AGM

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David Gilbert
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Joined: Sat Apr 04, 2009 10:03 am

LONDON LEAGUE AGM

Post by David Gilbert » Thu Jul 10, 2014 12:24 am

Here's my take on another interesting evening at the London League AGM.

It began with respectful tributes to, and a minutes silence for, John White and Andrew Whitely.

An amendment to the rules on eligibility was agreed which means anyone who plays for a higher team and whose opponent defaults, will not have that game counted among the four they can play for a higher team.

A proposal for three-up, three-down in Divisions of 13 teams was not considered because the proposer had not attended the meeting.

A proposal to extend quickplay finishes from 15 minutes to 20 minutes was agreed narrowly by eleven votes to ten. Sessions will now be 3 hours and 10 minutes. The proposers argued that in adjourned games players have 15 minutes once time is called to make a sealed move, so that sessions are technically 3 hours and 15 minutes already and that time could be used to extend game time for quick plays.

The President, Ian Hunnable, announced last year that he would be standing down after this meeting. There was general praise for his ten years in post. His place is being taken by Steven Walsh of Athenaeum who has a legal background. I heard a few groans behind me, but there were no other candidates and Steven was appointed.

Trophies and cheques were handed out to the competition winners. Richard Bates will be a richer man tonight after winning the President’s Prize for the top Division One player. Congratulations Richard, all in all it’s been a tremendous season for Hackney.

There was a general debate about players who play for one club in the London League and another in the Eastman Cup, which I hadn’t realised is a separate competition which for some historical reason no one seems to remember, is run by the London League. On a general show of hands on the preference of Clubs, it was about 1.5: 1 in favour of the retaining the present eligibility criteria.

A rule change on teams who finish tied on match and game points for title, promotion or relegation positions was agreed. Instead of having an extra game the League will use the game played during the season as a decider, with board count and then elimination of the lowest board used if the game had ended in a draw.

The League will grow slightly next season. Battersea entered a new team in Division 6, for players under 125. A new team from Stratford Library also received provisional approval for the same Division if the Committee believe they have the proper structures in place. At the moment they appear to be a number of casual players, including juniors, who turn up at the local Library to play.

There was a prolonged discussion about whether Metropolitan 3 or Metropolitan 2 should be relegated from Division 3. They had finished second and third from bottom, equal on match points, but with Metropolitan 3 just half-a-game point better. The rules are not explicit but the President decided that, from what was written down, Metropolitan 3 will be playing in Division 4 next season. There was some talk about their teams becoming W, X, Y and Z rather than 1,2,3 and 4 but at this stage I had haIf an eye on the World Cup match and got lost on the discussion.

Under any other business Brian Smith responded as expected to a question about mobile phones and other electronic devices, and the new FIDE Laws of Chess. He insists they will be ignored in the London League. Brian has spoken!

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