11th 4NCL FIDE Rated Congress

[Mike Truran]

Our 11th congress will be taking place on the weekend of 4-6 November at De Vere Harben (a venue we have used before for the 4NCL Rapidplay Championships).

The prize fund has been increased to £2,925.

Full details as usual on the 4NCL website.

[Mike Truran]

I’m delighted to be able to announce that Chess Promotions Ltd and the 4NCL have agreed that two qualifying places for the British Knockout Championship, to be staged at the London Chess Classic from Thursday 8th December-Friday 16 December, will be made available to the players finishing in the first two places at the 4NCL 11th FIDE Rated Congress at Harben House on Friday 4-Sunday 6 November. We have already received our first GM entry!

Because the first round loser prize at the British Knockout Championship amounts to £2,500, players occupying the first two places in the Open section will not be eligible for the prizes on offer at the congress itself. That means of course that any player finishing outside the first two places in the Open section will be eligible for the congress prizes. These are: 1st £500; 2nd £250; 3rd £125.

[Richard Bates]

Lucky people who don't play County chess...

Just out of interest - what are the eligibility criteria for the British Knockout Championship, and what are the proposed tiebreaks for qualification?

Also, probably a rather unnecessary question - but just to cover the bases - does playing in the tournament require a commitment to playing in the Knockout (in the event of qualifying) under pain of not otherwise winning a prize?

[David Sedgwick]

Just out of interest - what are the eligibility criteria for the British Knockout Championship, and what are the proposed tiebreaks for qualification?

Also, probably a rather unnecessary question - but just to cover the bases - does playing in the tournament require a commitment to playing in the Knockout (in the event of qualifying) under pain of not otherwise winning a prize?

Mike was keen, for good reasons, to make the announcement as soon as possible.

I have been asked to work on the detailed Regulations, including the questions which you raise, and I am in the process of doing so.

I'll come back here in due course.

[Roger de Coverly]

I have been asked to work on the detailed Regulations, including the questions which you raise, and I am in the process of doing so.

I had wondered what's known about Chess Promotions Ltd, as it's not an organisation that has a high profile. A Google search suggests it uses the address of Chess and Bridge, so that more or less answers the question.

On a topical note, does the entry fee for the London Classic Open and parallel events include VAT?

[Richard Bates]

Just out of interest - what are the eligibility criteria for the British Knockout Championship, and what are the proposed tiebreaks for qualification?

Also, probably a rather unnecessary question - but just to cover the bases - does playing in the tournament require a commitment to playing in the Knockout (in the event of qualifying) under pain of not otherwise winning a prize?

Mike was keen, for good reasons, to make the announcement as soon as possible.

I have been asked to work on the detailed Regulations, including the questions which you raise, and I am in the process of doing so.

I'll come back here in due course.

Good luck! I imagine an appropriate tie break for a five round weekender is not a simple business! (given the issues of byes, wildly inaccurate ratings, people dropping out mid tournament etc etc). I suppose there's always the LCC solution of a couple of years ago of just taking the top rated players...

EDIT: Although I forgot the option of a blitz playoff (time permitting) so perhaps no so difficult.

[Paul Dargan]

As a suggestion I think there's a fair bit to be said for the tie-break to be the LOWEST rated players, that would force people ot play in the last round if they want to qualify rather than rely on tiebreak or higher rating ... indeed I think that might have been better at LCC, though understand why highest was chosen given the calibre of opposition ...

Let's hope that Mike and 4NCL get the uptick in numbers that this deserves

Paul

[Roger de Coverly]

EDIT: Although I forgot the option of a blitz playoff (time permitting) so perhaps no so difficult.

That's probably the fairest, if not the most difficult to schedule. With two places on offer, you could get a multiple tie for the second place to resolve.