Search found 3041 matches

by MartinCarpenter
Wed Mar 13, 2024 10:01 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Counties and clubs
Replies: 55
Views: 3554

Re: Counties and clubs

Fascinating thanks :) The treatment of Yorkshire is intriguing, but I think pragmatic/appropriate to the reality on the ground.
by MartinCarpenter
Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:29 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Counties and clubs
Replies: 55
Views: 3554

Re: Counties and clubs

The biggest chess counties, in terms of distance, are presumably Cumbria, Northumberland, Lincolnshire, Cornwall, Devon and (North) Yorkshire? Northumberland and Cumbria have the lowest population densities. According to Wiki, North Yorkshire is largest in terms of area all by itself (!). Much of t...
by MartinCarpenter
Tue Mar 12, 2024 9:03 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Counties and clubs
Replies: 55
Views: 3554

Re: Counties and clubs

Do we actually have any counties that don't have a league of their own? I don't think there's even a Lancashire league as such? It would have had to be large town based and maybe weekend based like the Yorkshire league, but it's ended up all evening leagues split between Merseyside, GM and various ...
by MartinCarpenter
Mon Mar 11, 2024 9:12 am
Forum: General Chat
Topic: Counties and clubs
Replies: 55
Views: 3554

Re: Counties and clubs

Yes. Counties, especially the historical ones, aren't very well matched to modern population densities. Chess leagues naturally tend to follow the latter! The Manchester league say is an thorough going mixture county wise even if you count Greater Manchester as one. There's still some clubs fairly e...
by MartinCarpenter
Wed Mar 06, 2024 8:46 am
Forum: YCA
Topic: Huddersfield & District Chess Association
Replies: 80
Views: 5268

Re: Huddersfield & District Chess Association

Well done :) Not that Hebden are precisely doing *badly*, what with fielding three teams all stacked in the middle of the table.

I'm a bit surprised Hebden have quite so many players, is that just the commuter belt effect?
by MartinCarpenter
Sun Feb 18, 2024 11:31 am
Forum: YCA
Topic: 2023/2024 Season
Replies: 123
Views: 7854

Re: 2023/2024 Season

Apologies to Bradford! I just saw 8-0 of course. Some of the juniors in the IMB are already strong enough to make an impact on the lower boards of the Woodhouse of course - the top of York D would already definitely strengthen York B. It takes a fairly rare junior to get to/over 2100 before Universi...
by MartinCarpenter
Sun Feb 18, 2024 9:34 am
Forum: YCA
Topic: 2023/2024 Season
Replies: 123
Views: 7854

Re: 2023/2024 Season

Really no idea who then :) More juniors would be fun, at least until they start scaring us all in the Woodhouse!
by MartinCarpenter
Sun Feb 18, 2024 8:33 am
Forum: YCA
Topic: 2023/2024 Season
Replies: 123
Views: 7854

Re: 2023/2024 Season

Relegation is now very tight indeed. Calderdale are bottom with 2 match points, Leeds second with 4 then Ilkley 4 (2.5 game points more than Leeds), Huddersfield with 5 and York B/Bradford on 6. Bradford defaulted one earlier this year, so their game points still aren't amazing. Any of them could st...
by MartinCarpenter
Sun Feb 18, 2024 8:29 am
Forum: YCA
Topic: 2023/2024 Season
Replies: 123
Views: 7854

Re: 2023/2024 Season

All up now - and that is something. A strong Sheffield team lost 3.5 - 4.5 to Ilkley. One of the bigger upsets - in grading terms too - for a very long time. York beat Leeds 4.5-3.5, Hull beat Calderdale 6-2, York B defaulted (no idea why) 0-8 to Bradford and 6-2 for Harrogate over Huddersfield. Lea...
by MartinCarpenter
Sat Feb 17, 2024 7:54 pm
Forum: YCA
Topic: 2023/2024 Season
Replies: 123
Views: 7854

Re: 2023/2024 Season

Oh, Sheffield lost or something?!

We got an incredibly hard fought 4.5 - 3.5 win vs Leeds today - I won very quickly, then we suffered for 7 draws.

The York D junior squad were very motivated to beat York C and managed it :) Go them!
by MartinCarpenter
Mon Feb 12, 2024 9:28 am
Forum: 4NCL
Topic: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Three Bishops
Replies: 12
Views: 1627

Re: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Three Bishops

Yikes! That's a bit of a statement from Warks 2. If GW keep that strength of team then they'll surely go up, no idea who will join them.
by MartinCarpenter
Sun Feb 11, 2024 10:39 am
Forum: 4NCL
Topic: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Three Bishops
Replies: 12
Views: 1627

Re: 4NCL 2023-24 Division Three Bishops

Hard fought 3-3 draw :) Another very tough match for WR3 today actually, but that is a very good team - WR1/2 strengthening feeding down etc.

The two Div 3 divisions do seem to have ended up a bit lopsided, but I imagine it was impossible to predict.
by MartinCarpenter
Thu Feb 01, 2024 3:06 pm
Forum: General Chat
Topic: ECF ratings.
Replies: 13
Views: 1267

Re: ECF ratings.

Although they never quite totally give up on your old rating even then. Basically they keep the records for 'ever' (until/unless advised of the obvious), just trust the data less and less as time goes on. Your old rating is still the best initial guess that anyone has of your strength if/when you do...
by MartinCarpenter
Wed Jan 31, 2024 9:28 am
Forum: YCA
Topic: 2023/2024 Season
Replies: 123
Views: 7854

Re: 2023/2024 Season

Two tight wins for York and Hull, a seeming cruise for a very strong Sheffield. Calderdale lost to Bradford, so they must be getting wary of relegation. Not that anyone from Harrogate - in fourth - down is absolutely safe. Forgrove and Hull B look very solid bets for promotion from the IMB. Forgrove...
by MartinCarpenter
Mon Jan 15, 2024 5:39 pm
Forum: International News
Topic: Tata Steel 12 - 28 Jan 2024
Replies: 65
Views: 6360

Re: Tata Steel 12 - 28 Jan 2024

They really are playing some very amusingly random chess :)

I'm not sure when I last saw a top player with the white pieces get mated almost mid board as per Gukesh in this round.