Why does 4NCL stop?

[David Robertson]

I mean, why doesn't 4NCL just carry on, all year round? I ask because, these past two years of my belated exposure to it, I haven't enjoyed playing the game so much for years, not since the 1970s certainly.

Presumably 4NCL doesn't stop because of tedious old traditions like a 'closed season'. Presumably it has something - a rather large something, possibly - to do with hotel bookings/prices during the summer months. Or maybe it's player demand. If neither, then I could see the argument for breaks in July-August & in December. But otherwise, game on - in June, Sept & Oct.

And then there's my second pipe-dream. Can we change the playing habits of at least the well-tutored 'top 1000' players so that quality weekend matches become the norm, shifting us from the bedlam of evening chess squeezed into that narrow space between work & sleep, games rattled off in the sepia twilight of a pub's back room? This would possibly involve, say, a 'Civic 4NCL' played regionally between city/town teams in jamboree-style at specific weekends. I accept this may not mean much in London, where there's plenty of chess on offer. But a 'Civic 4NCL' in the North/Midlands might stimulate the appetite.

Just thinking. Just asking, like

[Mike Truran]

Dave

Spot on - bedroom prices and players going on holiday are the main issues.

Re pipedream 2 - I'm trying something like that in Oxfordshire next season. FIDE rated Sunday league chess between teams of four at proper time limits at a central venue (Ducklington Village Hall - very nice) with tea and bikkies on tap. Open to anybody and any team (club, friends, juniors, whatever) whether in Oxfordshire or not.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... illage.jpg

[Justin Hadi]

Great idea that, pipedream 2.

[Mike Truran]

PS The village hall (home to Witney Chess Club) is just to the right in the photo. But it's such a nice picture I couldn't resist including it.

[Roger de Coverly]

Re pipedream 2 - I'm trying something like that in Oxfordshire next season. FIDE rated Sunday league chess between teams of four at proper time limits at a central venue (Ducklington Village Hall - very nice) with tea and bikkies on tap. Open to anybody and any team (club, friends, juniors, whatever) whether in Oxfordshire or not.

It's an interesting idea and preferably certainly to travelling to Charlton, Catford, Sutton or even Wansted at a weekend. The obvious question for the potential local organisers is how much it would be likely to cost and for that matter whether the costs would be per team or per player.

[Mike Truran]

The obvious question for the potential local organisers is how much it would be likely to cost and for that matter whether the costs would be per team or per player.

The main cost, ie for the venue, is fixed ( ), so the more teams enter the lower the costs (which will be per team). I can't see it being more than £40 per team though, and hopefully less than that depending on numbers. The only other main cost apart from venue would be a modest array of trophies.

As it will be FIDE rated, players would though need Gold membership ( )

Despite that, if anybody within striking distance of Witney is interested in putting a team in, please get in touch.