English Chess Forum

Team Allocations and Pairings now available on 4NCL website. Play starts on Tuesday.

As this thread has shown a remarkable lack of comment and/or interest, I'll update as five of the seven rounds have taken place.

Divisions 1-4 are two eight team all-play-all tournaments with the runners-up and winners of each section playing off whilst Division Five is a seven round Swiss.

Division One

Group "A" is too close to call with three teams (Shropshire & Friends 1; Dundee City "A" & Heffalump Hunters) all with 8/10. Remarkably Group "B" is even closer - three teams (Dundee City "B", Hebden Bridge 1 and Wessex "A") all with 7/10; the next three teams are within two points of the joint leaders so any of six teams could fill the qualifying spots.

Division Two

Ashfield Anonymous "A" with 10/10 are well out in front in Group "A" whilst Lenzie Basilisks are in a similar position in Group "B" with 9/10. The remaining teams in both sections are fighting for play-off places.

Division Three

Group "A" is another closely contested section with three teams (Wells Hartbreakers 1, Ashfield Anonymous "C" & Wessex "D") all on 7/10 with several others still in the mix. Group "B" on the other hand is much clearer with War and Piece Overlord on maximum 10/10 followed by Worcestershire Wolfpack "A" on 8/10. These two teams meet next round.

Division Four

Group "A" is lead with 9/10 by Crowthorne and Better call Tal - these two teams drew their match and have outdistanced their challengers. Any of half a dozen teams could progress in Group "B" with Wells Hartbrakers 2 narrowly at the front with 8/10.

Division Five

Bishop Blunders have not lived up to their name with a 10/10 maximum to date; five teams with 7/10 are the closest pursuers.

Ok, I'll bite for you

Because this is an interesting piece of social behaviour. Namely that it got quite good, and in depth, during Covid but has since dropped right back once FtF chess restarted.

That being despite there being, eg, a bunch of 'lost' 4NCL teams when 3N went down and so forth. You might have expected it to stay a bit stronger. Oh well!

There's some entirely serious players/teams in Div 1, is it mainly a lot of juniors lower down?
(No doubt horribly underrated!).

MartinCarpenter wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2024 10:29 am

Ok, I'll bite for you

Because this is an interesting piece of social behaviour. Namely that it got quite good, and in depth, during Covid but has since dropped right back once FtF chess restarted.

That being despite there being, eg, a bunch of 'lost' 4NCL teams when 3N went down and so forth. You might have expected it to stay a bit stronger. Oh well!

There's some entirely serious players/teams in Div 1, is it mainly a lot of juniors lower down?
(No doubt horribly underrated!).

Possibly there are a lot of juniors lower down - however there are plenty of pensioners sitting round their computers playing not wanting to venture out on a cold evening for a league match with a 75 mile round trip to Nether Wallop (or wherever) in the dark.

The number of teams has remained remarkably steady at around the 90 mark for the past three seasons.

Quick update after penultimate round :-

Division One

Shropshire & Friends and Heffalump Hunters are two points ahead of their two challengers in Group "A" Shropshire have a large plus in Game Points and should go through. The remaining play-off place will be decided in Round Seven. Group "B" is as close as ever; now four teams left in the mix.

Division Two

This is as good as sorted. Ashfield Anonymous "A" & Beckenham in "Group A" in that order. Lenzie Basilisks win "Group B"; runner-up undecided but Charlton Cobras the clear favourite.

Division Three

Wells Hartbreakers and Ashfield Anonymous "C" look set to qualify in Group "A". In Group "B" War and Piece Overlord lost heavily to Worcester Wolfpack "A" in Round 6 and their place is now at risk from Sheffield University Graduates - these teams meet in Round Seven.

Division Four

Crowthorne and Better call Tal easily qualify in "Group A". Group "B" is as confused as ever - four teams still in the mix as we enter Round Seven.

Division Five

Bishop Blunders win with maximum points. Confusion reigns below and no pairings as yet - could Chessy McChessface qualify?

Round Seven update and semi-final pairings.

Division One

As anticipated Shropshire & Friends 1 & Heffalump Hunters qualify from Group "A". Dundee "B" & Wessex "A" emerge from Group "B"
Semi-Final :
Shropshire & Friends 1 v Wessex A; Dundee City B - - - Heffalump Hunters

Division Two

The only remaining question was the second qualifier from Group "B" - this turned out to be Charlton Cobras "A"
Semi-Final
Ashfield Anonymous A v Charlton Cobras A; Lenzie Basilisks v Beckenham

Division Three

Wells Hartbreakers & Ashfield Anonymous "C" indeed booked their semi-final place. In Group "B" War & Piece Overlord won their Rd 7 vital match and join Worcestershire Wolfpack "A" in the play-offs.
Semi-Final
Wells Hartbreakers 1 v Worcestershire Wolfpack A; War & Piece Overlord v Ashfield Anonymous C

Division Four

Crowthorne and Better Call Tal were already in. Both Colchester JFF "A" and Cosy Tomatoes beat their rivals to go through in Group "B"
Semi Final
Crowthorne v Cozy Tomatoes; Colchester JFF A v Better call Tal

Division Five

Bishop Blunders won with a maximum 14/14 dropping just five game points along the way. Second were Chess Rising Stars on 10/14. Five teams tied for third place.

Semi-Finals

Div One Shropshire & Friends 1 0-4 Wessex A; Dundee City B 2½ - 1½ Heffalump Hunters Final Dundee "B" v Wessex

Div Two Ashfield Anonymous A 3½ - ½ Charlton Cobras A; Lenzie Basilisks 2½ - 1½ Beckenham; Final Ashfield v Lenzie

Div Three Wells Hartbreakers 1 3-1 Worcestershire Wolfpack A; War & Piece Overlord 2*-2 Ashfield Anonymous C Final War & Piece v Wells

Div Four Crowthorne 2*-2 Cozy Tomatoes; Colchester JFF A 2*-2 Better call Tal Final Crowthorne v Colchester JFF

* indicates win on Board Count.

Final tomorrow - 17th December at 7.30pm

Winners

Div 1 Wessex A

Div 2 Lenzie Basilisks

Div 3 Wells Hartbreakers

Div 4 Colchester JFF A

Full results on 4NCL website - entries for Season 11 now open.