English Chess Forum

Are timetables known for the outstanding issues on the next season?

These would be the announcement of venues, the allocation of divisions to weekends on the split rounds and the allocation of teams to the third divisions.


Particularly the first weekends, there are a number of potential clashes with popular Congresses.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 09, 2025 10:49 am

Are timetables known for the outstanding issues on the next season?

These would be the announcement of venues, the allocation of divisions to weekends on the split rounds and the allocation of teams to the third divisions.


Particularly the first weekends, there are a number of potential clashes with popular Congresses.

This note was posted about a month ago: "Note: Venue and accommodation booking details should follow in a week or so once contracts have been signed."

This was posted this week: https://www.4ncl.co.uk/data/2526/provis ... n_divs.htm which hints that the process is underway. Manx Liberty are the notable omission from the list.

I suspect that Division One will be the later of the two dates for weekend one as the October dates clash with the Euro Club Cup.

Placeholder dates have been on the 4NCL website and in the ECF calendar for around a month now. Finalising contracts has taken rather longer than we had hoped, but with a following wind dates, venues, entry guidelines and divisional allocations should be up on the website by the end of this weekend.

As so often, our ability to avoid potential clashes has been constrained by the venues available to us on the terms we need.

Mike Truran wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 09, 2025 6:00 pm

Placeholder dates have been on the 4NCL website and in the ECF calendar for around a month now. Finalising contracts has taken rather longer than we had hoped, but with a following wind dates, venues, entry guidelines and divisional allocations should be up on the website by the end of this weekend.

As so often, our ability to avoid potential clashes has been constrained by the venues available to us on the terms we need.

https://4ncl.co.uk/data/2526/dates_venues.htm
https://4ncl.co.uk/data/2526/entry_guidelines.htm
https://www.4ncl.co.uk/venues/hotels_bo ... ements.htm

Is Dudley a new venue?

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 12, 2025 10:50 am

Is Dudley a new venue?

I don't recall the hotel ever being used before.

Some years ago, the Spectrum series of Congresses ran Dudley events in that general area.

https://chessplayer-diary.blogspot.com/2009/01/
https://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.ph ... ley#p47114

"https://chessplayer-diary.blogspot.com/2009/01/"

Viewer discretion alert on the photos...

Mick Norris wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 12, 2025 10:50 am

Is Dudley a new venue?

Yes

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 12, 2025 11:30 am

Some years ago, the Spectrum series of Congresses ran Dudley events in that general area.

I suppose if you're starting from Bourne End that might be right, but a few Yam Yam hearts will bleed at reading this.

A little bit further down Level Street is the site of what was the Round Oak Steelworks. During the industrial revolution, it was one of the main hubs worldwide for iron and steel. Nowadays, it is home to the large and impressive Merry Hill shopping centre, where I was forced to spend a large amount of my formative years. The decor in the shopping centre remains the same as it was when it was new in the 1990s, so it was a nostalgic moment when I passed through en route to the venue.

Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑

Sat Jul 12, 2025 10:40 pm

I suppose if you're starting from Bourne End that might be right, but a few Yam Yam hearts will bleed at reading this

Not an area I'm familar with, other than passing through, but from the map it seemed to be the usual M40, M42, M5 route and then venture into the unknown by leaving the M5 at one of the junctions before the M6.

Will the time controls for the 25/26 season be the same as the 24/25 season, or are there plans to change them?

Colin Purdon wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 16, 2025 4:13 pm

Will the time controls for the 25/26 season be the same as the 24/25 season, or are there plans to change them?

According to https://4ncl.co.uk/data/2526/entry_guidelines.htm

The 4NCL rules for the 2025-2026 season will be published as soon as we have completed our review of them. At this stage we envisage no major changes.

Thank you, Roger.

Our first destination in the new season has a new mural: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crk651pr6l6o

There seem to be some new teams entering, new names anyway.

Latest list per https://www.4ncl.co.uk/data/onlines12/c ... ers_12.htm

1 Beckenham and Bromley Rudy Padovan Rudy Padovan
2 Better Call Tal Hooman Honarvarmahalati Hooman Honarvarmahalati
3 Charlton Cobras Vladimir Shmarov Vladimir Shmarov
4 Chess Rising Stars Maria Manelidou Maria Manelidou
5 English Deaf Chess Association Michael Freund Michael Freund
6 Epsom Salties Alistair Mackenzie Alistair Mackenzie
7 Five Towns Superchargers Joey Crompton Joey Crompton
8 Guildford H Trevor Jones H Trevor Jones
9 Hebden Bridge David Shapland David Shapland
10 Jurassic Coast Brian Gosling Brian Gosling
11 Leyland Bob Tinton Bob Tinton
12 London Deaf Chess Club Clifford Lane Clifford Lane
13 Malpas & Friends Charles Higgie Charles Higgie
14 North Norfolk Dolphins Dave P Jones Dave P Jones
15 Settle James Annan James Annan
16 Shrewsbury Pirates Peter Kitchen Peter Kitchen
17 Spirit of Atticus John Carleton John Carleton
18 The Hemel's Gambit Roman Wrzesinski Roman Wrzesinski
19 Wells Globetrotters Paul Humphreys Paul Humphreys
20 Wessex Keith Gregory Keith Gregory
21 Witney Huston Ian Gilders Ian Gilders
22 Worcestershire Wolfpack Ray Collett Ray Collett

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 21, 2025 5:23 pm

There seem to be some new teams entering, new names anyway.

Latest list per https://www.4ncl.co.uk/data/onlines12/c ... ers_12.htm

That could be because you've listed the Online 4NCL teams, not the OTB teams.