BCM `Snub` Northern event.....?

[Sean Hewitt]

Since the grand total of entrants for the whole 4NCLwhen it started in 1993 was six, let's at least wait for the end of the season at least. History suggests that quite a lot of sides wait a while to see how an event fares before jumping in themselves. But it would help if the major chess websites and magazines covered it too.

I think that's a very fair point. The measure is not how many teams there are this year. It's how many more there are next year that counts.

[Andrew Wainwright]

A team is desperately needed from Sheffield who are the largest league in Yorkshire and 50% larger than Bradford which has 2 teams!

4 of the 12 players representing the Bradford DCA Knights teams this weekend are from Sheffield/Rotherham!

I will not be able to run 2 teams again next season by myself. This was never the intention as the B Team were always meant to have their own captain. Unfortunately I have had to undertake running both teams and must admit that it is too much alongside my other personal and chess commitments.

SOS to anyone in South Yorkshire interested in running a team next season - please get in touch

Rest assured Bradford will run both teams for the remainder of this present season.

[Mike Truran]

Either through luck or foresight I have booked the 4NCL Northern League venues for the 2011/2012 season, so Barcelo and De Vere are at least locked in for another season after this. However, the natives are already getting restless about the low level of bedroom bookings they are getting in return for the free playing space, discounted room rates, bedroom commission etc they are providing to the 4NCL, so we do need an influx of new teams as well as an increase in the participants/bedrooms booked ratio to make it viable.

If this doesn't happen, I fear it will be nigh on impossible to persuade venues to take on the 4NCL Northern League, and the 4NCL will follow the e2e4 events in pulling out of the North.

That said, of course many thanks to those teams who have stepped up to the plate so far and shown their commitment to what will hopefully become a great event.

[Richard Bates]

Either through luck or foresight I have booked the 4NCL Northern League venues for the 2011/2012 season, so Barcelo and De Vere are at least locked in for another season after this. However, the natives are already getting restless about the low level of bedroom bookings they are getting in return for the free playing space, discounted room rates, bedroom commission etc they are providing to the 4NCL, so we do need an influx of new teams as well as an increase in the participants/bedrooms booked ratio to make it viable.

If this doesn't happen, I fear it will be nigh on impossible to persuade venues to take on the 4NCL Northern League, and the 4NCL will follow the e2e4 events in pulling out of the North.

That said, of course many thanks to those teams who have stepped up to the plate so far and shown their commitment to what will hopefully become a great event.

I guess this is an obvious danger for an event which has been established in large part due to complaints about the time and expense involved in travelling further south. To be a success the event has to be about more than just the chess which means the majority of players have to buy into the whole modern 4ncl experience - in particular staying at the venue, not at home or at "cheaper" alternatives. When you regionalise the league the balance may tilt towards the latter type of player.

[Alex Holowczak]

...two from Merseyside and one Manchester team

So arguably, it is only Lancs...

By contrast, I would argue that Lancashire is actually fielding three teams in the Northern League.

[David Pardoe]

Yes, the more the merrier....
Teams from Sheffield/Huddersfield, Derbyshire/Lincs. Lancs (Preston and neighbouring areas), Warrington, Teeside, Durham & Newcastle...East Yorks/Scarborough, and maybe a Scottish Borders team would be great...
Dont just sit watching on the touchlines...
Whether clubs, leagues or even congresses/other areas put forward teams...all would boost the interest and give the north a really good chess event in the coming years.
One of the things I quite like about the league is the spread of players...from 220ish down to around the 150 mark, so theres lots of opportunities for players and aspiring GMs to participate...and very good to see a good number of juniors.
I hope clubs, leagues, congress organisers and county bodies/teams etc.. will consider this and canvass there various memberships. The venues are very good, good room discounts, with flexibilty for players to play either or both days of a weekend.

As Mike Truran has said ....read the reports by John Carleton on the 4NCL website about the Northern event and teams, results, pictures to get a flavour of things....
Incidentally, Manchester are looking for more players if anyone is interested..contact James Murphy. If we got enough interest it might be nice to consider entering a second team at some stage.....

And to those BCM journalists I say this....come to the next northern event at the magnificant Barcelo Majestic Hotel in Harrogate on w/e 19th - 20th Feb ... Take some pictures, talk to the players...enjoy the chess fayre from our great northern chess bretheren....

Meanwhile...for those who like Rapidplays, look no further than this Sundays Stockport Rapidplay event (6th Feb), for players of all standards...see the Congress Diary thread for more details (Page 2, latest post, for late entry information).
No need to send money, just ring and book or email [email protected]
Excellent venue close to Stockport Railway Station... Guild Hall. Tell/email your friends and chess contacts.

[Ben Purton]

Oh Boo Hoo, you didnt get in the mag.

The BCM has only really done division 1 seriously. We had an all star div 2 cast when HK and Sharks were going up. Yet we rarely got more than a line.

The Northern chess scene just winge about the 4NCL. What I cant get is how people from Manchester winge about it being in Reading. Id rather it in Manchester than Hinckley, much much easier to get to , the train is direct, fast, has plugs(virgin trains).

What would your suggested venues be for main 4NCL o nothern ones?

[Alex Holowczak]

What I cant get is how people from Manchester winge about it being in Reading.

I've come to realise that people who aren't very dedicated often make a big deal out of travelling more than about 10 miles to play a game of chess.

For the University event, Nottingham's President couldn't persuade 3 of 30-40 players to travel from Nottingham to Oxford. On the train, that requires 1 change at New Street. By contrast, Aston has 6 players, 5 of which are going to Oxford... I wonder how they'd react to news that Durham were playing.

Another example was someone playing at Aston University. I presented him with a Warwickshire Championship entry form, which is 30 minutes from Moor Street (15-20 on the train, 10-15 on foot the other side), and that was deemed too far.

Id rather it in Manchester than Hinckley, much much easier to get to , the train is direct, fast, has plugs(virgin trains).

I have a direct train from New Street to Hinckley, but the venue itself isn't easy to get to from Hinckley station. Whereas Sunningdale has a shuttle bus, for instance, Hinckley does not. Rather than pay for a taxi, I boldly decided to walk the 1-2 miles from Hinckley to the venue. However, the pavement on the road leading to the motorway junction just disappeared. I found myself having to go around that island on foot - the wrong way - just to get to the hotel. As long as a venue has a way of getting from the nearest station to the hotel, then it's usually a good venue. Sunningdale is my favourite venue pretty much for that reason alone.

[David Pardoe]

Oh Boo Hoo, you didnt get in the mag.

The BCM has only really done division 1 seriously. We had an all star div 2 cast when HK and Sharks were going up. Yet we rarely got more than a line.

The Northern chess scene just winge about the 4NCL. What I cant get is how people from Manchester winge about it being in Reading. Id rather it in Manchester than Hinckley, much much easier to get to , the train is direct, fast, has plugs(virgin trains).

What would your suggested venues be for main 4NCL o nothern ones?

Benny old mate, I think you`re missing my points..
No, I dont wish to see all chess events moved to Manchester...but there are other deserving northern locations, such as Sheffield, York, Chesterfield, Chester/Warrington, Nottingham, Preston...Durham, to name but a few....and the British Champs being held at Sheffield this year, I`m sure will prove a great success..lets hope its not too far north for those BCM reporters.
Psst...Harrogate is pretty smart too, I believe.
But my other key point is that these journolists need to realise that its not just about whacky GM`s, bussed in from abroad. We need to report on all matters of interest, including local events of interest across the regions, which Im sure that many players would be interested in...
I believe that the Manchester Evening News are coming to the Stockport Rapidplay this Sunday. Should be a fine days chessing for enthusiasts from many areas. We usually get a pretty good attendance and the Guild Hall, just up the road from Stockport Railway Station, has proved a popular venue with good facilities...and well run for many years by Peter Taylor and his team.
See http://www.stockportdistrictchess.110mb ... events.htm for more details....
Late entries excepted, and half point byes available if pre booked... Ring to reserve a place..!!

[Alex Holowczak]

But my other key point is that these journolists need to realise that its not just about whacky GM`s, bussed in from abroad. We need to report on all matters of interest, including local events of interest across the regions, which Im sure that many players would be interested in...

I couldn't agree more with this.

I don't buy any chess magazines, because most of the stuff in there makes it out to the Internet anyway, which I can read for free. For example, if there's a global chess event of any stature, it'll be on the ChessBase website. I would be far more interested in reading about the goings on of local leagues across the country, although this would be far more difficult to achieve, because you'd need local reporters reporting what's going on. The international events are so wide and varied now that they probably aren't as special as they were 30 years ago.

However, I'm sure the chess magazines do market research, and they would have gathered from that that most people care about the big events. So that's what goes in the magazine.

[LozCooper]

However, I'm sure the chess magazines do market research, and they would have gathered from that that most people care about the big events. So that's what goes in the magazine.[/quote]

If any of the magazines want me or anyone else to report on Divisions 2, 3 and the Northern League I'm sure there will be plenty of volunteers

[Sean Hewitt]

its not just about whacky GM`s, bussed in from abroad

True. Most of them fly

[Alex Holowczak]

its not just about whacky GM`s, bussed in from abroad

True. Most of them fly

Hey, I never said that!

[Roger de Coverly]

We need to report on all matters of interest, including local events of interest across the regions, which Im sure that many players would be interested in.

I can think of two attempts in the last twenty years to establish paper magazines with a more local focus than Chess or BCM. Neither venture proved particularly long lasting.

[Adam Raoof]

We need to report on all matters of interest, including local events of interest across the regions, which Im sure that many players would be interested in.

I can think of two attempts in the last twenty years to establish paper magazines with a more local focus than Chess or BCM. Neither venture proved particularly long lasting.

If one of them was Chess Circuit, then Murray Chandler made it a condition of my acceptance of the role of BCM Deputy Editor that I cease publishing my own magazine. I accepted that condition. There was certainly a demand for that kind of coverage then, and I believe there still is.