4NCL Northern - Round 7

[Sean Hewitt]

If the Northern League establishes itself, I could see the southern venues taking over from the midlands again, which would make the Northern League more attractive to midlands-based teams.

Ian

It would appear that the Northern League will gain a new team next season, but lose one of the existing teams, so we would welcome any new teams, or transferring teams from Div 3 south

You get to visit different places, different hotels, play different players, so I hope you would consider it even if your travelling is slightly longer

I'm not sure if it is an easier or harder route to promotion, we will get to find out at the end of next month

Give it a go and help us get it established

Mick - I would like to think that the northern league is able to attract at least 12 teams next season that are genuinely from the north. It's encouraging that there is interest from at least one more new team already. We just need to ensure at the captains meeting at Hinckley that for 2011-12 the playing field is level as there are the 36 other division 3 teams to consider.

[Mick Norris]

Agree with that, but say 6 of those teams moving north would make a big difference to div 3 North and not to div 3 South

I don't know why there are no teams from Lancs, Cumbria or North Wales, or whether there are any interested, but I am not ideally placed to find out

[Ian Kingston]

Agree with that, but say 6 of those teams moving north would make a big difference to div 3 North and not to div 3 South

I don't know why there are no teams from Lancs, Cumbria or North Wales, or whether there are any interested, but I am not ideally placed to find out

It takes time for the word to get out and for such things to grow. The 4NCL was tiny when it started.

[Mick Norris]

I am aware of that, but not sure the Northern League is going to be given time by some

[Sean Hewitt]

I'm not sure that genuinely from the north is a requirement.
Yes we need 12+ teams to make the league viable in the long run, but does it matter where they come from, after all there are currently some northern based teams in the 3rd division.

Agreed. I meant that I would have thought there would be demand for at least 12 northern teams regardless. There are after all lots of chess players in Lancs / Yorks / Manchester and Liverpool.

If some 'other' teams played in the north as well that's great - but I would like to think they would be a bonus!

[Mick Norris]

I meant that I would have thought there would be demand for at least 12 northern teams regardless. There are after all lots of chess players in Lancs / Yorks / Manchester and Liverpool.

3Cs and White Rose play in the 4NCL, and other players living in, say, Stockport, play for teams like, well, e2e4

The Northern League has brought some new players to the 4NCL, which has got to be good

Manchester have 3Cs and the Manticores and Liverpool has Spirit of Atticus and Aigburth, then there is Bradford and York, not sure where you would count White Rose in this - Northumberland are supposed to be joining next season, so that would leave Preston as the biggest place not represented?

[Alan Walton]

From a 3Cs perspective we decided it was best that our 2nd team would enter the main 3rd Div due to fact that the 1st team are already in the main 4NCL and it was best to keep the teams together

Another point would be by entering the main 4NCL gives us as players a different field of opponents, the majority of players we currently meet are players we are very rarely expected to play, personally I feel if I played in the Northern League I will be playing opponents who I have played numerous times over the years, this is nothing against these players, but from an improvement point of view a wider field of opponents is a massive benefit for an individuals chess.

[Mick Norris]

Alan

I agree with that, but maybe your second team might give the Northern League a try

[Alan Walton]

Alan

I agree with that, but maybe your second team might give the Northern League a try

Whilst we have a first team in the 4NCL then the second team will always play in the "normal" league, if we ever revert to just the "kids" team only, then it is up to the powers to be to decide what is best for the team, currently this view is to be in the standard league.

[Sean Hewitt]

I am aware of that, but not sure the Northern League is going to be given time by some

I can't imagine anyone can have an issue with the northern league if that's what players in the north want. I think the concern is ensuring that it's existence is not detrimental to the 36 teams in division 3 and trying to make sure that the best 4 performing teams are the ones that end up getting promoted. Again, I can't think that anyone can object to that either.

[LozCooper]

Alan

I agree with that, but maybe your second team might give the Northern League a try

Whilst we have a first team in the 4NCL then the second team will always play in the "normal" league, if we ever revert to just the "kids" team only, then it is up to the powers to be to decide what is best for the team, currently this view is to be in the standard league.

Is there a link between teams if you have one in Division 1 and 2 and then in the Northern League as regards being able to play in either team within the 80 point rule as you can if you have teams in Divisions 1, 2 and 3? I guess there's only Cheddleton that it would apply to but I can't recall any player playing in both if it is indeed allowed.

[Sean Hewitt]

I meant that I would have thought there would be demand for at least 12 northern teams regardless. There are after all lots of chess players in Lancs / Yorks / Manchester and Liverpool.

3Cs and White Rose play in the 4NCL, and other players living in, say, Stockport, play for teams like, well, e2e4

Well of course. Stronger players who play in div1 and div2 are going to gain nothing by playing weaker opponents in the northern division (or div3 for that matter). Similarly, players who already have allegiances to existing teams can hardly be expected to switch to a new northern team. I would have thought that, if there is demand to justify the existence of a northern league then there would be sufficient new players wanting to play to support 12 new teams within a couple of years.

[Mike Truran]

Lawrence

Rule 2.3

Mike

[Mike Truran]

Bob

As an example, our Brown Jack team for Sunday was:

1. Peter Richmond 203
2. Paul Girdlestone 204
3. Pablo Padilla 184
4. Tim Headlong 188
5. Mike Truran 191
6. Johnathan Bourne 177.

Are you saying that it's the strength of the opposition as opposed to the strength of the team itself that matters?

PS I haven't done the maths, but I just don't believe that the average strength of the sides Brown Jack has faced so far this season was only 170. Happy to be proved wrong though if you can provide the maths.

Mike

[Michael Yeo]

PS I haven't done the maths, but I just don't believe that the average strength of the sides Brown Jack has faced so far this season was only 170. Happy to be proved wrong though if you can provide the maths.

I have checked the maths and Bob is pretty close. I make it 170.54. (Cue various jokes about the difference between actuaries and accountants.)
For what it is worth, Wessex 2's average opponents are 170.83