4NCL 30th April – 2nd May 2011 Barcelo Hotel, Hinckley

[Jonathan Rogers]

I notice, both as a 4NCL captain and academic, a tendency among girls to worry more about revising. When I get several last minute revision questions by email, including whole essays, the vast majority are from female students (many of whom have everything right already); and almost every girl under 21 who has played for my 4NCL teams has not been available in the May weekend, whereas with the male students there is no particular pattern.

This will come as no surprise to anyone, but there it is.

Incidentally at the last captains' meeting, one proposal was for an "amnesty" in [what I shall call for the sake of simplicity] the womens' board rule for one weekend per year, to help captains who struggle disproportionately for one weekend per year. This was summarily rejected because it was assumed that this "weekend away" from the rule would often be the weekend which was most important for that team league-wise. Indeed, it seems to me that it would happen like this, even without any malevolent design: the rule would generally be genuinely invoked in the May weekend because so many female players in the 4NCL traditionally* are students who will invariably prioritise exams - and of course the May weekend would be likely to be the most critical wekend for most teams.

* although maybe rather more so ten years ago than today

[William Metcalfe]

David Egelstone was also missing as he was taking his final exams.
Does anybody know what J Hawkins grade was for this seasons 4ncl

[Alan Walton]

You also have to remember it is not just the time lost at the weekend for somebody like Stephen, because of this high standards he expects of himself he wouldn't like to go into the weekend under-prepared, so he could easily spend a few hours a day on chess preparation in the time leading up to said weekend as well. If you notice he also missed the last Bundesliga weekend, presumably for similar reasons. This would also explain the differences with Alex who, a not trying to belittle arbiters work, wouldn't neccesarily do a great deal before the weekend actually starts

[Alex Holowczak]

You also have to remember it is not just the time lost at the weekend for somebody like Stephen, because of this high standards he expects of himself he wouldn't like to go into the weekend under-prepared, so he could easily spend a few hours a day on chess preparation in the time leading up to said weekend as well. If you notice he also missed the last Bundesliga weekend, presumably for similar reasons. This would also explain the differences with Alex who, a not trying to belittle arbiters work, wouldn't neccesarily do a great deal before the weekend actually starts

Actually, I was inputting, not arbiting. You're right though; I spent much of Saturday writing up a project until the first games started coming in at about 5pm.