English Chess Forum

A big thank you to all our arbiters, game inputters, live game transmitters and other organisers (and of course our webmaster) for their efforts over the course of the 2011/2012 season.

A Big thank you to the hotel as well this weekend. The service was excellent. Loads of staff, so check-in, check-out and service at the bar/restaurant all very quick and efficient.

I echo Mike's thanks with one caveat - thanks to him too!

Many thanks both! Matthew - I've passed your comment on to Wayne Topley, the GM at Hinckley Island.

Yes it was pretty good- ideally though there would be more live game coverage (like the German league) and maybe computer analysis. This would be a good area for the ECF to invest their players tax in!

Matthew Turner wrote:A Big thank you to the hotel as well this weekend. The service was excellent. Loads of staff, so check-in, check-out and service at the bar/restaurant all very quick and efficient.

Happy to second that

Mark Howitt wrote:Yes it was pretty good- ideally though there would be more live game coverage (like the German league) and maybe computer analysis. This would be a good area for the ECF to invest their players tax in!

Good idea. At the same time they should block IP addresses based in Yorkshire

EDIT: In case this needs explaining [to certain folk], it was a joke making reference to a certain forum member saying Yorkshire players don't want to pay for the ECF.

Starting to see now why you don't do your 'chess events' in Yorkshire....

Mark Howitt wrote:Starting to see now why you don't do your 'chess events' in Yorkshire....

e2e4 events within twenty minutes of the M25 usually fill to capacity. There was an event or two close to the M62 which barely broke even. The 4NCL has numerous southern, western, midland and eastern based teams and players. The 4NCL Northern league struggles for support.

I think it's because northerners are dumb. Or maybe just a bit more careful with money...

Mark Howitt wrote: maybe just a bit more careful

More careful than who?

Than softy southerners!

Roger de Coverly wrote:

Mark Howitt wrote:Starting to see now why you don't do your 'chess events' in Yorkshire....

e2e4 events within twenty minutes of the M25 usually fill to capacity. There was an event or two close to the M62 which barely broke even. The 4NCL has numerous southern, western, midland and eastern based teams and players. The 4NCL Northern league struggles for support.

I'm not sure there would not be sufficient demand for our model, which is quality events in quality locations.

We are running an event shortly in Buxton and it should be interesting to see how that develops. Early entries look promising. I suspect it's a nicer destination for a weekend away that Runcorn

Mike Truran wrote:A big thank you to all our arbiters, game inputters, live game transmitters and other organisers (and of course our webmaster) for their efforts over the course of the 2011/2012 season.

Sadly the person writing the reports is running late this week having just returned from Romania. I will start work on it and hope to have a draft submitted sometime tomorrow

I think the 4NCL Northern League perhaps suffers a tad from `underpromotion`...
More publicity material (particularly, hard copy), for distribution at congresses, etc might help.
And of course a great many northern players already play in 4NCL `south`.. If one or two of the div3 teams perhaps could be encouraged to switch to the Northern League, that might help to move things forward...but I guess the `south` has got a head start, which is always difficult to redress...
Some additional support from the northern enclaves of Merseyside and Lancs...maybe even Derbyshire, mid Cheshire, and Lincs/Notts, would not go amiss. A side or two from Sheffield, where they have a thriving chess community, would be great.
Given that the 4NCL div 3 caters for a wide range a of grades (from circa 225 down to about 140ish), with many teams averaging around 1900 (ECF 160ish), it should not be hard to raise teams of 6-players, with team squads of around 12 players. Playing venues and conditions are very good, and the hotels offer good discount rates for the Saturday nights.
Here`s a sampler from this w/e 4NCL Finals at Hinckley... showing typical teams http://www.4ncl.livechess.co.uk/div3_20 ... s-rd11.htm
It would be good if the various county and league AGMs actually put this on there agendas for discussion...we do need a more `integrated` approach to chess in this country. Too much of `us & them` creates division and a negative environment.