Div 3 North 2016-17

[Mick Norris]

Gently striking the next time someone wonders about 3N being an easy promotion route (as I vaguely did pre season!). This weekend there were 3 teams averaging 2170 and up over 6 boards(!). Basically 100 pts/board above anyone I can see in 3S.

Someone is going to end the year disappointed, although you can't imagine there being enough teams to keep teams that strong down in Div3 for any extended period of time.

Maybe, but I suppose the real question is how strong is Div 2, otherwise a promoted team is likely to come back down - Bradford A seem to be struggling so far (although Alba look more likely to get promoted to Div 1)

Assuming I am understanding it correctly, it is now a straight swiss so we are likely to see MM1 v Manx and Gonzaga v Cheddleton 2 in round 5, so we should have a better idea after weekend 3 about the promotion candidates (you couldn't rule out any of the top 10 at this stage of course)

[MartinCarpenter]

Absent lots of extra players or something, I think you almost can rule many of the candidates out. The top three teams so far have been a long way ahead of everyone else strength wise. Hard to see two of them slipping up badly at once.

Bradford A do look fairly doomed to come back down again just now - they've not been super strong this season anyway but they also obviously badly need a board 8 to have any chance. Actually, White Rose 2 seem to flirting with relegation too so maybe.....

Of the strong teams so far, well Manchester & Gonzaga would be comfortable mid table in Div2 given their current squads. Goodness knows what Manx are planning, but they seem to be serious

[Mick Norris]

Round 5 pairings; some very interesting match ups

31 Manchester Manticores 1 - - - Manx Liberty
32 Cheddleton 2 - - - Gonzaga
33 Spirit of Atticus B - - - 3Cs 2
34 Hounds and Bears - - - Enniscorthy
35 Jorvik - - - Ashfield Breadsall 2
36 Manchester Manticores 4 - - - Bradford DCA Knights B
37 Manchester Manticores 3 - - - Ashfield Breadsall 1
38 Holmes Chapel - - - Manchester Manticores 2
39 Bradford DCA Knights C - - - 3Cs 3

3Cs 3 are currently trying hard to make sure they get a team together for this weekend

[Alex McFarlane]

3Cs 3 are currently trying hard to make sure they get a team together for this weekend

Hopefully it won't be necessary but the pairing was made to allow a triangular match with Holmes Chapel, Manchester Manticores 2 and Bradford DCA Knights C if the worst happens.

Round 6 will otherwise be done on the Saturday after play.

[Mick Norris]

Goodness knows what Manx are planning, but they seem to be serious

They have now registered a 3rd GM to go with their 3 IMs

Number Player Title Jnr. Nat. DM num ECF FIDE Grade Other Current 4NCL Restrict
1 Parligras, Mircea-Emilian g ROU 289468D 1204297 0 2605 2605
2 Cyborowski, Lukasz g POL 308078L 1108760 2536 2536
3 Bobras, Piotr g POL 263284G 1106880 0 2517 2517
4 Galyas, Miklos i HUN 300354B 707244 239 2477 2477
5 Seger, Ruediger i GER 4617274 2352 2352
6 Kolbus, Dietmar i GER 233784J 4610628 222 2306 2306

[MartinCarpenter]

Oh, wow. Best make that very serious then

[Neil Graham]

Essentially Manx Liberty are an imported team from the Chess Bundesliga (German Chess League).

Of the players from abroad GM Parlingras, GM Cyborowski, GM Bobras, IM Galyas, IM Segas and IM Kolbus all play for SG Trier. Bad news is that IM Kolbus has plenty more grandmasters/international masters he can bring in from his German squad (including Ivanchuk ) - Good news is that the next round of the Bundesliga clashes with Div 3 North so he might have to leave his players in Germany!*

* Not quite right - its Rds 7 & 8 (18th/19th March) where there is a clash

[MartinCarpenter]

It actually almost makes you wonder if they're planning on trying to win the whole thing in a few years. If they've the funding/will they seem to have the player base to threaten to.

[Mick Norris]

SoA report weekend 2

Also a bit in Steve Burke's report

[Tim Harding]

Essentially Manx Liberty are an imported team from the Chess Bundesliga (German Chess League).

Of the players from abroad GM Parlingras, GM Cyborowski, GM Bobras, IM Galyas, IM Segas and IM Kolbus all play for SG Trier. Bad news is that IM Kolbus has plenty more grandmasters/international masters he can bring in from his German squad (including Ivanchuk ) - Good news is that the next round of the Bundesliga clashes with Div 3 North so he might have to leave his players in Germany!*

* Not quite right - its Rds 7 & 8 (18th/19th March) where there is a clash

Clash or not, the Manx were weak today on board 4-6 and got beaten. Tomorrow Gonzaga play Manticores 1 in what looks like a showdown that may decide the division as both have played Manx and in future rounds will have lower-rated opposition.

Gonzaga had a stronger team than the previous weekend but not the strongest they could field.

It remains to be seen whether either team will bring in reinforcements for round 6.

I don't know why Enniscorthy only brought three players. Presumably there were adults accompanying them who could have played - or did they miss a registration deadline?

[MartinCarpenter]

I rather doubt reinforcements - Gonzaga surely have too far to travel to have done that, and that Manchester team is realistically about as good as it gets from the Manchester league.

Very strong Manchester team of course - MMII are pretty solid in their own right! - and a great performance vs Manx. It'll be a serious match tomorrow.

Enniscorthy could always have wild carded at the very worst I think?

[MartinCarpenter]

Oh, on a slight side note, surely Manx's 981(!)pt grading gap between boards 1 and 6 must have been getting close to setting a 4NCL 6 board record? I really do find it a bit baffling, as surely a 2600 GM isn't playing for free and with that line up they were nearly always going to lose both 5 and 6.

[David Robertson]

SoA-B are drawn against Enniscorthy on Sunday and, as I write, at least two of our team don't know whether to waste a long journey. I'm being asked for guidance. The question at stake is our players do not want to risk a double default; nor do they wish to waste their time. Why has guidance not been provided in Wakefield at an earlier point today? Perhaps things have been sorted by now. It's not clear they have been. This is far from an ideal state of affairs

[later] It's turned 11.00pm, Sat night, and emails/texts are still flashing around as we try to decide who is or isn't playing; who does or doesn't need to travel; who has or hasn't paid for a hotel expecting two games. And whose patience isn't running out!

[Mick Norris]

I rather doubt reinforcements - Gonzaga surely have too far to travel to have done that, and that Manchester team is realistically about as good as it gets from the Manchester league.

Very strong Manchester team of course - MMII are pretty solid in their own right! - and a great performance vs Manx. It'll be a serious match tomorrow

Yes great result; draws from our outrated players on the top 3, and wins from our 3 outrating players on the bottom 3

Let's hope for a good performance tomorrow

[Mick Norris]

Division 3 North Round 6

Pity about the match up number 36, but inevitable eventually I suppose; should be a good match

31 Gonzaga - - - Manchester Manticores 1
32 Manx Liberty - - - Cheddleton 2
33 Bradford DCA Knights B - - - Hounds and Bears
34 3Cs 2 - - - Jorvik
35 Enniscorthy - - - Spirit of Atticus B
36 Manchester Manticores 2 - - - Manchester Manticores 3
37 Ashfield Breadsall 1 - - - Manchester Manticores 4
38 Ashfield Breadsall 2 - - - Bradford DCA Knights C
39 3Cs 3 - - - Holmes Chapel