English Chess Forum

I'd forgotten that, but MM2 might be trickier than you think

Mick Norris wrote:Another good win for our 1st team today

Hummm, a good result yes, calling it a good win might be kind - don't look too hard at the games Especially on board 1! Yikes. Feels somewhat like destiny to me. You do now have a huge safety margin too.

Manx are clearly going at it hardcore - Deitmer on 3 and a WGM on 4. Gonzaga may well have to wait a year which is a bit remarkable given how strong a team they are!

Fairly sure this is as high as it gets for Jorvik.....

Ok then, good result, and another today; plus a good result for MM2 and a draw between M3 and MM4

It may indeed be destiny

MM1 16
Manx 13
Gonzaga 12
MM2 10

Mick Norris wrote:I'd forgotten that, but MM2 might be trickier than you think

Looks like MM1 play MM2 in the next round, but how likely is it that the second team will do a Gonzaga a big favour by beating their first team?

I think Gonzaga's only hope is that Manx stars may be required for Bundesliga on the final weekend, but I don't know the German league schedule. Maybe there is no clash?

Can't say for MM2's motivation - its never easy for the stronger team either - but they'll be a stern test strength wise.

On Saturday their ECF's were: 182, 184, 183, 180, 176 and 175. If anything some of those grades are slightly low.

What they don't have is the considerable top board strength that Polaczek and Macklin give MM1 if they're both playing.

What are the rules about bringing in heavyweight newcomers for the final weekend?

Tim Harding wrote:What are the rules about bringing in heavyweight newcomers for the final weekend?

The same as normal league rules. No bringing in players registered to other teams, no more than 2 wildcards (in this division).

I had a closer look at Gonzaga yesterday, my single game in the 4NCL this year. They're a young and capable group of players

I didn't see much of Bd 1 where Killian Delaney took a relatively early draw. But elsewhere the Gonzaga players held solid advantages against the veterans. Pick of the bunch was Henry Li on Bd 2 who was very impressive in taking down an in-form Steve Connor. I saw much more of Bd 3 where the Romanian, Ioana Gelip, won with unruffled ease. She simplified; simplified some more; and when that wasn't simple enough, she simplified again, netting a pawn in the process to leave Q+P v Q. This was a tablebase draw. Alas Mike McDonagh hasn't yet memorised every tablebase position. So the Qs came off to leave the simplest of all endings - which Ioana won, simply. Bd 5 headed Gonzaga's way from the third hour, while Bd 6 seemed to be heading that way too. Alas for Gonzaga, their player took a dubious positional decision which allowed John Cooper to pull one back for the veterans. And so to Bd 4 where Stephen Moran and I slugged it out in a tricky Modern Benoni. Advantage swung my way after four hours, arguably a winning advantage. But after five hours, that had begun to seep away as the room emptied. Somewhere deep into the sixth hour, I was passed the result of the IRE-ENG rugby match. I looked about the deserted room for solace, but found only Alex McFarlane - and he doesn't do solace for ENG fans. Nor does Stephen Moran who, seizing his one chance from my faltering grasp, turned out my fading lights.

Verdict on Gonzaga? Good young players who, if they 'train on', will make a competitive addition to Div 2. But they'd find it tough going there as things stand. If they're obliged to wait a year, that may not be the worst thing for them

MartinCarpenter wrote:Can't say for MM2's motivation - its never easy for the stronger team either - but they'll be a stern test strength wise.

On Saturday their ECF's were: 182, 184, 183, 180, 176 and 175. If anything some of those grades are slightly low.

What they don't have is the considerable top board strength that Polaczek and Macklin give MM1 if they're both playing.

Well,the 2nd team won't lie down, and I think they'll play both Manx & Gonzaga in the final weekend (unless I've missed something obvious)

I assume MM1 will get Cheddleton 2 & Bradford B; Manx will get SoA B; Gonzaga will get Hounds & Bears & Bradford B

I've no idea who we will have in the team for the final weekend, but whoever we do get will hopefully finish the job

Tim Harding wrote:What are the rules about bringing in heavyweight newcomers for the final weekend?

Standard practice during the lifetime of the League. As Jack notes, they cannot have played for anyone else and unless announced beforehand, only one or two per match.

In Division 3S, Wood Green MM brought in Aaron Summerscale for round 8.

Roger de Coverly wrote:In Division 3S, Wood Green MM brought in Aaron Summerscale for round 8.

A certain irony to the two titled players added to the Sunday team ensuring the whitewash was avoided

MartinCarpenter wrote:

Mick Norris wrote:Another good win for our 1st team today

Hummm, a good result yes, calling it a good win might be kind - don't look too hard at the games Especially on board 1! Yikes

I think you'd have to run Paul's game through an engine to be sure about what was going on

Tim Harding wrote:I think Gonzaga's only hope is that Manx stars may be required for Bundesliga on the final weekend, but I don't know the German league schedule. Maybe there is no clash?

There is a clash, I understand - with the German league, and with much else. Student exam period too

Bundesliga schedule confirms the clash