Not really a report on weekend 2

Venues, fixtures, teams and related matters.
Jonathan Rogers
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Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Tue Jan 17, 2017 11:11 am

No such luck, but here are some random observations, if only to start some online discussion while Rhys and others are getting ready:

1) Northampton: nice to be close to a main line railway station for a change: very good playing conditions, though we might have been saying something different if the power cut which occurred and was resolved just before play started on the Sunday morning, had instead occurred during play. Quite a large number of players seemed to be shifted to the lesser venue at the IBIS.

2) First division: In Pool A, we can probably guess the four teams which are headed for the championship pool. This is because Barbican 4NCL 1 beat Blackthorne Russia in the battle of the walking wounded, ie, both teams missing several formerly regular players, probably largely due to the same reasons of work/young children. Cheddleton will be relieved to have come through a difficult weekend (because they played 3Cs, who are also headed for the championship pool, despite being a non-seeded side) and still look like the side most capable of worrying Guildford 1. I couldn't quite work out where White went wrong in Arkell v Fernandez. In Pool B, it is slightly less clear which four teams which are headed for the championship pool, since Oxford have yet to play Grantham Sharks, and it is rather hard to know what form Oxford are actually in, because they have so far only played the top two and the bottom two in the pool. Wood Green had a good weekend, and Ravi Haria, on 4/4, won't be waiting long for his IM norm and title - but in case you are wondering, he hasn't played any GMs yet.

3) Second division: In Pool A, we have a rather typical second division arrangement. Almost anyone can beat anyone. Even Sussex Martlets, clearly headed for the promotion pool with 8/8 matchpoints, have won two matches by 4.5-3.5 and conversely the bottom two teams have each lost two matches by that same score. Just two game points separate the team in second place from that in seventh. Warwickshire 2 will presumably be happy to be on 50% and well in the dogfight for one of the promotion spots. Pool B is a bit different; it seems easier to predict the four teams headed for the promotion pool, with only the match between Warwickshire Select 1 and Guildford 3 having the obvious potential to change anything. The struggles of White Rose 2 in this pool are quite unexpected, though they have mainly played the top teams so far. The match between Alba and Cambridge in this pool may well influence the battle for the second division trophy as well as pool winner.

David Robertson

Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by David Robertson » Tue Jan 17, 2017 1:25 pm

Jonathan Rogers wrote:I couldn't quite work out where White went wrong in Arkell v Fernandez
Me, too. So I settled for something easier:

* 1b rd3 - Millet - Sucikova :shock:

* 1a rd4 - Williamson - Guthrie :shock:

* 1a rd4 - Mitra - Longson :shock: :shock:

One day, neuroscience will explain this stuff

Alex Holowczak
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Alex Holowczak » Tue Jan 17, 2017 2:19 pm

Jonathan Rogers wrote:very good playing conditions, though we might have been saying something different if the power cut which occurred and was resolved just before play started on the Sunday morning, had instead occurred during play.
There was no power cut. The power still worked fine. The problem was that a fuse had blown somewhere, and so maintenance had to be sent for.

It's not normally chess tournaments that I delay the start of play due to bad light. :lol:

Ian Thompson
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Ian Thompson » Tue Jan 17, 2017 6:37 pm

Jonathan Rogers wrote:very good playing conditions ...
except for considerable amounts of noise coming from the analysis and bookstall area after 3 - 3.5 hrs play on Saturday, and I was sitting 3 rows away from the doors.

Nick Grey
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Nick Grey » Tue Jan 17, 2017 10:05 pm

Let's have a brief CSC dragons report Ian. The rhinos & hippos in division 4 believe the team can turn this run of losses around same as last season.

MartinCarpenter
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by MartinCarpenter » Wed Jan 18, 2017 9:48 am

Best explanation I've seen for White Rose 2 is that its a hangover from losing all the time in Division 1 - once a team gets used to losing on a regular basis it can be quite hard to remember how not to! Hopefully they'll get it back together.

Mitra - Longson is rather tragic but isn't that hard to explain - a long distance, backwards move by a piece lurking on a markedly odd square?

Alan Walton
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Alan Walton » Wed Jan 18, 2017 10:22 am

MartinCarpenter wrote:Best explanation I've seen for White Rose 2 is that its a hangover from losing all the time in Division 1 - once a team gets used to losing on a regular basis it can be quite hard to remember how not to! Hopefully they'll get it back together.

Mitra - Longson is rather tragic but isn't that hard to explain - a long distance, backwards move by a piece lurking on a markedly odd square?
You could be correct, but Sussex Martlets haven't experienced this; I have noticed that there has been a slight personnel change on the White Rose 2 team compared with previous years, so perhaps these players aren't quite as strong

benedgell
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by benedgell » Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:03 am

Have to say its a bit unfortunate for my team coming from the South West having to go to Northampton twice in the space of a month. Takes 4-5 hrs each way :(

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:29 am

Er, if you like, but the rest of us are contemplating the two weekends in Telford to come with a sense of horror.

Alex Holowczak
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Alex Holowczak » Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:31 am

Jonathan Rogers wrote:Er, if you like, but the rest of us are contemplating the two weekends in Telford to come with a sense of horror.
Are we? I'm contemplating whether or not I need a hotel room, it's right on the cusp of being commutable.

Mike Truran
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Mike Truran » Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:36 am

Have to say its a bit unfortunate for my team coming from the South West having to go to Northampton twice in the space of a month. Takes 4-5 hrs each way :(
Two hours 50 mins per AA route planner?!

benedgell
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by benedgell » Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:39 am

Exeter- Northampton via Gloucs.

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Roger de Coverly » Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:41 am

Alex Holowczak wrote: it's right on the cusp of being commutable.
It's Motorway almost to the door of the hotel. Par time from the Handy Cross (High Wycombe) junction of the M40 is around two hours with a clear run.For those comfortable with the Birmingham runs, either during the 1990s and early 2000s in the city centre or more recently at the Airport, it's a bit further, but it's not as if you are going to Aberystwyth or Llandudno.

Jonathan Rogers
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by Jonathan Rogers » Wed Jan 18, 2017 11:59 am

Not so bad for drivers. But there were several defaults, back in 2002-2004, suffered by those who had to rely on the messed up weekend public transport "service".

LawrenceCooper
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Re: Not really a report on weekend 2

Post by LawrenceCooper » Wed Jan 18, 2017 12:10 pm

benedgell wrote:Have to say its a bit unfortunate for my team coming from the South West having to go to Northampton twice in the space of a month. Takes 4-5 hrs each way :(
A half way point between Exeter and the North East would be Stafford. Not that I'm biased of course :lol:

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