English Chess Forum

Just 9 entrants in latest 4ncl online open

http://chess-results.com/tnr579510.aspx ... =1&flag=30

Nick Burrows wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:37 pm

Just 9 entrants in latest 4ncl online open

http://chess-results.com/tnr579510.aspx ... =1&flag=30

Possibly having an open & an u2000 on the same weekend as the British, Terafinal and Golders Green ran the risk of a low entry.

Nick Burrows wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:37 pm

Just 9 entrants in latest 4ncl online open

http://chess-results.com/tnr579510.aspx ... =1&flag=30

... only one of whom was ineligible for the 2000 section.

I suspect the thread title might be just a slight exaggeration tbh.

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:48 pm

Nick Burrows wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:37 pm

Just 9 entrants in latest 4ncl online open

http://chess-results.com/tnr579510.aspx ... =1&flag=30

Possibly having an open & an u2000 on the same weekend as the British, Terafinal and Golders Green ran the risk of a low entry.

Thats a good point.

Entrant numbers in the open events have definitely been declining, but this may explain this very low entry.

Ian Thompson wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 09, 2021 9:50 pm

... only one of whom was ineligible for the 2000 section.

The Open sections of these 4NCL online events haven't been terribly popular with players rated over 2000, let alone titled players.

Possibly just the death knells of 4NCL online congresses? As I write (which I suspect is one of the least busy times!), there are well over 1000 players in the various tournaments on the Lichess calendar which are free to enter. I presume the main attraction of paying to play in a 4NCL online congress now would be if you care about about an ECF online rating as opposed to "only" a Lichess rating.

The 2nd 4NCL Autumn Online Congress, which runs until November, has 40 players in the Open, 8 of whom are rated over 2000. It feels like a proper tournament. Maybe playing one weekday evening a fortnight was more attractive than giving up a whole weekend.