National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Debate directly related to English Chess Federation matters.
Roger de Coverly
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Jan 20, 2014 11:28 pm

Alex Holowczak wrote: Good point. Will add it overnight.
There's another unstated. Are the relevant grades July 2013 or January 2014?

Mick Norris
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by Mick Norris » Tue Jan 21, 2014 9:53 am

Jan 2014 grades are mentioned in the Rules
Any postings on here represent my personal views

David Gilbert
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by David Gilbert » Sat Feb 22, 2014 12:18 am

Just entered a team for the (Average 125 and under) Minor section. The “Clubs Entered” button on the webpage isn’t operational. Is it a secret?

Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?
Is there anybody out there?

Alex Holowczak
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by Alex Holowczak » Sat Feb 22, 2014 4:32 pm

David Gilbert wrote:Just entered a team for the (Average 125 and under) Minor section. The “Clubs Entered” button on the webpage isn’t operational. Is it a secret?
How "Just" is "Just"?

David Gilbert
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by David Gilbert » Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:08 pm

At the moment there are no entries for the Open, one in the major and three each for the intermediate and minor. Any more in the pipeline?

J T Melsom
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by J T Melsom » Mon Apr 07, 2014 2:04 pm

I understand the Bucks League champions will be entering more than one team, but details to be confirmed as to which sections.

David Gilbert
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by David Gilbert » Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:41 pm

A few more entries. Hackney are first to declare themselves for the Open, and we wait in anticipation to see whether Wood Green or other Clubs can mount a challenge or hand Hackney a bloodless title?

At the moment the line-up is two teams in the Major, three in the Intermediate, and today Aylesbury make it four in the Minor. So slightly underwhelming, but we await the outcome of Jon Melsom’s notice to expect several entries from the all-conquering Wycombe & Hazlemere Club, which will give the competition a real boost. Are there any more?

At the moment there’s a distinct southern-bias to the event with not a single club north of Birmingham. Now why's that?

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IM Jack Rudd
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by IM Jack Rudd » Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:44 pm

Barnstaple have regretfully declined to enter the competition on the grounds that it is too far away. Perhaps we might enter a regional version of this event.

Andrew Zigmond
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by Andrew Zigmond » Wed Apr 16, 2014 6:58 pm

David Gilbert wrote: At the moment there’s a distinct southern-bias to the event with not a single club north of Birmingham. Now why's that?
The fact that the date unfortunately clashed with the last round of the Yorkshire League unfortunately ruled out any entries from Yorkshire. A shame, because I was really looking forward to promoting this event locally.
Controller - Yorkshire League
Chairman - Harrogate Chess Club
All views expressed entirely my own

Michele Clack
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by Michele Clack » Mon Apr 21, 2014 6:55 pm

Have entered a team from Redditch in the 125 section today. It's a good hotel, I've played in a couple of e2e4 events there and enjoyed them. I hope there are going to be a few more teams. I expect there will be some like us who have entered on the last day before the price goes up. £15 entry fee for 4 of us seems very good to me. Being close to the M42/M40 though we don't need to go down until the Saturday. A bit more expensive if you need 2 nights. Should be a good weekend.

David Gilbert
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by David Gilbert » Fri Apr 25, 2014 3:14 pm

I suppose it’s a reasonably healthy entry for this weekend’s National Club Championships with six teams each in the Major and Minor sections, four in the Intermediate and two in the Open. Should be a fun weekend. Good luck to everyone! Hopefully, the first year using this format will be successful and encourage a bigger entry in future years. Interesting that half the teams entered have connections with the London League, although there’s no sign of the four leading Clubs, Wood Green, Drunken Knights Cavendish and King’s Head. Also a pity that no team further north than Michele Clack’s Redditch have stepped up to the plate, notwithstanding the Yorkshire League's weekend fixtures, some Preliminary round matches in the County Championships and the odd weekend congress.

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Michael Farthing
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by Michael Farthing » Fri Apr 25, 2014 3:48 pm

David Gilbert wrote: Also a pity that no team further north than Michele Clack’s Redditch have stepped up to the plate, notwithstanding the Yorkshire League's weekend fixtures, some Preliminary round matches in the County Championships and the odd weekend congress.
Well hold it in York next year and see how many southern entries you get.

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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by Alex Holowczak » Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:13 pm

Michael Farthing wrote:
David Gilbert wrote: Also a pity that no team further north than Michele Clack’s Redditch have stepped up to the plate, notwithstanding the Yorkshire League's weekend fixtures, some Preliminary round matches in the County Championships and the odd weekend congress.
Well hold it in York next year and see how many southern entries you get.
When we held the Universities Championship at High Wycombe for two years, on a very similar basis, we had entries from Newcastle, Edinburgh, Durham and York.

Alan Walton
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Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by Alan Walton » Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:35 pm

With the entries as they are it really shouldn't be called a national championship, it proves a rethink is really needed if this competition wants to continue

David Robertson

Re: National Club Chamionship - what is the point?

Post by David Robertson » Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:43 pm

I freely admit, and have said upthread, that I regard this undertaking as pointless. Nevertheless, one should not scorn those who take initiatives: they take the risks the rest of us shun.

That said, good judgement requires more than good faith. And it seems that judgement was lacking in placing this event a week prior to the final, crucial 4NCL weekend. If no other factors apply, the sheer cost of funding a game or two of chess over two consecutive weekends at hotel prices would have forced even the keenest club player to prioritise.

And having prioritised, they'd head for Hinckley or Daventry.

Obviously

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