English Chess Forum

A lovely report by owen from surrey. It should be a good final v Yorks. And Manchester will be competitive in the future.

As for my accumulator on 0 teams in finals from Lancs I lost.

I was not expecting match defaults but perhaps holidays, cricket, women's world cup, or D-day meant chess players not fancying a semi-final. A bit like England v the Dutch at football.

Congratulations to all the finalists, captains and organisers at all stages.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 09, 2019 12:09 pm

The Under 180 will consist of two matches only, provided the final takes place.

In the quarter finals, Lancs and Middlesex had byes, Yorks defaulted to Warks whilst Essex beat Cornwall.

In the semi finals, Middlesex and Warks defaulted to Lancs and Essex.

I would have thought the number of match defaults this season suggests thinning out the competition. So amalgamate the Minor and Under 180, the U160 and U140, the U120 and U100. Thus 4 competitions instead of 7.

I'd suggest having three first team competitions, open, major and minor, with the bottom two restricted by grade average. If you are a small county population wise you basically have no chance in anything but the Minor at present, and many rural counties wouldn't be able to get near 180, so no point in entering at all.

Another three below these, grade limited as today, would be enough I think.

The present competition will have to change anyway once the new grade format comes in.

Jon Underwood wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 09, 2019 2:40 pm

The present competition will have to change anyway once the new grade format comes in.

Surely that would be the appropriate time to consider the kind of changes you suggest?

There was a review in 2009 when ECF grades were recalibrated, but Council decided to leave the format essentially unchanged.

David Sedgwick wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 09, 2019 2:57 pm

Surely that would be the appropriate time to consider the kind of changes you suggest?

The issue wasn't raised at the most recent Council meeting, but is it not the ECF's plan that the publication at the end of July 2019 will be the last using the Clarke method and three figure grades?

If there are no three figure grades published January 2020, you could at a pinch continue to use the July 2019 ones for the 2020 eligibility. Presumably the organisers of the Union competitions to start September or October 2019 are intending to continue on a no change basis.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 09, 2019 3:13 pm

If there are no three figure grades published January 2020, you could at a pinch continue to use the July 2019 ones for the 2020 eligibility.

In the ECF Counties Championships 2020, it will be the August (not July) 2019 grades that apply anyway, unless the Rules are changed.

Nothing is in stone yet, but our current planning assumes that an August 2020 "3 digit list" will be published for those requiring an August list for the 2020-1 season. This will gives leagues a season to see how monthly grades are working in practice, before commiting to changes (for 2021-2).
Brian Valentine
Manager of ECF grading

Brian Valentine wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 09, 2019 6:54 pm

Nothing is in stone yet, but our current planning assumes that an August 2020 "3 digit list" will be published for those requiring an August list for the 2020-1 season. This will gives leagues a season to see how monthly grades are working in practice, before commiting to changes (for 2021-2).

That sounds very helpful.

Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 09, 2019 12:09 pm

The Under 180 will consist of two matches only, provided the final takes place.

In the quarter finals, Lancs and Middlesex had byes, Yorks defaulted to Warks whilst Essex beat Cornwall.

In the semi finals, Middlesex and Warks defaulted to Lancs and Essex.

So Lancs have reached the final without playing a match in either qualifying or the national stages (not their fault with the draw or opponents conceding of course)

Suffolk beat Essex narrowly on board count today in the U160 result

Suffolk win on board county Ex 50 - 49 Sk

Nick Grey wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 09, 2019 1:44 pm

A lovely report by owen from surrey. It should be a good final v Yorks. And Manchester will be competitive in the future.

As for my accumulator on 0 teams in finals from Lancs I lost.

I was not expecting match defaults but perhaps holidays, cricket, women's world cup, or D-day meant chess players not fancying a semi-final. A bit like England v the Dutch at football.

Congratulations to all the finalists, captains and organisers at all stages.

Just want to echo Owen report and thanks you to surrey to give us a good game