National Stages 2022

[Mick Norris]

u1850 preliminary Middlesex v Suffolk

ECF website with links to the Rules

23rd April – U1850 Preliminary Round
14th May – Open, Minor Counties, U1850 & U1450 Quarter Finals
21st May – U2050 & U1650 Quarter Finals
11th June – Semi Finals of all championships
2nd July – Finals of all championships

Covid-19 conditions permitting, the finals will be held at a venue in the midlands (the Holiday Inn at Birmingham International Airport is currently under consideration) on Saturday 2 July 2022.

[Mick Norris]

u2050 only 5 entries; Essex v Yorks in the quarter final

[Nick Grey]

U2050 a semi v Lancs lovely

[Mick Norris]

Open only 5 entries, no Lancs

Kent v Northumberland (will be interesting to see where that gets played)

G Man v Yorks/Middlesex

[Mick Norris]

Minor Counties also only 5 entries

Warks v Norfolk

Devon v Worcs/Cambs

[Mick Norris]

u1650 has 6 entries

u1450 has 8, so normal quarter finals

Yorks v Essex
Notts v Notts juniors

Surrey v Leics
Kent v Lancs

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Notts v Notts juniors"

Is the draw random, or was that deliberate?

[David Gilbert]

Open

Kent v Northumberland (will be interesting to see where that gets played)

The Dartford M25 river crossing and the town's one-way system can be particularly attractive at this time of year but for some reason Newark seems more alluring for both counties!

[Jon Underwood]

I would be interested in watching Kent vs Northumberland were I not playing in another match. Great tie.

[NickFaulks]

I shall be interested to hear reviews of the new and experimental time control.

[Mick Norris]

Indeed, I don't think I've seen this time control previously

E3.1. The time limit shall be all moves in 135 minutes, plus a 15 second increment per move from move 1 (G135’/15”).

E3.2. Where suitable digital clocks are not available for an entire match to be played with this time limit, then the time limit shall be 40 moves in 2 hours, plus a 30 minute quickplay finish (40/120’ + G30’).

E3.3. The time limit of any match may be varied by agreement between the captains with the permission of the National Controller.

[NickFaulks]

Indeed, I don't think I've seen this time control previously

There is probably a reason for that.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"There is probably a reason for that."

That it's rubbish? At least there's an increment, but you could get both players on move 12, after 265 minutes...

[Richard Bates]

I'll be lobbying for the time limit in E3.3

[MartinCarpenter]

E3.1 looks very close to the 4NCL time control in practical terms?

That's 90/30 for 40 then 30/30 for the remainder, so 110 to move 40.

If you took 110 minutes to reach move 40 on this proposed one then you'd have 35/15 for the rest of the game which isn't so different to 30/30. I would imagine there's a worry about how long 30/30 can theoretically drag on given the venue hire and travel that county chess involves.