English Chess Forum

I have received the draw for all the Grading Limited competitions as follows:-

Under 180

Quarter 1: Devon vs Nottinghamshire

Quarter 2: Warwickshire vs Middlesex

Quarter 3: Lancashire vs Essex

Semi 1: Surrey vs quarter 1 winner

Semi 2: quarter 2 winner vs quarter 3 winner

Under 160

Quarter 1: Essex vs Nottinghamshire

Quarter 2: Sussex vs Lancashire

Quarter 3: Warwickshire vs Middlesex

Semi 1: Quarter 1 winner vs Yorkshire

Semi 2: Quarter 2 winner vs Quarter 3 winner

Under 140

Quarter 1 Hampshire vs Yorkshire

Quarter 2 Kent vs Nottinghamshire

Quarter 3 Lancashire vs Hertfordshire

Quarter 4 Worcestershire vs Essex

Semi 1 quarter 1 winner vs quarter 2 winner

Semi 2 quarter 3 winner vs quarter 4 winner

Under 120

Quarter 1 Middlesex vs Warwickshire

Quarter 2 Lancashire vs Worcestershire

Quarter 3 Nottinghamshire vs Hertfordshire

Quarter 4 Norfolk vs Essex

Semi 1 quarter 1 winner vs quarter 2 winner

Semi 2 quarter 3 winner vs quarter 4 winner

Under 100

Quarter 1 Lancashire vs Leicestershire

Quarter 2 Warwickshire vs Kent

Semi 1 Winner Q1 vs Surrey

Semi 2 Winner Q2 vs Nottinghamshire

Bit surprised about the U160 only having 7 entrants; I thought there was usually a preliminary round; still, I understand why G Man were asked about entering despite losing to both Warks & Notts in the MMCU qualifiers

Yorks (W1 L1) and Lancs (L1) are there, but Cumbria (W1) are not

The two remaining draws are as follows:-

OPEN

Quarter 1: Lancashire vs Middlesex

Semi 1: Yorkshire vs Surrey
Semi 2: Kent vs winner quarter 1

MINOR COUNTIES

Quarter 1 Worcestershire vs Suffolk
Quarter 2 Cornwall vs Leicestershire
Quarter 3 Essex vs Lincolnshire
Quarter 4 Norfolk vs Gloucestershire

Semi 1 Quarter 1 winner vs quarter 2 winner
Semi 2 Quarter 3 winner vs quarter 4 winner

Down to 5 teams in the Open competition then?
(Even less than last year iirc.).

It really doesn't encourage feelings of its importance

MartinCarpenter wrote: It really doesn't encourage feelings of its importance

In most of the country it isn't possible to build a nationally competitive Open team without bending eligibility rules almost to the point of cheating. Potential county match captains perhaps prefer to use their organisational skills to building 4NCL squads.

MartinCarpenter wrote:Down to 5 teams in the Open competition then?
(Even less than last year iirc.).

It really doesn't encourage feelings of its importance

I'm not sure Staffs have a captain at the moment; there's no point in anyone from outside the SCCU or NCCU playing, is there?

Am a bit confused, as I had looked at the SCCU qualifiers post a few days ago, see here:

http://www.ecforum.org.uk/viewtopic.php ... 89#p197389
http://www.sccu-chess.com/index.php/en/

"In the comments column, Q indicates that a team has qualified to the ECF County Championship and N indicates a team nominated to take up a vacant place."

That SCCU post lists a total of 18 qualified and nominated SCCU entries to the national stages. One qualified team declined their qualification place and were replaced by a nomination, making a total of 17 SCCU county teams going forward to the national stages.

The listing above by Neil Graham lists 18 SCCU county teams in the national stages. The discrepancy appears to be in the U180 section. As that is the team I play for, I'm not going to say any more at the moment, but I hope someone will explain things at some point.

Christopher Kreuzer wrote: The listing above by Neil Graham lists 18 SCCU county teams in the national stages. The discrepancy appears to be in the U180 section. As that is the team I play for, I'm not going to say any more at the moment, but I hope someone will explain things at some point.

Easily explained: The SCCU u180 competition only had four entrants and so only the top two qualified by right.

The third team requested an invitation to play should an extra place be available and I passed on that request to the National Organiser.

I didn't hear anything back and hadn't know that they had been successful until the draw was published late last night. I will update the SCCU website to indicate their nomination.

Thanks, Michael. Explanation much appreciated!

ECF differs from Neil

U160
Preliminary Round: Sussex vs Lancashire
Quarter 1: Warwickshire vs Middlesex; Quarter 2: Suffolk vs Preliminary Round winner; Quarter 3: Yorkshire vs Hertfordshire; Quarter 4: Essex vs Nottinghamshire
Semi 1: Quarter 1 winner vs Quarter 2 winner; Semi 2: Quarter 3 winner vs Quarter 4 winner

An amendment to the U160 was required following an error that was entirely mine. The revised draw has been sent to all U160 captains together with an apology.

Neil Graham wrote:The two remaining draws are as follows:-

MINOR COUNTIES

Quarter 2 Cornwall vs Leicestershire

Going to be interesting trying to find a reasonable mid- point venue for that match.

benedgell wrote:

Neil Graham wrote:The two remaining draws are as follows:-

MINOR COUNTIES

Quarter 2 Cornwall vs Leicestershire

Going to be interesting trying to find a reasonable mid- point venue for that match.

Why? Isn't somewhere like Bristol reasonable?

(I have no idea where other counties play their matches - maybe there are other difficulties apart from just distance?)

benedgell wrote:

Neil Graham wrote:The two remaining draws are as follows:-

MINOR COUNTIES

Quarter 2 Cornwall vs Leicestershire

Going to be interesting trying to find a reasonable mid- point venue for that match.

I seem to recall that a recent match between Cornwall & Lincolnshire was played by telephone.

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:

benedgell wrote:

Neil Graham wrote:The two remaining draws are as follows:-

MINOR COUNTIES

Quarter 2 Cornwall vs Leicestershire

Going to be interesting trying to find a reasonable mid- point venue for that match.

Why? Isn't somewhere like Bristol reasonable?

(I have no idea where other counties play their matches - maybe there are other difficulties apart from just distance?)

By car, Bristol would be slightly easier from Leicester, say, than Truro (big counties, so I know it is more complex than that)

I wonder if getting someone like Flybe to sponsor the match as a publicity stunt, and play it at Newquay Airport with the Leicester team flying in from Birmingham/East Midlands or wherever might work