Huddersfield & District Chess Association

[Mick Norris]

I need to stop doing informational posts on here.

We will have to discuss over a beer sometime

[Stephen Westmoreland]

I need to stop doing informational posts on here.

We will have to discuss over a beer sometime

Let's meet on the Pennine rail ale trail line somewhere!

[Mark Howitt]

Word up...

Quick post and only one today...

Still not 100% confirmed for Wed... I will make 1 phone call tomorrow yet will not be chasing people- if someone doesn't want a player who's been part of multiple Huddersfield league chess team wins it's up to them

As soon as I get confirmation serious training will start- I can put in like 2 hours tomorrow and Wed.

Hit me up for Calderdale league too...

[Stephen Westmoreland]

Ah I know who you are approaching now. May see you there on Wednesday as my son is playing. Maybe try to wrangle myself in the Huddersfield team and we could play against each other.

[Mark Howitt]

I hope league rules will be kept- a player can only play for one team per season.

[Mark Howitt]

The only other comment I have on chess before sleep...

The Yorkshire news chess website is def better than the official one and I hope the webmaster keeps up the good work!

[Mark Howitt]

The only other comment I have on chess before sleep...

The Yorkshire news chess website is def better than the official one and I hope the webmaster keeps up the good work!

[Stephen Westmoreland]

I hope league rules will be kept- a player can only play for one team per season.

No. To stop certain teams folding and encourage new a AGM motion was passed a few years back to allow some movement. This was kept in place throughout the pandemic as well to now. We tend to only allow lower rates players to move around or use captains opinion.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

The only other comment I have on chess before sleep...

The Yorkshire news chess website is def better than the official one and I hope the webmaster keeps up the good work!

Andrew Wainwright will be pleased. I will pass on your comments.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

Probably worth expanding on the team movement post as it may be of interest to some (I am on a train and this thread is derailed anyway). The HDCA six years ago lost Netherton and West Bretton, which folded when the main organiser sadly passed away.

Another club was about to fold, due to lack of numbers and no club night. To avoid the league disappearing completely, the rules were amended to allow players swop (or backfill). We were going to pop a grading limit of u120 YCA on it but as certain players from Huddersfield Club lived round the corner and it was convenient, this did not happen.

The club concerned recruited up and it was fine (albeit a little tight at times). In the pandemic and aftermath, we continued doing this as players were encouraged back OTB.

There is another club to rebuild, so it makes sense to retain. As well as when we hopefully get a couple more clubs in the league post Christmas.

The spare numbers tend to come from new players we want to blood in as a league and the high number of enthusiastic Holmfirth juniors (so they can get relatively even games). 1700s+ are agreed with the opposing captain. Note Holmfirth are the only league club with a junior section, meaning there is difficulty getting even games, so it helps with two problems at the same time.

It is a small friendly league and we all know each other well. The backfill or 'adopt a junior' process works well. Should the new and redeveloping clubs be onboarded successfully, then it may be something to revisit.

[Mark Howitt]

I believe it is S Mann who runs the news website.

[Mark Howitt]

I will be available for a team probably for the Yorkshire fixture on 30 September.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

Yes. Mis read. Steve runs the news site and Andy the YCA site.

[Mark Howitt]

My sponsor is being crazy talking about a 5 figure sum for a 1 day rapid event but only going to do promo if he pays me.

[IM Jack Rudd]

That's an odd type of event to put a 5-figure sum into, but kudos to him.