January 2014 Grades

[Alex Holowczak]

Is the National Club final going to be submitted? I need all the points i can get...

I've spent some of today chasing this up.

The grader went to do the grading yesterday, and looked for the results, but couldn't find them. He e-mailed the Office for the results, and they were sent to him. So he's going to do them at the next available opportunity.

While this may sound lax, I'm told that the grader has had similar struggles for years.

Anyway. Format changes this year, so the intention is to do the grading on the night the tournament finishes. I'll deliberately not answer the obvious follow up question to that, other than to say watch this space...

[Ian Thompson]

Although I'm right to remember that London League games played before Christmas 2012 didn't count for the January 2013 grades, am I? I suppose it's possible that I'm not. My memory is every more erratic with every passing day.

No. Your game against Parols was included in the January 2013 grades.

perhaps I'm not right to remember this at all. Looking at my grading history I see that the game I played prior to christmas 2012 was against an ungraded opponent. Which would therefore not show up in the grades, right?

No. The ECF would have calculated an estimated grade for him based on all his results to 31 December 2012 and used that in your January 2013 grading calculation. What the ECF doesn't do is publish the estimate, so you don't know how many grading points you got for the game.

[Jonathan Bryant]

The ECF would have calculated an estimated grade for him based on all his results to 31 December 2012 and used that in your January 2013 grading calculation. What the ECF doesn't do is publish the estimate, so you don't know how many grading points you got for the game.

Would that also apply to somebody who's played as few as six graded games?

(e.g. the guy I played at Hampstead this year - a Mr Zarrar?)

Aside from simply wanting to understand how the grading system works, this question has some relevance to my next grade. I think if Mr Zarrar counts then my worst graded game of 2013 drops out of the equation and the swing (assuming that the estimate is based on the ungraded players results) could give me another couple of points. Which doesn't really matter that much, I suppose, except that it might be just enough to push me over 180 for the first time ever.

[David Sedgwick]

Although I'm right to remember that London League games played before Christmas 2012 didn't count for the January 2013 grades, am I? I suppose it's possible that I'm not. My memory is every more erratic with every passing day.

Your memory is a year adrift.

In 2011-12, the first year of six monthly Standardplay grading lists, the London League didn't submit results for the mid-season list. By 2012-13 they were doing so.

[Roger de Coverly]

Would that also apply to somebody who's played as few as six graded games?

(e.g. the guy I played at Hampstead this year - a Mr Zarrar?)

Aside from simply wanting to understand how the grading system works, this question has some relevance to my next grade. I think if Mr Zarrar counts then my worst graded game of 2013 drops out of the equation

I'd suspect that the estimation process will give your opponent an estimated grade of less than 133. So the 40 point rule means he just counts as an opponent of 133 for you ( 183 as you won)

[Ian Thompson]

The ECF would have calculated an estimated grade for him based on all his results to 31 December 2012 and used that in your January 2013 grading calculation. What the ECF doesn't do is publish the estimate, so you don't know how many grading points you got for the game.

Would that also apply to somebody who's played as few as six graded games?

Yes. That would be done even if the only graded game he'd played was against you (which obviously means his estimated grade is pretty meaningless, but what else can you do other than not grade the game).

[Jonathan Bryant]

Your memory is a year adrift.

Well 2012 was a bit of a wash out for me chessically speaking. It seems my brain has just deleted the whole thing and jumped back 12 months.

Thanks to everybody for the help. Since that game with Mr Zarrar is going to count it looks like I might make it over 180 after all. (Although only because my exceptionally mediocre tournament in Penarth in July won't count.)

[Peter D Williams]

Is the National Club final going to be submitted? I need all the points i can get...

I am hoping to see you go above 2350 at some point this year.A little more work on your opening should do the trick.As David Beckham said "its funny the more i practice the better i get"

[Kevin Thurlow]

"its funny the more i practice the better i get"

I think that was Gary Player - though doubtless lots of people have stolen the quote

[Alex Holowczak]

"its funny the more i practice the better i get"

I think that was Gary Player - though doubtless lots of people have stolen the quote

I thought the quote was "The harder I practice, the luckier I get"?

[Kevin Thurlow]

I think it changes slightly and gets attributed to more people all the time!

[Peter D Williams]

"its funny the more i practice the better i get"

I think that was Gary Player - though doubtless lots of people have stolen the quote

You could well be right about the quote but as i am a big fan of David Beckham. I thought i quote him and here is one of my favorite goals by a young David http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vxwwRRVnm0

Fish and chips tonight

[John Moore]

Stroll on - more muppetry.

[Mick Norris]

"its funny the more i practice the better i get"

I think that was Gary Player - though doubtless lots of people have stolen the quote

I thought the quote was "The harder I practice, the luckier I get"?

Yes, agree that's what I have heard reported

[Richard Bates]

"its funny the more i practice the better i get"

I think that was Gary Player - though doubtless lots of people have stolen the quote

I thought the quote was "The harder I practice, the luckier I get"?

Yes, agree that's what I have heard reported

Of course the latter quote is the famous one. Otherwise the "quote" would be utterly, well, unquotable (practise to get better - who'da thunk it!) Still we must make allowances for David/PeterD.