The 34th Nottingham Rapidplay and 48th Nottingham Congress

[John Swain]

The entry form for the 34th Nottingham Rapidplay on Sunday 2 February 2025 is now available:

https://congress.org.uk/congress/481/home

This will be FIDE-rated for the first time. Additionally, payment can now be made electronically. This will be at our usual venue, Nottingham High School.

A date for your diaries, with details nearer the time: the 48th Nottingham Congress 10-11 May 2025, also at Nottingham High School. We have been obliged to schedule the Congress slightly outside our normal late March/April range due to other clashing events. As usual, this will not be FIDE-rated since we have three rounds on the Saturday (it would not be possible to hold one round on Friday evening during school term).

[Alex McFarlane]

As usual, this will not be FIDE-rated since we have three rounds on the Saturday

Why does this prevent you having it FIDE rated?

From the FIDE regulations
3.1 There must be no more than 12 hours play in one day. This is calculated based on games that last 60 moves, although games played using increments may last longer.

[John Swain]

As usual, this will not be FIDE-rated since we have three rounds on the Saturday

Why does this prevent you having it FIDE rated?

From the FIDE regulations
3.1 There must be no more than 12 hours play in one day. This is calculated based on games that last 60 moves, although games played using increments may last longer.

Perhaps I should have mentioned that we have several sections, including an Open. I'm relying on what others more expert in FIDE regulations have told me but I was under the impression that you need to restrict the top section to under 2400-rated players if you have three rounds in a day.

[Roger de Coverly]

I'm relying on what others more expert in FIDE regulations have told me but I was under the impression that you need to restrict the top section to under 2400-rated players if you have three rounds in a day.

That's not correct. If you use notional four hour sessions of which 90 minutes with 30 second increments is the most frequent example, you are allowed three rounds in a (very long) day. It's only if you shorten the session, by cutting back the base time, the increment or both that you get the choice between banning players over 2400, or if you allow them to play, that their games will not be rated. That applies to the under 2400 opponents as well.

There's a rating cut off for notional three hour sessions as well, I think it's 1800.

[Derrick Walker]

Your confusing two different sets of Regulations. Alex has quoted the rating regulations, so 3 x 90' + 30" gives you the 12 hours and you are good for rating - including 2400+ players.

The two games in a day limit is for tournaments where norms are available - if that is not the case for Nottingham then you don't have an issue.

[John Swain]

Thanks to Alex, Roger and Derrick for their clarifications.

Our Saturday timetable is twelve hours, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. including breaks between rounds, so our time controls are 95 minutes + 10 seconds increment.

[Roger de Coverly]

Our Saturday timetable is twelve hours, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. including breaks between rounds, so our time controls are 95 minutes + 10 seconds increment.

I'm not sure anyone still uses four hour sessions in conjunction with three rounds a day. In the past Hastings had used for the weekenders a move rate of 40 moves in 100 minutes and 20 minutes added on. I think all moves in 120 could also be used. Playing without increments would require arbiters and players familiar with the minutiae of "unable to win" claims, but has the advantage of keeping to a schedule. A rule of complusory increment clock substitution on a claim might be workable provided there was an expert clock setter to hand.

[NigelCollins]

Our Saturday timetable is twelve hours, from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. including breaks between rounds, so our time controls are 95 minutes + 10 seconds increment.

I’d certainly prefer that the non-Open sections were to be FIDE-rated. I was hoping that the merging of Silver/Gold membership categories would mean that there would be many more FIDE-rated congresses this season. The upcoming Birmingham Open (sic) has 5 rounds over 2 days and is FIDE-rated even for the open section (although, having read the rules, I’m not sure how any 2400+ FIDE-rated entrants would be treated).

[Roger de Coverly]

The upcoming Birmingham Open (sic) has 5 rounds over 2 days and is FIDE-rated even for the open section (although, having read the rules, I’m not sure how any 2400+ FIDE-rated entrants would be treated).

From the rules

Games played involving a player FIDE-rated in excess of 2400 are ineligible for FIDE-rating

How this will play out remains to be seen. There isn't an incentive for players above 2400 to enter if they need to improve their rating, say for IMs looking to get themselves to 2500. But otherwise their rating isn't at risk. But where's the incentive for those below 2400 who might challenge them?

There again an entry fee of £ 35 against a first prize of £ 150 is probably not attractivefor a professional player either. Even if given free entry, the prize isn't very much for a weekend's work.

[John Swain]

A reminder that the 34th Nottingham Rapidplay at our usual venue, Nottingham High School, is fast approaching - Sunday 2 February. This year, we decided to have the event FIDE-rated for the first time, as well as ECF-rated. There are five sections, catering for all abilities. Details may be found at: https://congress.playchess.org.uk/congress/481/home

Details about our 48th Congress, a little later (10-11 May) than its usual late March/April berth, also at Nottingham High School, will be available shortly after the Rapidplay.

[John Swain]

The entry form for the 48th Nottingham Congress, 10-11 May has been launched: https://congress.org.uk/congress/573/home

We welcomed a record capacity (180) entry to the 34th Nottingham Rapidplay on Sunday 2 February, held as usual at Nottingham High School. This was ECF-rated as normal and also FIDE-rated for the first time. We also used the congress.org site for the first time, enabling online payments rather than cheques in the post and cash on the day. We are very grateful to the Nottinghamshire Chess Foundation for providing the finance to pay for prizes for an Improvers’ section, which attracted 47 players, many new to over-the-board chess, and also for underwriting any financial losses (thankfully, not required). £150 was raised for Ukraine humanitarian relief from the sale of hot drinks.

For further details, see: https://www.nottinghamshirechess.org/20 ... ay-report/
For results see: https://chess-results.com/tnr1093059.aspx?lan=1&art=4

[John Swain]

The entry form for the 48th Nottingham Congress, 10-11 May has been launched: https://congress.org.uk/congress/573/home

The Nottingham Congress (10-11 May) is fast approaching! Please be aware that the late entry fee applies after Monday 5 May.

[John Swain]

For a Congress report, including details of all the prize-winners, see: https://www.nottinghamshirechess.org/20 ... ss-report/