Chess Scotland Noticeboard

JR · King Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 447 Location: Edinburgh

Yes, always been that way.

Alan Tate · King Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 377 Location: Edinburgh

Isn't it normal in a team event to use match points? Otherwise what's the point of having a team event...

A Muir · King Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 489 Location: Dumbarton

I can just say that both Edinburgh U and Dundee were desperately unlucky not to win. Joe and I lost both games in the vital head-to-heads and I thought we had blown it.

I prefer game points to match points as then every board counts.

This is another reason for calling this the 2010 lightning and having the 2011 tournament in late 2011. This would give these teams + other strong players like alan tate and colin mcnab all a chance to gain the title from Hamilton.

As in the Richardson, I like to keep dates where as many strong players as possible can play and for 2012 any date can be chosen. Unfortunately sometimes the SNCL clashes with the 4NCL

I note that the 2010 King George VI race at Kempton was held on January 15 2011.

JR · King Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 447 Location: Edinburgh

I think the best solution will be to hold the event in December this year and call that the 2011 event, then in 2012 the event can go back to being held in March after the last round of the SNCL, that way we do not lose out on a year. It would mean having two events a few months apart, but it would only be a one off.

As for game v match points I don't see why it should be changed now after 30+ years of one format. I quite like game points as well as it forces teams to push for 4-0 wins rather than settling for a narrow win.

Ken_Stewart · Rook Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 41

Nice to see others saying things on this thread - I rather monopolised the early postings. Steve Hilton is the Director in charge so it's really up to him to decide things; I see he has declared it to be the 2010 event, which I agree with as it was a postponement.

I've no problem with there being two events in the 2011-2012 winter but I would not wish to organise both and would doubt if it would be a successful idea in terms of numbers. I've been organising this (with a couple of gaps) for about 30 years.

My opinion is that the SNCL idea was a good way to run it. If it should happen that there is the problem of an SNCL postponement, there would still be time to find an alternative for the lightning.

A Muir · King Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 489 Location: Dumbarton

ok ken if you organise the 2011 event I can organise the 2012 event in the spring but I am not accepting entries on the day ! how you can work out those crosstables so quickly I will never know - I think I could take entries in advance and get a crosstable for the day in my own time though -
perhaps need some sort of AGM vote as to whether december better than winter ?

A Muir · King Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 489 Location: Dumbarton

I meant a vote on december vs march

SteveHilton · King Joined: 24 Jul 2007 Posts: 443 Location: Greenock

What was the opinion of those who participated in the event after the SNCL?
If the players wish to have this event in March then I am ok with that.
We would need an agreement with the SNCL for this to happen.
My congratulations to all that took part in the event.

AWIC · King Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 221

Ken_Stewart · Rook Joined: 13 Apr 2007 Posts: 41

The blank cross-tables are all produced in advance. The tables for 6, 8 or 10 teams have the pairings printed on the same sheet; for bigger numbers (12, 14) there isn't space. I have these as Word files which anyone is welcome to get from me (not that they are very difficult to make up).

With a stand-alone event I normally know the entries in advance and can have the teams entered on the charts. With Sunday's idea of following the SNCL this is less certain and I didn't know the format until the last minute. At one stage it looked like 14 teams which would have been a single round robin section, but 16 is too many for that, so we had preliminary and final sections.

Even if teams became familiar with the idea of playing after the SNCL I think there would still be on-the -spot decisions about wanting to play and I think it's desirable to accommodate this, especially as with SNCL teams being 5 and lightning teams being 4 there may be a few extra players wanting to play for the sake of playing rather than with an eye fixed on prizes.

GN · King Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 415

Personally I prefer the idea of the December event in Grangemouth. Reasons:

1) Very little else happens chesswise in December.
2) An event from 2pm to 5pm(ish) fits an afternoon just right. Waiting for SNCL game, then lunch then AGM sounds a drag. I'd be interested to know what time play started / stopped this year.
3) Mixing "proper" chess and 5 minute skittles games on same day is not ideal in my opinion - I prefer it one way or another (I note Andy Muir chose to play only one or other too interestingly)
4) Grangemouth is more central - we don't use it for SNCL because of the space, air con, noise challenges it can present but quality of playing environment is less of an issue in for 5 minute games so Grangemouth is just fine for that - I would have thought players from the West Coast would appreciate the reduced travel distance?

ADDED==> 5) I am getting old and set in my ways and so no longer appreciate any change whatsoever Wink

So, for reasons above, I'd prefer it back in December.

Alex McFarlane · King Joined: 13 Mar 2007 Posts: 413

JR · King Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 447 Location: Edinburgh

The event started at 3pm exactly and the AGM only went on for around 15-20mins I think, which was not too bad. Everything was finished by 6pm, which is earlier finish than the normal two rounds a day SNCL.

The event has really suffered in the December spot over the past few years with pretty poor numbers entering, if moving it to March is going to increase entry then it has to be a good thing surely?! Bad weather is always going to put people off playing and if the last two winters are anything to go by things will only get worse.

Don't see a problem with mixing 5 minute and regular chess on the same day.

Maybe we could have a poll though and see what the majority opinion is.

JR · King Joined: 23 Jan 2007 Posts: 447 Location: Edinburgh

johnmcbride · Queen Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 94

As someone who is finding it increasingly difficult to find a spare weekend. Playing two events in one weekend that I have planned for well in advance, beats using two weekends and driving to Grangemouth in the depths of winter for a couple of hours chess.

My vote is therefore for the lightning to be held in March at Dunfermline.