BCM `Snub` Northern event.....?

David Pardoe · Post by **David Pardoe** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:54 am

I hear that the BCM failed to report on the new Northern League, because not enough GMs showed up on the first weekend at Darlington (near Biishop Auckand)...or something.
If this magazine is only going to cover events which are bristling with GMs, it rather limits the prospects of other events from recieving fair publicity. Maybe, if so, the Northern chess community to treat like for like and snub them....

But seriously, this is a new venture which is just getting off the ground, so a bit of publicity and a fair hearing would be welcome...in fact Id say it was a duty of our `press` to give fair coverage on all such events. One of the big problems that has plagued chess for many years has been the absence of good chess coverage, to inform joe public about what is happening...not just the big GM events.

Alan Walton · Post by **Alan Walton** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:05 am

David,

Normally the reports within BCM and Chess magazines have only ever covered the 1st and 2nd divisions, normally the only mention of the 3rd Division was an quick update on who was in contention for promotion

Unless somebody specific at the weekend writes an article good enough for publication, then maybe these periodicals will cover the event

Andrew Bak · Post by **Andrew Bak** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:12 am

I am very surprised by this omission by BCM, I would have thought they would have reported it purely on the basis that it was a new offshoot of the 4NCL. Moreover, one of these 'non-GM' teams might happen to get promoted into Division 2 next year!

I thought the event was very well run and a lot of fun and there were still some very strong players who were there and it has introduced 8 more teams into the 4NCL, which can only be a good thing!

It's interesting that Chessbase chose to translate Lawrence Cooper's report which mentions the Northern League.

LozCooper · Post by **LozCooper** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:27 am

Andrew Bak wrote:
It's interesting that Chessbase chose to translate Lawrence Cooper's report which mentions the Northern League.

Hi Andrew,

Yes I try and mention all of the divisions/leagues, although I give more coverage to Division One. Hopefully the Northern League will receive more coverage elsewhere as it becomes established. Are there any blogs or websites that focus on the Northern league? I'm happy to publicise them via my round-ups if I'm made aware of them.

Mike Truran · Post by **Mike Truran** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:35 am

John Carleton of Spirit of Atticus did a nice report with pictures on the first weekend at Redworth Hall which can be found either on the 4NCL website or on http://www.atticuschess.org.uk/4ncl_spi ... eekend.htm

Roger de Coverly · Post by **Roger de Coverly** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:21 am

David Pardoe wrote:I hear that the BCM failed to report on the new Northern League, because not enough GMs showed up on the first weekend at Darlington (near Biishop Auckand)...or something.

The new BCM Editor was less than enthusiastic in a piece on his blog

http://stevegiddins.blogspot.com/2010_1 ... chive.html

The German and French leagues are regional below the very top divisions. Comparisons are only partly valid because both countries are geographically larger and don't have evening leagues, weekend congresses or even county matches in the UK style.

Alex Holowczak · Post by **Alex Holowczak** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:33 am

Roger de Coverly wrote:
David Pardoe wrote:I hear that the BCM failed to report on the new Northern League, because not enough GMs showed up on the first weekend at Darlington (near Biishop Auckand)...or something.
The new BCM Editor was less than enthusiastic in a piece on his blog

http://stevegiddins.blogspot.com/2010_1 ... chive.html

The German and French leagues are regional below the very top divisions. Comparisons are only partly valid because both countries are geographically larger and don't have evening leagues, weekend congresses or even county matches in the UK style.

I think that article ignores that, in reality if not in name, the Northern League is equivalent to Division Three North, with the current Division Three being Division Three South. Which is why they merge at the final weekend at Hinckley.

Most of the really strong players (GMs etc) from the North will play at the Southern event, because they'd already be paid to do so by some teams. It was never likely to attract that sort of player.

LozCooper · Post by **LozCooper** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:51 pm

I think the Northern League is a welcome addition and I would welcome anything that encourages Scottish teams to get involved. The main reason I gave up captaincy in the 4NCL was because of the journeys to Wokefield Park and Sunningdale. One of the darkest days for the 4ncl (in my humble opinion) was when 3Cs felt compelled to withdraw from the league because of the number of weekends in the south. Thankfully the situation has improved and there are now more venues in the Midlands again. I am also pleased to see 3Cs are back in the league and I hope to see them back to Divsion 1 in the near future even though they lost some of their players along the way.

Mick Norris · Post by **Mick Norris** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:59 pm

I think we need more teams in the Northern League next season, or it is going to fail

Mike Truran and his colleagues have done an excellent job getting this off the ground, but it now needs others to get involved in marketing it so that other teams enter - any ideas?

It seems strange that there are no teams from the North East, Lancs, Cumbria or Scotland

Alan Walton · Post by **Alan Walton** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 2:13 pm

LozCooper wrote:I think the Northern League is a welcome addition and I would welcome anything that encourages Scottish teams to get involved. The main reason I gave up captaincy in the 4NCL was because of the journeys to Wokefield Park and Sunningdale. One of the darkest days for the 4ncl (in my humble opinion) was when 3Cs felt compelled to withdraw from the league because of the number of weekends in the south. Thankfully the situation has improved and there are now more venues in the Midlands again. I am also pleased to see 3Cs are back in the league and I hope to see them back to Divsion 1 in the near future even though they lost some of their players along the way.

Thanks for the good words for 3Cs and we are trying to build the junior base up again for another push to get a "club" into the top division

You hit the nail on the head with the move to Wokefield and Sunningdale which stunk of southern bias, until all weekends are played in the Midlands, there will always be a view of bias in the northern chess playing community

Sean Hewitt · Post by **Sean Hewitt** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 2:53 pm

Alan Walton wrote:You hit the nail on the head with the move to Wokefield and Sunningdale which stunk of southern bias, until all weekends are played in the Midlands, there will always be a view of bias in the northern chess playing community

Maybe. But the good folk of the north have hardly been rushing to enter the Northern league, have they?

Alan Walton · Post by **Alan Walton** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 3:36 pm

Sean Hewitt wrote:
Alan Walton wrote:You hit the nail on the head with the move to Wokefield and Sunningdale which stunk of southern bias, until all weekends are played in the Midlands, there will always be a view of bias in the northern chess playing community
Maybe. But the good folk of the north have hardly been rushing to enter the Northern league, have they?

There are three teams from Yorkshire, two from Staffordshire, two from Merseyside and one Manchester team

So arguably, it is only Lancs, Cumbria and the whole North East not contributing (so it is only the good folk of the far north not rushing), like Mick has said it needs a few more teams especially from the aforementioned areas to participate, I think the league needs a minimum of 12 teams to survive

LozCooper · Post by **LozCooper** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 3:42 pm

Alan Walton wrote:
Sean Hewitt wrote:
Alan Walton wrote:You hit the nail on the head with the move to Wokefield and Sunningdale which stunk of southern bias, until all weekends are played in the Midlands, there will always be a view of bias in the northern chess playing community
Maybe. But the good folk of the north have hardly been rushing to enter the Northern league, have they?
There are three teams from Yorkshire, two from Staffordshire, two from Merseyside and one Manchester team

So arguably, it is only Lancs, Cumbria and the whole North East not contributing (so it is only the good folk of the far north not rushing), like Mick has said it needs a few more teams especially from the aforementioned areas to participate, I think the league needs a minimum of 12 teams to survive

Nice to see my county contributing albeit Holmes Chapel is (I thought) in Cheshire and is used as a neutral venue between Staffordshire and G Manchester. Cheddleton club is based in Leek although their North Staffs League and 4ncl teams come from a mixture of counties (Staffs, Derbyshire, G Manchester etc)

Jonathan Rogers · Post by **Jonathan Rogers** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 3:48 pm

Since the grand total of entrants for the whole 4NCLwhen it started in 1993 was six, let's at least wait for the end of the season at least. History suggests that quite a lot of sides wait a while to see how an event fares before jumping in themselves. But it would help if the major chess websites and magazines covered it too.

Alan Walton · Post by **Alan Walton** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 4:05 pm

My apologies about Holmes Chapel, should have really have known that, I go through there on the way to Sandbach to relatives (which is in Cheshire)

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