Div 3 Weekend : 7/8 February

[Sean Hewitt]

Just a thought - is anyone going to struggle this weekend with the weather?!

[Mike Truran]

The BBC five day forecast indicates only light snow showers, so hopefully we should be OK. We will need to keep an eye on it though. Given the state of the UK's public transport system one can never be too optimistic.

[Sean Hewitt]

Happily no snow in Gibraltar!

[Carl Hibbard]

Happily no snow in Gibraltar!

Oh good that's nice then

[Neil Graham]

Happily no snow in Gibraltar!

But plenty in Leicester!!

[John Upham]

See http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/tod ... NN11%206JT

The Mondeo is out and the Imprezza is in for this journey and certainly not the TVR!

John

[Claire Summerscale]

Dear captains

In reference to this weekend’s matches and the adverse weather conditions:

1. There will be no default penalties for team (or player) non-appearance, although a defaulted game is still a lost game.

2. Team captains have until Saturday 10.00am to withdraw their team from this weekend’s play, or announce team changes. Please telephone Dave Thomas directly on 07793-118-628 to withdraw your team (do not leave a message with the hotel). Team repairings will be published on the 4NCL website and at Staverton Park at 10.30am. Individual board pairings will be published at the usual time.

3. The scheduled start time of 2pm Saturday will remain and matches that commence at this time will run for the usual seven hour session.

4. For teams (and players) unable to arrive in time for the scheduled start, matches will run for a five hour session (40 moves in 2 hours, remaining moves in ½ hour), games to commence on arrival of opponent, up until a 4pm deadline. This will allow teams (and players) affected by the weather to arrive up to two hours later than the scheduled start. A five hour session is the minimum allowed by FIDE for a game to be FIDE rated.

We request/expect team captains to remain in telephone contact with late arriving players and to keep opponents and arbiters informed of expected arrival times.

5. Matches on Sunday will start at the scheduled start time, and will run for the usual seven hour session, unless in the opinion of the arbiters weather conditions remain adverse (it is vital that team captains inform the arbiters of their opinions on Saturday night), in which case a five hour session will be played. The arbiters will make and announce this decision 1 hour before the start of play on Sunday. Teams (and players) wishing to play the shorter session in any event, may do this in agreement with the arbiters and opposing captains.

Claire Summerscale

[Howard Grist]

A five hour session is the minimum allowed by FIDE for a game to be FIDE rated.

This is not the case. A game may be FIDE rated with two hours for each player. However, unless you are using an incremental time control, five hours IS the minimum for a game to count toward a FIDE title norm.

[Ian Kingston]

4. For teams (and players) unable to arrive in time for the scheduled start, matches will run for a five hour session (40 moves in 2 hours, remaining moves in ½ hour), games to commence on arrival of opponent, up until a 4pm deadline. This will allow teams (and players) affected by the weather to arrive up to two hours later than the scheduled start. A five hour session is the minimum allowed by FIDE for a game to be FIDE rated.

We request/expect team captains to remain in telephone contact with late arriving players and to keep opponents and arbiters informed of expected arrival times.

A couple of queries:

Will all players arriving late (even if by only a few minutes) play the five hour session, or does that only apply if the arbiters have been informed in advance?

Will team captains be permitted to keep their phones turned on during play in order to keep in touch with late arrivals?

[Mike Truran]

Ian

Dave Thomas' reply to your questions below:

My answers to Ian's quite reasonable questions.

1. As far as late arrivals are concerned, we are aiming to have matches finish no later than 21:00, so clocks will be started at 14:00. Therefore if players are arriving, for example, ten minutes late the choices are to start the clocks on time and play the seven hour session with ten minutes lost on the clock, or rearrange to a five hour session. If in the former case the two players agree to split the lost time that is fine, the important thing is the total elapsed time on the clocks. Clearly absolutely hard and fast rules can't be drawn up for all circumstances (e.g. what is the precise moment at which the de facto position becomes a five hour session rather than a seven hour session with some time lost on the clock?), so each case will probably need to be looked at individually in dialogue with players and captains.

2. In the circumstances I think we have to permit captains (and acting captains, but one per team ONLY, please) to have their phones on while other players in the team are still to arrive, provided they are switched to silent. If a phone audibly goes off it wasn't switched to silent, and I don't think I have the power under FIDE rules to prevent the opponent claiming the game if he should so choose. I would not, however, step in and order a default if the opponent and his captain chose to overlook the matter.

Dave

[Ian Kingston]

Mike - Thanks for posting that clarification. Sounds like people will need to be a little flexible. An announcement at the start of play to cover all this will probably help - I suspect that a fair proportion of players will be unaware of the arrangements.

[Mike Truran]

I'll ask Dave Thomas to make an announcement before the start of play.

[John Upham]

Anyone know the full results from the weekend? I left before the end to avoid being snowed in.