2023 National Stages

[Mick Norris]

Revised rules

Dear County Match Controller,

A reminder that your Union's nominations for the national ECF stage of the Counties Championship are due on before midnight on Sunday 26 March 2023.

Nominations have been received from the MCCU and I note that some of the NCCU competitions conclude on 25th March

The 2022-23 rules have been published (copy attached). Please ensure that your participating county captains have a copy of these before they accept your nominations.


The main practical changes for this season relate to:
• prior provisional team submission in the LMS for all stages (not just the final)
• for the rating limited sections use of category K or A standard original (blue) ratings only for eligibility and board orders (otherwise National Controller's estimate)
• for partially rated (category P) and unrated players as at 1 Sep, using their first published K or A original monthly rating instead of 1 April list (mirroring MCCU, NCCU and SCCU practice) for eligibility so as not to disenfranchise players already playing for a team on this basis. These will supercede any estimated rating assigned by the National Controller
• in conducting the draw, first nominees to be assigned byes ahead of other nominees
• a tighter electronic devices rule (mirroring congress application)
• no single central venue this year but option to hold several regional finals together as a Finals Day Festival (as last year), which is now provided for as an option.
Please do remind your captain that any estimated ratings you may have applied for your qualifying competition do not apply to the ECF stage and in the absence of a K or A standard original rating they will need to approach me for a competition estimate for the ECF stage.

The draw is due on or before 8 April, though I hope that the draw committee will be able to meet shortly after the close of nominations.

Each Union is entitled to make 2 nominations (designated 1st or 2nd) for any section of the championships, whether or not a qualifying competition was held.

Finally your treasurers will be pleased to hear that there are no changes to the fees.

Regards,

Mark Murrell
ECF Controller, Counties Championships.

ECF CC website and LMS

[Mick Norris]

MCCU nominations for County teams National stage

Minor counties - Lincolnshire and Worcestershire; u2050 - Warwickshire; u1650 - Worcestershire and Staffordshire; u1450 - Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire.

[Mick Norris]

Mark has kindly forwarded the final version of the Rules

[Mick Norris]

SCCU Nominations to the ECF County Championships, subject to confirmation by nominated counties, are:

Open: 1 Middlesex, 2 Surrey
Minor Counties: 1 Kent, 2 Sussex
u2050: 1 Essex, 2 Surrey
u1850: 1 Middlesex, 2 Essex
u1650: 1 Essex, 2 Middlesex
u1450: 1 Surrey, 2 Essex

[Mick Norris]

NCCU

OPEN
1 Northumberland CA Open
2 Greater Manchester CCA Open

U2050
1 Yorkshire CA U2050
2 Northumberland CA U2050

U1850
1 Yorkshire CA U1850
2 Greater Manchester CCA u1850

U1650
1 Yorkshire CA U1650
2 Greater Manchester CCA u1650

U1450
1 Yorkshire CA U1450
2 Greater Manchester CCA u1450

[Andrew Wainwright]

Really enjoyed the NCCU qualifying stages this year. Great to see teams returning and new teams entering. A really good level of competition in all sections, that can be built on further next season!

[MartinCarpenter]

Really enjoyed the NCCU qualifying stages this year. Great to see teams returning and new teams entering. A really good level of competition in all sections, that can be built on further next season!

Definitely - especially impressive to see a fully viable open NCCU competition even without Lancashire.

5 years ago - even with GM included! - that idea would have been met with considerable scepticism. GM had the players on paper but hadn't fielded a good Open team for quite a while, Northumberland hadn't fielded a team for absolutely ages etc etc.

If/ (hopefully) when we get Lancashire back it'll be a really solid competition.

[Mick Norris]

You can follow the events on the LMS

Open starts at the semi-final stage

Minor Counties

u2050

u1850

u1650

u1450

Fixtures

[Mick Norris]

The draw has now been published

[Mick Norris]

7 matches played last weekend, plus 1 default, including comfortable wins for both G Man teams

1 default this weekend, which leaves 4 matches to be played

[Kevin Thurlow]

The organizers decided to schedule Lincolnshire vs Somerset U2050 on the same weekend as the Frome Congress (which was on its usual weekend, and had been announced ages ago), so it was a bit difficult to raise a team. Lincolnshire said they could not play any other weekend (which is fair enough), so Somerset withdrew.

I note that the semi features a Norfolk vs Lincolnshire local derby, although the other semi is anything but local...

[Jon Underwood]

I think the county championship dates are calculable years in advance from the rules to be fair.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"I think the county championship dates are calculable years in advance from the rules to be fair."

No idea, I'll take your word for it! But it would make it easier for teams if dates were actually published before inviting entries. If I don't know that, then I assume most people who might decide to enter a team don't know it either. New organizers should be encouraged, not hindered.

[Mick Norris]

We always used to face clashes with Rhyl and Heywood congresses, and it was often difficult to get opponents to switch weekends

Now the quarter finals are split over 2 weekends, it's harder to avoid clashes

Anyway, back to the chess, another G Man win today, it's amazing how much difference joining the NCCU has made

[Jon Underwood]

"I think the county championship dates are calculable years in advance from the rules to be fair."

No idea, I'll take your word for it! But it would make it easier for teams if dates were actually published before inviting entries. If I don't know that, then I assume most people who might decide to enter a team don't know it either. New organizers should be encouraged, not hindered.

They are. Miles in advance.