County Championship Rules

[MartinCarpenter]

Thanks. Pleasantly free of doubling up with the Yorkshire league this year then, seemingly unlike the Open match.

One thing which rather worried me rather about the health of county chess was Yorkshire defaulting an U180 match last year. Yes some unlucky organisational issues - and ECF memberships on top - but objectively Yorkshire have the player base to field around 4 or 5 title challenging, 16 man, U180 teams.

A hypothetical York U180 team would have a 168 on board 14. Going from the Yorkshire grading list Sheffield would be even stronger, playing down to 169 on 16 and another 12 down to 160 etc. Plenty of possible players from Leeds/Bradford too and some elsewhere on top.

For that not to add up to any sort of team does show how hard it can be to get people interested

[Neil Graham]

I understand from earlier in this thread that the draw was to be made over this last weekend at the 4NCL.

Have we any news??

[Alex Holowczak]

I understand from earlier in this thread that the draw was to be made over this last weekend at the 4NCL.

Have we any news??

I've sent the raw draw to the Controller, ready for him to write up and make the announcement.

I've now been asked this question three times today, which almost puts it on a par with "Do you know when the new grading list is coming out?"

[Alex Holowczak]

I've now been asked this question three times today

Make that four, within a few minutes of the above post.

[David Sedgwick]

I've now been asked this question three times today

Make that four, within a few minutes of the above post.

As one of the questioners, may I point out that that shows that at least some people, myself included, like to have the draw at this sort of time.

It's something to bear in mind when considering the suggestion that the draw should not be made until the end of March.

[Neil Graham]

I understand from earlier in this thread that the draw was to be made over this last weekend at the 4NCL.

Have we any news??

I've sent the raw draw to the Controller, ready for him to write up and make the announcement.

I've now been asked this question three times today, which almost puts it on a par with "Do you know when the new grading list is coming out?"

Or asking in Poundland how much things cost?

[Alex Holowczak]

As one of the questioners, may I point out that that shows that at least some people, myself included, like to have the draw at this sort of time.

It's something to bear in mind when considering the suggestion that the draw should not be made until the end of March.

Of course people want information as soon as it's available. The number of times at a congress where, while setting up the pieces four hours before the start, the question "Has the draw been made yet?" has been asked is testimony to that. The usual answer is "We're publishing it <later> in case there are any last-minute [withdrawals/entries/bye requests]." I.e. deferring it until the arbiter is increasingly certain of who is playing.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"Of course people want information as soon as it's available. The number of times at a congress where, while setting up the pieces four hours before the start, the question "Has the draw been made yet?" has been asked is testimony to that."

or somebody interrupting my witnessing of a time-scramble in round 2, and asking when the round 3 draw would be published...

[Andrew Zigmond]

The draw has now been sent to the Unions, together with an apology for the slight delay. I've also emailed them to the ECF webmaster so hopefully they will be on there shortly.

[Neil Graham]

The draw has now been sent to the Unions, together with an apology for the slight delay. I've also emailed them to the ECF webmaster so hopefully they will be on there shortly.

Open Q1: M1 v S2 ; Q2: N2 v S3 ; S1: N1 v Q1 ; S2: S1 v Q2

Minor P1: W2 v E2 ; Q1: E1 v S2 ; Q2: W1 v M3 ; Q3: S1 v M2 ; Q4: M1 v P1

U180 Q1: M1 v S3 ; Q2: N1 v S2 ; Q3: S1 v N2 ; S1: W1 v Q1 ; S2: Q2 v Q3

U160 P1: E2 v S3 ; Q1: E1 v M2 ; Q2: S1 v N2 ; Q3: N1 v S2 ; Q4: M1 v P1

U140 Q1: N1 v S3 ; Q2: S1 v M2 ; Q3: M1 v S2 ; S1: W1 v Q1 ; S2: Q2 v Q3

U120 Q1: S1 v M3 ; Q2: M1 v S2 ; Q3: N1 v M2 ; S1: E1 v Q1 ; S2: Q2 v Q3

U100 Q1: S1 v M2; Q2: E1 v S2 ; S1: N1 v Q1 ; S2: M1 v Q2

[David Sedgwick]

Open Q1: M1 v S2 ; Q2: N2 v S3 ; S1: N1 v Q1 ; S2: S1 v Q2

Minor P1: W2 v E2 ; Q1: E1 v S2 ; Q2: W1 v M3 ; Q3: S1 v M2 ; Q4: M1 v P1

U180 Q1: M1 v S3 ; Q2: N1 v S2 ; Q3: S1 v N2 ; S1: W1 v Q1 ; S2: Q2 v Q3

U160 P1: E2 v S3 ; Q1: E1 v M2 ; Q2: S1 v N2 ; Q3: N1 v S2 ; Q4: M1 v P1

U140 Q1: N1 v S3 ; Q2: S1 v M2 ; Q3: M1 v S2 ; S1: W1 v Q1 ; S2: Q2 v Q3

U120 Q1: S1 v M3 ; Q2: M1 v S2 ; Q3: N1 v M2 ; S1: E1 v Q1 ; S2: Q2 v Q3

U100 Q1: S1 v M2; Q2: E1 v S2 ; S1: N1 v Q1 ; S2: M1 v Q2

I'm afraid I can't make sense of some of that.

[Andrew Zigmond]

Taking the open as an example it means;

Quarter Finals (Q)
Q1 M1 vs S2
Q2 N2 vs S3
N1 bye
S1 bye
Semi Finals
S1 N1 vs winner of Q1
S2 S1 vs winner of Q2

N, S, E, W & M donate the respective unions, the number is that of their first or second choice.

I can try and make it a bit more reader friendly but probably wouldn't get a chance until the weekend.

[Neil Graham]

Open Q1: M1 v S2 ; Q2: N2 v S3 ; S1: N1 v Q1 ; S2: S1 v Q2

Minor P1: W2 v E2 ; Q1: E1 v S2 ; Q2: W1 v M3 ; Q3: S1 v M2 ; Q4: M1 v P1

U180 Q1: M1 v S3 ; Q2: N1 v S2 ; Q3: S1 v N2 ; S1: W1 v Q1 ; S2: Q2 v Q3

U160 P1: E2 v S3 ; Q1: E1 v M2 ; Q2: S1 v N2 ; Q3: N1 v S2 ; Q4: M1 v P1

U140 Q1: N1 v S3 ; Q2: S1 v M2 ; Q3: M1 v S2 ; S1: W1 v Q1 ; S2: Q2 v Q3

U120 Q1: S1 v M3 ; Q2: M1 v S2 ; Q3: N1 v M2 ; S1: E1 v Q1 ; S2: Q2 v Q3

U100 Q1: S1 v M2; Q2: E1 v S2 ; S1: N1 v Q1 ; S2: M1 v Q2

I'm afraid I can't make sense of some of that.

Sorry that's my fault for squeezing everything into one line. Try:-

Open
Q1: M1 v S2
Q2: N2 v S3
S1: N1 v Q1
S2: S1 v Q2

Minor
P1: W2 v E2
Q1: E1 v S2
Q2: W1 v M3
Q3: S1 v M2
Q4: M1 v P1

U180
Q1: M1 v S3
Q2: N1 v S2
Q3: S1 v N2
S1: W1 v Q1
S2: Q2 v Q3

U160
P1: E2 v S3
Q1: E1 v M2
Q2: S1 v N2
Q3: N1 v S2
Q4: M1 v P1

U140
Q1: N1 v S3
Q2: S1 v M2
Q3: M1 v S2
S1: W1 v Q1
S2: Q2 v Q3

U120
Q1: S1 v M3
Q2: M1 v S2
Q3: N1 v M2
S1: E1 v Q1
S2: Q2 v Q3

U100
Q1: S1 v M2
Q2: E1 v S2
S1: N1 v Q1
S2: M1 v Q2

[David Sedgwick]

Thank you, Andrew and Neil. All is now clear to me.

Andrew, are the byes definite, or will you be inviting additional nominations?

Edit: We don't seem to have the Semi Final Draw in the Minor Counties Championship and in the U160 Division.

[Andrew Zigmond]

Thank you, Andrew and Neil. All is now clear to me.

Andrew, are the byes definite, or will you be inviting additional nominations?

The deadline for requesting nominations has passed. If a Union fails to fulfil the number of requested nominations the quarter final draw may be amended as per Rule D2.4.