English Chess Forum

A final reminder that the cut-off for teams is 18.30 on Friday if you don't want to miss Week 1

If you haven't entered yet here are the details:-

"Still time to join Premier Chess! Sole condition is that managers must use their real names - no pseudonyms or silly identities.

"For the 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League why don't you join "Premier Chess"?

Joining the league couldn't be easier. Simply use the link below and you'll be added automatically after you've entered the game.

https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagu ... oin/ssipc7

League Code: ssipc7"

There, will as usual be a weekly update of highs & lows in this thread.

Week One

This season, 11 out of 20 teams in the Premier League will have betting firms as their main front-of-shirt sponsor. - this column is always open for sponsorship should anyone have the odd 000,000 to spare.

No managers sacked as yet - Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca current favourite to be ousted. We have a record entry in Premier Chess thie season with Adam Lippiett just failing to reach triple figures as our first week leader. From experience there is plenty of time for teams to come good or sink without trace. The top ranked sides all played their Bench Boost card - a little too early in my opinion.

1 Boost ‘n’ Noodle Adam Lippiett 99 99
2 Eleven Eleven Danny Rosenbaum 94 94
3 The Dispossessed Jonathan Tait 93 93
4 CZECHMADE Jara Kalab 90 90
5 Harley by the river Andrew Harley 87 87

Last season Be prepared for an update from last year.

Among my defensive selections I managed to pick one player who was subbed at half time and then his price dropped, a second didn't play and has now been sent on loan whilst a third has been transferred so won't play this weekend. Along with an injured striker and not having Haaland it's been an inspired start to the season.

Week Two

Sven-Göran Eriksson dies aged 76 years Death of former England manager https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sven-G%C3%B6ran_Eriksson

For the first time this season several managers scored triple figures; top scorer with 112 points was Tim Edwards and he moves into a much changed top five; the only survivor from Week 1 being Andrew Harley. Our low scorer was Chris Rice with 36 points. Overall leader who has already accrued 235 points is Mickey Mouse - obviously he wasn't goofy playing his wild card in Week 2.

1 Azul Albatrosses Peter Finn 101 182
2 Zafiro Anejo Tim Edwards 112 181
3= Harley by the river Andrew Harley 89 176
3= Atletico Top Bins Syed F Ali 103 176
3= v likely 3 in a row Ben Cullen 109 176

Total players Total players in Fantasy Football so far is 9,871,840. Probably 10,000,000 by the weekend?

Week Three

Trial of the Century to begin https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ar ... 4j4z10w97o Manchester City face 115 charges relating to breaking financial rules.

Incredibly four of our top five remain in replace from Week 2 - unusual at this stage of the season. Membership of Premier Chess has increased since Season 2023-24 but I'll soon be weeding out any doubtful competitors whose identity remains unknown - at least we don't have a family of Gnus as we had last time. Consequently I will probably be removing our top scorer of the week "Ah Fan the Legend" of Malaysia whose team is "Ah Fan Young Boys". He is a member of 20 other Leagues so he might not miss ours. Low scorer of the week was George Wright.

1 Azul Albatrosses Peter Finn 88 270
2 Harley by the river Andrew Harley 88 264
3 Atletico Top Bins Syed F Ali 85 261
4 Bobsy Rangers John Reyes 82 253
5 v likely 3 in a row Ben Cullen 73 249

Most popular player? No prizes for guessing who has been selected by 68% of managers.

Neil,
I am rather puzzled as I thought I had entered the English Chess Forum league but I appear to be in a league labelled 'English Chess Fans'. There only appear to be twelve members although I see that Azul Albatrosses - not surprisingly with his current score of 270 - is the leader in both leagues. Can you explain how this has happened? Do you know anything about English Chess Fans and can I still be added to the English Chess Forum league?

Robert Page wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 14, 2024 10:03 am

Neil,
I am rather puzzled as I thought I had entered the English Chess Forum league but I appear to be in a league labelled 'English Chess Fans'. There only appear to be twelve members although I see that Azul Albatrosses - not surprisingly with his current score of 270 - is the leader in both leagues. Can you explain how this has happened? Do you know anything about English Chess Fans and can I still be added to the English Chess Forum league?

I see you are now a member of "Premier Chess" Robert. You can belong to as many Leagues as you like, "Premier Chess" was started by me in 2009 so has been going for 15 years. It has nothing to do with this forum as such but obviously many managers are members here and I use the kind facilities of this board to provide a weekly report. "English Chess Fans" is a new league started by Anthony Ibbitson this year; there are plenty of other leagues and I occasionally refer to them in my reports; as far as I know Premier Chess is the oldest and largest. Anthony's league was mentioned in the General section of this board and I guess you entered using the code there.

LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 24, 2024 11:07 am

Among my defensive selections I managed to pick one player who was subbed at half time and then his price dropped, a second didn't play and has now been sent on loan whilst a third has been transferred so won't play this weekend. Along with an injured striker and not having Haaland it's been an inspired start to the season.

My latest "achievement" is to have my goalkeeper scoring 0 whilst my sub keeper managed 15.

Week 4

"It's probably one of the best saves I have seen in my career." Arteta praises David Raya after he saves a penalty & the rebound.

Arsenal & Manchester City meet this weekend. Both finished 0-0 in the Champions League thanks to Raya's double save and Haaland not finding the net. Meanwhile BBC pundit Chris Sutton has declared Fantasy Football a waste of time this season thanks to the Manchester City striker's ability to score - after four weeks Haaland has nine goals, fifty four points and been selected by 70% of managers, up from the 68% mentioned in Week Three. Again few moves in Premier Chess; debut from Yong Wang equal fifth whose team "Change Name" means censorship has been applied to whatever it was called. Tapiwa Makoonde was our top scorer this week, new arrival (soon to be removed) Bobby in at 182nd with the low score.

1 v likely 3 in a row Ben Cullen 78 327
2 Atletico Top Bins Syed F Ali 57 318
3 Azul Albatrosses Peter Finn 44 314
4 Harley by the river Andrew Harley 49 313
5= Zafiro Anejo Tim Edwards 62 310
5= Change Name Yong Wang 70 310

Overall leader - has 382 points; but he's already played his Bench Boost, Triple Captain, Free Hit and Wild Card!

Week 5

"I think it's way, way, way too early. Thomas Frank is asked about West Ham's Julen Lopetegui's position as West Ham manager.

It was an ill tempered affair between top sides City and Arsenal this week (not forgetting Brighton v Forest). All four clubs remain unbeaten after five matches - but City have won four and lead the Premier League. Everton have been taken over and Sean Dyche is now firm favourite to be the next manager sacked. Two Premier League managers hit triple figures this week with Joel Newman the better of these on 109 points. At the other end of the table Neil Pennock was low scorer and assumed the position he held for the majority of 2023/24 - last.

1 Azul Albatrosses Peter Finn 78 392
2 Zafiro Anejo Tim Edwards 78 388
3 v likely 3 in a row Ben Cullen 59 386
4 Down in the Box Gregory Graves 101 384
5 Lumos Matthew Parry 92 379

Ownership Haaland's ownership now up to 72% of managers.

Week 6

"He's got two games before the international break and he'll be gone by it." Radio Manchester podcast on Erik ten Hag.

Week 6 was the week I used my Wild Card to get Haaland in my team. In a moment of managerial brilliance, the player to make way in my reshuffle was Cole Palmer - you know the midfielder who scored four goals this week. I won't go into the other moves I made - just more embarrassment. Probably because of this there were some big changes at the top of Premier Chess with three new arrivals into the top five. The high scoring teams benefitted from not selecting Haaland as their captain with Jonathan Blackburn the top scorer. Jude Shearsby low scored with a -4 for red carded captain Bruno Fernandes. Despite the fact that this penalty was subsequently rescinded it remains as the player's Fantasy score for the week.

1 v likely 3 in a row Ben Cullen 72 458
2 Azul Albatrosses Peter Finn 49 441
3 Second Calling Again Blair Connell 80 435
4= Team Move Douglas Cobbinah 74 431
4= Chessticles Jonathan Blackburn 97 431

Finally - our Haaland watch; now owned by 73% of managers.

Week 7

1 v likely 3 in a row Ben Cullen 51 509
2 The Dispossessed Jonathan Tait 76 494
3 Second Calling Again Blair Connell 56 491
4 Chessticles Jonathan Blackburn 55 486
5 Azul Albatrosses Peter Finn 39 480

for posterity, since I don't expect to stay up there

Jon Tait wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 18, 2024 8:34 pm

Week 7

1 v likely 3 in a row Ben Cullen 51 509
2 The Dispossessed Jonathan Tait 76 494
3 Second Calling Again Blair Connell 56 491
4 Chessticles Jonathan Blackburn 55 486
5 Azul Albatrosses Peter Finn 39 480

for posterity, since I don't expect to stay up there

I would have posted today - have been down with a terrible cold for a week. So thanks to Jon for giving the Week 7 positions - will he be here or not next week as his post suggests?

Anyway some narrative for Week 7:-

"I think he's a very good coach, but surprised the FA have employed him," Wayne Rooney comments on England Tuchel appointment.

Tuchel has been given an 18 month contract from 1st January 2025 - so he needs to qualify then win the World Cup otherwise he'll be gone. I suppose we must be pleased that Rooney, Gerard, Lampard et al weren't considered. There were, of course, as highlighted, several changes to our top five in Premier Chess. No-one scored triple figures for the week - our high flyer was Gaurav Kamath whose team is What a De ligt meanwhile Mark Leonard's team looked good on paper but on the field scored a mere 23 points

No Haaland, No Salah Nigel Donovan's team is the exception - and scored 71 points (thanks mostly to Saka).

Neil Graham wrote: ↑

Sat Oct 19, 2024 10:51 am

So thanks to Jon for giving the Week 7 positions - will he be here or not next week as his post suggests?

after this week's results I'll probably have dropped 30 places

Week 8

Wolves are still considering sacking Gary O’Neil after their defeat to Man City Insider talks of Molineux problems

This is despite the Manchester City goal controversially scored in injury time. Haaland failed once more so all those managers who captained him (again) received a mediocre four points - he is currently owned by 74% of managers (up from 73% in Week 6). Despite his dire predictions, Jon Tait is still in the top five. Lawrence Cooper high scored for the week whilst Alex Bullen & Barry Redburn both had disastrous defences and managed a measly 17 points each.

1 Chessticles Jonathan Blackburn 67 553
2 Second Calling Again Blair Connell 52 543
3 Boost ‘n’ Noodle Adam Lippiett 61 538
4 v likely 3 in a row Ben Cullen 25 534
5 The Dispossessed Jonathan Tait 31 525

Awwad ShakShak is one of two joint leaders - but he has another team 18th. Not allowed methinks.