2023/2024 Season

[MartinCarpenter]

Really no idea who then More juniors would be fun, at least until they start scaring us all in the Woodhouse!

[Stephen Westmoreland]

I have two who are progressing scarily fast. One has gone passed me in grading and shows no sign of stopping. The other 13 year old has started accelerating.

[Andrew Zigmond]

Bradford defaulted one earlier this year, so their game points still aren't amazing.

Bradford haven't defaulted any matches - they had an 8-0 loss to a strong Sheffield team in their first match.

Regarding juniors they are now dominating the Silver Rook and are starting to break through to the IM Brown. It may be a few years before the impact is seen on the Woodhouse.

[MartinCarpenter]

Apologies to Bradford! I just saw 8-0 of course.

Some of the juniors in the IMB are already strong enough to make an impact on the lower boards of the Woodhouse of course - the top of York D would already definitely strengthen York B.

It takes a fairly rare junior to get to/over 2100 before University, a few will do it. Just one keen player like that would make a big difference to a lot of teams.

How many we'll keep in the area & league post Uni is always the big question, but at least we'll have a chance.

[MartinCarpenter]

Off to Sheffield's chess center it was. Vexing as it's placing is for public transport, it's a nice venue.

We've lost a lot of fairly close matches in Sheffield over the years, this one I didn't mind so much - it was very tight, mostly very solid quality and basically swung on a slightly random late time trouble blunder on one board. York are very likely to finish third now, I'd probably have to go back a while to check when that last happened!

It was also actually nice having both teams at a fairly 'normal but strong' rather than 'crazy' strength. Hull dealt with York B very comfortably, and are now in prime position for the title. I'd say it was nice to have a 'different' winner but that might be a bit insulting to Hull's previous record!

Calderdale lost to Ilkley and are formally relegated, which still gently amazes me. They've still got basically the same squad that were comfortably 3rd/4th most years. No idea who'll join them - there's a massive scrum developing. York B are almost certainly currently in position - that 8-0 default really hurting them.

Maybe the threat of having to play York D in the IMBrown next season will motivate them in the last round I wouldn't be at all confident who'd win that match.

[MartinCarpenter]

Last few results in now, Forgrove are definitely promoted, Hull B look almost sure. It's been a while for Hull B I think, but with their A team about to win the league - and their juniors seemingly doing well - it's no surprise at all.

Doncaster trampled the Silver Rook, if it's two up then it's very unclear who'll join them.

Various very messy relegation possibilities keeping a lot of teams tense into the final round. But for York B's (entirely reasonable for me) points deduction for the defaulted match, there'd be 4 teams level on 6 match points and one on 7 trying to avoid one space.

It's a hard life in the mid table.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

Doncaster have trampled through the Silver Rook, whilst the final relegation slot in the Woodhouse is very tight. Note that three clubs had point deductions from defaults this season.

I am still twitching over the events on the 17th Feb. Multiple defaults and three appeals on the back of various incidents. Nothing in the last two years and it all happened in one weekend..

[MartinCarpenter]

I don't blame you! The league generally seems to run itself super smoothly Slightly traumatic recently, especially as several might have real consequences. Even defaults have been much rarer the past few years iirc.

Hopefully we'll manage to keep it running itself, it's much better. Writing the rules & procedures to be chess player pedantry lever proof would be so much, basically futile, work.

I was idly looking at A8 (player eligibility) recently, and I couldn't tell how you'd ever fall foul of it. But I also can't ever remember seeing anyone fielding a team that wasn't very strongly geographically based. The travel & theme of the league makes sure of that.

In fact, given that some Woodhouse teams (like Sheffield I think?) don't even really exist as formal entities, I have no idea how you'd be more restrictive even if you wanted to be. And I don't think you would want to be anyway.

[Stephen Westmoreland]

When it does happen, it tends to be when players play for an A team, disappear for a bit and then come back to a lower team. Or where new teams and unaware players are in play, after postponements. I personally think the balance is right.

[MartinCarpenter]

So Hull won their match by miles and firmly deserve the title, Sheffield and York (a fourth 4.5 - 3.5 win from 9 matches?!) won theirs for clear second and third.

Calderdale down and the second(?) Woodhouse relegation spot causing even more headaches for the poor competition controllers - an apparently legally unsplittable tie.

Nothing to offer beyond sympathy and hoping everyone stays calm and ends up happy.

RF and Hull B promoted.

[Alan Walton]

Calderdale down and the second(?) Woodhouse relegation spot causing even more headaches for the poor competition controllers - an apparently legally unsplittable tie.

Whilst I cannot say what they will do here, mainly because I don't know the full criteria; but something similar many years ago occurred in the 4NCL with Richmond and 3Cs where a very low denominator had to be used to get a team relegated, which was Richmond (somebody might have a better memory of this)

Anyway, I would have thought the tie-breaks would be these which is similar to the 4NCL

1) Match Points (same)
2) Game Points (same)
3) Match Points between teams (same because of 4-4)
4) Games Points between teams (same because of 4-4)
5) Lower Board Count (Huddersfield because they won the top 4 boards)
6) Board Elimination
7) Average Rating of Opposition (presume higher)
8 ) Coin Toss

So York B relegated because of 5

[Andrew Zigmond]

Calderdale down and the second(?) Woodhouse relegation spot causing even more headaches for the poor competition controllers - an apparently legally unsplittable tie.

Whilst I cannot say what they will do here, mainly because I don't know the full criteria; but something similar many years ago occurred in the 4NCL with Richmond and 3Cs where a very low denominator had to be used to get a team relegated, which was Richmond (somebody might have a better memory of this)

Anyway, I would have thought the tie-breaks would be these which is similar to the 4NCL

1) Match Points (same)
2) Game Points (same)
3) Match Points between teams (same because of 4-4)
4) Games Points between teams (same because of 4-4)
5) Lower Board Count (Huddersfield because they won the top 4 boards)
6) Board Elimination
7) Average Rating of Opposition (presume higher)
8 ) Coin Toss

So York B relegated because of 5

The YCA rules are nowhere near that prescriptive and merely state that in the event of a dead heat a suitable tie break will be agreed after consultation with the teams concerned. Please can that consultation be allowed to take place.

[Alan Walton]

The YCA rules are nowhere near that prescriptive and merely state that in the event of a dead heat a suitable tie break will be agreed after consultation with the teams concerned. Please can that consultation be allowed to take place.

Fair enough, albeit that will be an interesting consultation; first question do we have a volunteer for relegation

[MartinCarpenter]

The YCA rules are nowhere near that prescriptive and merely state that in the event of a dead heat a suitable tie break will be agreed after consultation with the teams concerned. Please can that consultation be allowed to take place.

Fair enough, albeit that will be an interesting consultation; first question do we have a volunteer for relegation

Well, relegation really isn't so bad a fate of course. You get to play some different players/teams, win a lot of games/matches, and then most likely straight back up again.

But the IMB is getting stronger with the juniors coming through so not a total walk over. I'd hate to bet on the outcome of a possible York B vs D!

[MartinCarpenter]

Top Woodhouse scorers by points, all with 6.5/9:
Andy Butterworth (Ilkley), Ackley, Burnett (both Sheffield), John Atkinson (Hull.).

I'd perhaps have expected one of the lower boards for York/Sheffield/Hull to have cleaned up but maybe that's got harder!

Maksym Larchikov racked up the top %age score over a meaningful number of games - 5.5/6.

By rating performance, insisting on playing most of the games:
Ledger (5/7 and 2313), Gayson (6/9 and 2275), Hamer (5.5/8, 2230)

Fine work from Martyn in a struggling team.