ECF Counties Rapidplay Championship - 18th September 2010

[Mick Norris]

NATIONAL COUNTIES RAPIDPLAY COMPETITION at Hatfield, 21st April 2007
Chris Majer writes:
This year's competition was hosted by Hertfordshire Chess association. Only four teams entered, and so the event was run as an all-play-all. The event included simultaneously both the main title and a handicap event. The main event was determined on game points. The handicap event was determined on the difference between the actual score and the expected score based on the average grades of the teams.
Kent certainly brought a strong team with the intention of winning, which they did comprehensively. They won each round convincingly and even showed off in the last round by beating Cambs 12-0. They even outperformed their expected score based on grading. However in the handicap event Beds performed even better, making on average 1½ points per round better than their expected score. Cross tables for the event are shown below.

OPEN Mean grd Kent Herts Beds Cambs GP
1 Kent 190 9½ 8½ 12
30
2 Herts 173 2½ 6½ 7½
16½
3 Beds 154 3½ 5½ 6½
15½
4 Cambs 159 0 4½ 5½
10


HANDICAP Mean grd Beds Kent Herts Cambs Score
1 Beds 154 +2 +1½ +1
+4½
2 Kent 190 -2 +1½ +2½
+2
3 Herts 173 -1½ -1½ 0
-3
4 Cambs 159 -1 -2½ 0
-3½

[Mick Norris]

BCF COUNTIES TEAM RAPIDPLAY at Spondon, 28th September 2003
This year's event was held at the Acordis Canteen, Spondon near Derby with Cyril Johnson controlling. There was a rather disappointing entry of seven teams, with the absence of Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire being particularly regretted by the controller (as was the discourtesy of Greater Manchester and Oxfordshire in failing to return the trophies won at the previous event in Gloucester). For the advertised five round Swiss, seven entries proved to be a particularly awkward number, and it was decided to run each round with two head to head matches and a three team jamboree. It was announced before the start that no team would have to play in the jamboree more than twice, although this proved to be mathematically unachievable.
Games were 20 minutes per player, with the competition being decided on aggregate game points. Incorporated in the event was a handicap competition for the Roy Woodcock trophy. On arrival it became apparent that the handicapping system devised by Chris Majer on the basis of expected scores in each match, which had been successfully applied in the three previous events, had been abandoned and replaced by a system akin to that used in the National Club Rapidplay, whereby each team's score was adjusted by a factor based on their average grades. The factors announced were:
Over 180
160-179
140-159
130-139
120-129
0-119 -20
-12
-4
-2
0
+4
Results:
1 Yorkshire I 41/60; 2 Essex 38½; 3 Warwickshire 34½; 4 Derbyshire I 28½; 5-6 Bedford, Yorkshire II 26; 7 Derbyshire II 17½.
[rjh: - These scores add up to 2 more than they ought to. Reason: in one first-round match the players on the top two boards erroneously sat at separate tables instead of opposite each other. All four reported wins by default, assuming that their opponents had not turned up. Apparently no one noticed at the time that boards 1 and 2 had scored four points between them, and the result was recorded that way. I don't know which teams got these bonus points.]
Handicap Results:
1 Warwickshire 30½; 2 Yorkshire II 30; 3 Yorkshire I 29; 45 Derbyshire I, Essex 26½; 6 Bedford 22; 7 Derbyshire II 21½.

Essex are likely to submit a formal complaint over the pairings for the last round. After 4 rounds the leading scores were Essex 32½, Yorkshire I 30½ and Warwickshire 30, with Yorkshire II a distant fourth on 24½. Essex had already defeated both Yorkshire I and Warwickshire, who had not so far played each other, so it seemed reasonable to expect them to be paired. Alternatively, perhaps all three leading teams might have been placed in the jamboree. In the event, Essex and Warwickshire played in the jamboree along with Bedfordshire while Yorkshire I were paired with Yorkshire II, and achieved a 10½-1½ victory which proved sufficient to take the title.
[rjh later: Essex did submit a formal complaint, requesting that the last round should be discounted. The request was denied.]
Results John Philpott

[Mick Norris]

BCF COUNTIES RAPIDPLAY CHAMPIONSHIP at Stevenage, 30th September 2001
Four rounds, nine teams of 12.
1 Yorks 30/48; 2 Herts I 28½; 3 Warwicks 26½; 4-5 Essex, Oxon 25½; 6-7 Norfolk, Herts II 24½; 8 Bucks 21½; 9 Herts Juniors 9½
Handicap 1 Norfolk 30; 2 Herts Juniors 28½; 3 Essex 25; 4 Warwicks 24; 5 Yorks 23½; 6-7 Bucks, Oxon 22½; 8 Herts II 22; 9 Herts I 19
Top scorers Kevin Thurlow (Yorks, by birth), Russell White (Essex) 4/4
So Yorks retain their title. Maybe it's a bit unkind to give the Handicap scores all the way down, but it's fair. Actually the Handicap scores look funny. They ought to have averaged nought, on the system as published. Presumably they added 24/48.
Results John Philpott and Chris Majer, independently

(all from the SCCU website)

[David Sedgwick]

Thanks for your trouble, Mick. You've saved one of us down south a job.

However, what we don't have, even on the SCCU website, is any details of the results of individual games. We'll try to make sure that's done better this time.

Greater Manchester don't seem to have played in any of the events you've mentioned. It would be good to see you on 18th September.

[Mick Norris]

David

Sorry, too far to travel

We have a new Open captain too, and he'll take time to adjust to the job

[Alex Holowczak]

David

Sorry, too far to travel

We have a new Open captain too, and he'll take time to adjust to the job

Would it be too far to travel if it were the Final of the National Stages of non-rapidplay one?

If you point it out to your captain, I'm sure he'll exceed your (seemingly low) expectations.

I think the real stumbling block will be "I don't want to travel that far for rapidplay."

[Sean Hewitt]

David

Sorry, too far to travel

We have a new Open captain too, and he'll take time to adjust to the job

Would it be too far to travel if it were the Final of the National Stages of non-rapidplay one?

If you point it out to your captain, I'm sure he'll exceed your (seemingly low) expectations.

I think the real stumbling block will be "I don't want to travel that far for rapidplay."

You're being a tad harsh there Alex, as well as being completely wrong. Manchester to Wanstead House is the same distance as, say, Oldbury to Dumfries to pick two towns at random. .

To travel 222 miles, which takes 4 hours, for one days chess is a long way regardless of the format of the game being played.

To put that into perspective - Manchester would have to leave home at 9am to arrive at the venue in time for round 1 (inc a comfort break) and hope that there were no travel hold ups en route. Assuming the event ran to time, they would be home just before midnight, if they were lucky.

Doesn't sound like an enjoyable day out to me.

[Adam Raoof]

David

Sorry, too far to travel

We have a new Open captain too, and he'll take time to adjust to the job

I am really grateful that the SCCU offered to organise and host this event - it is important that these competitions are maintained. I hope that if this event is a success then the SCCU will repeat the event next year. If we know that a year in advance we can plan more publicity.

However, I accept that it is a long way for teams from Manchester to travel for one day. The 4NCL event in October may interest you more Mick, then you could make a weekend of it?

[Alex Holowczak]

You're being a tad harsh there Alex, as well as being completely wrong. Manchester to Wanstead House is the same distance as, say, Oldbury to Dumfries to pick two towns at random. .

To travel 222 miles, which takes 4 hours, for one days chess is a long way regardless of the format of the game being played.

To put that into perspective - Manchester would have to leave home at 9am to arrive at the venue in time for round 1 (inc a comfort break) and hope that there were no travel hold ups en route. Assuming the event ran to time, they would be home just before midnight, if they were lucky.

Doesn't sound like an enjoyable day out to me.

Perhaps not, but if the event were deemed important enough, say a County Championship Semi Final between GM and Kent, and that was the only venue, they'd probably go for it. Admittedly, the game would be five hours, so the match would finish earlier.

For the UK Chess Challenge, people from my school would travel to school at 6am on Sunday for the Northern Gigafinal (so would probably have been up for 1 hour or more already), play in Manchester, and return at about 9pm. People travelling from further afield would have had even longer journeys. It was done because of the prestige of the event.

If the Rapidplay were prestigious enough, travel would not be (as much of) a problem.

[David Sedgwick]

David

Sorry, too far to travel

We have a new Open captain too, and he'll take time to adjust to the job

I was pleased that Greater Manchester made the still longer journey to play in the ECF Counties U13 Team Championships held in Wallington on 27th June.

I quite understand that you don't feel able to come on this occasion.

[Sean Hewitt]

I've sent the entry form to the Leicestershire captain.

[Mick Norris]

David

Sorry, too far to travel

We have a new Open captain too, and he'll take time to adjust to the job

I am really grateful that the SCCU offered to organise and host this event - it is important that these competitions are maintained. I hope that if this event is a success then the SCCU will repeat the event next year. If we know that a year in advance we can plan more publicity.

However, I accept that it is a long way for teams from Manchester to travel for one day. The 4NCL event in October may interest you more Mick, then you could make a weekend of it?

No, the MCF are entering a team in 4NCL North, there's a limit to what I can ask our new 4NCL captain to do, he's already stood down as County Open captain, hence we have 2 new captains

We have trouble getting Open players to travel to Syston, as Essex will testify, I'm not going to suggest a longer journey!

[Jon D'Souza-Eva]

Thanks very much for the information. At the moment it doesn't look like I will be able to get an Oxfordshire team together, but I keep trying for another week or so.

[Adam Raoof]

Dear All,

The ECF Counties Rapidplay Championship 2010-11 was held on Saturday 18th September 2010 at Wanstead House, 21 The Green, Wanstead, London E11 2NT. Five teams took part.

The results were as follows:

1. Essex 1 37½ / 48
2. Middlesex 28
3. Bedfordshire 21½
4. Surrey 17½
5. Essex 2 15½

The results of the Handicap Competition were as follows:

1. Surrey 4.78
2. Essex 1 2.10
3. Middlesex -0.14
4. Essex 2 -3.01
5. Bedfordshire -3.73

A summary sheet is attached.

Sedgwick Pairings were used. This enabled all teams to play in each round, avoiding the need for a bye. Details of the pairings and of the allocation of teams are attached.

I should like to thank Kevin Williamson for pointing out a flaw in the methodology, which I hope to resolve for a future occasion.

A spreadsheet of the individual results, prepared by Mike Gunn, is attached. Mike and I would like to apologise for any typos that remain.

In the final round Kevin Williamson substituted for Adrian Matthews in the Bedfordshire team. This was permitted as the grades of the two players were identical.

Adam Raoof has kindly agreed to write a report, which I look forward to reading in due course.

My thanks go in particular to:

1. David Smith, for receiving the entries and making all the arrangements at Wanstead House;
2. Jane Smith, for the excellent refreshments;
3. Mike Gunn, for acting as Chief Arbiter and somehow also managing to play in the Surrey team;
4. Adam Raoof and John Philpott, for a great deal of information, advice and support.

Regards,

David Sedgwick