4NCL - Four Nations Chess League

Rapidplay Reminder

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 19:40:33 +0100

A reminder that the 4NCL Team and Individual Rapidplay Championships take place on 15-16 October. The entry fee is only £60 per team (up to six players) for both days and the prize fund is £2,000.

Please note the entry deadline of 30 September.

Team Lists/Player Registrations

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 19:37:44 +0100

We're keeping a running list of the teams who have entered and/or paid fees for next season here. You'll also see information on which teams have registered players as and when they come in.

Division 3 rating team prizes

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 09:24:42 +0100

Congratulations to Anglian Avengers 2 and KJCA Kings, who won last season's Division 3 team rating prizes of £500 and £250 respectively.

Players looking for teams

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 15:38:24 +0100

Please note that some new requests have been made on the 'teams/players wanted' page. A list of ads from 2010/11 is still also available.

Best Annotated Game Prize

Sun, 29 May 2011 10:02:42 +0100

The 4NCL will be offering three prizes of £50 each for the best annotated games from the 4NCL 2010/2011 season, and we should be glad to receive entries for this competition.

Player Crosstables

Sat, 28 May 2011 10:03:49 +0100

Results have been sent for grading to the ECF and for rating to FIDE. The FIDE summary is at http://ratings.fide.com/tournament_report.phtml?event16=53251. Where there are differences in the figures between the FIDE summary and the spreadsheet, the FIDE summary has the correct figures.

Last few PGNs

Mon, 23 May 2011 09:56:08 +0100

The last few pgns are now online. That completes all game files for the 2011/12 season. Many thanks as always to the game inputters for their Herculean efforts during a busy year.

4NCL Room Rates 2011-13

Mon, 23 May 2011 19:11:03 +0100

The new bedroom rates for Barcelo (2011/2012 and 2012/2013) and De Vere (calendar years 2011, 2012 and 2013) are published.

CHESS Monthly

Sun, 22 May 2011 11:01:16 +0100

We are grateful to Malcolm Pein at Chess & Bridge for permission to publish three articles about the 4NCL which appeared in recent issues of CHESS Monthly.

Player Crosstables 2011

Sun, 22 May 2011 11:02:10 +0100

Updated player crosstables are now available. The earlier versions had some wrong and missing results. Included below are two additional lists which show the ECF grading performances of all players.

Final weekend PGNs

Thu, 19 May 2011 10:59:49 +0100

More files are now available with just a few to follow for Divs 1 and 3. Many thanks as always to the game inputters, Alex Holowczak, Jack Rudd and Katie Smith.

Division 3, fixtures updated

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:16:03 +0100

Division three rd9 pairings have been revised to accommodate withdrawals known up to midnight Thursday 21 April. There will be no further revisions until at least Monday evening (25 April).

Updated registrations

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:14:41 +0100

The most recent registrations have been added to the lists today. Please contact Neville Belinfante if there are any errors etc.

Final Weekend, Captains' meeting - Mike Truran

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:12:22 +0100

We are planning to have a captains' meeting at 9.30am on the Monday of the final weekend. In advance of that, I should be grateful for any agenda items you would like raised please. Given that there are likely to be a number of such items, it may be that we will have no time for AOB, so if you want to raise something it would be probably be sensible to get it on the agenda.

Potential items for discussion that spring to mind (culled in the main from ecforum) include:

1. Div 1/Div 2 format.
2. Div 3/Northern League format.
3. Time limits.
4. Default penalties and fines.
5. Board order rules/junior ratings.
6. Other rule change suggestions.

However, I won't add any of the above to the agenda unless/until a captain is willing to "sponsor" it by leading the discussion.

Apologies for the earlier than usual start, but with the final round starting at 11.00am and with possibly a lot to get through I thought it sensible to err on the side of prudence.

J4NCL report

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 12:09:38 +0100

Many thanks to Claire Summerscale for this pictorial report about the third and final weekend of the Junior 4NCL season.

Division 3, Round 9 fixtures

Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:08:31 +0100

Channel Isolani have announced that they are unable to field a team for the final weekend; a triangular match has accordingly been arranged. The three teams involved in this will, as usual, play the second half of the triangular in round 10; pairings for the remaining teams for round ten will be published at the venue following completion of round nine. Pairings for round 11 will be published after completion of round 10; these will, if still necessary, include a further triangular match of which only one day will, of course, be played. [Round 9 fixtures are here.]

Division 3 pgns

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 12:07:34 +0100

Rounds 7 and 8, Division 3s are now online - with thanks to the game inputters.

Final weekend fixtures

Sun, 3 Apr 2011 12:06:36 +0100

Rounds 9-11 fixtures/pairings for Division 1 and Division 2 Championship and Demotion Pools are now available - with thanks to Neville Belinfante.

4NCL Endphase hat begonnen

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:05:23 +0100

The Chessbase German site has featured the most recent report and included many photos from the 4NCL gallery.

More photos

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:04:05 +0100

Another batch of photos from round 8 in Divisions 1 & 2 at Staverton are now online.

CHESS Magazine - File update

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:25:33 +0000

12.01.2011 - An updated 29 page PDF of the London Chess Classic report is available for download. It now features clickable adverts (pages 15 & 29) so you can subscribe directly to CHESS, buy the January issue, visit the webshop, buy back issues or buy Classic 2010 souvenirs.

Northern League Bookings

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:23:49 +0000

11.01.2011 - Our Barcelo account manager has asked me to mention that the Harrogate Majestic room allocation is released at the start of next week. As you probably know, the fire last year means that not all of their bedrooms are back in service yet (they only have 88 in total apparently), so once our 25 rooms are released back for public purchase there is likely to be high demand for them. I strongly recommend that if you are planning to stay at the Majestic you should, if at all possible, book this week.

Updated registrations

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:23:15 +0000

07.01.2011 - Some new registrations have been added to the lists and a number of rating corrections made today. Please contact Neville Belinfante if there are any errors, or players who should be registered are not shown.

CHESS Magazine - January 2011

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:22:15 +0000

06.01.2011 - Download CHESS Magazine's coverage of the London Chess Classic 2010, a full tournament report featuring round-by-round coverage of all the best games and featuring exclusive annotations from world champion Vishy Anand and England's Luke McShane.

The 2nd London Chess Classic saw another victory for Magnus Carlsen who ends the year atop the rating pile again after a rather uneven 2010. The tournament attracted many more spectators, the auditorium was regularly full and the commentary room packed to overflowing.

New registrations - January 2011

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:19:58 +0000

05.01.2011 - The new lists show the ratings from the January FIDE Rating List which will be used on the 15th & 16th January. Players can still be registered up to this Thursday midnight (6th), and these will be also be shown. Please contact Neville Belinfante if there are any errors, or players who should be registered are not shown.

J4NCL Important Information

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 18:19:20 +0000

As many of you will know, there were a number of organisational problems with the 13-14 November J4NCL weekend at Barcelo Oxford. We have subsequently had a number of conversations with Barcelo Oxford and have jointly concluded that for a number of reasons (including the size of the hotel, the difficulty the hotel had in coping with the playing and non-playing numbers involved, the financial loss that the hotel made on the event, including refunds to disgruntled non-chess playing guests, and, I am afraid to say, the behaviour of a number of parents during the weekend) it would not be appropriate to continue with it as a venue for the J4NCL.

Games in PGN

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:17:04 +0000

More from Weekend 1 are being compiled and should be online soon. Apologies for the delay.

There have been some minor corrections made to Division 3 Rd2 on 15th Nov.

Northern 4NCL first weekend

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:15:25 +0000

John Carleton (Spirit of Atticus) has published a nice report about his teams exploits at Redworth Hall in Darlington last weekend.

Weekend 1 report

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:14:23 +0000

Many thanks to Lawrence Cooper for this report on the first weekend of the season.

Weekend 1: Division 3 pairing adjustment

Tue, 2 Nov 2010 07:23:39 +0000

Celtic Tigers 2 are unable to raise a team for the 1st weekend's Division 3 matches. As a result there will be a three way jamboree between KJCA Kings, Metropolitan & Iceni. This will be match 17 on both Saturday and Sunday, in place of the previously announced pairings for these three teams and Celtic Tigers 2 - Dave Thomas.

Junior 4NCL accommodation - from Claire Summerscale.

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:35:23 +0100

26.10.2010 - In regard to Junior 4 Nations Chess League accommodation on the 13th November 2010, the Barcelo Hotel Oxford is now full, but should you wish to, you are able to book rooms in the Holiday Inn, which is less than 1 minute away from the Barcelo.

Children under 12 stay and eat free at the Holiday Inn. Under the favourable terms that I have negotiated for you, a single room including breakfast is £70 and a double is £80. The hotel will put a free sofa bed in each room for a child under 12.

You can contact the hotel directly on: 01865 888400 for Zoe Court or 01865 888301 for Samiie Weeks. Could you please quote the chess group booking code C3U when reserving your accommodation.

Weekend 1, Barcelo Daventry travel news - thanks to Brian Smith.

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:36:21 +0100

26.10.2010 - Buses D1 or D2 leave from Northampton Rail Stn approx every 30 mins for the 14-mile journey stopping outside Daventry Barcelo. The journey to the hotel should take 30-40 mins. Travellers arriving at Rugby or the nearer Long Buckby Stns are advised to get taxis.

Team registrations updated

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:29:27 +0100

26.10.2010 - The registration lists have all been updated.

September 2010 FIDE ratings

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:25:38 +0100

26.10.2010 - After further discussions, it has been agreed that the September 2010 FIDE rating list will be used for board order purposes at the November weekend. The November 2010 FIDE rating list will be used for rating and norm calculations on the basis that this is when the new season starts. - Mike Truran. .

Team/player registrations

Sat, 23 Oct 2010 23:23:41 +0100

The starting registrations are now online using the ratings from the September 2010 list. Contact Neville Belinfante if you have any queries.

2010/11 Fixtures (3)

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 12:29:14 +0100

Rounds 1-2 are now available for Division 3. Further details will be posted soon,

2010/11 Fixtures (2)

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:38:35 +0100

Rounds 1-7 are now available for the Northern League.

2010/11 Fixtures (1)

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 22:16:15 +0100

Rounds 1-7 are now available for Division 1 Sections A&B and Division 2 Sections A&B. Division 3 and Northern League will be posted over the next few days.

New 4NCL site

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:00:22 +0100

Welcome to the new 4NCL website. 20.10.2010 - After a decade of honourable service as the 4NCL's webmaster Peter Sowray has decided to hang up his spurs. I'm sure I speak for all of those involved in organising the 4NCL when I say that I'm hugely grateful for Peter's work over the years on the 4NCL's behalf and the continuing excellence of the 4NCL website. He will be a hard act to follow! - Mike Truran.