4 NATIONS CHESS LEAGUE - DIVISION 4

Rounds 7-11 of this year's 4NCL will no longer take place on the original dates in April and May due to the present pandemic.   Tentative plan at present is reschedule these for later in the year with a knock-on effect on the 2020-21 4NCL which will accordingly not get under way until early 2021.    That could change - up-to-date information should be available on the 4NCL website although it is planned to summarise this here.

Main points to note are that 4NCL entails one round each day, with the rate of play 40 moves in 100 minutes (plus 30 second increments from move 1) followed by the rest of the game in 50 minutes (again with 30 second increments). That means a 60-move game could conceivably take as long as 6 hours, far longer than local league chess.  All games are ECF-graded and, subject to meeting the usual conditions, FIDE-rated.

Division 4 [34 teams] summary after round 6:  

HERTFORDSHIRE CHESS LEAGUE

The 2019-20 competition, which began on 30 September, has been suspended as a result of the present pandemic.  See 'Fixtures' page for a list of fixtures and 'Results' page for reported results.    No recent results reported here for Watford 1.

Watford 2 are well-placed in Division 2 and promotion back to Division 1 is not out of the question.

In Division 3, Watford 3 is also doing well with four wins, three draws and one defeat, from its first eight completed matches.   Watford 4, in the next division, is in mid-table with three wins, two draws and four losses from its nine matches to date.    In the separate under-120 league, the Watford u-120 team has won five, drawn one and lost two of its first eight matches.

ARCHIVE:

Article in Watford Observer, 19 February: https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/18247132.watford-chess-club-looking-sponsors-ahead-international-tournament

Club rapidplay, 30 December 2019, results at  http://chess-results.com/Tnr501649.aspx?lan=1

3rd Watford Junior (u-12) Rapidplay, 29 July 2019, results at http://chess-results.com/tnr457143.aspx?lan=1

Club rapidplay, 8 July 2019, results at http://chess-results.info/tnr453784.aspx?lan=1

Price Cup (2018-9 club championship), October 2018 to June 2019, results at  http://chess-results.com/tnr382758.aspx?lan=1

2nd Watford Junior (u-12) Rapidplay, 27 May 2019, results at http://chess-results.com/tnr435032.aspx?lan=1

Club rapidplay, 13 August 2018, results at http://chess-results.com/tnr374277.aspx?lan=1

1st Watford Junior (u-12) Rapidplay, 30 July 2018, results at http://chess-results.com/tnr373197.aspx?lan=1

JUNIOR CLUB NEWS - LATE MARCH 2021: 

Few over-the-board games, due to Covid restrictions, except for "Chess in the Park" which started on 29 March and will continue, weather permitting, on occasional days over the Easter school holidays.

Two days later, there was an interview with 11-year-old Avy Dasgupta, with support from coach Roger Lancaster, to discuss the event and his experience of chess under lockdown on BBC 3 Counties Radio. It's at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p099w68l, starting just after Christina Aguilera at 2.37.

Meantime, there are many online events. The "A" team regularly faces adult opposition [except, of course, in the Junior 4NCL] but our lower-ranking teams play mainly - but not exclusively - against other juniors. If your son/daughter wishes to join, please use the "Contact us" link above to get in touch.

WORLD CHESS LEAGUE: Watford Juniors beat Pinellas County [Florida] 13-1, this taking our score to two wins from six matches, and next play a team from Poland on 11 April.

5 COUNTIES LEAGUE [SEASON 2]: Watford Juniors 'A', facing adult opposition in Division 2, and having flirted with relegation all season, were reprieved and will remain in Division 2. The 'B' and 'C' teams, in Division 3, also lost most of their matches - we will withdraw the 'C' team next season.

ONLINE NATIONAL CLUB COMPETITION

Watford Juniors [just one team!] took part in this event over the 26-28 June weekend at a time control of 45' + 15".

The team won two and lost three of its five matches but probably took some pleasure in beating DHSS 'B' after that team had held our adults to a 2-2 draw in an earlier round.   In all, nine juniors took part in some or all rounds

ONLINE JUNIOR 4 NATIONS CHESS LEAGUE [SEASON 2]

Watford 'A' , in a strong Division 1 group headed by Kent, finished fifth of eight teams with 3 wins and 4 losses, despite two of those losses coming against the relegated teams. Watford 'B' were never in trouble in Division 2, finishing in fourth place on exactly 50%, but Watford 'C' look only narrowly avoided relegation.. Our junior teams, 'D' and 'E', provided valuable experience for our newer players.

ONLINE 4 NATIONS CHESS LEAGUE [SEASON 2]

Here our teams play against adult opposition. This proved an uphill struggle for our 'B' and 'C' teams which lost all their matches in Division 5. The 'A' team also found life tough in Division 4 but one win and three draws from their 7 matches was enough to avoid relegation.

EAST OF ENGLAND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP:

Three-round event played December & January with two Watford Juniors teams competing against adult opposition. In the u-1400 event, the juniors scored 2-2, 1.5-2.5 and 1.5-2.5 while, in the u-1600 event, they scored 3.5-0.5, 3-1 and 1-3. The second event, due to start early February, has been cancelled due to the death of organiser Patrick Ribbands. We send our condolences to those closest to Patrick.

JUNIOR 4 NATIONS CHESS LEAGUE [OVER-THE-BOARD] 

Third and final 2019-20 J4NCL weekend was 15-16 February at Mercure Daventry Court Hotel where two Watford teams were among the 22 teams taking part.     Several of our players were off form so the results were a little disappointing, with both teams finishing in the lower half of the table.    2020-21 events cancelled due to Covid.

Watford Reds [L to R:  Jeff,  Jake,  Theo,  Judith] at the J4NCL February 2020 weekend

OTHER JUNIOR MATCHES {OVER-THE-BOARD] 

Watford juniors play twice a year against Uxbridge juniors in a double-round rapidplay where virtually the entire Watford junior membership is invited to take part.      Watford won the third match, on 9 December 2019 , by 18 points to 10.   

Watford juniors also now play an annual match in September against St Albans juniors.  The first, in September 2019, was a close affair contested over 2 rounds of rapidplay with St Albans emerging 12.5-11.5 winners.  

LICHESS CHANGE - In early June, one of our juniors' parents, with club support, contacted FIDE to complain about the prima facie defamatory nature of the "This player uses chess computer assistance" allegations prominently displayed on several Lichess accounts despite no evidence being produced to support such allegations.   Lichess have since switched to an alternative, and less unacceptable, legend.

CLUB SHIRTS

Club polo shirts can be bought, in various adult and junior sizes, at  https://myclothing.com/ costing £5.50 to £6 [juniors] or £7 [adults] with £3 delivery charge.   T-shirts also available, junior sizes only, £5 to £5.50.

Watford Chess Club

Annual General Meeting

held at

West Herts Sports Club, Park Avenue, Watford WD18 7HP

on Monday 16th September 2019 at 7:30pm 

 AGENDA

1.  Receive apologies for absence

2.  Approve minutes of September 2018 AGM (copies are attached)

3.  Receive report from the President on the 2018-19 year, and to approve the Accounts for the financial year ending 31st July 2019

4.  Agree Club membership subscriptions for 2019-20. The Committee proposes:

Adults Full £60, Associate £40 and Social £20. 

Juniors and students Full £35 Social £20.

Full membership entitles a member to participate in all Club activity.

Associate membership: a member can take part in the Club’s inter-club competitive activities (but not the Price Cup) but not otherwise use the club’s facilities on club nights, except for designated special events.

Social membership entitles a member to full use of the Club’s facilities on club nights but not to participate in any of the club’s competitive activities (including the Price Cup), except for designated special events.

The subscriptions represent an increase on last year because the club will pay next year for all (adult and junior) 4NCL fees. There will be a £2 discount in all categories for everyone who pays by bank transfer, with the member’s name as a reference, before 1 October 2019.

5. Present trophies to winning individuals 

6.  Elect Officers, Secretaries and Committee for 2019-20:

7.  Any Other Business  

Paul Littlefair

Secretary

Jennifer Hurrell presents Ernest Karumazondo, joint winner with Andrew Stone, with the Price Cup

Everyone is welcome (to access, click on pictorial below) at Geir Erik Nielsen's YouTube channel at

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Also embedded in the updated article is now a video of how to get the best of Arena and Leela at home.

As a teaser for it all, and as an incredibly instructive game, here is how Leela deals with the Benoni