03-04-2012, 02:24 PM
The team finals,including the Richardson, should be a good day for those involved. The Richardson match in particular of W Dragons v Edinburgh West should have some good matchups and if both teams are representative its difficult to predict a winner.
It has to be said that Andy Muir seems to be receiving little thanks and maybe some unjustified criticism for volunteering his time organising this event!
1pm or 2pm start. Not a matter for me to comment on (did not know about until Andy B's post) other than that if both team captains agree on 1pm then will be fine for all.
FIDE rating. Not an issue for me either way but I do know that a number of titled players do not like such events being FIDE rated e.g. some will not play SNCL D1 because of FIDE rating (which I understand has now been dropped for next season so we will see!). Andy Muir's decision to drop is his call and hardly unreasonable.
Board Order. I agree with Ken that the rule as stated is fine.
At the SNCL the rule which was voted on is 50 points (plus same board order for both matches on the day). 4NCL use 80 points (I am told). I do not know if there is debate/dissention at the 4NCL about this? Andy has played in the 4NCL which is a mature league and one game per day so his giving guidance at 80points is again hardly unreasonable whether everyone agrees with it or not!
Andy B seems to be driving at another point which is whether teams with a group of players at the same level should be able to vary....making it more difficult to do specific preparation as less certainty about the actual opponent....but being himself vulnerable to the opponents preparations!
OK... I think most people will see the issue here but I suspect that opinions will vary. If I were playing for another club and B1 in every game then it just would not bother me....I could always just go 1.b4 or 1...b5 if I wanted something different. However If I were on B4 at the SNCL for every match (even if only 1 rating pt less than B3!) then there is less incentive to play every game as the grading differences can be quite large.
For me Andy B's views do not give enough regard to giving team members a balance of fully competitive games (Andy-at the SNCL B1 is much tougher than B4 but if I could go B1 in every game -and in GD1 and Richardson-I would do so but the fact is that there is also Andy M , Joe and Steven and these are team events).
Whatever opinions on movement within teams (50 or 80 points) I feel that its hardly fair to criticise Andy Muir on this!
It has to be said that Andy Muir seems to be receiving little thanks and maybe some unjustified criticism for volunteering his time organising this event!
1pm or 2pm start. Not a matter for me to comment on (did not know about until Andy B's post) other than that if both team captains agree on 1pm then will be fine for all.
FIDE rating. Not an issue for me either way but I do know that a number of titled players do not like such events being FIDE rated e.g. some will not play SNCL D1 because of FIDE rating (which I understand has now been dropped for next season so we will see!). Andy Muir's decision to drop is his call and hardly unreasonable.
Board Order. I agree with Ken that the rule as stated is fine.
At the SNCL the rule which was voted on is 50 points (plus same board order for both matches on the day). 4NCL use 80 points (I am told). I do not know if there is debate/dissention at the 4NCL about this? Andy has played in the 4NCL which is a mature league and one game per day so his giving guidance at 80points is again hardly unreasonable whether everyone agrees with it or not!
Andy B seems to be driving at another point which is whether teams with a group of players at the same level should be able to vary....making it more difficult to do specific preparation as less certainty about the actual opponent....but being himself vulnerable to the opponents preparations!
OK... I think most people will see the issue here but I suspect that opinions will vary. If I were playing for another club and B1 in every game then it just would not bother me....I could always just go 1.b4 or 1...b5 if I wanted something different. However If I were on B4 at the SNCL for every match (even if only 1 rating pt less than B3!) then there is less incentive to play every game as the grading differences can be quite large.
For me Andy B's views do not give enough regard to giving team members a balance of fully competitive games (Andy-at the SNCL B1 is much tougher than B4 but if I could go B1 in every game -and in GD1 and Richardson-I would do so but the fact is that there is also Andy M , Joe and Steven and these are team events).
Whatever opinions on movement within teams (50 or 80 points) I feel that its hardly fair to criticise Andy Muir on this!