|
Dear All
Ahead of the AGM this Saturday I am pleased to confirm the
provisional composition of the league for next season. There are no
withdrawals at this stage and four new teams have entered the league
program. For the sake of pedantry please note that the teams are listed in
league order with promoted/ relegated teams at the top/ bottom. The new
teams are then listed alphabetically at the end.
WOODHOUSE CUP (10 teams)
Sheffield A, York A, Hull DCA A, Leeds, Bradford A, Calderdale
A, York B, Harrogate A, Huddersfield, Ilkley Dragons
IM BROWN (10 teams)
Wakefield A, Rose Forgrove A, Sheffield B, Calderdale B, Hull
DCA B, Alwoodley A, Rose Forgrove B, York C, Harrogate B, York D
SILVER ROOK (12 teams)
Alwoodley B, Dewsbury, Settle, Holmfirth, Ilkley Knights,
Bradford B, West Leeds, Harrogate C, Doncaster, Meltham, Saltaire, York E
Dewsbury have declined promotion to the IM Brown as have
Settle who were duly offered it as the third placed team. As a consequence
Harrogate B have not been relegated.
As things stand the Silver Rook will necessitate two extra
rounds. These will likely be held on weekends being used by the 4NCL as
clashes there will likely not be a problem.
I have attached an updated schedule of dates. PLEASE NOTE
there is one change since I sent this out - the National Club is making a
comeback and this will be held in Hull on the weekend of 21st and
22nd October. As this was originally a Yorkshire
League weekend the only solution is for the Yorkshire League to make an
early start in mid-September. When referring to the schedule please
remember that I have kindly been given sight of 4NCL dates but these are
not yet public.
This may prompt some discussion at the AGM - while it is to be
celebrated that so many organisers want to bring events to Yorkshire and
our thriving chess scene it is getting harder and harder to accommodate the
Yorkshire League. Obviously congresses and 4NCL are not for every player
and some players may be frustrated by the resultant odd spacing of
Yorkshire League matches. At the same time, other players are equally
passionate about all of these events and clashes would lead to considerable
ill feeling. I'm not sure if there is an easy solution but I expect this to
be discussed at the AGM where the schedule will be formally agreed.
There is one rule change proposal this year; Hull are
proposing that the start time for matches is changed to 13:30 rather than
14:30. Hull have also requested that going forward Woodhouse Cup captains
undertake to exchange team sheets at least 90 minutes ahead of the match -
this allows those players who wish to prepare to do so. After discussion
the proposal is to make this a convention rather than a requirement.
Andrew
|