PAIRINGS FOR ROUND ONE

Thank you for entering your club in the City Summer Rapidplay League. We have 12 teams confirmed, and no further entrants can be accepted. It is a 4-board event, due to the capacity of Golden Lane.

As anticipated, all clubs will play all of their matches on the same evening (Wednesdays) at the same time (7.15pm), at the same venue (Golden Lane). The first match for each club is on 3rd June, and thereafter there will be weekly matches on Wednesdays until 12 August.

A full fixture list is still being prepared, but the fixtures for Wednesday 3rd June have been finalised as follows:

Albany v Athenaem
Battersea v Cavendish
Dulwich v Hackney
Hammersmith v Hendon
Kings Head 1 v Kings Head 2
Metropolitan v Mushrooms

The format will be:

- each player plays two half-hour games against the same opponent.
- gradings bands: top board - open
bottom board - under 125
middle 2 boards - under 160
- each match will be scored according to the total game scores i.e. there will be 8 games. So 1 point for each game won, half a point for a draw, in the usual way.
- each club may use any number of players throughout the league, though players may not play for more than one team.
- Kings Head are not required to 'seed' their teams, since both of their teams will simlpy need to comply with the grading bands.
- rapidplay grades will be used if available; otherwise standard grades will suffice.
- ungraded players will usually be able to play in the U125 section, unless they are known to be above that level. Please submit the names of any ungraded players to me a couple of days in advance.
- the results will will be graded
- defaults should be notified to the opposing captain at least a day in advance.
- where a default is notified, the opposing team will score 2 points (i.e. 1 point for each game that would have been played) and the defaulting team will score no points for that player.
- where a default occurs without having been notified by the previous day, the defaulting team will also suffer a 1 point penalty in addition to the position outlined above.
- if the grading bands present a real problem for a club to field a team, captains should agree to adjust the bands for both teams for that particular match, unless there is a good reason why not. That way, both sides will be able to field stronger (or weaker) teams in required. This should be done several days in advance.
- as organisers, Joe Farrell and I may use our discretion in settling any disputes (hopefully there will be none). For the avoidance of doubt, Joe will not take any decisions concerning Metropolitan, and I will not take any decisions concerning Hackney.

I attach a contact list containing details of club captains. Please let me know if you are able to add any further details (e.g. I am still awaiting some phone numbers).

The cost of running the league is £35 per team in total. Please bring payment on 3rd June. This covers rental of Golden Lane and ECF grading fees of 24p per player per game.

Please acknowledge receipt of this email by the end of this week if possible, in order for me to be sure that all 12 teams will turn out this Wednesday! Please do try your best to avoid any defaults, as this frustrates and disappoints other players.

Many thanks


Shaun Tracey
(Hackney Chess Club)