Leinster chess union website

OissíneM

Hi Peter, I don't think that's fair of you to say.

If someone wants to play chess travelling is a normal part of the process. Playing one game only is enjoyable, and especially if it's a fide rated game it's worth travelling down the motorway for it. Keep in mind that it can easily take 30 min plus to travel from one Dublin club to another, and it's only 50 minutes extra each way to athlone. That's not a massive undertaking or pain like you made it out to be. If you win you could be up 8-10 fide points. Not bad for a days work. It shouldn't be too much trouble having to do this once per year, I don't mind travelling up from Galway to Dublin to play my games.

We are generally quite good at re-arranging matches, we even forfeited out last home game and played it in elm mount instead. Your experience this time might be more difficult due to it being Christmas and the busy chess calendar for January. Every weekend for the next 3 weeks after the 14th there is a tournament coming up, so it's more difficult to re-arrange games. I've been unable to play twice this season, and on both occasions I've offered to go up to Dublin and play on our opponents club nights. Both times this was rejected. Our captain is trying to accommodate everyone to the best of his ability, but organising everything can be a tough task.

It's nonsense to say we are using the "distance card" to avoid relegation. We are currently closer to the top of the table then the bottom. On our roster we have an IM, an FM, and a 2200. We're no pushovers.

In terms of allowing ballinasloe to play; well as you pointed out we play our home games in athlone, which is in Leinster. If you want to create a league just for Dublin you are more than welcome. Additionally, it's very tough to get high quality fide games in the west. So playing in the Leinster league allows players from the west to get a better shot at improving. It's not fair if we are just forgotten about or kicked to the side so that you can save having to travel an extra hour and a half once per year.

sodacat11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120062616#Comment_120062616

Hi Oissine

You make fair points but it annoys me that our closest rivals in the Armstrong, Gonzaga, Benildus, Elm Mt got to postpone fixtures because their players are playing in the 4NCL or wherever but when we want to do the same because we have players playing in Prague or unavailable for other very valid reasons we don't get the same treatment.

Anyway, my new year resolution is not to get angry about the various injustices in Irish chess and to stop banging my head against a brick wall in my efforts to change them.

sodacat11

Ballinasloe 6.5 v Ratmines Knights of Eanna .5 (one walkover). Kinda proves my point, and we won't be the only team that fails to field our strongest team in such a far flung place.

macelligott

still no result posted for Gonzaga A v Dun Laoghaire which was scheduled to be played on January 14th. That’s three weeks ago 🙄

sodacat11

Gonzaga, like Elm Mount and Benildus are allowed to postpone games until they have their full strength teams available. Rathmines Knights arenb't allowed the same facilitation even when we have 7 of our top 8 players unavailable but then again the league Controller isn't a member of our club.

cdeb

Did Rathmines ask to postpone games?

Benildus were asked by Ballinasloe (not the other way around) to postpone the Armstrong game last week because (a) it was a Bank Holiday and (b) there was a clash with the Sligo tournament.

I look forward to more ignorant accusations coming soon...

sodacat11

Yes,we did. From what I'm told Ballinasloe originally agreed to the postponement then changed their minds. Ballinasloe have a nerve asking for postponements when they won't grant them.

cdeb

"From what you're told"? Hmmm

And what does this have to do with your suggestion of corruption within the LCU?

macelligott

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120227865#Comment_120227865

Sodacat11 please explain how this is the Elm Mount full strength team?

macelligott

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120227865#Comment_120227865

Sodacat11 please explain how this is the Elm Mount full strength team?

cdeb

Think that was played as an away game for Ballinasloe? Very unhelpful of them

Maybe they're just biased very specifically against Rathmines?

Though believe Rathmines declined moving a board in that game too, even though they were scratching a board, so...

Joedryan

Ructions :)

Was not going to comment but as I DID play in Leinster leagues for more years than I care to imagine and was also on the committee for some time, re-arranging games is a particularly Irish thing, which I never liked, and I think should simply be done away with. I know, I know , I know, people up in arms, but its really not on in this day and age. Somebody cant play get a sub or somebody up from the B team.

Awaiting pelters :)

cdeb

I actually agree with that. I think we're just too nice here (but not biased). Very hard to fully do away with it if two teams are agreeable.

Joedryan

But that's the point, neither team should be allowed to be "agreeable" is what creates the problem.

Think of up and coming junior players, as a kid I was forced to not play games on the proper day, which was in itself bizarre, in those days we had adjournments which is a whole different story I have a million stories there of Senior adult players trying to twist your arm to agree to a draw etc

In these days all should be clear and above board, all players play the same day, etc.

Sorry if sounds tough, but thats what needs to happen

cdeb

Often it's the juniors requesting the changes so they can play a different tournament as well!

It's one thing saying to an opposition captain you can't change, but it's harder saying it to your own players. Then you're hurting the team's chances by not putting the strongest team out.

(And again - I do agree it's much better with all games at the same time)

Joedryan

Well I don't ever remember as a junior requesting that ever, in fact I can say it never ever happened for certain.

It shouldn't be a question of hurting the team, all teams play the schedule and if there are conflicts notify the LCU in advance to avoid, I really don't see the issue.

This will happen, its just a question of dragging the old fogies died in the mud types into the new reality, its the up and coming juniors need to be respected more than those (sorry but its true!)

sodacat11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120232089#Comment_120232089

I guess if you were board 3 it wasn't a very strong team🤣

spidersweb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120237326#Comment_120237326

I seem to recall that at some point the LCU got it right by having the simple and correct system that required that all matches must be completed by the date of the actual match. That allows for teams to make agreements IN ADVANCE if there are issues playing on a given date. It could and should be that simple.

If there was the will and absolute strict adherence to all results being decided on or before the date of a match it would work very well. If teams can’t abide then let them just lose the points, end of story.

The current system is just bad for everyone overall. Just play and have all matches done, on or and, before the date of each match.

sodacat11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120249692#Comment_120249692

This all makes perfect sense so it is very unlikely that the Leinster Chess Union will follow any of the advice given.

I see now that some teams in the Armstrong have only played 6 games while others have player 8. No prizes for guessing which teams got the preferential treatment.

sodacat11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120238251#Comment_120238251

Another perfectly sensible comment !!

macelligott

Does anyone know the result of Armstrong R8 Gonzaga “A” v Malahide played yesterday?

cdeb

It's updated there - 4-2 to Gonzaga, with two games adjourned due to the Checkmates competition (one player from each team involved)

sodacat11

I'm surprised that all round eight games weren't postponed to honour the involvement of a Gonzaga and a malahide player in the Checkmates competition. Pity that the same courtesy wasn't extended to Rathmines when we had players away at an event in Prague but there ya go.

RooksPawn

When I was a captain in the London league for a few seasons, all matches were played on the scheduled dates at the scheduled time and if you didn't have a full team, tough.

If the LCU are unable to run the Leinster Leagues on that basis with no exceptions and no postponements, then for the Armstrong let's move to an ICU-run national league played on set weekends which is also the qualifier for the European Club Cup, and let LCU run the lower divisions in whatever messy way they prefer.

macelligott

Armstrong Cup 2022/23

Is this a foregone conclusion?

1st Gonzaga A

last Bray/Greystones.

cdeb

Elm Mount 1½ behind and they meet in the last round and have a much easier round 10?

I think you're playing mind games to suggest the title is over!

KnightFromHell

Does anyone know why the Armstrong isn't being Fide rated? Last time was round 6 and round 10 has been played? Its not in for this month either

cdeb

There's a new player with no FIDE record or details in the file I believe.

Being sorted, but these things throw up delays sometimes

KnightFromHell

Just it's crazy games that were played in late February and March aren't rater yet but happens I suppose.