2023 Summer Chess League

The Idea

The Inaugural B&DCL Summer Chess League was run for the first time last summer to provide an opportunity to play friendly, relaxing, social chess in an outdoor setting (i.e. pub!).

Clubs are again invited to take part in this year’s summer competition.

Ringwood, Highcliffe, Poole & Southbourne teams took part last year enjoying the outdoor pleasant surroundings, chess and a friendly drink!

Format

To maintain maximum flexibility, and deliver a chess festival type experience the formalities are to be kept to a minimum. There are no rules, no restriction on the number of players in each team, no set time controls and due to the possibility of outside interference (from the weather and other non-chess players), the games will not be rated.

These are the suggested guidelines …

Each team to play each other once or twice depending on the number of team entrants.

It is hoped many of these matches can be played outdoors, perhaps in pub gardens … weather permitting!

It is expected that all matches to be held on a Monday evening across June & July as this is when the venues should be less busy.

There will be no restriction on the number of players in each team. Match captains to agree in advance.

Guest players from other clubs are permitted to take part and players can also play for more than one team as it is the playing rather than winning that counts.

All games will be unrated.

Match captains to agree on the logistics of each match but suggest a start time of around 7.15pm and a time control of 45 minutes + 15 second increments to avoid any daylight issues (and to help juniors play on a school night).

Last Summer’s Matches & Results

There was a friendly atmosphere at all the matches and a great opportunity to socialise before, during and after the games.

Luckily, there was no rain and we were pleased that the weather, on the whole, over the 5 outdoor matches (1 match was held in indoors), was very favourable – Indeed, on the middle of the 3 scheduled evenings, the weather was glorious.

The League was made even more exciting as all teams could come top or bottom going into the 3rd and final round of fixture!