Message sent out by KO Team Handicap Organiser Martin Simons, 20 February 2020

Well done to all teams, hope the matches were enjoyable and well played all winning teams!

You have now given me a bit of a headache as all the away teams won in emphatic style which means 2 teams will have to play away again in the semi-final.

The draw for the semi-final is ….

Poole v Weymouth

Highcliffe v Wimborne

As previously indicated, I have also ensured that teams have been paired against a different team than in any of their knockout matches played last season. Indeed, no team has played each other in the last 3 years.

 

The 1st named team has the choice of venue. Although Weymouth played away in the 1st round, its travelling distance was zero miles so it is been drawn away versus Poole! To determine which of Highcliffe and Wimborne had the home draw, I had to go back 2 years to see which team had played more home matches then! In this instance, Wimborne had played more so Highcliffe has been awarded the home venue!

Please can you ensure all matches are played by Friday, 10th April 2020. This gives you 7 weeks to play the match. Please remember that you can select a different average team grade for each of the rounds without penalty so this will mean there is no pressure to play the same 6 players as per first round and also gives each club more flexibility when selecting teams. The handicap system is designed to give clubs who play with a lower average team grade a sporting chance to win the match.

The captains and their emails are as follows:

Weymouth – Allan Pleasants ([email protected])

Poole – Ciprian Stanciu ([email protected])

Wimborne – Peter Wilcock ([email protected])

Highcliffe – Ron Salinger ([email protected])

Could all home captains please contact the away captain within 7 days to agree a date. Please can you let me have the agreed details once they are known so these can be added to LMS. Please also contact me if you are having any problems or if you have any questions.

I attach the latest set of rules and a match scoresheet (please familiarise yourselves with rule 7 on tie breaks). Please remember only grades at the start of the season are to be used (i.e. July 2019). If you can, please use only players with an ECF A to E grade as these are more reliable. If you intend to use a player with an F or local grade then please contact me prior to the match (we can then use the player’s January 2020 A to E grade or, if there isn’t one, an agreed estimated grade). Rule 3 has been amended to reflect this.

Match results can be reported on LMS and I am happy to receive the results too.

Finally, good luck.

Best wishes
Martin

 

Published as a post on the website 19 Feb’20: Wimborne continued the pattern for big scoring wins in the 1st round, succeeding 5.5-0.5 last night at Winton. Roy Egglington reports that Wimborne had needed to win at least 4.5-1.5 due to a significant grading advantage (872 to 741). Well done to both teams.

Since their successful move to Winton Liberal Club at the start of the season, Bournemouth’s membership and playing strength has grown – for example, they also had a “B” team playing away to New Milton “C” last night in B&D 5. And so did Wimborne, with their “C” taking on B&D 2 leaders New Milton “A”. As it happens, New Milton A and Bournemouth A have been the top 2 teams in B&D 2 nearly all season. New Milton A are unbeaten. Bournemouth A have only lost once – away to New Milton A. The teams meet in the return fixture next month.

 

This message below published by Martin Simons 10 Jan ’20 announcing the 1st round draw

8 club teams have entered which is great news, with a Southbourne club team potentially as reserve, but happy not to take part.

The draw for the 1st Round is …

Dorchester v Weymouth

Purbeck v Poole

Bournemouth v Wimborne

Ringwood v Highcliffe

Last year’s winners – Highcliffe

The 1st named team has the choice of venue.

In view of the likely traditional poorer winter weather conditions I have once again regionalised the pairings for the 1st round to help reduce travelling for the away team. I have also ensured that teams have been paired against a different team than in any of their knockout matches played last season.

Please can you ensure all matches are played by Friday, 28th February 2020. This gives you 7 weeks to play the match. Please remember that you can select a different average team grade for each of the rounds without penalty so this will mean there is no pressure to play the same 6 players in each round and also gives each club more flexibility when selecting teams. The handicap system is designed to give clubs who play with a lower average team grade a sporting chance to win the match.

Could all home captains please contact the away captain within 7 days to agree a date. Please can you let me have the agreed details once they are known so these can be added to LMS. Please contact me if you are having any problems or if you have any questions.

I attach the latest set of rules and a match scoresheet (please familiarise yourselves with rule 7 on tie breaks). Please remember only grades at the start of the season are to be used (i.e. July 2019). if you can, please use only players with an ECF A to E grade as these are more reliable. If you intend to use a player with an F or local grade then please contact me prior to the match (we can then use the player’s January 2020 A to E grade or, if there isn’t one, an agreed estimated grade). Rule 3 has been amended to reflect this.

Match results can be reported on LMS and I am happy to receive the results too.

 

The note immediately below was emailed by Martin Simons, the Tournament Controller to clubs Sunday, 29 Dec ’19

Dear all

Many congratulations to Highcliffe for winning the 2019 B&DCL Team Handicap Knockout tournament, although well done to Purbeck for reaching then competing well in the final and almost winning it.

The 2019 competition result can be found on LMS here … http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/31114/ktable

Could you please let me know by Thursday 9th January 2020 if your club wishes to enter a team for the 2020 B&DCL Team Handicap Knockout Cup competition which is open to all clubs in the B&DCL and Dorset County Chess Association league.

I attach the rules relating to the competition (Please click here: B&DCL Team Handicap Knockout Rules (revised 2020) )

To be consistent with the local leagues and to avoid any confusion the grades at the start of the 2019/20 season will be used. If a player is ungraded then their Jan 2020 grade will be used.

Ideally, I am looking for 8 teams.

If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Happy New Year

Kind regards
Martin Simons – Tournament Controller

==========================================

And here are previous posts for the last 2 years: 2018 & 2019

Posted 3 June ’19

B&D KO Handicap Final: Highcliffe had to make late team change with Ken Smith coming in. But it now meant they needed to win the match at least 3.5-2.5

Highcliffe meet Purbeck in the 2019 final

4 May: Martin Simons, in his Handicap KO Cup organiser role, has sent out the message below; followed by Richard Ursell’s reflections as the excitement builds

Thank you for completing the semi-final matches and well done to Highcliffe and Purbeck for winning their matches in some style.

The match results and reports can be found on the LMS link below.

Highcliffe (144) beat Poole (140) away 5.5 – 0.5 (required score 3 – 3) http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/37718

Purbeck (130) beat Weymouth (143) away 3.5 – 2.5 (required score 4 – 2 to Weymouth) http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/37717

So the final is Highcliffe v Purbeck.

The home venue for the final has been awarded to Highcliffe as both teams have played one match at home and one away so far in this year’s competition, also one match away in last year’s competition, but in 2017 Purbeck played two matches at home and one away whilst Highcliffe played one match at home and one match away. The teams also met in the semi-final in 2017 when Purbeck were at home.

However, so far in this year’s competition, the away team has won four times and the home team only twice, so is this advantage Purbeck and will there be a new club name on the trophy? The only time Highcliffe have won the trophy previously was in 2016 when they lost 5.5 – 0.5 in the final to Weymouth but Weymouth had to win 6 – 0! Will they use the same tactic of fielding a team with a low average grade in the final this year? Maybe Purbeck might do the same! Looking at the semi-final teams, Purbeck’s average grade may be lower.

===========

And Richard Ursell added these comments:-

Hi Mike

Just a quick update, the date has been set for 3rd June at Highcliffe, it will be known as the friendly final, Steve will be arranging live streaming with grand master commentary, it is likely that all boards will be closely graded. Rematches with Christian and Steve and Nick and me, John v Robert , Adam v Derek. Our last encounter was 3-3.Tickets to watch will be available from our box office, limited supply so book early !

Regards

Richard

8 March: Martin Simons reports after Round 1 of the 2019 B&DCL Handicap KO Cup

Dear all

There were some very exciting yet tense 1st round matches so well done to all players & captains for being so sporting and also well played Poole (reigning champions), Weymouth, Highcliffe and Purbeck for winning their matches.

The LMS link to all the match results including the dates when the matches were played can be found here:

http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/31114/efixtures

The match results with the LMS link covering individual results and the excellent commentaries are also given below:

Highcliffe 4½ – 1½ Southbourne (required score 3 – 3) http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/37484

Purbeck 3 – 3 Dorchester (required score 2½ – 3½) http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/37485

Wimborne 2 – 4 Weymouth (required score 2½ – 3½) http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/37479

Ringwood 1½ – 4½ Poole (required score 2 – 4) http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/37483

And the winner for the most comprehensive commentary and post-match analysis goes to … David Fuller (Poole)! Well done, David but also thank you to all captains for bringing their matches to life.

Semi – Final Draw (teams who were paired away in the previous round are now playing at home)

Weymouth v Purbeck

Poole v Highcliffe

The 1st named team has the choice of venue.

Team Captains:

Purbeck – Steve Peirson

Weymouth – Allan Pleasants

Poole – Ciprian Stanciu (please cc: Eric Sachs)

Highcliffe – Ron Salinger (please cc: Richard Ursell)

Please can you ensure all matches are played by Friday, 19th April 2019. This gives you just over 6 weeks to play the match. Please remember that you can use a different average team grade for the semi-final without penalty so this will mean there is no pressure to play the same 6 players.

Could all home captains please contact the away captain within 7 days to agree a date. Please contact me if you are having any problems or if you have any questions.

I attach a match scoresheet and the Team Handicap Knockout Cup rules.

Finally good luck!

Best wishes

Martin

15 Jan ’19: Martin Simons announces 1st round draw & asks that matches are played by 1st Mar ’19

Dear all

Thank you for entering a team for your club in this year’s competition.

Only 7 club teams have ‘formally’ entered but Pete has indicated that Ringwood might still be able to enter a team. As New Milton have not entered a team this year I am more than comfortable if Ringwood wish to ‘borrow’ players from New Milton (hence I have copied in Barry Jolly). However, accepting that Ringwood may not be able to raise a team, this could mean last year’s champions, Poole, receive a BYE. This would then be consistent with the World Championship where the current champion, Magnus Carlsen, only plays in the later stages!

The draw for the 1st Round is .

Ringwood v Poole

Wimborne v Weymouth

Highcliffe v Southbourne

Purbeck v Dorchester

The 1st named team has the choice of venue.

In view of the likely traditional poorer winter weather conditions I have once again regionalised the pairings for the 1st round to help reduce travelling for the away team. Also, I have ensured that teams have been paired against a different team than in any of the first rounds of the previous two years.

The captains are as follows:

Weymouth – Allan Pleasants
Dorchester – Mark Potter
Wimborne – Phil Wallace
Purbeck – Steve Peirson
Poole – Ciprian Stanciu
Highcliffe – Ron Salinger (please cc: Richard Ursell)
Southbourne – John Harris (please use the Southbourne Chess Club email)
Ringwood – Pete Donaldson (please cc: Martin Clancy)

Hopefully people’s email addresses will be obvious based on this distribution.

Please can you ensure all matches are played by Friday, 1st March 2019. This gives you just over 6 weeks to play the match. Please remember that you can select a different average team grade for each of the rounds without penalty so this will mean there is no pressure to play the same 6 players in each round and also gives each club more flexibility when selecting teams. The handicap system is designed to give clubs who play with a lower average team grade a sporting chance to win the match.

Could all home captains please contact the away captain within 7 days to agree a date. Please contact me if you are having any problems or if you have any questions.

I attach the latest set of rules and a match scoresheet (please familiarise yourselves with rule 7 on tie breaks). Please remember only grades at the start of the season are to be used (i.e. July 2018). if you can, please use only players with an ECF A to E grade as these are more reliable. If you intend to use a player with an F or local grade then please contact me prior to the match (we can then use the player’s January 2019 A to E grade or, if there isn’t one, an agreed estimated grade). Rule 3 has been amended to reflect this.

I am happy to receive the results and detailed match scoresheets by email.

Finally, good luck. May the best team win, or should that perhaps be lose & win for the lower average graded teams! But the main thing is that you all have enjoyable exciting matches.

Best wishes
Martin

Organiser Martin Simons sent out this email 31 Dec ’18 to announce the launch of the 2019 Team Handicap Knockout competition

Dear all

Congratulations to Poole for winning the 2018 B&DCL Team Handicap Knockout tournament and for holding onto to the trophy, although well done to Wimborne for reaching and then competing well in the final. I attach the results. Can Poole make it a hat-trick by winning again in 2019 which would also mean 4 wins in the 5 years?

Could you please let me know by Friday 11th January 2019 at the latest if your club wishes to enter a team for the 2019 B&DCL Team Handicap Knockout Cup competition. This is open to all clubs in the B&DCL and Dorset County Chess Association leagues.

I attach the rules relating to the competition and last year’s results. B&DCL Team Handicap Knockout Rules (revised 2015)

http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/10229/efixtures

To be consistent with the local leagues and to avoid any confusion the grades at the start of the 2018/19 season will be used.

Ideally, I am looking for 8 teams.

If you have any questions then please do not hesitate to contact me.

Happy New Year. Lots to look forward to in 2019.

Kind regards
Martin Simons – Tournament Controller

Organiser Martin Simons sent out the email below 2 June ’18 summarising another excellent KO Cup competition

Dear all

Well done to both Poole and Wimborne for producing an entertaining final played in a competitive, sporting and friendly manner. Also, many congratulations to Poole for winning it.

Poole Chess Club seems to have swept the board this season by winning 5 trophies out of the 7 leagues and cups they have competed in so well played Poole, probably the best season they have ever had, and possibly the best ever season for any club!

My understanding is that the Final went to the last individual match to finish so a very exciting yet tense affair.

Final: Wimborne (137) 2½ – 3½ Poole (140)

The full results have also been recorded on LMS on the link below.

http://ecflms.org.uk/lms/node/10229/efixtures

Interestingly enough, in this year’s competition, all the semi-final and final matches were won within a half point of the required score and that, in all 7 matches, the away team won 5!

My thanks to all captains and players for making this competition so exciting and so easy to manage.

Let’s hope next season’s competition is just as fun!

Hope you all have a great summer!

Best wishes

Martin

This post appeared on the website following the final on 23 May ’18

23 May. Played at Merley, home of Wimborne Chess Club.

Many congratulations to Poole who are the 2017/18 Team Handicap Champions. According to Poole’s non playing Captain Ciprian Stanciu it was a “very close match which went down to the final game“.

On aggregate scores, the teams were almost identical with Wimborne average 137 and Poole 140. So the average difference was <5 meaning if would have been decided by the tie break rules if the score was 3-3. But on the night Poole were the winners, albeit by the narrowest possible margin.

As the scoresheet alongside shows, 3 games were drawn and 3 ended decisively. Dave Fuller and Adam Jaggard were winners for Poole and Tim Joyce scored a full point for Wimborne.

The closeness of the final follows a pattern of extremely close matches in this brilliant competition which was devised by Martin Simons, who is also the Controller. Time and again the rules give lower graded teams a real chance.

But the night belonged to Poole and very well done to them! It is their 4th trophy so far this season in County & B&DCL competitions. And a word too for Wimborne who played their full part in making it such an exciting final!

Poole and Wimborne go head to head again tonight (24 May) in B&DCL Div 4. This is a rearranged match from 1 March when….. (would you believe!) snow caused postponement. Their respective D and E teams meet in a match which will decide who will be champions of this Division.

Sent out by Martin Simons

Team Handicap Controller’s Report at 14 April ’18

Dear all

Many thanks to all captains and teams for completing both semi-final matches on time.

These were tense, close and exciting affairs so well done all teams. The matches were also both drawn but, as we know, there are no such thing as drawn matches in the Knockout Cup.

Congratulations to Poole as it won its semi-final match against Dorchester on the tie break rules (as there was no handicap due to the average team grades being so close). Dorchester drew first blood on board 6 to take a 1-0 lead but then 3 consecutive wins on the top 3 boards secured Poole the match although great credit to the Dorchester team for winning the remaining 2 games to level the match.

In last night’s match, Southbourne needed to beat Wmborne 3½ – 2½ and after two hours play, were looking favourites leading 2½ – 1½ after 3 draws and a great win by James Forster on board 2. However, into the final hour and with the bottom 2 boards remaining, Wimborne then found an unlikely hero on board 6 with the lowest graded player across the two semi-finals, in the form of its secret weapon, Joseph Wikramaratna-Clarke (97). Against a much higher graded opponent, he found a neat tactic to sacrifice a Bishop to eliminate his opponent’s dangerous d-pawn which could not be taken as Joseph would then win it back with a series of checks. At 10.30pm, and with both players’ flags tottering, Joseph (Mr Calmness Personified) delivered checkmate to become Wimborne’s only individual winner in the match but, as the match on board 5 was drawn at about the same time, this was sufficient to take the Wimborne team through to the final. Real ‘Roy of the Rovers’ stuff!

So well played all teams for ensuring both semifinals were entertaining and for playing them in a competitive yet friendly and sporting manner.

Semi-Final Results (Individual scores attached):

Dorchester (140) 3 – 3 Poole (142)
Southbourne (147) 3 – 3 Wimborne (141)

Draw for the Final:

Wimborne v Poole

Both teams have played one match at home and one match away this season. Wimborne has been given the home draw for the final as it played its only match away last year whereas Poole played two matches at home (including the final) and one match away last year.

Based upon the previous matches this year, the average grades for both teams look similar and the tie break rules may again be required but will either team tactically go lower or higher for the final? As Eric Sachs has recently observed, this tournament is akin to a game of poker over 64 squares!

The captains / contacts are:
Wimborne – Phil Wallace (Phil is not the captain but will co-ordinate. Colin Wilson has also been copied in on this email).
Poole – Ciprian Stanciu (please copy in Eric Sachs)

Please can you ensure all matches are played by Friday, 25th May 2018. This gives you 6 weeks to play the match. Please remember that you can select a different set of players and average team grade for the semi-final without penalty so this will mean there is no pressure to play the same 6 players and also gives each club more flexibility when selecting teams. The handicap system is designed to give clubs who play with a lower average team grade a sporting chance to win the match.

Could the home captain please contact the away captain within 7 days to agree a date. Please contact me if you are having any problems or if you have any questions.

Once again, I attach the latest set of rules and a match scoresheet (please familiarise yourselves with rule 7 on tie breaks). I am happy to receive the result and detailed match scoresheet by email and/or you can enter the results on LMS.

Good luck to both Wimborne and Poole in the final!

Martin

=============================

Sent out by Martin Simons

Team Handicap Controller’s Report at 1 March ’18

Thank you for completing all your 1st round matches ahead of time and just before the snow blizzards arrived. That’s excellent timing! All matches appeared to be tense and close. In particular, the Wimborne v Purbeck match played last night was very exciting with the required score only just being achieved. Well played all winning teams. Hope all losing teams enjoyed their matches and we look forward to seeing you next year.

1st Round Results – winning teams underlined (Please see below for the detailed results)

Weymouth (141) 2 – 4 Dorchester (137) … No Handicap

Wimborne (141) 3½ – 2½ Purbeck (133) … Wimborne were required to win by 3½ – 2½

Poole (135) 4½ – 1½ Highcliffe (128) … Poole were required to win by 3½ – 2½

New Milton (127) 1½ – 4½ Southbourne (136) … Southbourne were required to win by 3½ – 2½

Semi-final draw

Dorchester v Poole …. a repeat of last year’s semi-final clash but this time Dorchester are at home and have a chance to seek revenge.

Southbourne v Wimborne

The captains are as follows: Dorchester – Mark Potter, Wimborne – Peter Wilcock, Poole – Ciprian Stanciu (please copy in Eric Sachs), Southbourne – John Harris (please use the Southbourne Chess Club email) Hopefully people’s email addresses will be obvious based on this distribution.

Please can you ensure all matches are played by Friday, 13th April 2018. This gives you just over 6 weeks to play the match. Please remember that you can select a different set of players and average team grade for the semi-final without penalty so this will mean there is no pressure to play the same 6 players and also gives each club more flexibility when selecting teams. The handicap system is designed to give clubs who play with a lower average team grade a sporting chance to win the match.

Could all home captains please contact the away captain within 7 days to agree a date. Please contact me if you are having any problems or if you have any questions. Once again, I attach the latest set of rules and a match scoresheet (please familiarise yourselves with rule 7 on tie breaks as the average grades used in the 1st round were similar amongst all teams). I am happy to receive the results and detailed match scoresheets by email and/or you can enter the results on LMS.

Good luck! Martin

1st Round result details are below (pl click to enlarge)

Please click to open Knockout rules: BDCL Team Handicap Knockout Rules (revised 2015) pdf

Please click to open score sheet: B&DCL Match Score Sheet pdf