Competitions in the 2015-16 Season
Torbay Chess League
In the 2015-16 season, we are entering teams in the Torbay Chess League Division 1 and Division 3, and also the Rapidplay League and the Knockout competition. Fixtures, match results and reports are posted on this website.
Click here to view the Torbay Chess League Competition Rules in Adobe Reader format (.pdf).
Internal Club Leagues
The Club runs two league divisions. The top division is the Homan League; the second division is the Dunleavy League. Both divisions are named after former club members who did great service for the club. In each division, the format is all-play-all twice in the September - December period, after which there is relegation from the Homan and promotion from the Dunleavy. From January until the end of the season the all-play-all twice format is repeated. At the end of the season, the winner of the Homan League is the Club Champion and wins the Homan Cup. There is also a trophy for the player coming second on the Homan League. The winner of the Dunleavy League wins the Dunleavy Cup.
There is also a Challengers League in which two members can play each other on nights when they are not involved in a club match and are unable to arrange a game in the Homan/Dunleavy leagues. Finally, the M. Wray Shield is a league for the players who entered the preliminary round of the Cookworthy Cup (the club's knockout competition).
From September to December 2015, players are assigned to the main leagues as follows. The grades listed below are the ECF July 2015 grades.
Homan League
Dunleavy League
| Surname | First name | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Levy | Steven | 178 |
| Archer | David | 138 |
| Wilkinson | Ben | 124 |
| McConnell | Phil | 115 |
| Peach | Cliff | 105 |
| Ashby | Ken | 98 |
| Surname | First name | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Russell | Dennis | 127 |
| Fowler | James | 104 |
| Greenhalgh | Roy | 109 |
| Best | Barclay | 98 |
| Belli | John | 61 |
| Collins | Tony | 76 |
| Sweetman | Barry | 54 |
At the end of December 2015:
- The bottom two players in the Homan League - Cliff Peach (having withdrawn) and Ken Ashby - were relegated to the Dunleavy League.
- The top two players in the Dunleavy League - James Fowler and Dennis Russell - were promoted to the Homan League.
- Roy Greenhalgh (who finished third in the Dunleavy League) waived his right to a play-off against Phil McConnell (who finished fourth in the Homan league), as it was not clear how frequently he would be able to attend the club during the first few months of 2016. Barclay Best withdrew from the Dunleavy League for January to April 2016 due to other commitments.
As a result of the above, in January 2016 the newly-constituted Homan and Dunleavy Leagues started with a clean slate as follows.
Homan League
Dunleavy League
| Surname | First name | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Levy | Steven | 178 |
| Archer | David | 138 |
| Russell | Dennis | 127 |
| Wilkinson | Ben | 124 |
| McConnell | Phil | 115 |
| Fowler | James | 104 |
| Surname | First name | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Greenhalgh | Roy | 109 |
| Peach | Cliff | 105 |
| Ashby | Ken | 98 |
| Collins | Tony | 76 |
| Belli | John | 61 |
| Sweetman | Barry | 54 |
During January to April 2016 most of the players in the Homan League have a heavy commitment of Torbay League matches. It has therefore been decided that the Homan League for the second half of the season will take an "all play all once" format (not "all play all twice"), with colours for each game drawn on the night.
The club champion for the season will be determined by a two-game play-off between the players who finish first and second in the Homan League from January until the end of the season.
The allocation of players to the Homan and Dunleavy Leagues in the 2016-17 season will be determined by final standings at the end of the 2015-16 season (not by grades).
Cookworthy Cup
In addition to the leagues, our usual knockout competition, the Cookworthy Cup, will take place; details will be posted on this website once the first round draw has taken place.
ECF Grading
Games in the Torbay Chess League, Homan League, Dunleavy League, Challengers League, M. Wray Shield and Cookworthy Cup will all be graded.
Time Controls
For all graded games, each player must complete the first 35 moves in 75 minutes. After Black's 35th move, 15 minutes is added to each player's clock for a Quick Play finish.
Colours
In each half season of the Homan and Dunleavy Leagues, when opponents first play each other colours will be determined by toss. When the same two players meet for the second time, colours will be reversed.
In the Cookworthy Cup, for the first round of both the preliminary competition and main competition, colours will be determined when the draw is made. For subsequent rounds, colours will be determined by toss "on the night".
Administration
- Club members should wherever possible arrange their games in the internal club competitions in advance - ideally a week beforehand. Arranging games in the Homan and Dunleavy leagues takes priority over the Challengers League. You can record a pre-arranged game, and view all pre-arranged games, in the Members Area of this website.
- If any new members join part way through the season, Clifford may, at his discretion, allocate them to play in the Homan League or Dunleavy League.
- If your opponent requests a late start due to work commitments, please accommodate this request.
- Do not start a Challengers League game before 7:15pm, as the other internal competitions take priority; if a member arrives after 7:00pm, it is possible that his arrival will enable a game in one of these other competitions to take place that evening.
- A result book will be at the club, and results should entered into the book before players leave in the evening.
- Don't forget to check the website regularly for results!