Four Nations Chess League 1997/98
The 1997/98 season was the fifth season of the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL) and at the same time the first in which the competition was divided into two leagues, namely Division 1 and Division 2. The first twelve of the previous year were for the Division 1 qualified.
The defending champion Midland Monarchs gave only one draw and was thus superior champions. The last three of the table had to be relegated, and these were the South Wales Dragons , Northumbria and Guildford, the latter being level with Bristol ninth on team and board points and only losing out due to the defeat in direct comparison.
For the team cadres see the Four Nations Chess League 1997/98 team roster .
Dates and venues
The competitions took place on October 25 and 26, November 22 and 23, 1997, January 24 and 25, March 21 and 22 and May 23, 24 and 25, 1998. The first two rounds were played at Telford , third and fourth at Kenilworth , the rest in Birmingham .
Closing table
| Pl. | society | Sp | G | U | V | MP | Board P. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Midland Monarchs (M) | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 21: 1 | 60.0: 28.0 |
| 2. | Invicta Knights Maidstone | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 18: 4 | 57.0: 31.0 |
| 3. | Slough | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 18: 4 | 54.5: 33.5 |
| 4th | Wood Green | 11 | 8th | 0 | 3 | 16: 6 | 54.0: 34.0 |
| 5. | Barbican Chess Club | 11 | 7th | 0 | 4th | 14: 8 | 50.0: 38.0 |
| 6th | Richmond | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 11:11 | 43.0: 45.0 |
| 7th | British Chess Magazine | 11 | 5 | 0 | 6th | 10:12 | 46.0: 42.0 |
| 8th. | North West Eagles | 11 | 3 | 1 | 7th | 7:15 | 40.0: 48.0 |
| 9. | Bristol | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8th | 6:16 | 35.0: 53.0 |
| 10. | Guildford | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8th | 6:16 | 35.0: 53.0 |
| 11. | Northumbria | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8th | 4:18 | 26.0: 62.0 |
| 12. | South Wales Dragons | 11 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1:21 | 27.5: 60.5 |
decisions
| British Masters: Midland Monarchs | |
| Relegated to Division 2: Guildford, Northumbria, South Wales Dragons | |
| (M) | Last season champions |
|---|
Crosstab
| Results | 1. | 2. | 3. | 4th | 5. | 6th | 7th | 8th. | 9. | 10. | 11. | 12. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Midland Monarchs | 6th | 4½ | 5 | 6½ | 4th | 4½ | 5½ | 5 | 6½ | 6th | 6½ | |
| 2. | Invicta Knights Maidstone | 2 | 3½ | 4½ | 5½ | 5½ | 4½ | 4½ | 6½ | 6th | 7th | 7½ | |
| 3. | Slough | 3½ | 4½ | 4½ | 3½ | 6½ | 5 | 4½ | 5 | 6th | 6½ | 5 | |
| 4th | Wood Green | 3 | 3½ | 3½ | 4½ | 5½ | 4½ | 7th | 5 | 4½ | 7½ | 5½ | |
| 5. | Barbican Chess Club | 1½ | 2½ | 4½ | 3½ | 5½ | 4½ | 5½ | 6½ | 5½ | 3 | 7½ | |
| 6th | Richmond | 4th | 2½ | 1½ | 2½ | 2½ | 6th | 2½ | 5 | 4½ | 6½ | 5½ | |
| 7th | British Chess Magazine | 3½ | 3½ | 3 | 3½ | 3½ | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6½ | 6th | 4½ | |
| 8th. | North West Eagles | 2½ | 3½ | 3½ | 1 | 2½ | 5½ | 3 | 5½ | 3½ | 4th | 5½ | |
| 9. | Bristol | 3 | 1½ | 3 | 3 | 1½ | 3 | 3 | 2½ | 5 | 5 | 4½ | |
| 10. | Guildford | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 3½ | 2½ | 3½ | 1½ | 4½ | 3 | 6½ | 4½ | |
| 11. | Northumbria | 2 | 1 | 1½ | ½ | 5 | 1½ | 2 | 4th | 3 | 1½ | 4th | |
| 12. | South Wales Dragons | 1½ | ½ | 3 | 2½ | ½ | 2½ | 3½ | 2½ | 3½ | 3½ | 4th | |
The championship team
| 1. | Midland Monarchs |
 |
Mark Hebden , Jonathan Parker , Jonathan Rowson , Keith Arkell , Matthew Turner , Adam Collinson, Mark Ferguson , Andrew Webster , Brian Kelly , Harriet Hunt , Lawrence Cooper , Donald Mason, Michael Barnes, Lee Grinsell, Natasha Regan . |
Web links
- Final score at the 4NCL
- Overview at olimpbase.org (English)