MID-SUSSEX CHESS LEAGUE

 

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

 

Held on Monday 24th May 2010 at 7:30pm

Main Hall, Luxford Centre, Library Way, Uckfield, TN22 1AR.

 

Present:

Doug Stevenson  (Chairperson/Treasurer)

Sue Chadwick  (Secretary)

Don Grant  (Match Recorder & Knock-Out Cup Tournament Controller)

Julie Denning  (Sussex Grader, Web Editor & Fixtures Secretary)

Jim Graham, Paul Kington, Dennis Collard (Argumentatives)

Paul Selby, Simon Hayward (Brighton& Hove)

Jonathan Tuck, David Fryer, Graham Salmon (Crowborough)

Vince Ellis, John Moore, John Herbert (Eastbourne)

Suzanne Marshall (East Grinstead)

Richard Almond, Joe Sharp, Martyn Shorrocks, Paul Buswell, Bill Penfold (Hastings & St Leonards)

David Roberts, Anthony Higgs, Ian Comley, Peter Harbott, Mark Baldock, Simon Wingett (Horsham)

Matthew Britnell, Barry Maufe, Keith Osboune (Lewes)

Felix Kwiatkowski, David Langridge (St Francis & Haywards Heath)

Sue Carter, Ken Swanton (Uckfield)

 

1. Apologies:

Robert Elliston (Sussex Adjudications Secretary)

Woodpushers

 

2.  Minutes of 2009 AGM approved.

 

3.  Secretary’s Report  n/a

 

4. Treasurer’s Report  (see appendix i)

 

Doug Stevenson presented his Income and Expenditure Account for year ended 31st March 2010. Two or three extra teams had meant an extra cost in team fees which can’t be claimed until next year. Also having our own web host costs an extra 50p per club. Match cards are still required although we should look at phasing them out. The accounts were unanimously approved. An increase in subs to £27.50 per team was also unanimously approved.

 

5. Fixtures Secretary’s Report  (see appendix ii)

 

6. Match Recorder’s Report

 

Division 1: Towards the end of the season the title looked likely to be Lewes 1 as their last game was home to Crowborough 2 who were already relegated with only one win but Crowborough hadn’t read the script and escaped with a surprise win 3-2. Horsham 1 grabbed their chance and won their last game at home against Worthing 1 to clinch the title. 

Division 2: Eastbourne 1 were relegated three years ago and have won division 2 two consecutive years but declined promotion last season. East Grinstead 1 dropped out before the season started.

Division 3: was won by the Argumentatives.

Division 4: was won by Woodpushers 2. Clarendon Bumbles had to withdraw after only five matches due to lack of transport.

Handicap Knock Out: Woodpushers were originally given a bye but agreed to play Clarendon Bumbles who joined after official date. Crowborough withdrew their two teams before the first round due to selection problems. Horsham (1054) beat St. Francis and Haywards Heath (966) 4-2 (grading difference of 88).

 

7. County Adjudication Secretary’s Report

 

The adjudication panel had only six positions to consider this season, compared to eleven in 08/09. Perhaps it was the QPF option that reduced the number. Again cheques were made out in error to the MSL instead of SCCA. One claimant thought the procedure too complicated. If necessary Robert Elliston can offer advice on how to submit a claim.

(tel. 01-580-200609 or robertvelliston@aol.com).

 

David Fryer queried whether paper submissions are still necessary. (Robert Elliston was not present to answer.)

 

8. Presentation of Trophies

 

Div.1: Horsham 1. Div.2: Eastbourne 1. Div 3: Argumentatives. Div.4: Woodpushers 2.

Best match average overall: Andrew Chesworth and Peter Farr both on 7½/8.

Div.1: James Mansson 7½/9.  Div.2: Feliks Kwiatkowski 7/8.  Div.3: Peter Farr 7/8.

Div. 4: Murali Ramachandran 7/7.

Knock Out: Horsham

 

9. Election of Officers

 

The following were unanimously approved to continue in their current posts:

 

Chairman: Doug Stevenson

Secretary: Sue Chadwick

Fixtures Secretary: Julie Denning

Treasurer: Doug Stevenson

Match Recorder: Don Grant

Web Editor: Julie Denning

Auditor: John Herbert

 

10. SCCA Matters relating to the League and its Clubs

 

Julie Denning said more people were urgently needed to run things, particularly as Douglas Opie was resigning next month. The SCCA AGM is to be held on 24th July.

 

Paul Selby, the non-playing captain of the Sussex Open team, reported that the team had won the Southern Counties Championship and was going on to compete in the national stages. They had a 12-4 win against Warwickshire and were now in the semi-final to play Staffordshire on June 19th.

 

Julie Denning said the Under 140 team had come third in the Southern region and lost to Yorkshire in the quarter final.

 

11.  Management Committee’s proposals for rule changes on nominations

 

4.1.2   .... a minimum of its next 4 strongest players for its second team. ........... a minimum of its next 4 strongest players for its 3rd team, and so on.

 

Passed by a large majority with 3 against.

 

4.2.2   .... may appear on a match score card twice for higher teams....... Upon appearing on a match score card a 3rd time for any higher team.....

 

John Herbert proposed an amendment so that ‘twice’ would become instead ‘three times’ and ‘3rd time’ would become instead ‘4th time’. This was passed with 17 for and 6 against.

 

New 4.1.3  It is recognised that a player’s grade may not be the best guide to current form. However, the Management Committee may require changes to be made where there is sufficient discrepancy  between gradings and nomination order.

 

This point was left to be covered by the Guidance Notes to be published on the website.

 

12. Management Committee’s proposals for rule changes on defaults

 

 6.2  A team that postpones or rearranges a match other than in accordance with Rule 2.6 or has insufficient players....

 

Passed unanimously.

 

13. Management Committee’s proposals for interpretation of rules

 

New rule 8.1 (ie before the  current 8.1)  The FIDE laws apply in general and the MC will utilise the version produced by the Chess Arbiters Association for interpretation of the various aspects of these laws in the context of the MSCL.

 

Passed with 18 for and 6 against.

 

14. Brighton and Hove’s proposal to extend the playing season to 14th May and hold the AGM in June

 

‘14th May‘ to replace ‘15th April’ in rule 2.1 and ‘June’ to replace ‘May’ in rule 14.1

 

Passed by a large majority with 6 against.

 

15. Horsham’s proposal to increase first teams to six boards

 

5.1 Teams in the first division shall have 6 boards. Five-board matches shall be played in all other divisions.

 

 Defeated with 10 for and 13 against.

 

4.1.1 Each club entering two teams where at least one team is in the first division must nominate a minimum of its 5 strongest players for its first team. If the club does not have a team in the first division it must nominate a minimum of its 4 strongest players for its first team.

 

 Not relevant as dependant on success of previous proposal.

 

16. If 15. is rejected then Management Committee’s proposal to abolish second division winners’ option to decline promotion.

 

1.3  From season to season, promotion and relegation shall operate on a two-up, two-down basis across all divisions. Each team that wins promotion must take their place in the higher division next season, (DELETE with the exception of teams in the second division, who may decline promotion.) Other adjustments may also be made by the Management Committee from time to time as teams enter or withdraw from the League.

 

Passed with 13 for and 3 against.

 

17. Vote on whether to hold 2011 AGM in Uckfield or Lewes

 

A clear majority were in favour of Lewes over Uckfield.

 

AOB: Additional Proposals by Hastings and St Leonards Chess Club

 

i)                It is proposed that where any club has in recent seasons travelled farther to any other club for away matches than it would now have to travel to Hastings or Bexhill, it should in future be prepared to play its respective away matches at the home venues of those two clubs.

ii)              It is noted that Rule 2.3 already states: “If a club does not wish to travel for an away match, it may ask for the match to be played at a ‘half-way-house’ venue and it shall then be responsible for all arrangements and costs.”  It is further proposed to amend Rule 2.3 by adding: “except that where the distance between clubs is more than 40 miles, the costs of such alternative venue shall be shared by the home and the away club, with the arrangements for the venue still being made by the latter.”

 

A discussion about motion i) included the improvement in the roads to Hastings and the issue of parking near the Hastings Club. Paul Buswell said all the travelling was difficult for the Hastings Club and the club might reduce the number of teams in the league or go elsewhere. Hastings and St Leonards had prepared a list of travelling distances between clubs to illustrate the points of both motions. In order to simplify the issue an amendment was proposed that all clubs should be treated the same, ie that all home matches be played at the home venue for all clubs. This vote was won 16 in favour and 7 against. However this motion had not been the one circulated before the meeting and an objection was raised. The vote therefore moved straight to motion i) which fell with 9 votes for and 11 against.

 

The compromise motion ii) also fell with 3 in favour and 11 against.

 

Hastings and St Leonards will look at this again.

 

Sue Chadwick, Secretary MSCL