Heidenfeld Trophy 2017/2018

Bray 3-5 Inchicore

Lucan 0-8 Blanchardstown

Rathmines A 3 Rathmines B 5

Blanchardstown 5.5 - 2.5 Rathmines B

Rd1: Gonzaga 4.5 - 3.5 Celbridge, both teams using a number of subs.

My first game as captain, and now I feel sorry for all other captains. Some league rules need some overhaul/clarifications. Gonzaga hadn't declared their lower division teams before using subs in the Armstrong, so that meant they are autodeclared for the Armstrong team, an admin error on their part, which I advised their captain to sort out it with controller before we played to avoid chaos, as one of Armstrong subs was <1200 meaning no lower division team could have had a player rated more than 1350 [mind you that player still isn't showing as declared on lower team yet, but that could just be waiting approval]. Waiting until after the game and making a claim would have been horrible for the number of young players there, and I only read the rules in full as I was freaking about the rules for subs for my team as we will only have enough players after December, so the admin oversight is easy to make.

And then on board 2 neither player was aware that you had to record at all times in Fischer time controls, and while our player did record, neither I or Gonzaga's captain for the night were sure if a captain can point it out in the absence of an arbiter [final round games only]. With the penalty for interfering in a game are far greater than the loss of one point I just let it go, to check with controller before the next game. Having read the rules again today, I don't think there's a point to making an appeal as it wasn't raised by our player during the game.

Section 12 of the FIDE competition rules "Team Captain's Role in Team competitions" aren't really relevant for the Leinster leagues, as they all involve contact via an arbiter, so we may need to clarify them in the LCU league rules.

Rathmines B 4.5 Celbridge 3.5

Inchicore 5.5 - 2.5 Lucan last night.
A late night. Some tough games. Lucan were missing 2 of their top 3 boards so we were lucky enough.

Rathmines B 3.5 - 4.5 Inchicore
Lucan 6 - 2 Phibsboro

Arguably a bit of an opportunity missed by Inchicore to challenge the big 3.
Lucan on the comeback trail! They won’t be easy opposition for the 2nd half of the season.

Inchicore 3.5-4.5 Blanchardstown

Elm Mount 5.5 Rathmines A 2.5

I hear there was a bit of a shock between Phibsboro and Blanchardstown.
4.5-2.5 to Phibsboro with one game to be played.

Lucan 5-3 Bray/Greystones. Decent win for Lucan and means there's 5 points separating the bottom 7. Ballinasloe have a chance to get out of that group today with a win today.

Gonzagga 4.5 - 3.5 Dun Laoghaire

Phibsboro 5 -3 Celbridge

Bray 4 Rathmines B 4

We let some strong positions slip and Bray battled back very well to get a deserved draw.

Blanchardstown 6.5 - 1.5 Bray/Greystones