The Art of County Team Secretaryship
( 0r, How to avoid the mistakes I have made .)

•  I have been asked in the past for some suggestions on how to organise and conduct county matches. The following are a few thoughts based on the experience of some team captains.

•  Never, ever leave things to the last minute. As soon as the fixtures are known, get your venue organised, and your squad sorted out.

•  Venue: This should be quiet, preferably big enough to take 16 boards. Stewart Reuben suggests that for 32 players, 96 square metres is a minimum requirement. Good lighting, good access to loos are musts. If the venue is up a set of stairs, then you MUST ensure that the opposition and yourself do not have players with mobility problems. If such a player is present, and the visiting team must notify the home team in good time if they are bringing such a player, then arrangements must be made for that game to be in an equivalently good room. Playing in a public bar is a definite NO NO.

•  Equipment. I suggest that 18 sets, boards and clocks together with 40 scoresheets are provided (14 for U100 matches). The extra equipment is for clock breakdowns, and to provide spare sets and boards in case there is a contested draw by repetition claim. (That happened when I was playing the late John Robinson in a match. We had to stop ours and then restart it after finding that the claim was in error.)

•  Refreshments. Providing luxurious repasts is not necessary. I would regard as a minimum free tea, coffee and squash with some biscuits. If there is access to a bar, then so much the better, but free refreshments should also be available

•  Setting the match up. If you are at home, contact your opposing capt 3-4 weeks in advance giving the location of the venue, post code and maps. You are required to copy me in as well. The visiting captain should acknowledge receipt, and copy me in.

•  I would recommend that you start to organise your team at least 3 weeks before the match, and ideally have players on standby in case of mother in law visits, flu, disasters at work, lottery wins etc. I would also suggest that reminders are given by phone a few days before the match. Chess players have a tendency to forget the dates of matches.

•  For away matches or neutral venues, ensure that players from the same geographical area who are intended to travel together, have each others contact details, and that drivers have details of where the venue is & what time they need to be there. Also make sure players are clear about venues & start times for home matches, especially if you are not using a chess club venue or are not at one commonly used for county matches. It is also a good idea for you to have a contact number for at least one player in each car in case of mishaps.

•  If a neutral venue is called for, then start making the arrangements at least 6 weeks before the scheduled date. I will do what I can to help here.

•  Please ensure you are familiar with the county team rules, where problems arise it is often because of ignorance of the rules. Of particular note - ungraded players should be cleared with the controller BEFORE they play.

•  Conduct of the match. It was a saying in Mid-Wales where I started playing county chess, that if Tom had the only copy of the match sheet, Tom would be the last to arrive. I suggest that at least 3 different cars have copies of the board order so as not to cause delays. Please ensure that as many people as possible know the mobile numbers of others travelling, and the home captain's phone number. This will ensure that if we do hit the great English hobby, roadworks, at least people know what is happening.

•  When the match starts, SWITCH THE MOBILES phones OFF or to silent. If they ring, you lose. Some do not approve of that, but that is the law and it does disturb players, especially in time trouble. The clocks should be placed so that they are visible to other players. Clocks do not go on white's left hand side. They go where the arbiter says. (Art 6.4 of the Laws of Chess). If anyone can see them, it saves problems later.

•  Two things which often occur. At present, if you have less than 5 minutes left on your clock, you do not have to keep score. But, if that is the first time control, you must bring your score sheet up to date in your time after the time control is reached. If it is your opponent who has less than 5 minutes, you must continue to keep score until you have less than 5 minutes left.

•  If you have less than 2 minutes in the final team control, you have the right, if it is your move, to stop the clocks and claim a draw on the grounds that either your opponent cannot win by normal means or is not trying to win by normal means. If there is an arbiter present, he or she can give a decision then or later. There is no appeal against that decision If no arbiter is present then the game ends there and then and an up to date score sheet with the current position must be sent to the controller for a decision, If the claim succeeds then the game is a draw. If the claim fails, the claimant loses the game.

•  If things go pear shaped make sure the controller and the other captain are contacted. If you have to pull your team out of a match make sure that you actually speak to your opposite number and to the controller, or failing that another officer from that county – see the rules on this matter,

This page written by Cyril & Julie Johnson. Published 24 September 2009