Clan Leagues

@russ said
I'm happy to explore any ideas.

Currently, I'm planning to "sunset" (retire) the clan leagues as they stand now. All code adds complexity and a maintenance overhead, so if it isn't really used, it is helpful to throw it away.

Something less ambitious in scope that can function with fewer clans participating would be ideal initially.

edit : We can do this by thrashing out a few ideas with sticking points going to a vote.

That's great news. The same quick to enter and quick to start formula as the individual tournaments on the site would be fantastic.

I also wonder whether making at least some open to non-clan affiliated fours (as well as the clans) might create the possibility that they form a new clan if they like the experience of being a team.

The main reason the clan leagues don't work very well is the difference in individual match ups as has been stated.
One way to circumvent this and run a "realistic" league competition would be to form "temporary" clans as I did on through the forum a few years ago.The main bugbear was having to have players mount challenges through open invites which was cumbersome as each player had to make sure their settings were compatible with the challenges.Once the competition was up and running it worked quite well.
Here's how it could work:-
We start a thread to find how many would be interested.
The players are then assigned a team based on ratings-probably t.e.r - that are "balanced" as close as possible e.g if there are 6 teams of 4 the 6 highest rated player would be separated ,and so on so the best players/2nd best etc always play the best/2nd best etc of the other teams.
I suppose the time scale would have to be standard across the board or it could get too confusing.
Points would be awarded as now,although a points difference element similar to goal difference could be incorporated as an extra "stat" to be used in the event of teams on equal points at the end of the "season"
Each player plays 2 games against an opponent in every other team as in the present format.
I think Russ would have to set it up as a separate feature(keeping track on the forum and asking players to send me their results was too time consuming when I did it that way), and possibly instead of the leagues as they are now which everyone agrees are dead in the water

@venda said
The main reason the clan leagues don't work very well is the difference in individual match ups as has been stated.
One way to circumvent this and run a "realistic" league competition would be to form "temporary" clans as I did on through the forum a few years ago.The main bugbear was having to have players mount challenges through open invites which was cumbersome as each pla ...[text shortened]... ay), and possibly instead of the leagues as they are now which everyone agrees are dead in the water

I like it and would be willing to give it a try.

Unfortunately I didn't get involved back a few years ago, wish I had now.

Of course Russ would have to approve and be involved in this to make it work right?

I am retired as I was then and have lots of time on my hands for chess as a rule. Perhaps a separate rating from the other ratings, or we are back we started from. It would have to have its own rating to work in my humble opinion. Too much sandbagging going on right now in the clans as far as I am concerned.

Also certain clans give other clans easy challenges, while holding other Clans up so they can't start new challenges. mghrn55 had a few good ideas on that but still wouldn't solve the sandbagging issues, and being bias giving only certain clans Challenges.

-VR

@very-rusty said
We need a list of how many would be interested.

I know I would be.

-VR

I'm up for it. Once we nail down the specifics I can explain it to my team. They won't mind as long as they can keep competing. I just like keeping them in the loop.

But this all sounds like a great Idea from you guys. Lstcyr, Venda, Very Rusty, Al, Relentless Red and the rest. My apologies on those I missed, not intentional.

I would like to hear from more leaders. But I'm in. All great Idea's everyone.