Thanks to all of you who have commented on these issues, either here in email or in the captains forum. We think the way forward is as follows:

Player names

We all agree that players in a match should know who they are playing, it is only the method that is in question. Some are happy to update their chess.com profile, others emphatically not, but happy to give their names in the chat before each match.

Let captains use whatever method they and their team are comfortable with.

Match teams

The league is a competition, but if our primary aim is to have fun and play chess online in the absence of OTB chess then we want captains to involve as many players as possible and balance the teams as far as possible. To do that they need to know who they are playing.

Some captains are able to name their team well in advance, others are not in a position to do so until near the match start. Either way there may be late changes.

Let captains work in their own way on the understanding that they will name their team at the earliest opportunity.

Player grades

If captains are to balance the teams, and apply any grading restrictions, they need to know the grades of the opposing team.

Some captains would prefer to leave things as they stand and use the ECF 3-digit gradings defined in the league rules.

Others see that it would be much simpler to use the chess.com rapid ratings. They are directly available on the match screen and every player has one. They are ELO based so roughly equivalent to ECF ratings and appear accurate enough for most players.

Let's use them. Looking at various conversion formulae, and rounding up, we propose to replace the 155 restriction with 1850, and the 130 restriction with 1700.

Any impact of the change should not be a problem if we regard the grading restrictions as a means to ensure balanced matches. We have already said in the rules that captains may relax the restrictions by mutual agreement.

Let's trust that captains will make every effort to keep within the grading restrictions. If a captain feels their team has been disadvantaged by a breach the league rule on arbitration should suffice.

Broadland B Team

Super Admins

Admins