Most English club chess is played on weeknights, in local leagues. The Four Nations Chess League, the 4NCL, is different: a national team league played over weekends, with games that are rated and teams that range from grandmasters to club players having their first go at weekend chess. Here is how it works.
What it is
The 4NCL is a team league for clubs and teams from across Britain. It runs from autumn to spring, with several divisions and promotion and relegation between them. The top division includes many of the strongest players in the country; the lower divisions are full of ordinary club players.
Matches are played over a handful of weekends in the season, usually at hotels or conference venues. Teams in a division often play at the same venue on the same weekend, which gives it the feel of a congress as much as a league.
How a weekend works
A typical weekend has a round on Saturday and another on Sunday, with a longer time control than most weeknight leagues. Games are rated, usually by FIDE as well as the ECF, so a player without a FIDE ID will need one. Teams field a set number of boards, which can differ between divisions. The league's own rules for the current season are the place to check how many, and in what order.
Weekend chess is tiring. Two long games in two days is a different test from one game on a Tuesday evening, and many players find their second game the harder one. Sleep, eat properly between rounds, and do not spend the Saturday evening analysing until midnight.
Who plays
Clubs enter teams, and so do groups of friends from different clubs. A strong club might have teams in several divisions; a smaller one might share a team with a neighbour. Players are mixed in strength, and it is common to play someone much stronger or much weaker than you in the same weekend.
Getting a team started
- A captain who is happy to organise players, rooms and travel for each weekend.
- Enough players. More than the number of boards, because not everyone can make every weekend.
- Registration. Teams register and pay an entry fee before the season, usually in the summer. Check the deadlines on the league's website.
- Memberships and IDs. Players will need their ECF membership in order and, for FIDE-rated games, a FIDE ID.
- Rooms. The venues usually offer rates for players. Book early.
Recording your games
Weekend leagues follow the FIDE Laws, with the league's own rules on top. Expect paper scoresheets and strict rules on phones: if a device is allowed in the playing area at all, it will be switched off. Record on paper and type the games into Plyfolio after each round. By Sunday evening the whole weekend is in your library, with the match, the round and your opponent on each game.
General information as at 5 November 2026, not legal advice or an arbiter's ruling. Event dates, entry details and rules change from year to year; check with your event, league or arbiter before you rely on any of this.
Written by Remiam. More from Remiam