31st August 2026
Hi all,
Dorset Juniors have played in the 4NCL’s Junior Online competition for several seasons now and have been largely successful. We have run two teams of 4 players with a squad of ~ 10 players each season. Both teams were promoted up through the divisions to Division 1, although our second team struggled last season and were relegated to Division 2. On balance, this is a better match for the second team.
Season 14 starts on 24th September and we are looking for new players. Some of our players from past seasons have now either become too old or have moved on in other ways with a couple wanting to take a break from the online competition.
So, if your club (main club or junior club) has any juniors who would like to take part, they would be very welcome to join Dorset Juniors.
The competition runs on a Thursday evening from 6pm on Lichess over the course of 7 weeks with a break for half term. The time control is 10 minutes with 5 second increments, and each player plays two rounds against the same opponent, one as white, one as black. In general, matches are finished by 7pm.
It’s a great opportunity to play chess against other juniors from their home (no need to go out on a school night!).
Further details can be found on the Dorset Chess website Junior Online 4NCL – Dorset Chess or on the 4NCL website itself Four Nations Chess League
Whether we have one or two teams (or more if there is the interest) and in which division, does depend on the playing strength of the juniors in the team.
Division 1 is a high standard with many of the juniors on opposing teams rated over 1500, and many rated over 2000 online. Our team has done exceptionally well in the past due to a cohort of strong juniors, and has always been in the top 2 to 4 teams in the division.
Divisions 2 and 3 are a better match for the less experienced juniors rated around 800 – 1400.
At this stage, I haven’t committed to any particular number of teams in Season 14 or in which division, as I want to make sure juniors taking part have the best experience possible – both in enjoyment and learning.
If you have any juniors that might be interested in playing, please have a chat with them or forward me their details.
If you have any question, please don’t hesitate to ask
All the best
Nikki
nikkiforster2015@gmail.com