Do you need a rating to play in the Leinster leagues?
No. Unrated players can play in the Leinster leagues. Under the Leinster Chess Union rules, every player must be registered with the Irish Chess Union, but you do not need a rating.
Ratings decide board order, not who can play. For an unrated player, the team captain estimates your playing strength and tells the leagues controller. Any player rated 1500 or below, including an unrated player judged to be at that level, counts as 1500 for board order.
The leagues have six divisions, from the Armstrong Cup (Division 1) to the Bodley Cup (Division 6). Teams in the top two divisions have eight players, and the lower divisions have between five and seven.
Dún Laoghaire Chess Club has teams in Divisions 2 to 5. Tell us on a club night that you would like to play, and the teams pick from members who are available for each match.