World Format

THE world senior team championships start tomorrow and run for nine rounds over 10 days, with every round starting at 15:00.

In the 65+ tournament there are 26 teams, with 22 in the 50+.

Matches consist of four boards, but teams may have up to five players.

Team lists do not have to be handed in until tomorrow morning, at which point players' ratings will presumably also be updated, but in the 65+ the top seeds look like being Germany Lasker Schachstiftung GK, who have three grandmasters and a player rated 2189.

Their average rating of 2361 puts them narrowly ahead of the 2351 of England, who have two grandmasters, two international masters and a Fide master.

Third seeds, assuming no major line-up changes, are Slovakia, whose two GMs and two IMs give them an average rating of 2300

I am in an England 2 team which is currently seeded 19th, but an expected change of personnel may be enough to put us in the top half of the draw.

Playing-hall entrance

Top seeds in the 50+ are the all-grandmaster USA with an average rating of 2549, followed, at a respectable distance, by an all-GM England with an average rating of 2467.

Third seeds are Italy, whose three GMs and two IMs give them an average rating of 2438.

Setting up the playing hall

The starting-rank list in the 65+ is headed by England's John Nunn, while the 50+ list is headed by England's Michael Adams.

The time control is 40 moves in 90 minutes, with 30 minutes to finish and a 30-second increment throughout.