A new Canadian GM!

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

The GM stipend is a completely separate matter.

It is called "Appearance fees" in the Handbook (#919) http://www.chess.ca/handbook#section-9

[Vlad Dobrich]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

If memory serves correctly, the Open team players each received a $500 stipend for 2012. More often than not, the stipend has been zero. Of course transportation, accommodations, and meals are always covered.

The Belzberg's funded the Open team on 2 or 3 occasions. It was a performance based system where players were paid per win.

Most of the money we receive from the contract with the FQE goes to sponsor the team. This might account for 75% of the base price.

I guess a good question for Eric is how much is fair compensation ? We so far have two $1,000 donations (I assume they are dependent on us securing Eric, Anton and Bator and 2 IM's). Right now we don't have any other active GM's who would be willing to play.

It seems you are in error when you say that there are two $1,000 donations. Both larry Bevand and JKM based their offers of adding to the GM's stipend and NOT to general expenses and contingent on an all GM team. Both you and Hal Bond seem to imply that the $2,000 would go to the general expense fund wheras I believe the offer was meant as part of a stipend after the expenses which would be covered by an undertaking of the Chess Federation.
Further, Hal Bond states that the basic amount needed to send teams to the Olympiad is about $20,000. But that includes a women's team as well and the $1,000 offers had nothing to do with the base cost of both teams. One point not mentioned in the original offer is - What happens if one or more of the players are due to receive the GM titles based on having achieved the required norms by the time the team is finalized. We have at least three active players with one or more norms each - namely Aman Hambleton, Nikolay Noritsyn and Leonid Gerzhoy. They could conceivably achieve the needed norms by next Spring. I'm guessing that both Larry and JKM would agree to accept them as GM's in that instance.

As I see it, the CFC is responsible for all basic expenses not covered by the Olympiad organisers. The GM stipend is a completely separate matter.

[Felix Dumont]

Re : Re: Re : Re: A new Canadian GM!

GM Tyomkin doesn't seem to live and play in Canada anymore... I'd rather support players that at least play in some Canadian tournaments.

I think the selection committee would make a huge mistake by not considering GM Roussel-Roozmon. Not only having 4 GMs would be great for sponsors and donors (two people already announced they would give money if we had a full GM team), but Roussel-Roozmon has proven to be one of the strongest performers at the Olympiads (20.5/28! including 2 GM norms).
Obviously, there would still be a fifth spot for a young IM.

[Fred McKim]

Re: Re : Re: A new Canadian GM!

http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/sh...3131#post23131
GM D.Tyomkin has more chances to get into #4 ;)

Here is the scenario. GM Bator most likely qualifies by being Canadian Champion. GM Anton, GM Eric, and GM Kevin most likely qualify by rating.

Presumably Kevin declines which means that the selection committee would get two choices. Right now GM Thomas hasn't played as much as Aman, Leonid, Tomas, Edward, Bindi, Nikolay, Richard, etc. I wouldn't think GM Tyomkin would even be on the radar of the selection committee.

Of course in a year's time we may have one or two more new GM's !!

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Re : Re: A new Canadian GM!

If by all GM team we mean 4 GMs, it wouldn't be that hard (with compensation):
GM Kovalyov
GM Hansen
GM Sambuev
GM Roussel-Roozmon

Now the question is if the CFC could convince a fifth GM to play (Spraggett, Bluvshtein, Charbonneau, Lesiège...), which would be unlikely.

http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/sh...3131#post23131
GM D.Tyomkin has more chances to get into #4 ;)

[Eric Hansen]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

The thing is that the profile of chess is much lower in Canada than in these other countries. Your best shot to ultimately earn a good living as a chess player will be to boost the profile of Canadian Chess and attract money (sponsorships) into the game. And in order to attract sponsors, you need to be able to provide them with visibility - the reason a sponsor will give you money is so that when you beat a top player and it becomes a news story back in Canada, that you can say "thanks to our sponsors xyz inc." Or when players around the world see your games on the internet and are impressed by your play, you gain more followers to your blog which has your sponsor's logo.

That being said, I'd be happy to see our top players get reasonable compensation for playing at the Olympiad, and I'll probably make a donation myself. But it's also important to see the bigger picture.

What exactly are you responding to? I haven't complained in this thread about not making enough money or mentioned chess sponsorship. So I'm not sure why you are trying to educate me on that subject especially as you cited two strong examples of how victories over World Champions will hardly change anything. The Olympiad is a nice event to follow but it's just another tournament and unless you are a top country most people in the will be completely oblivious to your performance as there are so many others in the same boat. I have plenty of future opportunities vs top players with or without the Olympiad.

I said that don't expect me to play next year for free. A lot of amateur players speak about chess salaries and the system without knowing too much. I'm not here to beg, I'm just stating where I stand (a year in advance).

[Patrick Kirby]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

Appreciate the feedback guys. I can't speak for others but I can say my current stance comes from gathering a lot of knowledge in the past year from Europeans. Players get different salaries each as ratings vary and its negotiated between the federation and the players .Canada only has the Olympiad while most countries have multiple team events (European Team, Pan am team, World team, etc) so they have more established rules regarding salaries in place. It really varies though and I'm open to discuss. Every player has his own 'price' and so a lot of it is negotiation and probably would be best for a budget to be set first.

The thing is that the profile of chess is much lower in Canada than in these other countries. Your best shot to ultimately earn a good living as a chess player will be to boost the profile of Canadian Chess and attract money (sponsorships) into the game. And in order to attract sponsors, you need to be able to provide them with visibility - the reason a sponsor will give you money is so that when you beat a top player and it becomes a news story back in Canada, that you can say "thanks to our sponsors xyz inc." Or when players around the world see your games on the internet and are impressed by your play, you gain more followers to your blog which has your sponsor's logo.

That being said, I'd be happy to see our top players get reasonable compensation for playing at the Olympiad, and I'll probably make a donation myself. But it's also important to see the bigger picture.

[Andy Shaw]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

I'm not sure where you came up with the figure of a year.

I meant to say a month.

[Felix Dumont]

Re : Re: A new Canadian GM!

In theory, there could be an all GM team, but I don't think it is too likely (and in any event it would be Feb or Mar before that would even be known). I would consider securing the three players mentioned and the next two best to be worthy of the donations.

There is no doubt that compensation for European players is significantly different than Canadian players. Even in Europe there are exceptions, as I think the top German players boycotted one of the last two Olympic (over funding).

If by all GM team we mean 4 GMs, it wouldn't be that hard (with compensation):
GM Kovalyov
GM Hansen
GM Sambuev
GM Roussel-Roozmon

Now the question is if the CFC could convince a fifth GM to play (Spraggett, Bluvshtein, Charbonneau, Lesiège...), which would be unlikely.

[Fred McKim]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

I think it would be great if the CFC held a closed door meeting with those members of the Olympiad team to negotiate what fair compensation is. We can't expect these profesionall players to take a year out of their time and get no monetary compensation. They are still paying for their rent back home and many other things.

I'm not sure where you came up with the figure of a year.

[Fred McKim]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

In theory, there could be an all GM team, but I don't think it is too likely (and in any event it would be Feb or Mar before that would even be known). I would consider securing the three players mentioned and the next two best to be worthy of the donations.

There is no doubt that compensation for European players is significantly different than Canadian players. Even in Europe there are exceptions, as I think the top German players boycotted one of the last two Olympic (over funding).

[Andy Shaw]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

I think it would be great if the CFC held a closed door meeting with those members of the Olympiad team to negotiate what fair compensation is. We can't expect these profesionall players to take a month out of their time and get no monetary compensation. They are still paying for their rent back home and many other things.

[Eric Hansen]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

Appreciate the feedback guys. I can't speak for others but I can say my current stance comes from gathering a lot of knowledge in the past year from Europeans. Players get different salaries each as ratings vary and its negotiated between the federation and the players .Canada only has the Olympiad while most countries have multiple team events (European Team, Pan am team, World team, etc) so they have more established rules regarding salaries in place. It really varies though and I'm open to discuss. Every player has his own 'price' and so a lot of it is negotiation and probably would be best for a budget to be set first.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

I guess a good question for Eric is how much is fair compensation ? We so far have two $1,000 donations (I assume they are dependent on us securing Eric, Anton and Bator and 2 IM's). Right now we don't have any other active GM's who would be willing to play.

Fred,
The stipulation I read is that the contributions are dependent on an all GM team.

Basically, what you need to do is find out how much they want to do some training to get rid of the rust, and to spend the time playing the event. I used to phone people to ask them to give 2 to 4 years of their lives to play on Canadian correspondence teams.

It's best to get someone who's well liked to ask. People often don't do things for an organization. They do it for the person asking.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

Re: A new Canadian GM!

Hal, I hope you don't mind but I have taken the liberty of changing your e mail link to a verbal description of it. Web bots are all over this website and will pick up your e mail address and start sending garbage and spam to your e mail account.

This sort of spam can get so bad that a person has to abandon their e mail account and start another.