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This is a thread where you can discuss YOUR 2014 Canadian Olympiad Team.
Let me get the ball rolling with my thoughts.
First of all, these players should without a doubt be getting paid. They take two weeks out of their life (TWO WEEKS OF PAY), to play in a chess tournament. In no other sport do you see an individual representing his country at the Olympics and not getting paid. Why should Chess be any different?
Chess players aren't very healthy individuals to start off with, and loss of two weeks of pay can be quite disastrous. That's two weeks of lessons ($60/hr), simuls, lectures, etc... Heck, they would be better off going to an open tournament and getting an APPEARANCE FEE.
Also, I would like to see a PROFESSIONAL Canadian chess team at the next Olympiad, not a tourist team who banks on a free trip. An all GM team would be nice. Kovalyov, Hansen, Spraggett, Sambuev seems reasonable. (Recent inactivity excludes Bluvshtein and Charbonneau). With all due respect to Noritsyn, and in no way am I trying to offend him, but he simply isn't a professional player, but a chess tourist. Olympiads are a chance for him to go sight-seeing, not to represent his chess country.
Kovalyov, Hansen, Spraggett and Sambuev are all mature professionals who take the game seriously. I would like to see the CFC make a serious offer to Spraggett to represent our country. None of this "Please Spraggett, come play with us and make us an all GM-team. We will pay your flight and give you lunch money". But a serious offer as in: "Hi Kevin, as the CFC, we would like to put our past differences aside. As Canada's most accomplished player, we would like to work together to put the best product on the market. I offer you $XXXX, free flight, free accommodation, and free meals. Please let me know if this is reasonable. We have a chance to make history with this all GM team."
Keep in mind both Hansen and Spraggett are currently residing in Europe, so that is already money saved on flights. Money saved on flights that an be used ELSEWHERE. Elsewhere does not include your pockets.
Andy Shaw,
Investment Associate: Commodity Futures at ScotiaMcLeod
Let me get the ball rolling with my thoughts.
First of all, these players should without a doubt be getting paid. They take two weeks out of their life (TWO WEEKS OF PAY), to play in a chess tournament. In no other sport do you see an individual representing his country at the Olympics and not getting paid. Why should Chess be any different?
Chess players aren't very healthy individuals to start off with, and loss of two weeks of pay can be quite disastrous. That's two weeks of lessons ($60/hr), simuls, lectures, etc... Heck, they would be better off going to an open tournament and getting an APPEARANCE FEE.
Also, I would like to see a PROFESSIONAL Canadian chess team at the next Olympiad, not a tourist team who banks on a free trip. An all GM team would be nice. Kovalyov, Hansen, Spraggett, Sambuev seems reasonable. (Recent inactivity excludes Bluvshtein and Charbonneau). With all due respect to Noritsyn, and in no way am I trying to offend him, but he simply isn't a professional player, but a chess tourist. Olympiads are a chance for him to go sight-seeing, not to represent his chess country.
Kovalyov, Hansen, Spraggett and Sambuev are all mature professionals who take the game seriously. I would like to see the CFC make a serious offer to Spraggett to represent our country. None of this "Please Spraggett, come play with us and make us an all GM-team. We will pay your flight and give you lunch money". But a serious offer as in: "Hi Kevin, as the CFC, we would like to put our past differences aside. As Canada's most accomplished player, we would like to work together to put the best product on the market. I offer you $XXXX, free flight, free accommodation, and free meals. Please let me know if this is reasonable. We have a chance to make history with this all GM team."
Keep in mind both Hansen and Spraggett are currently residing in Europe, so that is already money saved on flights. Money saved on flights that an be used ELSEWHERE. Elsewhere does not include your pockets.
Andy Shaw,
Investment Associate: Commodity Futures at ScotiaMcLeod
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