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Received from Maurice Ashley:
It's Decision Time
“The organizers reserve the right to cancel the tournament if 1,500 participants are not registered by March 31, 2014.” - Millionaire Chess web page.
Isn’t it amazing how all dates, no matter how far off into the future they seem, will suddenly sneak up on you and seem like they happened in an instant?
When my partner Amy Lee and I first talked about launching Millionaire Chess nine months ago, the date of March 31, 2014 was a major milestone that seemed far off on the distant horizon. It was a date brimming with a hopeful but unknown future, the date when chess players might share and affirm our company’s vision of a chess tournament that could change the landscape of the game forever.
Admittedly, it was also a safety net, a get-out-of-jail free card, a ‘j’adoube’ (to use a chess term) in case the world of chess was not quite ready to commit to such a bold, aggressive, and almost cocky venture. While we were intending to sacrifice a ton of time and resources to give the event a boost, we wanted to mitigate the risk as much as possible before committing the farm to exciting yet uncharted territory.
Now, the date has finally arrived and despite a tremendous showering of support, the hopeful number quoted at the top of this piece did not materialize. Actually, given that only 76 players signed up by the deadline, we may want to call up Amy and Maurice sitting by the lake last summer and tell them to go canoeing instead! (Hopefully, the canoe doesn’t sink!)
I can joke about it now, especially since we've had a month to digest all the information. At any rate, I am not one to cry over spilt milk for too long. Had I not taken this journey, I would never have connected with all the good folks who share our vision. I also would not have learned some valuable lessons that stemmed from this venture, an important one being that despite how wonderful your idea is and how many support it, it may not fit into everyone's timeline.
Our company is now at a crossroads. Like any good chess player, we have had several backup plans in reserve in case of this precise eventuality. They all involve taking the full risk upon ourselves, taking a chance that this ambitious, almost over-the-top idea is worth doing, in fact, needs to be done if the world of chess is to take a big step forward.
Still, although we are dreamers and risk-takers by nature, we are also entrepreneurs who could be using our time and resources to seek out less challenging investment opportunities. Granted, this venture has also been about achieving a dream to help change chess, and there is nothing like being involved in a cause or mission bigger than oneself. However, time is money, and, more importantly, money is money! This might be a case of knowing when to walk away.
Pilots like to say “Wheels up” referring to the moment when the plane is about to take off. For us, that moment will be Monday morning, April 7, when we will announce our final decision to the public. Will Millionaire Chess take flight or be left in the hangar to sit idly by? Should we leave this battle to others as chess continues to struggle for relevance in a bleak American landscape? Is this all worth the risk?
Stay tuned…
Appreciatively,
Maurice Ashley
Millionaire Chess Partner
It's Decision Time
“The organizers reserve the right to cancel the tournament if 1,500 participants are not registered by March 31, 2014.” - Millionaire Chess web page.
Isn’t it amazing how all dates, no matter how far off into the future they seem, will suddenly sneak up on you and seem like they happened in an instant?
When my partner Amy Lee and I first talked about launching Millionaire Chess nine months ago, the date of March 31, 2014 was a major milestone that seemed far off on the distant horizon. It was a date brimming with a hopeful but unknown future, the date when chess players might share and affirm our company’s vision of a chess tournament that could change the landscape of the game forever.
Admittedly, it was also a safety net, a get-out-of-jail free card, a ‘j’adoube’ (to use a chess term) in case the world of chess was not quite ready to commit to such a bold, aggressive, and almost cocky venture. While we were intending to sacrifice a ton of time and resources to give the event a boost, we wanted to mitigate the risk as much as possible before committing the farm to exciting yet uncharted territory.
Now, the date has finally arrived and despite a tremendous showering of support, the hopeful number quoted at the top of this piece did not materialize. Actually, given that only 76 players signed up by the deadline, we may want to call up Amy and Maurice sitting by the lake last summer and tell them to go canoeing instead! (Hopefully, the canoe doesn’t sink!)
I can joke about it now, especially since we've had a month to digest all the information. At any rate, I am not one to cry over spilt milk for too long. Had I not taken this journey, I would never have connected with all the good folks who share our vision. I also would not have learned some valuable lessons that stemmed from this venture, an important one being that despite how wonderful your idea is and how many support it, it may not fit into everyone's timeline.
Our company is now at a crossroads. Like any good chess player, we have had several backup plans in reserve in case of this precise eventuality. They all involve taking the full risk upon ourselves, taking a chance that this ambitious, almost over-the-top idea is worth doing, in fact, needs to be done if the world of chess is to take a big step forward.
Still, although we are dreamers and risk-takers by nature, we are also entrepreneurs who could be using our time and resources to seek out less challenging investment opportunities. Granted, this venture has also been about achieving a dream to help change chess, and there is nothing like being involved in a cause or mission bigger than oneself. However, time is money, and, more importantly, money is money! This might be a case of knowing when to walk away.
Pilots like to say “Wheels up” referring to the moment when the plane is about to take off. For us, that moment will be Monday morning, April 7, when we will announce our final decision to the public. Will Millionaire Chess take flight or be left in the hangar to sit idly by? Should we leave this battle to others as chess continues to struggle for relevance in a bleak American landscape? Is this all worth the risk?
Stay tuned…
Appreciatively,
Maurice Ashley
Millionaire Chess Partner
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