The Montreal Chess Club will be organizing the 39th edition of the Santa Claus Open!

[Larry Bevand]

Did you know that this event is one of the few Quebec events to be held every year since 1976? In the 1990's it averaged 190 players...participation in 2013: 112 players...and in 1994...256 players! It is the only 5 round tournament with one game per day...played consecutively (Larry's note: I think I was the one to introduce that format in 1978...but others improved on it afterwards LOL :). This year, all the games are from 6pm - 11pm, even on the weekend.

The 2014 edition of the Santa Claus Open will be held from Dec 26-30, 2014.

Where: Loisirs Saint-Henri...located beside the St-Henri Metro Station

Prizes: $2,500 in Guarantted Prizes

OPEN : $625, $300, $200
-1800 : $450, $225, $150
-1500 : $300, $150, $100

Time Control : 40 moves/1½h + ½h/mate + 30 sec. per move

Schedule : Last Minute Registration: Dec 26 from 4-5pm; rounds 1-5 at 6pm each day. Byes available for rounds 1-3 (maximum 2 byes).

Registration: Free for titled players registered before Dec 22,2014 (GM, IM and FM)

Open : $70 ; B : $60; C : $50
Under 16, 60 and over and unrated players**: $45
$5 off before Dec. 8, 2014
At the site on Dec 26: $15 extra

In Person at Strategy Games in Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa (please ask for a receipt) until 3 pm on Sunday Dec 21, 2014. Add 3% for credit card payments. You can also send us a cheque by mail before Dec 16, 2014: Make it payable to Montreal Chess Club, 400-3423 St-Denis Montreal, Qc H2X 3L2

If you do not have an FQE rating, please provide your CFC and/or FIDE rating.

Players listed as unrated can not take home more than $100 in Sections B and C.

Information :

Yolande Beauvais: beauvais @ echecs point org 514-845-8352

[Andy Shaw]

Re: The Montreal Chess Club will be organizing the 39th edition of the Santa Claus Op

First place only 625$ with a 70$ registration fee? Very odd.

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: The Montreal Chess Club will be organizing the 39th edition of the Santa Claus Op

Andy wrote:

First place only 625$ with a 70$ registration fee? Very odd.

In a way, I agree. I feel that the class prizes are much too high compared to the Open section place prizes - although the prizes are identical to last year's prizes (with the entry fees this year being $5 more (sr and jr $10 more), and onsite being $10 more (good idea for higher onsite fees!)). Last year's prizes were based on 100 entries; this year's are guaranteed. (prizes were not increased in 2013 even with more than 100 players). Cut the class prizes in half, and add them to the Open - maybe add 4th and 5th places as well.

And cut off entries at 5 pm. Any accepted after 5 should not be guaranteed a valid Swiss pairing (or any pairing at all) in round 1. This would stop the continual problem of having first rounds start late.

[Larry Bevand]

Re: The Montreal Chess Club will be organizing the 39th edition of the Santa Claus Op

Andy wrote:



In a way, I agree. I feel that the class prizes are much too high compared to the Open section place prizes - although the prizes are identical to last year's prizes (with the entry fees this year being $5 more (sr and jr $10 more), and onsite being $10 more (good idea for higher onsite fees!)). Last year's prizes were based on 100 entries; this year's are guaranteed. Cut the class prizes in half, and add them to the Open - maybe add 4th and 5th places as well.

And cut off entries at 5 pm. Any accepted after 5 should not be guaranteed a valid Swiss pairing (or any pairing at all) in round 1. This would stop the continual problem of having first rounds start late.

Hi Hugh,

I basically copy pasted last year and added a few dollars in revenues to cover additional costs. Not everyone enjoys working between Xmas and new years... :)...How would you do the Prize distribution? Tis not too late to tweak...but we would have to do it by the weekend.

BTW...if the event does not start on time...I will add $1,000 to the Prize Fund from my own pocket...

Larry

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: The Montreal Chess Club will be organizing the 39th edition of the Santa Claus Op

I don't think you could change it now after announcing it. My prize suggestions would be:

Open: 800,400,250,200,150,100
U1800: 200,100,75
U1500: 100,75,50

Adjust the entry fees: Open: $75. U1800: $55. U1500: $45.

The same people always register onsite - the increased late entry fee can help subsidize a lower U1800 and U1500 entry fee. An increased Open entry fee would counter the larger number of FIDE titleholders, with their attached free entries. (Canada now had about 150 titled players - at least 20 of those are from Quebec - and more every year).