Apparently - this year's Quebec Open (July 23-29) - advertised as being FIDE rated - is only 8 rounds (Saturday through Friday, with one 2-round day), thus making norms not possible (9 rounds are needed). Why change a good thing? An Active and blitz are scheduled for the second Saturday - why not extend the whole event one day? Is it not worth making norms available for the cost of one extra day's site rental? (It's been 9 rounds since 1995)
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Re: No norms available at the 2016 Quebec Open?
Looks like the Canadian Summers are no longer a norm-fest. Canadian Open and QC Open have diminished significantly in strength and prize fund. I just hope general chess numbers will be increasing given the compromise -
Re: No norms available at the 2016 Quebec Open?
Calgary International will have 9 rounds. July 27-August 1st!Comment
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Re: No norms available at the 2016 Quebec Open?
Eric, are you playing anywhere before the Olympics?Comment
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Re: No norms available at the 2016 Quebec Open?
The reasons for not having a 9-round Quebec Open are explained en français: http://www.fqechecs.qc.ca/article/po...n-coq-8-rondes
Mostly it's about money - not having enough money to pay for enough foreign GM's to allow for norms every year - just every second year. The main FIDE norm rules for Swisses state the following:
"1.43e
Swiss System tournaments in which participants include in every round at least 20 FIDE Rated players not from the host federation, but from at least 3 federations and at least 10 of whom hold GM, IM, WGM,WIM titles. Otherwise 1.44 applies."
"1.44
Opponents shall be calculated using rounding up (minimum) to the next whole number, to the next lower number (maximum). A maximum of 3/5 of the opponents may come from the applicant’s federation and a maximum of 2/3 of the opponents from one federation. For exact numbers see the tables in 1.72."
Obviously - these rules penalize large countries such as Canada, the US, (most of) Russia, and Australia - who have to somehow encourage foreign titled players (often long distances) to come to their Swiss events. Has sponsorship money and government money completely dried up for the FQE? How were they able to fund foreign GM's in the past? I would like to see Canadian titled players funded. The prize money is roughly the same as in previous years - but entry fees are up about $15.
This is still no reason to cut back to 8 rounds. The FQE claims that it would allow them to hold an Active and blitz tournament on the final day - but that's Saturday - add one more round to the Open and have the other events on Sunday. This was done (at least) from 1995 to 2001.Comment
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Re : Re: No norms available at the 2016 Quebec Open?
As you said, mostly it is about money. This saves one day of rent, and without norms 9 rounds are not necessary anymore.Originally posted by Hugh Brodie View PostComment
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