SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

**Fred Harvey** · Friday, 5th August, 2016, 11:22 PM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

"Really ...sigh."

**John Coleman** · Friday, 5th August, 2016, 11:33 PM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

Just say 'NO' to drugs.

And stay off the booze, too.

**Kevin Pacey** · Saturday, 6th August, 2016, 06:28 AM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

An interesting and mysterious initiative, wherever it may be leading.

Long ago, mainly in Ottawa circles, I believe Neil referred to the embryonic stage of his first idea as the achievement of an 'Ace Kill' (though the opponent had to be a much higher rated player), albeit with no freebie on offer back then, I think. By now allowing the idea to be for any rating of opponent, I suppose rebranding that somewhat nifty name was necessary. If it's not too late, or infeasible, my idea of a freebie that adults might surely enjoy would be a small pin with the symbol of a diagrammed chess king, with angelic wings on either side of the figurine, plus a halo.

I'm afraid I'm out of the loop when it comes to the second idea, though maybe a web search would help.

Fwiw, I used to have the odd beer with Neil long ago, but it didn't seem a quite regular habit. :p

**Neil Frarey** · Wednesday, 10th August, 2016, 01:20 AM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

Great comments thx, lol!!!

Here's the chess set we are offering up in vector* (other formats too):

http://www.societyofchessaficionados...A_chessset.jpg

Example in use as a simple graphic background:

http://www.societyofchessaficionados...essset_ex1.jpg

Not much of a sympathetic romance to the last century or before, but still there's an obvious inspiration from Staunton et. al. I'm trying to push tradition forward into futuristic mechanoid world ...without becoming to abstract like Man Ray's chess set etc..

The King has got some angular weight to it, Queen weight smoother with curves uplift, the Bishop whatever, the Knight is badass, the Rook is rock solid, and the Pawn is actually quite a charming little hoodlum.

Comments & crits always appreciated.

*In case you're not aware, vector format is used industry wide for countless applications from typography to industrial machining with no loss of resolution as opposed to bitmap/raster.

**Kevin Pacey** · Thursday, 11th August, 2016, 04:23 PM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

Nice graphics, Neil. But please don't tease us much longer. What is the substance of SoCA to be about?

**Neil Frarey** · Saturday, 13th August, 2016, 01:03 AM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

Thanks for your comment Kevin. I think they'll work well as another tool to help brand SoCA's ident.

What is the substance of SoCA to be about?

Thanks for asking.

Society of Chess Aficionados is simply a collective of chess enthusiasts. We share the common goal of promoting our game at the same time moving organized chess forward.

So for instance, our chess club offer of a free $100.00 giveaway you might have seen here on CT a little while ago is a low level perfect example. Not a large sum of money, but enough to help a C.C. hire an IM or GM to do a lecture or a simule. And that in turn helps to promote chess, and at the same time promote our brand. The KO patch, the pieces, t-shirts, posters etc., all of that has the same ability.

Chess Grand Prix of Canada and our online chess gaming site are two amazing projects currently in early development. But all of what we'll do has the same endgame ... help move chess into mainstream Canada.

peace.
n.

**Paul Bonham** · Saturday, 13th August, 2016, 03:36 AM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

Originally posted by Neil Frarey View Post

Society of Chess Aficionados is simply a collective of chess enthusiasts. We share the common goal of promoting our game at the same time moving organized chess forward.

So for instance, our chess club offer of a free $100.00 giveaway you might have seen here on CT a little while ago is a low level perfect example. Not a large sum of money, but enough to help a C.C. hire an IM or GM to do a lecture or a simule. And that in turn helps to promote chess, and at the same time promote our brand. The KO patch, the pieces, t-shirts, posters etc., all of that has the same ability.

Chess Grand Prix of Canada and our online chess gaming site are two amazing projects currently in early development. But all of what we'll do has the same endgame ... help move chess into mainstream Canada.

peace.
n.

I'd be interested to hear what you think is needed to move chess into mainstream Canada. And whether you think that is different from moving chess into mainstream.... everywhere.

These minor things you mention above don't seem nearly adequate for such a dramatic shift for chess. The Millionaire Chess folks thought they could just throw money into a ritzy chess event in Las Vegas and everything else would just fall into place. I knew that would fail, and now they are reduced to a much smaller event in Atlantic City. Chess is still a long, long away from mainstream in North America, let alone the world.

Another online chess gaming site? Really? What's going to distinguish it from other online chess gaming sites?

**Hugh Brodie** · Saturday, 13th August, 2016, 08:17 AM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

Another online chess site? There are several quality sites already out there, and others have tried and failed. No one uses the FQE online site, and another Canadian startup (publicly traded) is a couple of million in the red without a paying customer.

**Neil Frarey** · Sunday, 14th August, 2016, 12:30 AM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

I'd be interested to hear what you think is needed to move chess into mainstream Canada. And whether you think that is different from moving chess into mainstream.... everywhere.

Thanks for your interest. First of all I'm not like anybody else. I don't see chess as a 'Result' win or lose (and rated) driven activity. And I don't care all that much about chess being a useful tool in aiding thinking processes either. Everything I have done has been on the primal level of the 'Game' side of chess. Personally speaking, and I know millions of others feel the same, chess is one of the greatest interfaces that enables human interaction!

Chess is just a game ...win or lose doesn't really matter. That ain't glitzy stuff, but it's the stuff that mainstream culture is all about. That's why our game is passed down from ... parent to child. So, to move chess into mainstream Canada chess must become part of mainstream culture on a sustainable and visible level. Active participation in mainstream Canada is a must. To move chess into the broader public consciousness GET INVOLVED in the broader public 'issues' (if that's the right word?) that matter to mainstream Canada! To many 'How-To' examples to cite ... but here's a couple for you ... can Chess help fight cancer? can Chess celebrate International Women's day? can Chess welcome Syrian (or other) refugees? GET INVOLVED ... become visible in mainstream Canada.

Mainstream everywhere? In Cuba it is everywhere, in most of Europe it is everywhere, Russia too, and on, and on. Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying.

These minor things you mention above don't seem nearly adequate for such a dramatic shift for chess.

SoCA hasn't even been formally launched. We don't have any tradition in sense of a decades long rich history, we don't yet have a presence on street level. So, there is very little we can do at the moment to shift chess in a dramatic meaningful manner ... perhaps with the lone exception, Chess Grand Prix of Canada. It is something absolutely fresh and extraordinary! And, perhaps shouldn't even be tried. Yes, on the surface it is 'result' driven chess, but at its core it is first and foremost about bringing together our great and vast country and overcoming challenges!!!

If this can be pulled off it would be EPIC! Truly Canadian stuff, and to a certain extent American stuff too...

Those minor things that you played down are tried and true tools for establishing a presence on street level! I want SoCA stickers on every skate deck. I want to see SoCA t-shirts worn on a half-pipe. And so much much more.

Don't build from the top down, build from the bottom up.

Chess doesn't need another hero ...it just needs you!

.

**Neil Frarey** · Sunday, 14th August, 2016, 12:37 AM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

Sorry Hugh, but that's like saying another chess club? There are several quality chess clubs out there, and others have tried and failed.

**Kevin Pacey** · Sunday, 14th August, 2016, 03:09 AM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

Originally posted by Neil Frarey View Post

Thanks for your interest. First of all I'm not like anybody else. I don't see chess as a 'Result' win or lose (and rated) driven activity. And I don't care all that much about chess being a useful tool in aiding thinking processes either. Everything I have done has been on the primal level of the 'Game' side of chess. Personally speaking, and I know millions of others feel the same, chess is one of the greatest interfaces that enables human interaction!

Chess is just a game ...win or lose doesn't really matter...

Fwiw, below is a link about 'why play chess variants', in case SoCA ever decides to branch out into that (FICS, for example, has chess variant playing options on their server, which so far accounts for about 2% of all their games as played over many years, as I gave in another thread). The link speaks much about chess variant players being not as attached to winning or losing as their strictly chess playing counterparts.

http://www.chessvariants.com/why.html

**Hugh Brodie** · Sunday, 14th August, 2016, 08:21 AM

Re: SoCA (Society of Chess Aficionados) summer of 2016

Neil wrote:

Sorry Hugh, but that's like saying another chess club? There are several quality chess clubs out there, and others have tried and failed.

A chess club caters to a relatively small number of people in a relatively small area. Expenses are minimal. If it fails - few people are affected.
An Internet chess site needs to cater to a large number of players of all strengths - if you can't find an opponent at your level, you will leave the site (possibly forever). Expenses (and manpower just to monitor the site) can add up rapidly. Failure could affect thousands, and possibly the reputations of the owners.