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Many chess talkers have different ideas of promotion of chess but one that has not been mentioned is giving people the chance to get their feet wet in "social" tournaments. All that is needed are organizers. Who? Maybe you.
Someone who has time, a willing attitude, and can communicate.
Some steps to the process: 1.Talk to a representative of a charitable organization whose members might play in your social tournament and ask them for leads to a potential site. Good example: Big Brothers/Big Sisters
2. Site might be the food court in a large local mall or cafeteria of a big business (where one of the executive happens to be a member) or cafeteria in a high school or college. 3. Get a good number of paper boards (minimum 100) and start with about 10 Staunton style sets and two clocks. 4.Set a small entry fee and stick with it ($5 or $10) 5.Plan to donate a portion of entry fees to the charitable organization (it doesnt have to be breaking the bank - $20 or $30 to start is ok. 6.Pick your schedule and dont be too ambitious to start. If one tournament a month is too hectic plan for one tournament every two months. 7.Advertise on internet with one of the more popular sites (example: facebook) ask people to bring their own sets.8. Start an email contact list. 9.Prizes should be books or software or something a local business could donate - like gift certificates (in exchange for advertising on your paper boards) 10.Brush up on pairing basics and things a tournament director should know or find a willing tournament director
11. Provide scoresheets - players dont have to keep score but if they dont they lose the right to any claim in case of dispute and they also cannot submit their games for prizes. 12.Eventually form a 3 person committee to judge games submitted and award prizes (even if they are small) for best games, most interesting etc. Send the prize winning games to all your email contacts 13.Tournament should be held on a Saturday or Sunday starting late morning and finishing by 5pm 14.4 rounds should be enough. Games on average will last 45 minutes to an hour. There is usually a couple that will tend to drag. Offer the players of those games the choice to finish with a clock or play on and not be paired for the next round.
I personally like the idea of holding such tournaments in the food court of a local mall. Then you also encourage the players to buy lunch, snacks, and minimum of coffee, tea, soft drinks or bottled water. You can than canvas the merchants to advertise on your paper boards.
I'm sure there are far more details but those above will get you started.
Someone who has time, a willing attitude, and can communicate.
Some steps to the process: 1.Talk to a representative of a charitable organization whose members might play in your social tournament and ask them for leads to a potential site. Good example: Big Brothers/Big Sisters
2. Site might be the food court in a large local mall or cafeteria of a big business (where one of the executive happens to be a member) or cafeteria in a high school or college. 3. Get a good number of paper boards (minimum 100) and start with about 10 Staunton style sets and two clocks. 4.Set a small entry fee and stick with it ($5 or $10) 5.Plan to donate a portion of entry fees to the charitable organization (it doesnt have to be breaking the bank - $20 or $30 to start is ok. 6.Pick your schedule and dont be too ambitious to start. If one tournament a month is too hectic plan for one tournament every two months. 7.Advertise on internet with one of the more popular sites (example: facebook) ask people to bring their own sets.8. Start an email contact list. 9.Prizes should be books or software or something a local business could donate - like gift certificates (in exchange for advertising on your paper boards) 10.Brush up on pairing basics and things a tournament director should know or find a willing tournament director
11. Provide scoresheets - players dont have to keep score but if they dont they lose the right to any claim in case of dispute and they also cannot submit their games for prizes. 12.Eventually form a 3 person committee to judge games submitted and award prizes (even if they are small) for best games, most interesting etc. Send the prize winning games to all your email contacts 13.Tournament should be held on a Saturday or Sunday starting late morning and finishing by 5pm 14.4 rounds should be enough. Games on average will last 45 minutes to an hour. There is usually a couple that will tend to drag. Offer the players of those games the choice to finish with a clock or play on and not be paired for the next round.
I personally like the idea of holding such tournaments in the food court of a local mall. Then you also encourage the players to buy lunch, snacks, and minimum of coffee, tea, soft drinks or bottled water. You can than canvas the merchants to advertise on your paper boards.
I'm sure there are far more details but those above will get you started.
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