'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

[Kevin Pacey]

The 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' (and other chesstalk social groups) may have been long disabled for posting purposes, due to trouble with spammers in the past, if nothing else. Hence I'll post in this thread my latest thoughts about organized chess as it relates to our former social group's region.

The recent Ontario Open, held at the RA centre in Ottawa, was a fine success in my view, judging alone by the impressive prize fund (as apparent in another chesstalk thread), and by the attendence of a considerable number of players of master strength or better (including a number of titled players). The Eastern Ontario Grand Prix schedule has about one rated weekend event per month on average now (counting 2 regular events in Gatineau that were put off for just this year, due to Canada 150 activities planned for the event hall). Kingston organized chess is resurgent, as far as I can tell (if it did in fact completely recede for a time). Morrisburg and Arnprior continue to host Grand Prix events, plus an Almonte summer event has been added. When I was still attending annual EOCA meetings as a CFC member, some years ago, the EOCA was in relatively healthy shape financially IMHO, occasionally suppying some such support to special chess events or causes. There is no obvious lack of organizers of rated events at present, in Ottawa at least. Things look relatively rosy. How could things be realistically improved for the EOCA, or at least for Ottawa organized chess, in the forseeable future?

This was my train of thought recently, as I reflected on my now not so fresh decision to get out of chess governance. Regarding the CFC level, all my ideas had been exhausted, with a few tried, and most not commented upon (or some not well greeted). Regarding the OCA level, I've always regarded that association as a shell organization that handles bids for provincial events or championships (if any held, or currently affordable), and otherwise passes on to its leagues their cut from the CFC, while the OCA keeps its own cut, hopefully much of it reserved in the bank for the bad times (after any set aside for e.g. provincial event[s] partial funding). Until there are more CFC members in Ontario, the OCA cannot be too ambitious at all in its aims, I feel, unless somehow it can garner a lot of sponsorship $. Highly inclusive provincial team championships or matches would be nice even now and then, but for travel issues/costs due to Ontario being so large. Internet team matches might be a substitute, but there are organizational issues with this too.

Back to the EOCA (plus Ottawa organized chess) level: as I wrote previously, things seem rosy enough here (at least for Ottawa), and this was my state of mind as I left this last level of chess governance behind as well. Still, can we possibly do better anytime soon? If so, where might any new initiatives be directed?

I first thought of the number of CFC Voting Members the EOCA has nowadays (i.e. three). For some reason it seems low to me, and yet the number of CFC members in the EOCA is likely not so low these days, since it's up in Canada. Then it hit me that by OCA rules junior members are worth only a fraction of what adult members are as far as counting towards 50, the number required to be entitled to a single CFC Voting Member (with 51 actually being worth a 2nd Voting Member, for example). This was part of my remembering suddenly that the proportion of adult members is down (and not just apparently in the EOCA region).

However you slice it, it would be good for the EOCA to have more members, adult or junior, regardless of whether you care about the number of Voting Members the EOCA has. A high number of VMs could be good for more than just the EOCA all the same, if only because the EOCA is fairly well run and thus arguably deserves more say in decisions at higher levels of chess governance.

So, how to get more CFC members signed up in the EOCA area? I may be wrong, but the idea of (even cheap/free) advertising to newbies, old as well as young, never seems to meet with too much enthusiasm in Canada, other than perhaps for any number of clubs' Executives. Nor does trying hard to attract media attention (proactively). Instead we seem to hope that newbies and the media fall into our lap. Then there's hoping for fresh organizers, and/or starting up new chess clubs and tournaments. On this last score, chess in just Ottawa is hardly cause for concern; the EOCA Grand Prix features a high percentage of Ottawa area events (and also currently having just end-of-season trophy prizes, but with unrelated $ prizes for all individual events). There are 7 or 8 clubs minimum in the area (which, plus the Grand Prix events, undercuts serious thought of the EOCA spending funds/efforts on trying to add to the bulk of such 'infrastructure' in Ottawa at least, though in regard to the largely barren EOCA area outside Ottawa it may [or perhaps should] be another story). So, I can't complain too much about the state of organized chess in Ottawa. If more people join CFC rated chess clubs in the area, I've secretly wished more would go to such Ottawa clubs other than the RA club, as it gets pretty full at times, and I'm not sure we'd permanently get a bigger room at some point if required.

Some may ask, what 7 or 8 Ottawa clubs do I refer to? Well, afaik there are two in Gatineau/Hull, then the Carleton & Ottawa University clubs. There is a Kanata club, plus at least one more in Kanata that's just for juniors. Of course there is the RA in Ottawa South, which is the largest club in the city, and then there are any possible remnants of the once very active Ottawa Chess Club.

At this point I recall my earlier wishing for team chess (unlikely for the OCA level any given year), and I then think it would be nice to have a club team league in Ottawa (as apparently there was long ago), but somehow I doubt all clubs involved could always field much more than 4 players reliably these days (plus many games might be mismatches). Maybe there's some (unrated?) club team league action going on at the Ottawa high school level still these days, who knows? Once again my thoughts about expanding organized chess reach an impasse for the time being. Perhaps others (even those outside the EOCA region) may have ideas or comments (possibly applicable to regions in Canada outside the EOCA area, too)?


P.S.: Here's link to chesstalk 2017 Ontario Open thread:

http://forum.chesstalk.com/showthrea...ide-B-(-amp-A)

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

I've edited my first post somewhat, in case people missed it.

Perhaps a more or less feel-good report of subjective impressions concerning the state of organized chess in a local region in Canada, with a few ideas thrown in, is a little too banal to inspire any comment? I had thought it might be a good time for such, in light of all the big rocks figuratively being thrown in all the recent Trump threads.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

Thought I'd give a single example of the common need to proactively advertise (at least to [often novice] adults thinking of playing chess, e.g. in Ottawa, as resident juniors are often directed to more serious clubs at some point, but we still need more older CFC/club members who are less likely to leave organized chess behind after a few years).

I'm not surprised not nearly everyone comes up with the idea of Googling keywords "Ottawa Chess" and getting some examples of clubs etc., but some (as here) persist and even eventually succeed by other kinds of internet enquiry alone; normally clubs that advertise in cities I've been in do so before the season starts, then it abruptly stops, not even further using free community cable TV (or community newspapers) until a full year later:

http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/sh...Play-in-Ottawa

[Neil Frarey]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

Do you remember any of my platform the last (and final) time I ran for pres of the EOCA, Kevin?

When I was president of the EOCA, even tho I managed to bring positive change(s) re: Tournament Director/Organizer Remuneration, etc., I have since deeply regretted how much I left undone. And to this very day, the EOCA exists and defines itself on nothing more than a Grand Prix ...as sad as that is.


So, I'm feelin' generous. Here's a simple 3 step process even you kiddies can achieve ... I think.

Step 1.
Realize and come to grips with the fact that the EOCA is currently nothing more than a short sighted (due to its confines) Grand Prix ...and MOSTLY an Ottawa Grand Prix at that! Even more, a GP that is GREATLY subsidized. Think no room rental fee(s)!

Step 2.
Take a GOOD look around the EOCA area. Hard to do isn't it, Kevin? Hard to know where to grow when you don't know where you are, or even WHO you are for that matter. So, define EOCA's boundaries!

Get our map (yes, there is a map) up on EOCA dot ca! Let everybody have a good look!

Step 3.
Classify what and who is in our territory. This where the fun and growth begins to really take shape!

***

OK, let's pretend you kiddies actually make an effort to do the above 3 step process ... congrats!

Here's a simple and easy path of quick growth for both the EOCA and the equally sluggish CFC...

Identify our armed forces bases, you know, places such as ...Petawawa, Kingston, etc., etc.. There are quite a few on our map! Here's a couple of links to point you in the right direction:

4th Canadian Division Support Base Petawawa
http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/e...awa/index.page

Canadian Forces Base Kingston
http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/e...ton/index.page

Get the idea? Good! Identify them ALL! Approach them all! Ask them about Chess, about chess activities within their services! Pitch a well prepared well coordinated chess activity. Perhaps something like a round robin? Could be played on chess dot com. Or, where ever. In other words, sign them up! Get them involved! Create a whole new category from them!

Easy Peasy!!!

And look at that, Kevin. You just grew beyond the restraints of the current brain trust!

Welcome to the new millennium!

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

Hi Neil

I was hoping you'd eventually comment, as no else has so far (though please do recall I've been out of chess politics officially for a number of years now).

I share your expressed yearning for the EOCA to (at least gradually) grow more centres of organized chess activity that are outside of the Ottawa area, which is more or less saturated with Grand Prix events nowadays (if the two Gatineau events are added in). I even seem to recall you once telling me years ago that you took road trips to the west of Ottawa, to scout around, perhaps what some of your links allude to. Every so often the EOCA gets to host the Ontario Open, at least, which it did so handsomely this year (as we both have indicated).

As of last year Garland is running the new summer event in Almonte (though I'm not aware of there being any nearby or local club at present). It's invaluable to have willing local boots on the ground, but the EOCA might lend support such as some sort of equipment, seed money (could even be used for cheap advertising if necessary), or an imported TD to at least show how to (or help) run an event when it is actually held.

One thing I worry about that I haven't mentioned so far is that the RA is the main club in Ottawa, but for some people its location in Ottawa South may be remote (for them) or the club+RA fee may cause sticker shock. In either case, the other clubs in the city may also be unattractive, for other reasons (e.g. remoteness or seemingly too few members). Another city club that's fairly central, low club membership fee, and CFC-rated chess oriented, is something the EOCA might try to foster, however gradually.

Just today I was trying to figure out if in 1970 dollars CFC rated chess (all fees considered) is far more expensive these days. Did you know tax freedom day in Canada now comes 9 June? That is, (43% of) one's income is consumed by taxes until that day, so to speak (I don't know what tax freedom day would have been in 1970). It's hard to figure out (just with quick research) whether people have relatively more disposable income on average now (again in 1970 dollars), though apparently a lower percentage of people have trouble meeting just their very basic needs nowadays (though maybe those are, in relative terms, now cheaper[?]). Such calculations might be relavent, since the sum of all fees for playing organized chess might be relatively too high compared to what it was in 1970, if all factors are considered. An RA club membership fee of over $100 total can be a shock (never mind weekend tournament entry or CFC membership/rating fees), even if one is not poor, and even when considering that, say, the price of a bottle of pop was about 15 cents circa 1970, compared to $1.50 or more just for a can in 2017.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

...
Here's a simple and easy path of quick growth for both the EOCA and the equally sluggish CFC...

Identify our armed forces bases, you know, places such as ...Petawawa, Kingston, etc., etc.. There are quite a few on our map! Here's a couple of links to point you in the right direction:

4th Canadian Division Support Base Petawawa
http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/e...awa/index.page

Canadian Forces Base Kingston
http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/e...ton/index.page

Get the idea? Good! Identify them ALL! Approach them all! Ask them about Chess, about chess activities within their services! Pitch a well prepared well coordinated chess activity. Perhaps something like a round robin? Could be played on chess dot com. Or, where ever. In other words, sign them up! Get them involved! Create a whole new category from them!
...

Hello again Neil

Upon further reflection, I think that in a general sense your idea of the CFC or EOCA approaching military bases is simply brilliant. I recall CFC Rating Auditor Paul Leblanc once suggesting somewhere the idea of the CFC giving a discount on CFC memberships to military members, which is similar to an auxillary idea you mentioned above.

I'd thought further about the general problem of how to encourage growth in a 'remote (or virgin) chess area' having no established/previous organized chess (or known CFC members, to be potential players/organizer[s]). Unless an experienced organizer lives or works in the area (or knows someone there who could perhaps become an organizer), organized chess there must be started truly from scratch somehow. An organization like the EOCA or CFC could advertise cheaply locally to ask for local volunteers willing to learn how to start a local club (or run an event locally), with EOCA support of some kind, but such an advertising approach in order to cultivate fresh organizers might be hit or miss at best (most likely miss!?).

The obvious alternative is to hope passively that someone one day looks at the CFC (or even EOCA) website, if that inexperienced someone might happen to be inspired to begin organizing locally. A third alternative is the one you suggested by way of example, namely e.g. the EOCA can contact someone in a place where a big group of potential players and organizer(s) are already in one place together on a regular basis, which is in your example a military base. This approach beats the idea of the EOCA advertising locally (to an audience of more isolated individuals) in such a virgin chess location, if the EOCA cared to do that instead/too.

A few more quality ideas like this one, in a well written CFC presidential platform, and you'll be looked at with more fresh eyes.

[Neil Frarey]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

Hello again Neil

Upon further reflection, I think that in a general sense your idea of the CFC or EOCA approaching military bases is simply brilliant. I recall CFC Rating Auditor Paul Leblanc once suggesting somewhere the idea of the CFC giving a discount on CFC memberships to military members, which is similar to an auxillary idea you mentioned above.

I'd thought further about the general problem of how to encourage growth in a 'remote (or virgin) chess area' having no established/previous organized chess (or known CFC members, to be potential players/organizer[s]). Unless an experienced organizer lives or works in the area (or knows someone there who could perhaps become an organizer), organized chess there must be started truly from scratch somehow. An organization like the EOCA or CFC could advertise cheaply locally to ask for local volunteers willing to learn how to start a local club (or run an event locally), with EOCA support of some kind, but such an advertising approach in order to cultivate fresh organizers might be hit or miss at best (most likely miss!?).

The obvious alternative is to hope passively that someone one day looks at the CFC (or even EOCA) website, if that inexperienced someone might happen to be inspired to begin organizing locally. A third alternative is the one you suggested by way of example, namely e.g. the EOCA can contact someone in a place where a big group of potential players and organizer(s) are already in one place together on a regular basis, which is in your example a military base. This approach beats the idea of the EOCA advertising locally (to an audience of more isolated individuals) in such a virgin chess location, if the EOCA cared to do that instead/too.

A few more quality ideas like this one, in a well written CFC presidential platform, and you'll be looked at with more fresh eyes.

Thanks for your kind remark Kevin, refreshing.

I wasn't kidding when I said here on C.T. that I would double the CFC's Membership within a year ... not much of a challenge really.

With our armed forces who else in such large section of our population has almost a daily consideration of both strategy & tactics? Every level of their community rank & file are proud to wear their colors! So, a natural inclination to chess fundamentals, combined with a natural competitiveness, combined with pride of place ... all of that screams organized chess ... to me anyways. Simply a matter of presenting the right program/package ...with respect.

And as pres I would also quickly set contacts with ALL our native communities by simply going over to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada ...presenting a program/package for their communities also! With Skype and other internet enablers it is really exciting to think that from scratch a chess teacher such as Tom O. could have an impact in such a community. Secondary school level teachers could easily set up 'from scratch' an after school chess program and act as an intermediary. A CFC-CMA initiative would be easy to implement. CFC brands the overall participation, CMA brands the program(s), etc.. Funding coming from community level or what I'm aiming for ...Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada level.

I've already begun looking into this matter. And I wasn't kidding about a national champ coming out of a First Nation!

I won't bore you all the other easy to implement builders.

Double the CFC's Membership within a year ... not much of a challenge really.

And that's just to start, Kevin.

Next, think brand awareness and connectivity! Connect with interests that on a human & social level not only help those interest with our brand support, but inturn give our brand a fresh new foothold ... now we're talking about mainstream Canada!

How to do that?

As just one of a solid half dozen easy to implement examples: Chess Federation of Canada supports the hard working folks at the Canadian Cancer Society. Connect, make their concern ...our concern. Connect our brand to theirs. What can we do for and with them ... and vice-versa. And yes, Kevin ...I have already gone over to their national head quarters here in Ottawa ... beautiful people, great leadership!, I got a tour of their 'war room'. Map after map of demographic breakdowns. These folks really know what their doing ...and it ain't sitting around waiting for the phone to ring!

Seriously, double the CFC's Membership within a year ... not much of a challenge really.

Thanks again.


peace.
n.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

Seems like some solid ideas you have there Neil, good luck if you run for CFC Prez. I do fear you are crying in the wilderness if not ever elected/acclaimed, though if even some of your ideas are otherwise still implemented by someone else eventually then I would be glad of it, even if unkindly uncredited - hope you share more of them, if only in an altruistic spirit for the sake of Canadian chess.

I just noticed that the EOCA had been reduced to 3 voting members for the coming season, thanks to the info given in the 2017 OCA AGM thread. A bit disappointing, in light of the ideas we've been bouncing around regarding possible expansion into virgin chess territory by e.g. the CFC/EOCA. The good work that such Canadian chess bodies carry out within the familiar membership level/territory that they are more or less content to stay within for long periods of time might otherwise be shortly doubled at the least, as you suggest.

Kevin

[Garland Best]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

EOCA voting members have been 3 governors for several years now.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

...
I wasn't kidding when I said here on C.T. that I would double the CFC's Membership within a year ... not much of a challenge really.

With our armed forces who else in such large section of our population has almost a daily consideration of both strategy & tactics? Every level of their community rank & file are proud to wear their colors! So, a natural inclination to chess fundamentals, combined with a natural competitiveness, combined with pride of place ... all of that screams organized chess ... to me anyways. Simply a matter of presenting the right program/package ...with respect.

And as pres I would also quickly set contacts with ALL our native communities by simply going over to Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
...

Hello again Neil

It's possible you're not tooting your own horn enough, regarding a possible run for CFC Prez. Your recorded sheer number of directed CFC-rated events is similar to at least some CFC presidents' quantity in this regard. However, you'd need to get back in the game by soon becoming a CFC member, if you were possibly intending to run as soon as this year:

http://chess.ca/crosstable?search_to...8ce14b993e225c


P.S.: I noticed at least two rated Active TC events held at the Ottawa Chess Club, in the above link. I recall the club had much more of a history (unrated, perhaps). Hope it comes back in full force some day. Once again, good luck, whatever you decide.

K.R.P.

[Neil Frarey]

Re: 'Ottawa & Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

Whoa, thanks! I'd forgotten that I created the National Capital Open.

Chess 4 Charity was a blast! I have a DVD of the event including my interview with CBC ... during the interview right on the spot in the middle of the interview I created the word > Chesstastic < !!! The reporter was stunned ... she just looked at me with an expression of WTF?

So Kevin, I'm curious. How do you measure the success of a national chess tournament? Prize money, sponsorship, participation, other(?) ... perhaps all of that combined? Or, simply by the games that you played?

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 'Ottawa &amp; Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

...
So Kevin, I'm curious. How do you measure the success of a national chess tournament? Prize money, sponsorship, participation, other(?) ... perhaps all of that combined? Or, simply by the games that you played?
...

Well Neil, as you're aware, whether or not one is a player or an organizer, an optimal level of player participation depends on the type of national event an organizer is running, i.e. whether it's a Closed or an Open event. Regardless, it might be nice if the players are all relatively highly rated, though it also would be nice (if appropriate), say for the sake of increasing CFC membership levels alone, if there are a large number of unrated newbies playing (e.g. in their own special section that's handled by a TD skilled in how to treat raw newbies).

Otherwise as you suggest it's the combination of the things you mentioned (for 'other' factors there are e.g. media coverage, and, more optionally, the number of live spectators), though perhaps some potential sponsors may want things a certain way in regards to my previous paragraph - e.g. some may be cold to the idea of a newbies section, somehow or other. Also, as you kind of alluded to, the organizer and individual players will likely hope for a lot of entertaining (if not skillful) chess to be played at such an event (some individual players, or any fans they have, may be content if they simply place well in the tournament, and I've sometimes found myself in that position, after a lot of earlier games of bad chess ).

[Neil Frarey]

Re: 'Ottawa &amp; Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

Seems like some solid ideas you have there Neil, good luck if you run for CFC Prez. I do fear you are crying in the wilderness if not ever elected/acclaimed, though if even some of your ideas are otherwise still implemented by someone else eventually then I would be glad of it, even if unkindly uncredited - hope you share more of them, if only in an altruistic spirit for the sake of Canadian chess.

Kevin

I've been ripped so many many times it's become part of the game, Kevin. Here's one the more recent examples; when out and about Christmas shopping last year I saw one of my graphic designs (United Nation peace poster) on the back of a deck of playing cards!!! In Manotick!!! WTF? Ripped off, me? Oh ya, for sure! All the time! Copyright(s) are only as good as you're willing to defend them. In 2010 I learnt full well how to manipulate that element of society thanks to social media and the innerwebs in general.

Back on point...

Till the soil - Sow the seed - Celebrate the brand!

• Percentage of memberships monies (either renewals or new) generated by local orgs ... goes back to those associations!
• Free trial membership good for 3 CFC tournaments. Drop the offer on gaming and chess websites such chess dot com, chessclub dot com, etc. Conditions: not eligible for prizes.
• Start with ... Chess Federation of Canada t-shirts! Push them out through Strategy Games. Offer them up as part of a limited membership offer.

More???


peace.
n.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 'Ottawa &amp; Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

I forgot to mention that I missed seeing/forgot the Chess 4 Charity event. What was it like & about?

Quite a while ago the CFC had it's own baseball caps. Can't recall if it ever had T-shirts. As a kid I did a cheap imitation of the symbol (without words) using indelible ink on a T-shirt for myself. I just wore it at school. One girl thought it was a design about tombstones. :) Speaking of symbols I've long understood the peace symbol is actually a satanic one, unfortunately. It's apparently a trident or broken cross in a circle/ellipse - means death to all mankind according to one internet blurb I once saw - somehow it got snuck into popular culture in the morally mixed 1960s. The wikipedia entry for it claims it was invented in 1958, for anti-nuclear protesting, but who knows exactly how the artist got his inspiration, if he indeed came up with it.

Also as a kid I delivered the Clarion newspaper. I recall the RA club used to advertise in it. I used to go to the RA in the early 1970s with Robert (aka Bob) Gelblum and his father on casual Sundays, before I moved to Brampton for 13 years. Back then young kids/teens weren't allowed in the club the other day of the week that it was open, for more serious play.

You've definitely got opposition to some of your ideas, at least in Ottawa. In line with what you wrote earlier, two Governors said long ago, each at seperate meetings years apart, that the sole reason the EOCA exists is the Grand Prix. A former president once noted to me that any idea of 'free' sucks as far CFC policy would go, in his mind. You may need more allies, if you don't go your own way in some regard as far as chess goes (you might even throw in chess variants, if you'd like a virgin, but largely barren, niche to grow from scratch).

[Neil Frarey]

Re: 'Ottawa &amp; Eastern Ontario chesstalk Public Social Group' thread 1.0

I forgot to mention that I missed seeing/forgot the Chess 4 Charity event. What was it like & about?

Quite a while ago the CFC had it's own baseball caps. Can't recall if it ever had T-shirts. As a kid I did a cheap imitation of the symbol (without words) using indelible ink on a T-shirt for myself. I just wore it at school. One girl thought it was a design about tombstones. :) Speaking of symbols I've long understood the peace symbol is actually a satanic one, unfortunately. It's apparently a trident or broken cross in a circle/ellipse - means death to all mankind according to one internet blurb I once saw - somehow it got snuck into popular culture in the morally mixed 1960s. The wikipedia entry for it claims it was invented in 1958, for anti-nuclear protesting, but who knows exactly how the artist got his inspiration, if he indeed came up with it.

Also as I kid I delivered the Clarion newspaper. I recall the RA club used to advertise in it. I used to go to the RA in the early 1970s with Robert (aka Bob) Gelblum and his father on casual Sundays, before I moved to Brampton for 13 years. Back then young kids/teens weren't allowed in the club the other day of the week that it was open, for more serious play.

You've definitely got opposition to some of your ideas, at least in Ottawa. In line with what you wrote earlier, two Governors said long ago, each at seperate meetings years apart, that the sole reason the EOCA exists is the Grand Prix. A former president once noted to me that any idea of 'free' sucks as far CFC policy would go, in his mind. You may need more allies, if you don't go your own way in some regard as far as chess goes (you might even throw in chess variants, if you'd like a virgin, but largely barren, niche to grow from scratch).

C4C was an amazing event organized to raise money for charity (United Way). It featured 2 youts Lloyd Mai & Gabriel Brown. Each youth performed a simultaneous display, simultaneously! A Canadian and world first!!!

One youth encircled by 20 boards and not more than 20 feet away the other youth surrounded by 20 boards! The event took place down at 240 Sparks. Perfect location! Perfect concept! Raised a ton of cash! Industry Canada (now known as Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada) was the host. It was a combination of Industry Canada+Charity+Chess!!! Lloyd Dean of I.D. was the driving motivator. Brilliant guy.

So ya, love your DIY tee! As goth as it turned out to be!!! CFC branded street apparel is a must!

So ya, as for those past presidents who (for whatever personal reason) retarded the growth of the EOCA:

The EOCA is defined by the boundaries of its postal code K factor ... NOT by the confines of the Grand Prix!!! Get our map from the OCA and get to work! It's time for growth! But, we both know what will happen ...don't we, Kevin.

So ya, free trail memberships are the norm for most any modern successful subscription based business ... too many to reference here, Kevin. But think Adobe to start. I'm sure you know a handful of your own who offer a free trail membership.

Seriously successful marketing practice - tried and true!

CFC free trial membership good for 3 CFC rated tournaments (local events, not national events) is just perfect! 2 might work, but the more data the better! It's the data that is most valuable!

Just like the EOCA, the CFC is surrounded by potential growth! But the potential growth is being held back by those who aren't willing to try what has already been proven to be successful.

What do they have to lose???


peace.
n.