2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

[Halldor P. Palsson]

2017 National Capital Open
An EOCA Grand Prix Event see website at www.eoca.ca

Date: November 10,11,12, 2017
Place: RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive, Ottawa – Room TBD.
Rounds: 5, Friday 7:30 PM Saturday & Sunday @ 10 AM & 3 PM.

Type: Regular Swiss

Sections and prizes are based on projected entries and may change.

Type: Regular Swiss

Sections and prizes are based on projected entries.

Open - (rated FIDE & CFC); 1st $400, 2nd $250 3d $150 U2200 $100, U2050 $100
U 1900 – ( rated CFC); 1st $250, 2nd $150 3rd $100; U1750 $100;
U1600 – (rated CFC) 1st $150, 2nd $100 3rd $50 and U1300 $50.

Time Control: Game-in-90-plus-30-seconds-a-move.

Entry Fee: Open; $60 if pre-registered, $70 at site; NM $50 until Nov 3.
U1900 $60 if pre-registered, $70 at site;
U1600 $40 if pre-registered, $50 at site

Add $20 if playing up a section. Player must be 100 points or less from the rating floor for the section he wants to play up in.

Amateur $30. Amateurs are not eligible for prizes.
Free entry for GM/WGM & IM/WIM.

CFC or FQE membership is required.

Requesting byes: max of three ½ point byes in the first four rounds.

Prizes: $$BEN

Organizers: EOCA, RA Chess Club
TD: Halldor P. Palsson

Registration: Cheque/e-transfer by November 3, 2017, payable to:
Halldor P. Palsson, 633 Island Park Cr.,Ottawa, Ont. K1Y 3P4 or e-mail fs889@ncf.ca your entry to escape late fee.

Or register in person at the RA Chess Club, November 2, 9, 7:00-7:30 PM

If you prefer your own equipment bring it. RA Chess Club equipment is available.

[David Fei]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

So you should sign up as an amateur if you don't think you will win a prize?

[Garland Best]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

If you want. But as a point, last year Brian Profit almost signed up as an amateur for the Almonte Open and ended up in a tie for 2nd/3rd and a nice chunk of cash.

[Aris Marghetis]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

So you should sign up as an amateur if you don't think you will win a prize?

Three thoughts:

1) Halldor (the TD) normally has many class prizes.
2) Not infrequently, Amateurs get the most points but no cash. That must feel not so good?!
3) I'll leave it to Halldor to confirm, but I believe only non-Amateurs are GUARANTEED Swiss Pairings at their level.

In other words, for myself, I only play Amateur if I'm playing less than 3-4 rounds (or of course if money's tight)

Just my 2c worth, your mileage may vary.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

In the early days when the Amateur entry fee option was first offered in EOCA tournaments, quite a few players took that option, even in the Open section. However, I recall one event where I paid my full entry fee as usual, but by the last round was going to finish out of the money as I was eligible only for place prizes. My opponent, who also had paid the full entry fee, was eligible for a class prize, on the other hand. I played 1.f4 (the Bird's Opening), won after not too many moves, and so my opponent finished with only 2 out of 5 possible points, and went home looking rather dejected. Later, however, he was informed by the organizer that because so many players in his rating class had elected to pay the Amateur entry fee, he had won his class prize ($100) as if almost by default, in spite of his minus score! Not so many EOCA events passed after that, when I noticed there was a trend for far less people to take the Amateur entry fee option in EOCA events...

[Aris Marghetis]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

In the early days when the Amateur entry fee option was first offered in EOCA tournaments, quite a few players took that option, even in the Open section. However, I recall one event where I paid my full entry fee as usual, but by the last round was going to finish out of the money as I was eligible only for place prizes. My opponent, who also had paid the full entry fee, was eligible for a class prize, on the other hand. I played 1.f4 (the Bird's Opening), won after not too many moves, and so my opponent finished with only 2 out of 5 possible points, and went home looking rather dejected. Later, however, he was informed by the organizer that because so many players in his rating class had elected to pay the Amateur entry fee, he had won his class prize ($100) as if almost by default, in spite of his minus score! Not so many EOCA events passed after that, when I noticed there was a trend for far less people to take the Amateur entry fee option in EOCA events...

Do you remember, was I the TD for that? It sounds familiar, and YES, people going Amateur declined after that lol

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

I cannot recall for certain, but I have a very vague feeling it was Halldor that was the TD & Organizer. This was at the time a certain A.M. was living in Ottawa and was an RA club member. It depends if you were organizing EOCA RA weekend events circa 2008-9, Aris.

[edit: based on Halldor's CFC records, it appears you were organizing EOCA RA weekend events then.]

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

Long time ago, I took the amateur entry to play in the EOCA Open (June version). It was a good deal LOL - a bye on Friday, the second round afternoon, two rounds a day - enough time for travel to/from Toronto, and early morning sightseeing, and the last round against Kevin Pacey LOL

[Halldor P. Palsson]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

Playing in Varennes this weekend and I hope to see many of you playing in the next EOCA event in Almonte.

The Amateur option is not very popular. I am at 1 or 0 in most sections that I run. Folks like to be all in when they play chess.

The U2200, U2050 and U1750 prizes keep hope alive for those scoring more modestly in points over the weekend. These prizes are lowest rated in the point group gets the prize undivided. So not bad to get a prize of say $60-$100 for 2.5 or 3/5.

I am also trying U1300 prize for the U1600. This is in response to sharply increased participation in that section.

[Halldor P. Palsson]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

Canadian Champion GM Bator Sambuev will be playing!

GM Bator Sambuev and GM Lazaro Bruzon of Cuba won the Varennes International this weekend with 4.5/5.

[Halldor P. Palsson]

Pre-registered for 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

See pre-registered below.

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

Is there any way you can format your lists better? If it's a pre-reg list - we only need the names, ratings, and section - no need for multiple lines for each player.

[Halldor P. Palsson]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

See pre-registered below.

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

Still looks bad. Copy and paste your original list, and put "code" in square brackets at the beginning and "/code" in square brackets at the end. (omit the double quotes). Preview your post and see how it looks.

[Aris Marghetis]

Re: 2017 National Capital Open, November 10, 11, 12

Halldor, I really appreciate everything you do to keep rated chess going in Eastern Ontario. Without you, we could very well lose many if not most of our events. Your VOLUNTEERism is off-the-charts impressive. Thank you for all the informative posts. Like everyone, but prolly more than most, you are a busy man. So then even extra thanks for taking the time to post updated pre-registration lists.