More on Kovalyov...

[Hans Jung]

Re: rating rituals

Nice story Nigel.

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: rating rituals

hah. This reminds me of a true story from the old Winnipeg chess club that ran out of the basement of the Cornish Library. The club has long since moved to a new location at the University of Winnipeg but, at that time, we were the beneficiaries of an extremely low rent ($1/year!) thanks to the past efforts of the late "Abe" Yanofsky.

The stairway was narrow, you see, only room really for one at a time - what with our heavy winter attire, single doorway, awkward stairway, and what have you. And, therefore, the players would file down the stairs in rating order! The reason I remember this story - which I observed and, must confess, participated in - was that there was (at least) one high-ranking player who refused to take part in this idiotic ritual and would let - gasp! - lower rated players go ahead of him. That was Fletcher Barager.

My opinion of Fletcher rose immensely from that day forth.

Ha ha! That's a good one.

Chess ratings are fantastic. It's a very nice system that records what you achieved over the board. The only problem is that we end up focusing on the numbers and not on what happens over the board.

[Nigel Hanrahan]

rating rituals

Chess players focus way too much on their ratings. I sincerely don't even know what's my rating. I just remember that I'm somewhere between 2100 and 2200. If I could sell my rating points, I'd do it right away. 1$ per rating point. I'd pocket the money and get my rating back to it's usual level in no time.

hah. This reminds me of a true story from the old Winnipeg chess club that ran out of the basement of the Cornish Library. The club has long since moved to a new location at the University of Winnipeg but, at that time, we were the beneficiaries of an extremely low rent ($1/year!) thanks to the past efforts of the late "Abe" Yanofsky.

The stairway was narrow, you see, only room really for one at a time - what with our heavy winter attire, single doorway, awkward stairway, and what have you. And, therefore, the players would file down the stairs in rating order! The reason I remember this story - which I observed and, must confess, participated in - was that there was (at least) one high-ranking player who refused to take part in this idiotic ritual and would let - gasp! - lower rated players go ahead of him. That was Fletcher Barager.

My opinion of Fletcher rose immensely from that day forth.

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

Why don't we all have a FIDE Rating? Just make all tournaments FIDE rated and give us a provisional FIDE rating.?

And what would be the objective? Besides the obvious funnelling of money towards bigger and more corrupt organizations?

There's no point in using FIDE ratings if we play a local tournament against local guys. I'd even go further and avoid using CFC or FQE ratings for some local events - i.e. a chess club with only the locals participating. Lots of them go with a local rating, saving money on rating fees.

Chess players focus way too much on their ratings. I sincerely don't even know what's my rating. I just remember that I'm somewhere between 2100 and 2200. If I could sell my rating points, I'd do it right away. 1$ per rating point. I'd pocket the money and get my rating back to it's usual level in no time.

[John Brown]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

Why don't we all have a FIDE Rating? Just make all tournaments FIDE rated and give us a provisional FIDE rating.?

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

Hi Neil:

I for one see no evidence on the horizon, that some new world chess organization will arise, that will wrestle away from FIDE its jurisdiction. Let's call a spade a spade. FIDE has many faults, and we must deal with it.

So what does one do?

1. Take advantage of all that is good about FIDE.
2. Complain every time that there is something wrong about FIDE.
3. Work behind the scenes to get "good" chess politicos into key positions at election time........you may have to target less powerful positions to start, to begin any changeover in the long run.

This seems a practical agenda for the CFC to deal with FIDE.

Anyone have any comments on my proposed strategy?

Bob A

My only comment is that it makes too much sense and will be doomed to failure ;)
Actually, it is a good plan. I would suggest that there also be a strong component to remove Kirsan and his associates from
any sort of power and influence, but that is a large job (sort of like getting rid of Trump)

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

Doesn't it bolster FIDE when CFC members, through CFC organizers, seek a FIDE rating on local level ...and by extension tacit approval of FIDE and how FIDE treats their members.

Kinda sad.

Hi Neil:

I for one see no evidence on the horizon, that some new world chess organization will arise, that will wrestle away from FIDE its jurisdiction. Let's call a spade a spade. FIDE has many faults, and we must deal with it.

So what does one do?

1. Take advantage of all that is good about FIDE.
2. Complain every time that there is something wrong about FIDE.
3. Work behind the scenes to get "good" chess politicos into key positions at election time........you may have to target less powerful positions to start, to begin any changeover in the long run.

This seems a practical agenda for the CFC to deal with FIDE.

Anyone have any comments on my proposed strategy?

Bob A

[Neil Frarey]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

Refusing to FIDE rate all CFC Local tournament would discourage players who are interested in establishing their FIDE rating. I already know of two players who are not interested in playing in the Almonte Open because it is not FIDE rated, and we are talking about a small town weekend swiss.

At the Aurora Fall Open this Sat./Sun., both the top section, and the second one (U 2000) were FIDE rated. The top two sections drew 50 players. I expect the fact that they were both FIDE-rated helped the turn-out.

Bob

Doesn't it bolster FIDE when CFC members, through CFC organizers, seek a FIDE rating on local level ...and by extension tacit approval of FIDE and how FIDE treats their members.

Kinda sad.

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

I was contradicting your point that the 'rating will follow'. When it comes to FIDE rating that is not always the case in Canada.

If you're trying to imply that ratings are completely irrelevant then I disagree. Most people who get into competitive games/sports do it for the fun of competition. When you are involved in something competitive you want to be good at it. Ratings are the most accurate way to determine how good somebody is at something.

Cherry picking opponents or avoiding certain tournaments in order to protect your rating is kind of silly if you use the logic above, but selecting FIDE rated tournaments to establish/improve a FIDE rating makes all kinds of sense.

I'm not saying ratings are irrelevant. I'm just saying most players tend to focus way too much on the subject. As you say, because of the ratings, some chess players will be very selective instead of just playing chess whenever they feel like it.

[Matthew Nicholson]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

And what's the point of having a 2300 CFC rating?

I was contradicting your point that the 'rating will follow'. When it comes to FIDE rating that is not always the case in Canada.

If you're trying to imply that ratings are completely irrelevant then I disagree. Most people who get into competitive games/sports do it for the fun of competition. When you are involved in something competitive you want to be good at it. Ratings are the most accurate way to determine how good somebody is at something.

Cherry picking opponents or avoiding certain tournaments in order to protect your rating is kind of silly if you use the logic above, but selecting FIDE rated tournaments to establish/improve a FIDE rating makes all kinds of sense.

[Matthew Nicholson]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

And what's the point of having a 2300 CFC rating?

What? That has nothing to do with anything I said.

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

To be fair that's kind of the point... the rating doesn't follow in Canada because we're so short on FIDE events. And it's not uncommon to see a youngster with a 2300CFC rating who's boasting a 1700 FIDE.

And what's the point of having a 2300 CFC rating?

[Matthew Nicholson]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

Some players are more interested in their ratings than they are about playing actual chess...

Forget about the ratings. Just get better at chess and your rating will follow.

To be fair that's kind of the point... the rating doesn't follow in Canada because we're so short on FIDE events. And it's not uncommon to see a youngster with a 2300CFC rating who's boasting a 1700 FIDE.

[Mathieu Cloutier]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

Some players are more interested in their ratings than they are about playing actual chess...

Forget about the ratings. Just get better at chess and your rating will follow.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Turkey for Thanksgiving

Refusing to FIDE rate all CFC Local tournament would discourage players who are interested in establishing their FIDE rating. I already know of two players who are not interested in playing in the Almonte Open because it is not FIDE rated, and we are talking about a small town weekend swiss.

At the Aurora Fall Open this Sat./Sun., both the top section, and the second one (U 2000) were FIDE rated. The top two sections drew 50 players. I expect the fact that they were both FIDE-rated helped the turn-out.

Bob