Bye(s) in the last round(s)

[Stephen Wright]

How do people feel about the leader at the World Open receiving two half point byes in his last two rounds?

http://www.worldopen.com/

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

How do people feel about the leader at the World Open receiving two half point byes in his last two rounds?

http://www.worldopen.com/

Ridiculous. Is this another Goichberg event?? I thought so... see the shameless plug for that leech later on the main page for the Open... HE is the main reason the USCF is on the brink of disaster; wonder if he wants to run for the CFC as well?

[John Coleman]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

I diagree with the last round byes, but this information was posted in the comments at Daily Dirt:

You have to ask for byes at the beginning of the tournament otherwise you get 0 points. So, at the beginning of the tournament he would not have known what his score would be at the end of round 7. He could have also lost one of the last 2 games and drawn the other. So, he could have ended up with very little money.

He has to play at a very high level just to maintain his rating at the World Open. I presume that is one of the reasons why he played in the accelerated schedule as the first 5 rounds are not FIDE rated.

The San Sebastian tournament has appearance fees as well as prize fund. Additionally, it is one round per day where you know and can prepare for your opponents in advance. The World Open is a crapshoot with so many GMs , multiple rounds per day and no appearance fees.

The San Sebastian tournament is the proverbial bird in hand whereas the World open is the bird in the bush.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

I diagree with the last round byes, but this information was posted in the comments at Daily Dirt:
...

The San Sebastian tournament is the proverbial bird in hand whereas the World open is the bird in the bush. [/COLOR]

just adding that San Sebastian starts today (July 6) (+ a flight and a jet lag

[Ferdinand Supsup]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

Ridiculous. Is this another Goichberg event?? I thought so... see the shameless plug for that leech later on the main page for the Open... HE is the main reason the USCF is on the brink of disaster; wonder if he wants to run for the CFC as well?

Kerry, this was definitely a Bill Goichberg "Continental Chess Association" Event.

[Bindi Cheng]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

It was a smart idea since going into the last round he was up by half a point and only Najer caught up to him so he basically played a two day event and cashed in big

[Jason Lohner]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

It was a smart move by him, but look at the public image this gives... bad for the game in the long run. I don't blame Mr. Nakamura though, if he has to jet to another tournament, I guess there wasn't too many options for him.

[Jonathan Berry]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

Benjamin won a tournament in Chicago the same way, a few years ago. He had an appointment in New York, and requested the bye before the tournament began. I'm guessing, but he probably confirmed it even before agreeing to play in the tournament

So long as it goes together with declaration of byes before the tournament starts, I'm OK with it--but not for class prizes. In other words, if an Open section player rated under 2400 took half point byes in the final two rounds of the World Open, and with those byes won the under-2400 prize, I wouldn't want to give it to him.

I've never seen it done in Canada, and I don't want to sound like a big fan of a last-round half-point bye, but I don't think it is an abomination. It's not any worse than the 12-move draws that would normally take its place.

[Ferdinand Supsup]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

It was a smart idea since going into the last round he was up by half a point and only Najer caught up to him so he basically played a two day event and cashed in big

Absolutely a smart decision with Nakamura's calibre who excel in rapid fast games to avail of the 3-day schedule.
However, it exposed a loop hole and should served as an eye-opener for the tournament director to prevent this scenario from happening again in fairness to other participants especially the other GMs and titled players who played in the 4, 5 and 7 day schedules. I found that byes especially in the last
rounds should never be allowed to make the tournament more competitive. Sad thing if participants were not even aware of these byes in the last 2 rounds. Good thing that happened in Nakamura's case was that only 6 or 7 players played in the 3 day schedule but only one GM in the person of Leonid Yudasin where he drew, and got 4.5 points out of 5 games in just one day. I just could not imagine how the participants playing in the 5 and 7 day schedules feel about it. There must be a reason behind these byes in the last rounds. Any thoughts? Maybe, to play safe for the big prizes and avoid further stress and fatigue in high level competition.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

Kerry, this was definitely a Bill Goichberg "Continental Chess Association" Event.

Yes, I realized that as I was typing the post... hence my reference to Goichberg's sleazy self-promotion on the home page of the tournament web site... I met him at the Atlantic Open (I think it was?) in NYC in 1968 and thought he was a bit off the wall then ('my way or no way' Goichberg as I recall...) but he has managed to con the USCF into lining Bill's pockets and fleecing the rest of the USCF.

[Jonathan Berry]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

Kerry, since you've, ah, let the cat out of the bag, with your remarks about Bill Goichberg vis-a-vis the USCF, do you care to elucidate?

The USCF elected Bill Goichberg to head it, with full knowledge that he was a professional tournament organizer. What exactly is the "con" ? Where is the "fleece" ?

[Ferdinand Supsup]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

Benjamin won a tournament in Chicago the same way, a few years ago. He had an appointment in New York, and requested the bye before the tournament began. I'm guessing, but he probably confirmed it even before agreeing to play in the tournament

So long as it goes together with declaration of byes before the tournament starts, I'm OK with it--but not for class prizes. In other words, if an Open section player rated under 2400 took half point byes in the final two rounds of the World Open, and with those byes won the under-2400 prize, I wouldn't want to give it to him.

I've never seen it done in Canada, and I don't want to sound like a big fan of a last-round half-point bye, but I don't think it is an abomination. It's not any worse than the 12-move draws that would normally take its place.

The SOFIA RULE in this case will now then be justified, however it was not mentioned how much point is awarded for a bye. If a 1/2 point is awarded for a bye, then it will be fair enough that the prizes from the 2nd until 6th will be shared equally among other 5 GMs that include Nakamura. Kamsky, Stocek, Akobian and Yudasin with 18 points while GM Evgeny Najer will get clear first with 20 points.

http://rules.chessdom.com/sofia-rule

In high level tournaments like the World Open, I think "The SOFIA RULE"
wherein wins matter than draws will someday be the tournament rule to be adapted. Everyone plays to win anyway and that's the goal of every chess player.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

Kerry, since you've, ah, let the cat out of the bag, with your remarks about Bill Goichberg vis-a-vis the USCF, do you care to elucidate?

The USCF elected Bill Goichberg to head it, with full knowledge that he was a professional tournament organizer. What exactly is the "con" ? Where is the "fleece" ?

It certainly appears that the Continental Chess Association has benefitted directly and financially from Goichberg's rein at the USCF - there are numerous blog posts about this elsewhere (notably at Susan Polgar's blog and related sites -even taken with a grain of salt since Polgar is the subject of the USCF's/Goichberg's wrath at the moment) there are lots of unanswered questions that are not even being investigated or addressed by the USCF).

The "con" is that Goichberg was obliged to declare a conflict of interest on a number of actions of the USCF and he apparently has not done so...

[Jonathan Berry]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

Kerry, those are strong words to base upon the reading of a blog of a political enemy of the person you are condemning.

On a couple of lighter notes ...

1. I haven't gone to the Polgar forum, but I did notice in the comments section of the blog proper, where almost everyone identifies themselves as "Anonymous", more than once, that a person (who is not related to me, nor was I ever related to Denis Barry) on the USCF board was denounced about ten times by an Anonymous contributor who transparently paraphrased himself the other nine times. Real blog comments vary a lot between one and the next.

2. USCF Board member Randy Bauer (in German, a pawn is called Bauer. And I'm not related to him either, though I did play him in a USCF-rated event about 35 years ago) in his election statement writes this about another candidate: "Michael Atkins is also an experienced tournament organizer, director and player. His professional background as a mental health professional should help the Board work through contentious issues in a positive fashion. I, for one, look forward to him helping me be a kinder, gentler Executive Board member."

Har. Har.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Bye(s) in the last round(s)

Kerry, those are strong words to base upon the reading of a blog of a political enemy of the person you are condemning.

On a couple of lighter notes ...

1. I haven't gone to the Polgar forum, but I did notice in the comments section of the blog proper, where almost everyone identifies themselves as "Anonymous", more than once, that a person (who is not related to me, nor was I ever related to Denis Barry) on the USCF board was denounced about ten times by an Anonymous contributor who transparently paraphrased himself the other nine times. Real blog comments vary a lot between one and the next.

2. USCF Board member Randy Bauer (in German, a pawn is called Bauer. And I'm not related to him either, though I did play him in a USCF-rated event about 35 years ago) in his election statement writes this about another candidate: "Michael Atkins is also an experienced tournament organizer, director and player. His professional background as a mental health professional should help the Board work through contentious issues in a positive fashion. I, for one, look forward to him helping me be a kinder, gentler Executive Board member."

Har. Har.

I did mention that one has to take ALL blogs with a grain of salt or perhaps the entire shaker... anyway, Susan Polgar has some skin in the game too obviously. There is SO much disinformation around (even ignoring the anonymous posters). I have corresponded with Susan Polgar and I believe she has done more for chess in the US than everyone else on the USCF board - and she continues to devote all of her time and energy to chess. My money is on her versus Goichberg.