Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

[Gary Hua]

Here is the summary of the Oakville Winter Open which was held last weekend at Holiday Inn, Oakville Feb 2-4, 2018

Highlights of the tournaments

1. First of all, I would like to thank MCC and BCC for the usage of the chess clocks and IA Danny Goldenberg and MIkhail for their superb running of the show. Thanks to all the volunteers and all the participants without which this tournament would not have been successful. Thanks to a couple of sponsors for this tournament as well.

2. We have 185 players attended in our maiden tournament.

3. Results

https://elevatemychess.com/oakvillewinter/

4. Pictures

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...4xS0tBTFZpanhB

5. Live games ( Round 1 to 5 )

http://view.livechesscloud.com/6075a...7-bce38c2da7f7

6. Winners ( 58 winners )

https://elevatemychess.com/wp-conten...ampionship.pdf

7. We started on time on most of the rounds except one round where there was one games which ended very late.

8. Merging of the two groups ( 2 days and 3 days ) in round 3

9. Great feedback from participants and parents. Some asked when is our next tournament.

10. Tournament results submitted to CFC for FIDE and CFC rating on the same day it ended. Kudos to IA Danny. It was CFC rated last night. Link below

http://chess.ca/crosstable

We certainly enjoyed hosting the tournament for you guys although it was indeed a tiring throughout the 2.5 days tournament. We proved that this US styled run tournament is workable in Canada with the entry fees and the number of players.

Will we do it again ? Certainly if parents and players continue to support our tournaments and programs etc

Send us your feedback/reviews at infoATelevatemychessDOT.com ( positive or negative so that we can elevate your chess experience further )

Our next tournament will be Feb 24-25, 2018 - Ontario Girls U19 CC and Mississauga CYCC qualifier . Link below

https://elevatemychess.com/ontariopolgar/

https://elevatemychess.com/mississaugaqualifier/

Cheers to Chess in Canada

Ken Green / Gary Hua

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

How many players used the rebuy option (by section)? What were the final counts (by section) of 2-day and 3-day entries? In other words - was it worthwhile having a 2-day and 3-day option - or just stick to one or the other?

[Gary Hua]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

How many players used the rebuy option (by section)? What were the final counts (by section) of 2-day and 3-day entries? In other words - was it worthwhile having a 2-day and 3-day option - or just stick to one or the other?

Hi Hugh,

One re entry only. I think 88 players opted for 3 days and balance 2 days. It's about half for each group. We are just giving an option to players of the two options

If we have 2 days ie 3 games a day on Saturday - it will be taxing for most players and we definitely cannot do longer hours for the two top sections ( 40 moves in 90 mins + 30 mins with 30 secs increment for each move from move 1 )

If we have 3 days, some players may not be able to play on Friday and they are forced to take bye for round 1.

It is pretty hard to find a balance on which option is better.

Having said that, if we are going to hold a long weekend tournament ( Sat/Sun and Mon ), we will do a 6 rounds tournament and 2 games a day and there will not be an option for the number of days.

We are still pondering on this option ( 6 games long weekend tournament )

Gary Hua

[John Coleman]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

Did you get any feedback on the unusual prize structure?

[Gary Hua]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

Did you get any feedback on the unusual prize structure?

Feedback from parents and players :

1. It's great and there is no need to wait until the end of the tournament.

2. You don't share with anyone

3. It's guaranteed.

Lots of happy kids even though they may have won $ 20 or $ 50 ( which is less than their entry fee )

Gary Hua

EMC

[Erik Malmsten]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

Feedback from parents and players :

1. It's great and there is no need to wait until the end of the tournament.

2. You don't share with anyone

3. It's guaranteed.

Lots of happy kids even though they may have won $ 20 or $ 50 ( which is less than their entry fee )

Gary Hua

EMC

I guess it's great to win a prize, recognition of the accomplishment. I don't like prices lower than the entry fee, especially in the top section.

Is there a percentage of entry fees returned as prizes? Is it over 70%? Is there any risk to the organizers?

[Gary Hua]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

I guess it's great to win a prize, recognition of the accomplishment. I don't like prices lower than the entry fee, especially in the top section.

Is there a percentage of entry fees returned as prizes? Is it over 70%? Is there any risk to the organizers?

Hi Erik,

1. You can't please everyone in life

2. Of course there is risk in every business.

Cheers

Gary

[John Brown]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

I noticed in your Championship prize structure You 1/2 each prize to 4 points. then you could have done that to next prize and put the extra $50 to 3 points so they'd get $100.
You drastically dropped the lower prize distribution. This is one reason why I don't think I'll ever try this type of tournament.

[Fred Harvey]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

"....You drastically dropped the lower prize distribution...."

Why should the lower scores get a "prize"? They need to play better!

As the man said, you can't please everybody.....

[Alex Ferreira]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

Hi,


As a chess player and fan, I find it very disturbing for amateur chess players to hope, wish, or play for large sums of money. One of the reasons why I love Guelph tournaments.
Having large prizes in lower sections will lead to:
- sandbagging
- unrated / provisional players from a different rating pool to step in once in a lifetime and grab and go
- promote and reward mediocrity (beyond a reasonable symbolic bonus)
- provide incentive for players not to improve their rating / game and stay in the lower sections where they're more likely to get prizes
- other questionable practices on and off the board (it's easy to keep track of who the top players are, and they have a lot to lose if they go down ethical wrongdoings roads - the same cannot always be said about drop-in amateurs)

The way I see it, as an amateur chess player, chess is a hobby. I don't expect to regain my entry fee through a prize, the same way I don't expect to get money back when I go to the cinema or have dinner at a restaurant. Any "prize" that comes back is a bonus. Not revenue. Not something to put in my income column, or personal finances balance sheet. I find this idea that sub-master level chess players should be able to make substantial amounts of money through playing chess, to be absurd.
Chess Game = 4 hours. Chess tournament = 5 games. Hours spent at a chess tournament = ~25 including travel time, breaks, etc...
Minimum wage = $14.00 in Ontario. $14.00 * 25 (hours) = $350.
$350 sounds like a much better bet working minimum wage, guaranteed earnings, than the chance of finishing first in some tournament (maybe) and getting comparable prize.


Alex F.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

Hi,


As a chess player and fan, I find it very disturbing for amateur chess players to hope, wish, or play for large sums of money. One of the reasons why I love Guelph tournaments.
Having large prizes in lower sections will lead to:
- sandbagging
- unrated / provisional players from a different rating pool to step in once in a lifetime and grab and go
- promote and reward mediocrity (beyond a reasonable symbolic bonus)
- provide incentive for players not to improve their rating / game and stay in the lower sections where they're more likely to get prizes
- other questionable practices on and off the board (it's easy to keep track of who the top players are, and they have a lot to lose if they go down ethical wrongdoings roads - the same cannot always be said about drop-in amateurs)

The way I see it, as an amateur chess player, chess is a hobby. I don't expect to regain my entry fee through a prize, the same way I don't expect to get money back when I go to the cinema or have dinner at a restaurant. Any "prize" that comes back is a bonus. Not revenue. Not something to put in my income column, or personal finances balance sheet. I find this idea that sub-master level chess players should be able to make substantial amounts of money through playing chess, to be absurd.
Chess Game = 4 hours. Chess tournament = 5 games. Hours spent at a chess tournament = ~25 including travel time, breaks, etc...
Minimum wage = $14.00 in Ontario. $14.00 * 25 (hours) = $350.
$350 sounds like a much better bet working minimum wage, guaranteed earnings, than the chance of finishing first in some tournament (maybe) and getting comparable prize.


Alex F.

Interesting points Alex... I have noticed sometimes (especially in the mega US Open tournaments) that sometimes the winners of the U1800 or U1600 or similar sections get prizes that are HUGE compared to many of the payouts in the Open section. In the main Open sections the top prizes are often split between many players (sometimes IMs and GMs) which makes the U1800 winner's large prize even more biting (just my opinion; of course, if I won many hundreds of dollars in Uxxxx I suppose I wouldn't bite the hand that paid me...)

That said, I don't know if there is any solution in general - having large cash prizes for low/amateur/hobby sections seems to attract more players - sort of the same idea as large lottery payouts rather than multiple smaller prizes attracts all the crowd.

[John Brown]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

Why should the lower scores get a "prize"? They need to play better!

As the man said, you can't please everybody.....

So you are saying that 3 points in a championship section is a low score. I think you should try playing chess instead of thinking what someone is thinking. They could have easily have given that 3 points in the open $100. they chose not to so as I SAID I CHOSE NOT TO PLAY IN THEIR TOURNAMENT.

[Fred Harvey]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

So you are saying that 3 points in a championship section is a low score. I think you should try playing chess instead of thinking what someone is thinking. They could have easily have given that 3 points in the open $100. they chose not to so as I SAID I CHOSE NOT TO PLAY IN THEIR TOURNAMENT.

The organizers thought three points was a low score....I agree with them, and no amount of shouting from you changes anything......

[John Brown]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

If 3 points is a low score then why offer a prize at all.

[John Brown]

Re: Summary of Oakville Winter Open Feb 2-4, 2018

In All groups total there were 36 players who got 3 points. I'm wondering if the organizers knew that 3 points is a very probable result in a 5 round Swiss and wanted to avoid paying out large amounts of money for that score