The 2018 Montreal Summer Chess Classic - (July 30 - August 03)

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi again Vlad:

Lots of questions........

It seems the swiss games will run from 1PM to about 5 PM generally (given the G/90 + 30).

The elite round robin plays 2 games per day I take it, likely Mon. to Thurs. I see that in your advertising you have left the start times for the RR flexible. But do they start at the same time each of the 4 mornings? IF they start at 10 AM, for example, I could if I wanted watch the elite games for 3 hrs. before I start my game, some days.

Given their time control allows generally for about 6 hr games (If long), then they would not start the 2nd game of the day until around 4 PM (Maybe earlier if they all finished quickly). If I finish my Swiss game at 5 PM, then some days I could also watch the RR second games if I wanted.

Do I have this right, or close?

Thanks.

Bob

[Vadim Tsypin]

Hi again Vlad:

Lots of questions........

It seems the swiss games will run from 1PM to about 5 PM generally (given the G/90 + 30).

The elite round robin plays 2 games per day I take it, likely Mon. to Thurs. I see that in your advertising you have left the start times for the RR flexible. But do they start at the same time each of the 4 mornings? IF they start at 10 AM, for example, I could if I wanted watch the elite games for 3 hrs. before I start my game, some days.

Given their time control allows generally for about 6 hr games (If long), then they would not start the 2nd game of the day until around 4 PM (Maybe earlier if they all finished quickly). If I finish my Swiss game at 5 PM, then some days I could also watch the RR second games if I wanted.

Do I have this right, or close?

Thanks.

Bob

Thanks Bob, I really enjoy this dialogue! It is the thoughtful comments like yours that allow us to fine-tune all details of this tournament. Lefong and I appreciate your contribution a lot, and we'll be delighted if you can play yourself / observe other games - and blog anything that catches your attention!

You are absolutely right: the IM Norm Invitational Section will operate on a 10 a.m. / 3 p.m. schedule. We did it for Masters' section at the Winter Classic, and folks enjoyed doing exactly what you propose: coming in the morning to watch RR games, then playing their own games at 1 p.m. side-by-side with current and future stars, then watching the denouement of the afternoon round.

--
Vadim

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Vadim:

Thank you.....that was one of the things I wanted in place......

I will now await your updating of the pre-registration list........I would still like to see the draw in the Open Section, before I make a final decision....though I continue to lean towards wanting to play, and all else is now in place.

Bob A

P.S. You may know that I have blogged my own section (And often the bare results of the top section when I am not in it), both formally (For the FQE) and informally, in the tournaments I play in, on websites, discussion boards and Facebook, over the years. I do intend to blog the Classic if I play, on my own personal Fb Account - I blog there all my club games, and many of my friends are themselves chess players. I have had positive feedback, and it is fun to do, so I have persisted to inflict myself on my friends in this way.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi again Vadim:

Another question while I am awaiting the Pre-reg list update.

As I mentioned in the prior post, there are currently only 2 registered for the Open Section (Where I wish to play).

If, unfortunately, the Open section remained quite small, would you collapse the Open and U 1800 Sections into one "1200 & Over" top section?

Bob A

P.S. If the Open Section was small, but got to 6 players, would you consider an Open 6-player Round-Robin, instead of collapsing the two top sections (If that would be your intention at the moment)?

[Vadim Tsypin]

If, unfortunately, the Open section remained quite small, would you collapse the Open and U 1800 Sections into one "1200 & Over" top section?

Hello Bob,

A great and valid question. In short: Lefong and I are definitely considering it However, I am still extremely busy with the ongoing Canadian Open and will need some R&R to think clearly about another event. Moreover, the arbiter team is preparing tournament files for the Quebec Open right now and this will remain our top priority this coming week.

We expect to return to Montreal Sunday night and to discuss the options with Lefong early next week. Thanks a lot for your patience and understanding, there will definitely be more news about the Classic by the time we start the COQ on 7/21.

[Vadim Tsypin]

Drawing of lots for the IM Norm Invitational section has been done in a tasteful ceremony. Pairings for all nine rounds are published, and the players started preparing for their opponents.

The pre-registration lists in all sections are updated. A star addition to the Open section is Brandon Zhu from B.C., the 2018 Canadian U-18 champion.

We are expecting an influx of players from the Quebec Open that would take place in Longueuil on July 21-28. Don't delay, register for the Summer Classic now!

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Vadim:

Just confirming - I just registered for the Open Section.

Looking forward to playing the two back-to-back tournaments in Quebec this summer.

Thanks for your clear explanations to my questions.

See you Monday, July 30.

Bob A

[Vadim Tsypin]

Hi Vadim:

Just confirming - I just registered for the Open Section.

Looking forward to playing the two back-to-back tournaments in Quebec this summer.

Thanks for your clear explanations to my questions.

See you Monday, July 30.

Bob A

Welcome to the Summer Classic, Bob! We are very happy to have you play, and thanks for the kind words. The Open section listing has been updated with your name proudly there, hope your example becomes contagious. :)

I have great memories of your playing - and blogging - in the Rencontres Internationales de la Francophonie at Delta Montreal in 2015 and in the Canadian Open 2014 at Queen Elizabeth. Hope the sites of the Quebec Open (Sandman Hotel in Longueiul) and the Montreal Summer Classic (Collège Brebeuf) won't disappoint you either, while the challenge of playing two tournaments in a row will be alleviated by many joyous reunions.

Looking forward to see you this Saturday at the COQ!

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Vadim:

I have always enjoyed playing in Quebec tournaments. So, I am this year looking forward to my "double whammy".

As I mentioned, currently it is my intention to blog both my tournaments on my own personal Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/bob.armstrong.9235). I accept all friend requests (Because I have morphed my personal account into an international discussion club), so anyone can come to see the chess blog if interested.

Thank you for your kind welcome......I know I will be quite happy with the tournament organization and the playing locations for both tournaments.

See you on Saturday at the start of the COQ.

Bob A

[Bob Armstrong]

Update: I have been posting my blog of the 2018 Quebec Open Chess Championship on my own personal Fb Account (https://www.facebook.com/bob.armstrong.9235) as mentioned in the prior post. I have posted Blog # 1 (18/7/20 - Day Prior) & Blog # 2 (18/7/21 - Rd. 1).

But I have now run into a technical snag with respect to my Microsoft Office Suite of programs, including Word. So temporarily, I am not able to continue the blog this way (By preparing a Word draft).

I intend as well to blog the 2018 Montreal Summer Chess Classic this way. But it may also be affected if this problem-solving becomes a long drawn-out process.

As soon as I am able to solve this issue, and get back to blogging, I will so post here.

Thanks

Bob A

[Bob Armstrong]

I have noted in earlier posts that I intend to blog the 2018 Summer Chess Classic on my own personal Fb Account, and I have provided the URL.

Some ChessTalkers have been interested enough in what I might be currently blogging re my first Quebec tournament, the U 2000 Section of the 2018 Quebec Open Chess Championship, that they have made the effort to follow the URL link also in the COQ thread to my personal Fb Account. Two things are happening:

1. If the CT'er does not have a Fb account, they are blocked from getting to my personal account, until they agree to open a personal Fb account of their own. For those not wanting to open an account of their own, for whatever reason, then there is no access for them to my current blog. It is because of this that I have started my third Admin. Question thread, asking Henry/Dark Knight if he will agree to allow me to post my blog on his CT site (See other thread).

2. If the CT'er does have a Fb account, the link takes them right to my personal account page. But......lo & behold.......they find my page not like the pages of their Fb friends.

Why?

Well, I have morphed my personal Fb account into an international world-issues discussion club.....we hash over absolutely everything......and the club members (All my friends) span all specturms - political, religious, gender, race, nationality, etc.. We discuss on average 14 different world issues daily.

So where does my Chess Blog come in?? Well a number of my Fb friends, and discussion club members, play, or at least follow, chess! So I do post my blog as part of the discussion material, and my blog is fair game for attack, praise, questions, etc.

So.....given the various types of posts going up daily, when a CT'er goes to my Fb account, you must scroll down through all our discussion posts to locate the Chess Blog - it is there with two nice pictures - chess pieces/the Quebec Provincial Flag. So when scrolling down, you can't miss it.....you just have to be patient getting to it. And thanks to those making the effort to get to my blog........of course..... the downside you know.......is that I am encouraged to continue to inflict myself on you by your very effort - people like you keep me going!!

I am still trying to solve my technical Microsoft Office Suite problem, affecting my use of my Word program. In the meantime I am, later today, going to do a very truncated blog for Rds. 2 & 3 on Sunday, typed up as a Fb post on the original post. Also, I am now downloading a non-proprietary word processing program to start using while I am at war with Goliath!

I am hoping that all these contingencies will be resolved by the start of this second tournament on Monday, July 30. Then I will be back to blogging normally on my Fb Account, and perhaps re-posting my Quebec Classic blog here on Chess Talk, depending on the decision of Henry/Dark Knight in the other third thread.

Bob A

[Bob Armstrong]

A Quick Update

Henry/Dark Knight, the new owner of Chess Talk, has now kindly invited me to re-post my Chess Classic blog on his site, after I put it on my Fb Account. Thanks from me, and my non-Fb chess friends!

Sooooo ....... Vadim..........you will no longer have to ask someone else: "What in the world is that guy saying about me and my tournament???"

You can just come here to Chess Talk.....and all will be revealed!

Bob A

[Vadim Tsypin]

A Quick Update

Henry/Dark Knight, the new owner of Chess Talk, has now kindly invited me to re-post my Chess Classic blog on his site, after I put it on my Fb Account. Thanks from me, and my non-Fb chess friends!

Sooooo ....... Vadim..........you will no longer have to ask someone else: "What in the world is that guy saying about me and my tournament???"

You can just come here to Chess Talk.....and all will be revealed!

Bob A

Bravo Henry! Bob Armstrong is a maverick, his blogging achieved legendary status because Bob's keen eye, attention to detail, and the ability to find interestimg angles and hidden gems are animated by his big heart and generosity towards friends and strangers alike. Thanks for giving Bob a permanent platform here.

Congratulations Bob!

I am off - with trepidation :-) - to find out what on Earth you are saying about my tournament. ;)

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Vadim:

I'm looking forward to playing my second Montreal tournament, right after the COQ. I will blog it both on my Fb Account and here on Chess Talk, like I have been the Quebec Open.

I am pleased to see that your Open section now has 7 players, including me. It would certainly be nice if you could pick up a few more registrants for the Open before Monday....good luck.

Bob A

[Vadim Tsypin]

Hi Vadim:

I'm looking forward to playing my second Montreal tournament, right after the COQ. I will blog it both on my Fb Account and here on Chess Talk, like I have been the Quebec Open.

I am pleased to see that your Open section now has 7 players, including me. It would certainly be nice if you could pick up a few more registrants for the Open before Monday....good luck.

Bob A

Thanks Bob! Lefong and I are working hard to spread the word - as you've seen, every table at the COQ had a French and an English version of the Classics flyer - but you are right, a fellow player's example is what always persuades best :) , that's why your example in registering early was so important. We have welcomed the eighth player to the Open now (files will be updated before mignight). Please continue talking to those in the COQ section you are playing.