Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

[Hans Jung]

The Canadian Women's Championship has Dina Kagramanov leading with a perfect score so far - 3 out of 3, but still to play her main challenges - Nava Starr (2) and Yuanling Yuan (2). The Canadian Amateur (open section) has no perfect score left - Roman Sapoznikov, Steve Demmery and Richard Leu lead with 2.5 with alot of masters trailing in a very close field. The Kitchener Chess Festival is going well and the by now famous daily barbecue is a real hit. Lots of players enjoying themselves and so far the beautiful weather is holding. That's it folks for now, as I am actually posting on playing time. Gotta go. I'll prepare as I walk up to my game.

[John Coleman]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

Link:

http://www.chessfest.ca/chessfest09/can_amateur.htm

[Caesar Posylek]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

Hi Hans,
Is the beautiful weather still holding in your place? I can't say that about my place in Ajax.
Best regards,
Caesar
:)

[Patrick McDonald]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

We had a spot on the local CTV news ...

http://www.southwesternontario.ctv.c...8b5c733275c595

Have a look ...

[Hans Jung]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

The weather has been just gorgeous for 4 days in a row - a record for this Ontario summer - although no surprise as whenever I play in a competitive weekend tournament the weather tends to be exceptionally nice - probably a subsection of one of Murphy's laws.

[Iulia Lacau-Rodean]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

oh gosh @ the video!! The interviewer cut out all the good parts, left the bad ones. She kept asking me why there are so little women playing chess compared to guys. And also why I think that men are playing better chess, is there something different about male/female brain?

My answer was I don't think there is a difference (both times she asked). I'm not an expert but I don't think I've seen any study indicating otherwise....

Chess is a male dominated sport, but why? I'm curious to see any input on this!!

[Zeljko Kitich]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

oh gosh @ the video!! The interviewer cut out all the good parts, left the bad ones. She kept asking me why there are so little women playing chess compared to guys. And also why I think that men are playing better chess, is there something different about male/female brain?

My answer was I don't think there is a difference (both times she asked). I'm not an expert but I don't think I've seen any study indicating otherwise....

Chess is a male dominated sport, but why? I'm curious to see any input on this!!

I can only speculate too. It may have to do with the fact that women tend to prefer card games when they want to play a recreational game. Bridge and euchre are for example very much played by women and men. Perhaps they prefer the element of chance in cards and the social aspects as with these games you need a partner and play against another 2 people. As well they may like the challenge of memorization and intuition as to what cards someone has which is very important in bridge for bidding and play. Cards are also more popular with the general public, there are many bridge studios in Toronto and several in Hamilton that run in some cases several days per week. In Toronto since Bayview closed there is no chess version of a bridge studio.

[Zeljko Kitich]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

Fabulous tournament. Fabulous location and facilites. Free parking 2 of the days. They even thought to provide a coffee machine when the regular coffee shop was closed Sunday & Monday.

High level of chess played, it was probably my best result ever and I should be going up quite a bit in rating. For example in the open section Simon Gladstone had what can only be described as a most excellent field day as an 1856 player in the open section, almost undefeated with 1 win, 1 loss and 4 draws in a sea of 2100 and 2200 players.

Hal, Patrick and Eva should be thanked enormously as well as all the BBQ helpers. Always smiling jovial Patrick and always on top of everything Hal and ever helpful Eva. Thanks to Schneiders too for the BBQ sponsorship I understand they donated. If I was a Kitchener business person I would seriously apply to open a hot dog cart at that location judging by the number of potential customers that came by.

Playing hall had excellent chairs, lighting, solid tables. As usual I am now spoiled and will likely forget to bring a set and clock to my next Toronto tournament since Hal always provides all the equipments for his tourneys and I get so used to that. The foyer was a great place for skittles, analysis and for the parents of some of the juniors to hang out. If you did want to get some of that elusive sun you could site outside on the long marble bench and relax to the sound of the water fountain. Kitchener city hall continues to impress this City of Hamilton civil servant. If only I could have hitched it up to my car and taken the whole thing to Hamilton with me :)

They also have a terrific Kitchener farmers market that was open on the Saturday within a moderate walk.

My one I hate to mention it suggestion would be bring back the bananas and two words 'breakfast sausages' :)

[Christopher Mallon]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

Dina Kagramanov has won the Canadian Women's Championship with a score of 5.5/6, with a gruelling 5-hour draw with Nava Starr in the final round. Nava finished second, and in third was Yuanling Yuan.

In the Amateur, the new Canadian Amateur champion is Roman Sapozhnikov with a score of 5.5/7. Tied for 2nd were Steve Demmery and Arthur Calugar.

In the other sections:

Under 2000: Three-way tie for 1st, Agastya Kalra, Alex Ferreira, James Fu (5/7).
Under 1700: 1st Nathan Farrant-Diaz (5.5/7), 2nd-3rd Kyle France, Orjan Hammarstrom (5/7).
Under 1400: 1st Jeffrey Casareno (5/7), 2nd-5th Kai Gauer, Sasha Chuchin, David DeForest, Derek Green (4.5/7).

Congrats to everyone and thanks for playing!

[Patrick McDonald]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

All the standings etc. are on the www.chessfest.ca site ...

[Sanjiv Kalra]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

Fabulous tournament. Fabulous location and facilites. Free parking 2 of the days. They even thought to provide a coffee machine when the regular coffee shop was closed Sunday & Monday.

High level of chess played, it was probably my best result ever and I should be going up quite a bit in rating. For example in the open section Simon Gladstone had what can only be described as a most excellent field day as an 1856 player in the open section, almost undefeated with 1 win, 1 loss and 4 draws in a sea of 2100 and 2200 players.

Hal, Patrick and Eva should be thanked enormously as well as all the BBQ helpers. Always smiling jovial Patrick and always on top of everything Hal and ever helpful Eva. Thanks to Schneiders too for the BBQ sponsorship I understand they donated. If I was a Kitchener business person I would seriously apply to open a hot dog cart at that location judging by the number of potential customers that came by.

Playing hall had excellent chairs, lighting, solid tables. As usual I am now spoiled and will likely forget to bring a set and clock to my next Toronto tournament since Hal always provides all the equipments for his tourneys and I get so used to that. The foyer was a great place for skittles, analysis and for the parents of some of the juniors to hang out. If you did want to get some of that elusive sun you could site outside on the long marble bench and relax to the sound of the water fountain. Kitchener city hall continues to impress this City of Hamilton civil servant. If only I could have hitched it up to my car and taken the whole thing to Hamilton with me :)

They also have a terrific Kitchener farmers market that was open on the Saturday within a moderate walk.

My one I hate to mention it suggestion would be bring back the bananas and two words 'breakfast sausages' :)

I agree, the tournaments in Kitchener are always fun to attend, except the drive from Ottawa. So far we have come 4-5 times for tournament in Kitchener

Great organizers: Pat, Hal and Eva always in high spirits. The abundace of food, water and coffee. Timely start and upadate of results and pairing on the internet.
Nice crowd to discuss games after the tournament.

I wonder if food/refreshments can be added to other tournaments as well, maybe reducing the prize money by a % I am sure the chess players would not mind. And the food is mainly from Costco in whole sale I think...

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

I'll be disappointed if no games appear from either of these events. A national championship with no records of it for posterity?

[John Brown]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

Hi Hugh;

Chris Mallon was collecting carbon copies so maybe he will send them to you.

[Christopher Mallon]

Re: Canadian Women's Championship and Canadian Amateur

Yes I hope to have the Women's all done tonight, and then I'll start on the Open section of the Amateur.