Canadian Closed - list of games I have

[Eric Hansen]

Re: Canadian Closed - Sponsors, Standards et al

I certainly agree with the CFC getting worse and worse. I'm finding it quite frustrating that the CFC has absolutely no money to pay the WYCC to have a coach. The CFC managed to raise a ton of money for the Olympiad teams but other than that everything else is deteroriating. The CFC is showing no evidence of changing it's ways. I'm having to figure out ways to fund raise for our team including giving a simul and a lecture at my chess club to help donate. I found one of the best possible candidates for the position of WYCC coach for Canada but he is already a bit discouraged by our current situation as the CFC has no money for a potential coach. Even if I try to raise money the parents of the kids will still have to chip in to pay for one coach (for 20+ players ). If this cannot happen, then we will probably be without a coach for the second consecutive year. Sometime next week I will try to set up a paypal donate money website for the team. Ideally, we should have at least a couple choices but hopefully we can get at least one. Anyways, problems like these honestly make me feel like switching my federation to the US as I'm American and even though they have their own set of problems they still are able to provide good support to the players.

[Christopher Mallon]

Re: Canadian Closed - Sponsors, Standards et al

Who ever said the CFC isn't providing a coach for the WYCC???

[Eric Hansen]

Re: Canadian Closed - Sponsors, Standards et al

Who ever said the CFC isn't providing a coach for the WYCC???

They have no money to pay for a coach. How many decent coaches do you know that would take two weeks off to work for free? In fact, if you know of some, I would be grateful if you could message me immediately. When I mean coach I don't mean some guy who wants to take a holiday and get some expenses covered, I mean an actual coach that can help us in international competition without obvious roadblocks such as language and coaching experience. But in the end, you're right, surely the CFC can send anyone they want and call it "providing".

[Brian Raymer]

Re: Canadian Closed - Sponsors, Standards et al

Hi Eric, In the interest of transparency .... I just sent a cheque for $17725 to the CFC. This amount is $125 per player or $150 per player for late entry and includes an additional $900 donation from the Victoria Junior Chess Society. The commitment for travel is $1000 for each section except U16 G which as part of a combined section will receive $500. That comes to 11,500 which leaves a surplus of $6225. I agree with you that a good coach is a priority for the team. I asked for a WYCC/CYCC donate button to be added to the CFC site last year. Maybe that can be done to raise a little more cash to make a coach a reality for Team Canada. Brian Raymer CYCC Chief Organizer

[Jonathan Berry]

Re: Canadian Closed - Sponsors, Standards et al

Hi Eric, In the interest of transparency ....

Excellent!

[Jean Hébert]

Re: A better organizer

Jean - You flatter yourself if you think your rant is going to make me a better organizer.

My "rant" ? Thank you Hal. If it is your take on this, I see no reason to spare you. Believe me I am in no need to flatter myself these days. I frankly wish you could say the same. Your reaction is a big disappointment. You apparently refuse to learn anything from this, choosing instead to justify yourself trying to find a weak spot in my argumentation. Yes, you are right on one account. You had piles of chairs and plenty of space but you did not use those assets. Without demo boards or screens to look at, obviously chairs are pretty useless and people prefer to walk around to look at the games.
But why don't you admit in the first place that you did nothing to attract spectators? Quite the opposite actually. Nowhere in the building indications could be found telling people there was an important chess championship being held downstairs. You find this normal and compatible with promoting chess ? Can't you at least admit that much ? Can't you admit that this would have cost very little time and money to set up these basics ? People entering the room by chance had no convenient way to guess what tournament this was, who were the players, etc. Not a banner, a poster or any sign at all. They had to look at the pairing sheets, but not the old one from two rounds before that was sometimes forgotten on the wall (I know because in a moment of despair I took one of them off the wall myself). Regarding the tournaments gamefile, it went incomplete for the whole duration and even today many round 9 games are still missing unless someone like Hugh Brodie has come to your rescue in the last few hours. And what about pictures Hal ? Is it that lack of sponsorship has prevented your organisation from finding a 99$ digital camera and use it ? Where is the group picture that minimally thoughtful organizers usually take ? True, the event ran quickly, you only had 9 days to do it...

No week-enders that I played in the last 20 years have come even remotely close to such mediocrity. I would have been embarrassed to see friends of mine come and find out what a canadian chess championship looks like. Deeply embarrassed. It seems to me that someone determined to marginalise and reduce a chess event to insignificance would have done things pretty much that way. And this has very little to do with sponsorship. It has to do with know-how and will to do things right.

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Canadian Closed - Sponsors, Standards et al

Hi Bryan:

Congratulations on running what appears to be a first class event. It is too bad that the numbers fell a bit shy of the 150 yearly average over the last few years.

It is great that the event has generated $ 17,725 and will cover the winners' expenses. The CFC needs to find a way to supplement your surplus so that a coach can be hired.

Bob

[Brian Raymer]

Re: Canadian Closed - Sponsors, Standards et al

Thanks I was also disappointed with the turnout. I think a result of a struggling economy, the increased entry fee and other factors such as H1N1 flu. I was happy with the turnout of top rated players and a reasonably high percentage of female players.

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: Canadian Closed - list of games I have

I have quickly created a file of the 136 games I have from the Closed. There is still a lot of editing to do. Let me know if I'm missing any games - but I won't have a chance to work on the file until Sunday night.

http://canbase.fqechecs.qc.ca/cbv/20.../2009canch.pgn
http://canbase.fqechecs.qc.ca/cbv/20.../2009canch.cbv

[Gary Gladstone]

Re: Canadian Closed - Sponsors, Standards et al

which leaves a surplus of $6225. . Brian Raymer CYCC Chief Organizer

An excellent tournament and glad you could send in more than the minimum.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: A better organizer

... removed some text

No week-enders that I played in the last 20 years have come even remotely close to such mediocrity. I would have been embarrassed to see friends of mine come and find out what a canadian chess championship looks like. Deeply embarrassed. It seems to me that someone determined to marginalise and reduce a chess event to insignificance would have done things pretty much that way. And this has very little to do with sponsorship. It has to do with know-how and will to do things right.

I think both you and Hal have some valid points of course, but it doesn't look like either of you prefer to lay the blame on the CFC (where the blame lies in my opinion). Yes, it was great that someone would step up and organize the Closed under such constraints, BUT the CFC was the reason this was NOT properly organized in the first place.

The CFC should either have rejected Hal's bid (if there was one!) on the grounds that it was too late to do a proper job or (better) the CFC should pay attention to doing a proper job for the few events that it really ought to be concerned with: the Canadian Open, The Canadian Closed, the Olympiad and perhaps the CYCC/WYCC.

I understand your frustration Jean, but to shoot at one of the few people who actually IS trying to make a difference is pointless and may perhaps alienate one of the last remaining people who give a damn. Just consider how prestigious this would have been if Hal had not done the job he *did* do...

How much help did Hal have? A few people pitched in here and there, but Hal's name was stamped on the tournament. I am sure he wishes there could be more than 24 hours in a day and that some other things were done differently.

Events like the Closed ought to be the showcase of Canadian chess and the top players; unfortunately that might actually be true for the wrong reasons.

[John Coleman]

Re: Canadian Closed - list of games I have

I've just posted this at the CFC Governors' board:

I would like to suggest that the Masters' Rep and similar-strength colleagues come up with a "recipe" for the closed, including conditions, time control, suggested entry fees, appearance fees, prizes, and so on.

An organiser might not be able to meet all the conditions, but at least there would be a target.

For example, as a relatively weak player and some-time organiser, I had no idea that a daily bulletin was important. Just hadn't considered it.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Canadian Closed - Sponsors, Standards et al

I certainly agree with the CFC getting worse and worse. I'm finding it quite frustrating that the CFC has absolutely no money to pay the WYCC to have a coach. ...

Eric, you should start a new thread with a more positive note (don't blame too much the CFC, but show what and how should be done.)
Any idea how much is required for the coach? (I think I've read that an organizer accomodiates a coach per country.)

[Bob Armstrong]

Good Idea - How to Implement?

Hi John:

Great suggestion - could be done by e-mail - no need I wouldn't think for a face-to-face meeting unless the group wanted it ( which would limit it to Ontario elite players likely ).

One thing I've found in the CFC since I started becoming active, is that if you have an idea, and want change, YOU have to brinig the motion. I have brought a few motions in the last few years, because I knew it was my issue, and though others might support, generally they were not willing to do any of the heavy lifting. People move on somethinig if they see it as a " cause " that they particularly are interested in. If it is someone else's cause, then generally no one else will come forward to spearhead it.

My point? I think if you want it to be more than a suggestion, that sinks into the waves, you will have to recommend to Eric that he appoint a committee ( maybe of one - you ! ) to organize the elite players to get your idea implemented. I know you have the 2010 CYCC already on your plate, so maybe you can't do this. If not, then I will be surprised if someone else picks up on it ( though I'd love to see that ).

The other alternative is for you to do some arm-twisting to see if you can dig up another like-minded governor ( like the Master's Rep. maybe, or Governor Mark Bluvshtein, etc., and from Jean's posts it seems he wouldn't do it , but would be willing to be consulted), or ordinary CFC member volunteer ( don't see why it would need to be a governor ) to chair the committee ( someone needs to organize the troops and set an agenda for activity ).

Bob

[John Coleman]

Re: Canadian Closed - list of games I have

Hi Bob

You and I think alike, I suspect, which may be worrisome for you. I have already emailed the Masters' Rep.