Full page on Chess

[Jean Hébert]

Today's The Gazette features a full page on chess on page A4. It is about the new canadian champion of course, but also about chess in schools, Chess and Maths, the FQE, the forthcoming Montreal Open championship and chess in general. This is what happens when people in charge stop picking their nose and do what needs to be done.

[Larry Bevand]

Re: Full page on Chess

Today's The Gazette features a full page on chess on page A4. It is about the new canadian champion of course, but also about chess in schools, Chess and Maths, the FQE, the forthcoming Montreal Open championship and chess in general. This is what happens when people in charge stop picking their nose and do what needs to be done.

Hi Jean,

I think Marc Poulin, the new FQE President, has brought a fantastic attitude to the table. He is treating the chess community as one entity. I for one will embrace this productive attitude and reciprocate whenever possible in the future. It makes for a healthier environment and one that can only lead to greater things.

The articles which appeared in "The Gazette" today can be found online at:

http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/...660/story.html

and:

http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/...661/story.html

Actions speak louder than words.

Sincerely,

Larry

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Full page on Chess

http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/...661/story.html

The second article mentioned Kelly Wang: "Last year, 9-year-old Kelly Wang of Pointe Claire won the national competition for her age group, and finished third at the World Youth Chess Championships."

Where does she disappear? She is not on this year WYCC list

[Larry Bevand]

Re: Full page on Chess

The second article mentioned Kelly Wang: "Last year, 9-year-old Kelly Wang of Pointe Claire won the national competition for her age group, and finished third at the World Youth Chess Championships."

Where does she disappear? She is not on this year WYCC list

The short answer...$$$

Some of the Canadian parents these days are lobbying for the following re the CYCC: Let our kids play in the World event. We will pay everything. Not only will there be no expense for the CFC, instead of playing in the CYCC, we will make a donation to the CFC of xxxx dollars. Afterall, going to the CYCC for someone in central Canada this year was a $3,000 expense...and my kid may not come first anyway...so...here is $1,000 as a donation to the CFC...and now...give little Johnny or little Sarah his/her passport to the World event.

[Duncan Smith]

Re: Full page on Chess

The Canadian youth system simply fills seats regardless of quality of field, setting back families a lot of time and money every step of the way. In some ways when you have probably the best player in a national category, there is a great deal of external pressure to follow this prescribed path. If they have top ten potential at WYCC, even stronger pressures to follow the path. But it's likely the wrong path given the opportunity costs of travelling to CYCC, little sponsorship, limited coaching at WYCC, and lack of real promotion around the events ( which could lead to better sponsorship and outside opportunities if it happened ).

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Full page on Chess

The short answer...$$$

Some of the Canadian parents these days are lobbying for the following re the CYCC:...

I understand the short answer, but the longer one is weird for the Kelly's case. She has a right to go to the WYCC for the previous years results.

[Marc Poulin]

Re: Full page on Chess

It was very unfortunate that this year the CYCC was held at the same time as the Quebec Open. 10 out of the 12 scholastic champions from Québec(including Kelly and some Ontario past champions such as Lloyd May) played the Quebec Open rather than the CYCC (cheaper and better competition). Not only did these two major competitions were in schedule conflict, but the Quebec Open and the Canadian Open did also cross over for a week end. I believe that these kind of conflicts should be avoided and it is my intention to contact the CFC to see if we cannot do better in the future.

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: Full page on Chess

Being a CFC Governor for Quebec, I asked Richard Bérubé recently about the dates for the 2010 Quebec Open, so that potential bidders for the 2010 Canadian Open could take these dates into account. As far as I know, the Quebec Open dates are still unknown (site rentals, etc.?).

It seems to be "first come, first served" as far as dates go for these events (and the CYCC).

[John Coleman]

Re: Full page on Chess

The CYCC is booked for July 6-9 2010 in Windsor Ontario.

[Eric Hansen]

Re: Full page on Chess

Well, the traditional World Open in Philadelphia ends on the evening of the 5th, where many top Canadian youth players participate. What time would the 1st round be? It's gonna be pretty hard to make it unless it starts at night.

[Carl Bilodeau]

Re: Full page on Chess

It was very unfortunate that this year the CYCC was held at the same time as the Quebec Open. 10 out of the 12 scholastic champions from Québec(including Kelly and some Ontario past champions such as Lloyd May) played the Quebec Open rather than the CYCC (cheaper and better competition). Not only did these two major competitions were in schedule conflict, but the Quebec Open and the Canadian Open did also cross over for a week end. I believe that these kind of conflicts should be avoided and it is my intention to contact the CFC to see if we cannot do better in the future.

My two kids from Quebec did not go to CYCC since THERE WAS NO LONG GAME TOURNAMENT FOR KIDS IN QUEBEC for the whole school year. There was then no motivation for training in Quebec for a young kid unless the kid like to play in adults tournament only. We wanted to go but we only had fast game tournaments in Quebec that year. We did not go to the Quebec Open for the same reason. I do not blame your administration for this problem since you were selected on july this year and have already planned a nice Youth Chess Championship in Quebec in november (if Chess'n Math is there, success will be there too).

By the way, since you are the FQE president, I want to congratulate you too for the very optimistic comments Larry did in french Chesstalk about the way you want the whole community to work together.

Congratulation to Jean Hébert for taking the initiative to contact The Gazette and who has got this full page on The Gazette. Good work Jean to succesfully have got our FQE president and others to work together in this interview.

Bravo, I am then optimistic for the first time for my 5 kids futures in Chess.

Carl

[Carl Bilodeau]

Re: Full page on Chess

The short answer...$$$

Some of the Canadian parents these days are lobbying for the following re the CYCC: Let our kids play in the World event. We will pay everything. Not only will there be no expense for the CFC, instead of playing in the CYCC, we will make a donation to the CFC of xxxx dollars. Afterall, going to the CYCC for someone in central Canada this year was a $3,000 expense...and my kid may not come first anyway...so...here is $1,000 as a donation to the CFC...and now...give little Johnny or little Sarah his/her passport to the World event.

I agree totally with that. The Canadian Championship will not loose his interest anyway.

Americans can go to the World event without any blockade. Our country is too wide to impose an interior plane ticket to every player who wants to meet the top competition. When your kid rating is the top in Canada but you have travel by plane the whole Canada it cost you 2500$ to 3000$ for the total cost (including a parent, hotel, food). Then if he wins he receive 1000$ for his plane ticket for Turkey. This can be bad. But if the CYCC tournament is in your province then it cost you 200$ to participate and you win 1000$ to Turkey which then help kids that would not afford to go but it is a lottery.

It is not completly bad anyway since Canada proportionnaly send more players than USA to the World Youth Chess Championship. Also we probably send an equal number of girls and boys.

Carl

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Full page on Chess

Hi Carl:

Under the new YCC structure which will likely ( it's been voted on but results not yet released ) be implemented for the 2011 CYCC, the top-rated player in each age category will get into the CYCC without having to play in their own YCC, unless there is $$ support to the YCC winner, and they want to try for that.

But the fact that someone is top-rated does not mean they should be able to avoid the CYCC. There will be top-rateds from eacn province as well as YCC winners. It will be a strong CYCC, unlike in the past, and who will win will be up for grabs. It is a necessary expense of trying to get the $ 1,000 expenses prize for the child's category.

Also, I have forgotten - can a Canadian child sign up to go to the WYCC for Canada if they have not won one of the top three places in the CYCC?

Bob

[John Coleman]

Re: Full page on Chess

Well, the traditional World Open in Philadelphia ends on the evening of the 5th, where many top Canadian youth players participate. What time would the 1st round be? It's gonna be pretty hard to make it unless it starts at night.

Our tentative schedule calls for the first round at 10.00 am. But whatever date we pick, it conflicts with something. At some point, players have to make a choice about which event to play in. Life's all about choices. Like chess, really.

[Duncan Smith]

Re: Full page on Chess

The governors need to put some thought into the extreme burden that exists for repeat winners / WYCC contendors. The burden goes beyond sheer cost ( $1000 subsidy IF you win nationals is not sufficient really ); one must also note that it's 3 weeks of your year under pretty intensive competition where one bad move may end your chances. In retrospect, it doesn't seem worth it past maybe two titles unless the event is local.