Round 9 pairings - 2019 Canada Zonal & Easter Sectionals

[Hugh Brodie]

A few things I noticed while entering games from the top section:

1) The rule of "the higher the rating, the worse the handwriting" was generally in effect, although Aman's was very readable. The larger spaces for the moves also made them easier to read.
2) One player opened 1. a3 three times (one win, two draws). The games lasted 80, 68, and 70 moves..A stalemate trick in one game saved the half point in a R+B vs R ending. (I just noticed that another player opened 1. a3 in one game and drew).
3) In a U1900 game, Black decided to repeat the position (resulting in a draw), while he had a mate in one between repititions.

[John Upper]

I noticed the scoresheets were an unusual 5.5" x 11" (rather than the standard 5.5" x 8.5" (i.e. a standard 11" x 8.5" sheet cut in half)). Would there have been a extra charge for this non-standard size?

They were about 20% more expensive than the standard size. I don't know how much more it would be for colour versions.
The extra space allowed a sponsors logo at the bottom, and made the space for the each move MUCH taller, and so easier to read.
A very good trade, IMHO.

FWIW, if I designed them again, I would make the move grid gray instead of black, as that's less optically "busy".

[Aris Marghetis]

The PRIZES email has gone out to everyone. Working through the many/varied replies this evening. All e-transfers will be initiated either before bedtime tonight, or early morning tomorrow.

[Aris Marghetis]

Great tournament, great organization and great players! Congrats to Evgeny Bareev for a well deserved victory and also Mark Plotkin for his second IM norm. I think Evgeny was getting warmed up and played some very impressive chess. Looking forward to playing next year. Thank you Aris!

Thanks Ian, you're always a class act! Being a Closed (FIDE 1.43a) again next year, there would be more norm opportunity's like Mark's.

[Ian Findlay]

Great tournament, great organization and great players! Congrats to Evgeny Bareev for a well deserved victory and also Mark Plotkin for his second IM norm. I think Evgeny was getting warmed up and played some very impressive chess. Looking forward to playing next year. Thank you Aris!

[Aris Marghetis]

I got them all from him. Everything was neatly sorted, etc.

I noticed the scoresheets were an unusual 5.5" x 11" (rather than the standard 5.5" x 8.5" (i.e. a standard 11" x 8.5" sheet cut in half)). Would there have been a extra charge for this non-standard size?

I don't know how the prices compare, does anyone care?

John Upper made the GREAT recommendation to have boxes that were bigger than usual, so that when players write their moves, they didn't bleed as much into the next box above/below.

As a result, and also including useful info like time control, the scoresheets were longer than "usual". Everyone seemed fine with them, and I trust the increased clarity helped with game entry.

The Organizer (me) expects they'll be similar for next year.

[Hugh Brodie]

Hugh, Danny has all the scoresheets and will be arranging to get them to you in Montreal. We had awesomely good submission rates.

I got them all from him. Everything was neatly sorted, etc.

I noticed the scoresheets were an unusual 5.5" x 11" (rather than the standard 5.5" x 8.5" (i.e. a standard 11" x 8.5" sheet cut in half)). Would there have been a extra charge for this non-standard size?

[Aris Marghetis]

Games are still being entered. The top section should be complete in the next day or two.

Hugh, Danny has all the scoresheets and will be arranging to get them to you in Montreal. We had awesomely good submission rates.

[Hugh Brodie]

Games are still being entered. The top section should be complete in the next day or two.

[Aris Marghetis]

Adding to what Hal Bond said, the parking was free, normally $20 by day. Making a 9 rounds under $1000 with entry fee, hotel, transportation and food is great. When i played to New York, i found an hotel near Marshall Chess club and i used to have a little room with common shower and common bathroom - 1 by floor and wing - for $180 in canadien money by night without parking.

Congratulations to Aris and his team! See you next year for sure!

Réjean Tremblay

Thanks Rejean!

And the Quebec representation was GREAT! See you again!

[Aris Marghetis]

I think that plan is to have tournaments over the Easter weekend for the next 3 years at the same venue. The next zonal tournament is to be in 2021 and woman's zonal will be in 2020 and 2022.
That should help you planing your schedule and Aris will provide more details for sure.

That's bang on Alex, thanks. During the Women's Zonal years, we'll have a Canadian Closed section, again strictly for 2200 and up, which gives some chance of norms (an IM norm this year!)

And 3-4 Sectionals (2019 = U2200/U1900/U1600) I just got home after returning everything I borrowed for the tournament. More thorough report coming tomorrow, or whenever I next wake up.

Until then, see chess-results.com

[Réjean Tremblay]

Adding to what Hal Bond said, the parking was free, normally $20 by day. Making a 9 rounds under $1000 with entry fee, hotel, transportation and food is great. When i played to New York, i found an hotel near Marshall Chess club and i used to have a little room with common shower and common bathroom - 1 by floor and wing - for $180 in canadien money by night without parking.

Congratulations to Aris and his team! See you next year for sure!

Réjean Tremblay

[Alex Starks]

He finished third.
Results and final rankings are available on chess-results.com

http://chess-results.com/tnr433424.a...n=1&art=1&rd=9

[Hans Jung]

Hi Hal, Did you win your section?

[Alex Starks]

I think that plan is to have tournaments over the Easter weekend for the next 3 years at the same venue. The next zonal tournament is to be in 2021 and woman's zonal will be in 2020 and 2022.
That should help you planing your schedule and Aris will provide more details for sure.