A thought experiment

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  • #16
    Originally posted by Ian Anderson View Post
    We need more people on the east coast to simply play the game on a regular basis. Even at very low levels, developing small clubs to play on a regular basis is an uphill battle. As an organizer of several small town clubs in Nova Scotia, I need promotion, and access to equipment for a good price. Awarding more titles in the 2200+ realm may be a priority for the CFC but from the grassroots perspective, it is hardly a consideration. Canada needs more players period. Ascension up the chess ranks and the awards to come with it is not going to look after itself, but it is not a priority. IMHO. We want to broaden our base outside of the largest population centres. The question is interesting and we have been pondering for some time what more money could do for us. Our (provincial) share of the current number would be around $2,500 which would not do miracles.
    have you calculated how many chess sets you need? That could be a fundraising goal. In the past in Ontario lottery funds have bought equipment.

    Chess sets will last a long time and be used by many players, so a good investment. Whereas spending on teachers will cost alot more, and most students will quit. Can get cheaper teaching by using online lessons.

    A publicity idea is having a national tour of members of the Olympiad team, but airfare and hotel (billeting?) would be expensive.

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Vlad Drkulec View Post
      The question came up in the AGM about the idea that FIDE was going to give 60000 Euros to the CFC. It is not a totally outlandish idea as the discussion has come up though not in that particular amount. Many federations do already get significant sums of money from FIDE to attend FIDE meetings and Olympiads. The CFC got some small amount that did not fully cover the cost of sending our FIDE delegate, Hal Bond, but every little bit helps. I think Ireland and Scotland got quite a bit more.


      If we did get 60,000 Euros or $87,782.81 CAD from FIDE or some other source with the understanding that we should use it to advance chess in Canada, how would you spend it? Suppose you would get a similar amount every year from now into eternity. What projects should be undertaken? Suppose that you had to provide a report to FIDE or the donor at the end of the year showing forward progress (more children and adults playing chess, more titled players - FMs, WFMs, IMs, WIMs, GMs, WGMs, more FIDE games played). How would more money help us move the ball forward as far as chess in Canada and Canadian Chess in the World is concerned?


      How would your answer change if the amount was 30,000 Euros or 100,000 Euros?

      we need more organizers, TDs, and tournaments. Initiatives to increase those things will increase the number of CFC players.

      My observation is that running a tournament under suitable conditions has a number of barriers for many organizers, especially first timers. Financial barriers are a big issue. Not everyone can manage the money up front requirements, handling the cash flow, and the prospect of financial loss. We (Victoria Chess) have responded to this by providing financial guarantees to a number of selected events and organizers which has made it possible for some additional events and new organizers. There is a pretty good bang for the buck here - most of the time, if planned properly, the guarantee need not be called upon but it is a huge help to some people.

      There are lots of issues though. We have firm ideas about what makes a good event and not everyone wants to comply with our conditions. We of course know our local market and personalities well and can make well informed judgements about the viability of any particular proposal. There are issues of moral hazard when financial guarantees are supplied. So, it is not clear that the CFC can do at scale what we do locally.


      Another big issue is the range of skills needed to run an event these days - financial competance, web site set up, online registration setup, receipt of online payments, record keeping of registrations, as well as TDs. It's a lot of different types of skills and some of it is time consuming. It would help all organizers and new ones in particular if the CFC had an online registration system that organizers could use to collect registration information, keep records (and the pre-registered list), and collect payments. An "EventBrite" for chess tournaments.



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      • #18
        Originally posted by Roger Patterson View Post


        Another big issue is the range of skills needed to run an event these days - financial competance, web site set up, online registration setup, receipt of online payments, record keeping of registrations, as well as TDs. It's a lot of different types of skills and some of it is time consuming. It would help all organizers and new ones in particular if the CFC had an online registration system that organizers could use to collect registration information, keep records (and the pre-registered list), and collect payments. An "EventBrite" for chess tournaments.
        GoMembership is that online registration and payment system. The question is whether we will ever get it implemented.

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR2Ur8n_Z9k

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        • #19
          Small clubs in small areas do not have long life expectancies. A previous incarnation of my local club which ran for a number of years successfully in the 1990s folded around 2004. The equipment was owned by the club but at dissolution, there was no prescribed way to dispose of the boards, sets and clocks that had been accumulated over the years, so they were lost. Some were probably donated to the school system, but when we tried to resurrect the old club 13 years later we had to start over. No one wants to commit funds to an organization that may not exist in a few years, or that will never have official legal status in the first place. So it was necessary to form an arrangement with the provincial chess association that any equipment purchased for local use would eventually be assumed by the provincial association in the event a local club went down. A credit for the region is kept in the books by the association if a club is to form in the future in that area. We are interested if other provincial associations regard the fostering of new clubs as part of their responsibility and how they would handle it. It is by example and successful experience which should be shared among the provinces that a successful chess scene in Canada could become a reality,

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          • #20
            Originally posted by Vlad Drkulec View Post




            I doubt that FM titles would be a factor. I suspect that WIM and WGM titles would also count. I don't think that salaries and office space would help us and in fact would probably eat up all the money and leave us with no deliverables to justify getting the money the following year.

            I think training camps and coaches for top players and top juniors, Some tournaments. When you start putting together a plan the money disappears pretty quickly..
            I would agree IF they were Canadian training camps and Canadian coaches.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Hans Jung View Post

              I would agree IF they were Canadian training camps and Canadian coaches.
              Define Canadian coaches.

              For the type of coaches I was thinking of there are only a very few in Canada. If the deliverable is IM and GM titles the number is fewer and most of them can be found at the top of our rating list.

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              • #22
                I would probably imagine increasing the media coverage of our events could help our growth. if we look at the states for example their youth championship is a round robin event covered by a team of grandmasters. not saying do this right away but if we build the face of chess in canada we might build interest more.

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by Henri Hughes View Post
                  I would probably imagine increasing the media coverage of our events could help our growth. if we look at the states for example their youth championship is a round robin event covered by a team of grandmasters. not saying do this right away but if we build the face of chess in canada we might build interest more.
                  We would have to convince the media to cover our events. Usually they need an interesting story to pique their interest in an event.

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                  • #24
                    I like the idea of using some of the funding to hold International tournaments where IM or GM norms are available. I realize that some of the funds in the past have been used for that purpose. Since these tournaments are difficult to fund and they provide opportunities for our up and coming players as well as giving appearance fees for some of our titled players, I think this works well.

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by Ian Findlay View Post
                      I like the idea of using some of the funding to hold International tournaments where IM or GM norms are available. I realize that some of the funds in the past have been used for that purpose. Since these tournaments are difficult to fund and they provide opportunities for our up and coming players as well as giving appearance fees for some of our titled players, I think this works well.
                      That would certainly be an acceptable idea if FIDE was the source of the funding. I would also expect that if we were ever to get government funding it would also be an acceptable use of funds.

                      I am not sure how many norms are actually generated though as you really have to be a strong player to be able to get a GM norm. I think IM norms are a bit easier. We had one at the Canadian Open that I organized in 2016.

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                      • #26
                        Originally posted by Vlad Drkulec View Post

                        That would certainly be an acceptable idea if FIDE was the source of the funding. I would also expect that if we were ever to get government funding it would also be an acceptable use of funds.

                        I am not sure how many norms are actually generated though as you really have to be a strong player to be able to get a GM norm. I think IM norms are a bit easier. We had one at the Canadian Open that I organized in 2016.
                        Ian Zhou got an IM norm in the last Calgary International. He seems destined to be an IM soon and possibly a gm in a couple of years if he keeps at it. Even if no norms are obtained, the level of competition is very good and is a very good way for young players to improve. When I was in my twenties, it was always very difficult to find an International tournament in Canada, so I think we have improved in this area.

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