KEC 2022 announcement (Kingston Easter Chess)

[Aris Marghetis]

Just a quick note that I am getting a LOT of emails (even phone calls) ... registrations are starting off REALLY WELL.
Please appreciate everything is compressed this year, and I'm working as many hours as I can to make this happen.
I'll post a pre-registered list when I catch up registration emails. Emails asking me for it are, well, just more emails lol
Respectfully, Aris (targetting Thursday for pre-registered list, after CFC renewals get updated Wednesday overnight)

[Aris Marghetis]

I am increasing my contribution to $400, from $200, for the Best Games Prizes at the 2022 Kingston Zonal and Easter Congress.

Here is how I would like to see this awarded:
1) Four prizes of $100 each:
2) One for Zonal section;
3) One for Women's Tournament;
4) One for all other amateur sections;
5) One for best-played drawn game, from any section.

And I support Aris' proposal for FM Hans Jung to either chair a committee to decide this, or do take it on himself.

Cheers,
Frank Dixon
NTD, Kingston

Thanks Frank! Now, please switch to email, so we can arrange transferring of the funds, etc.
I've also spoken with Hans, who will also play about half the tournament, and he's quite keen!

(please note that I've been in the bush for days, so I probably won't catch up to email today)

[Sam Sharpe]

Yes, we lost our charitable status back about a decade or so ago ... I think.

[Fred McKim]

Since CFC is a registered non-profit, then this can be claimed as an income tax aspect.

I wish this was true, Frank. Being a non-profit does not automatically make you a charity, for example. There presently are no income tax receipts for donations to the CFC.

[Frank Dixon]

I am increasing my contribution to $400, from $200, for the Best Games Prizes at the 2022 Kingston Zonal and Easter Congress.

Here is how I would like to see this awarded:
1) Four prizes of $100 each:
2) One for Zonal section;
3) One for Women's Tournament;
4) One for all other amateur sections;
5) One for best-played drawn game, from any section.

And I support Aris' proposal for FM Hans Jung to either chair a committee to decide this, or do take it on himself.

Cheers,
Frank Dixon
NTD, Kingston

[Aris Marghetis]

Aris: Just looking for guidance on possible income tax aspects of my donation for KEC:
1) I plan to send a money order for $200, along with a letter on ideas for the event, soon, to you care of RA Chess Club, Ottawa;
2) Is CFC OK as 'payable to'? Since CFC is a registered non-profit, then this can be claimed as an income tax aspect.
Please advise.
Cheers,
Frank Dixon
NTD, Kingston

Hello Frank, I don't think the non-profit angle applies. And please don't mail anything to me, but made out to the CFC nor mailed to the RA Chess Club. Neither of those angles would work.

Let's switch this conversation to email! Thanks!

[Frank Dixon]

Aris: Just looking for guidance on possible income tax aspects of my donation for KEC:
1) I plan to send a money order for $200, along with a letter on ideas for the event, soon, to you care of RA Chess Club, Ottawa;
2) Is CFC OK as 'payable to'? Since CFC is a registered non-profit, then this can be claimed as an income tax aspect.
Please advise.
Cheers,
Frank Dixon
NTD, Kingston

[Aris Marghetis]

I appreciate that this post is repetitive, but I'm getting a lot of emails from people who apparently haven't had the chance to read the whole thread, no problem:

Please note that the reservation confirmation emails from the hotel may include two errors. Please rest assured that these will be fixed, they are JUST errors:
1) PARKING for hotel guests will be FREE ... ignore the parking line in the email
2) the room rate for up to 4 people is $100 ... sometimes the Summary Charges section of the email adds a surcharge for "more" guests, this is NOT TRUE!!

I encourage you to book your rooms (25% gone in first 3 days), and the amounts will be fixed. My strong messages are being escalated up their management.

Thanks, best, Aris.

[Frank Dixon]

Hi Aris, Email is a problem for me right now; working to sort it out. Cheers, Frank

[Aris Marghetis]

Im impressed by your thoughtfulness Frank. Best Game Prizes are an important feature of the best events and two more worthy individuals FM Kevin Gentes and IA David Cohen, both who recently passed away and were important parts of the Canadian chess scene, I cant think of.

Hans, I emailed Frank, but I don't think he's had the chance to see it yet. And I'm also thinking, would YOU like to head the "judging" person/committee to select the winning games/players?!

I'll try to connect all three of us by email now.

[Hans Jung]

Im impressed by your thoughtfulness Frank. Best Game Prizes are an important feature of the best events and two more worthy individuals FM Kevin Gentes and IA David Cohen, both who recently passed away and were important parts of the Canadian chess scene, I cant think of.

[Aris Marghetis]

I am donating $200 for the KEC event, for Best Game Prizes, in memory of FM Kevin Gentes and IA David Cohen, who both passed away in 2021.

My suggestion is to award one prize of $100 to the Zonal participants, and one prize of $100 to the Section participants, for one Best Game in each.

I will leave it to Aris to determine how to decide these.

Thank you so much Frank. Let's continue planning this by email. I just emailed you. Best, Aris.

[Frank Dixon]

I am donating $200 for the KEC event, for Best Game Prizes, in memory of FM Kevin Gentes and IA David Cohen, who both passed away in 2021.

My suggestion is to award one prize of $100 to the Zonal participants, and one prize of $100 to the Section participants, for one Best Game in each.

I will leave it to Aris to determine how to decide these.

[Aris Marghetis]

Thanks, the confirmation email forwarded,

Could someone who booked their hotel only today, please forward me their reservation confirmation email? I'm troubleshooting eliminating all references to parking. Parking will be free for us!

[Aris Marghetis]

So two of you have reported being charged extra. That's wrong, it should be the same rate up to 4 people.
If it's not giving you the correct $100 rate, please email me the number of adults you're trying, and the number of kids, and their ages (also, do you even click on the kids' numbers?)
We'll of course get any incorrect reservations corrected, I just need to know about them.
P.S. ignore the parking reference in the confirmation emails, it's an auto-line from Marriott. It will be free!

ADDED later in the day:
It seems the error only sometimes appears in Summary Charges. Still working on it. But it WON'T be a problem when you pay!

Some of you are still seeing an error ONLY in the Summary Charges portion of the reservation confirmation email. I understand that can be frustrating. But please rest assured that the actual rate of only $100 nightly is properly transacted on the hotel reservation system. They just have to fix that last part of that email. I REALLY hope this gets fixed by this weekend, it's annoying until then.