Emergency Replacement for GM norm tournament in Ottawa

[Hans Jung]

I should also mention that Rohan Talukdar and MJ Ouellet played very well. What a highly competitive field! My favorite game of Rohan's was Talukdar- Narayanan.

[Hans Jung]

Also Im impressed at GM Vera playing two rounds a day in a grandmaster tournament at his age.

[Hans Jung]

So it has to be mentioned (again?) that IM Artiom Samsonkin saved the tournament with a last minute entry and travelled all night to get there and then proceeded to finish third, only losing one game because he got carried away in the opening. Im impressed!

[Aris Marghetis]

So it has to be mentioned (again?) that IM Artiom Samsonkin saved the tournament with a last minute entry and travelled all night to get there and then proceeded to finish third, only losing one game because he got carried away in the opening. Im impressed!

I believe it absolutely should be celebrated! Without Artiom, well, Rohan isn't our newest IM?! Remember in addition to everything Artiom pulled off, he also brought in a high norm-friendly rating!

[Aris Marghetis]

So I've been thinking about how Artiom STEPPED UP, and how to "pay it forward".

Therefore, as Organizer of KEC (Kingston Easter Chess), I have offered to Artiom:

For at least the 2023 & 2024 editions of KEC: free registration & onsite lodging!!

[Mike Ivanov]

Good initiative Aris! Well deserved. Perhaps in our future GM Norm tournaments this can be taken into account as well.

[Hans Jung]

So I've been thinking about how Artiom STEPPED UP, and how to "pay it forward".

Therefore, as Organizer of KEC (Kingston Easter Chess), I have offered to Artiom:

For at least the 2023 & 2024 editions of KEC: free registration & onsite lodging!!

Thats sending a message that should be well received in the chess community.

[Neil Frarey]

CFC = Chess FIDE Canada

[Pargat Perrer]

CFC = Chess FIDE Canada

Also "Canucky Fried Chicken".

(chicken fried in gravy?)

[Aris Marghetis]

Also "Canucky Fried Chicken".

(chicken fried in gravy?)

mmmmmm, sacrilicious, thank you

[Halldor P. Palsson]

It is very difficult to put together a GM norm tournament. The 10-player round robin format [3 GMs 3 Federations] has a lot of issues that I did not fully understand.

A common outcome is that such GM norm tournaments get cancelled. This is because of the failure to attract a field or last minute withdrawals that cannot be replaced. Players do not want to sign up and send a hefty fee to an organizer of an event they simply do not believe will run. Without budget the tournament gets cancelled. My fall back position was the 5-round Eastern Ontario Open June 10-12 with over 100 players and a much enhanced prize fund.

This was my first title norm rodeo and I am trying to learn from it. Six weeks to put on an event like this together may be too little time. Also I should have said NO upfront to foreign players without previous Canadian visas.

I also found out that there was little demand by Canadian IMs for a GM norm tournament in Ottawa running for the first time. Both Noritsyn and Samsonkin replaced players that dropped out.

[John Coleman]

I also found out that there was little demand by Canadian IMs for a GM norm tournament in Ottawa running for the first time. Both Noritsyn and Samsonkin replaced players that dropped out.

I have noticed the reluctance of strong players to actually play chess, and I assumed that this was partly because of their desire to play people stronger than themselves. However, if IMs aren't interested in playing GMs... well, very strange. I guess they get their kicks from beating up on masters and experts.

[Frank Dixon]

Congratulations and thanks to Halldor for persevering with his efforts!!!