Congratulations to Nicholas Vettese!

[Hans Jung]

for obtaining the international master title at the North American Youth Championship

[David Ottosen]

I don't mean to denigrate the accomplishment of winning a tournament and it was certainly an impressive performance, but this is another contribution to the devaluation of FIDE titles.

Scoring +6 over 9 rounds against an average rating of 2150 while playing only 3 players above 2200 should not be an instant International Master title, I'm sorry.

[Kerry Liles]

I don't mean to denigrate the accomplishment of winning a tournament and it was certainly an impressive performance, but this is another contribution to the devaluation of FIDE titles.

Scoring +6 over 9 rounds against an average rating of 2150 while playing only 3 players above 2200 should not be an instant International Master title, I'm sorry.

Unfortunately, once that road is opened up it seems it has to be followed. I cannot imagine FIDE having the conviction to overhaul the whole title situation (there are many. many potholes: women's only titles (arrgh) automatic titles for winners of certain events ( as in this case we are commenting about ) and so on. Have other sporting organizations undertaken a complete revamp of their titles etc?

[Frank Dixon]

I first got to know Nick at the 2013 CYCC in Ottawa, where I was Deputy Arbiter, and handling the largest room, with three sections, in an event with a record 280 players. Nick did well in that event, I think he was in the U10 Boys, and I encouraged him and his family. He had a serious approach to chess, which was impressive.

He has been Master strength since his early teens, and I am very happy to see him get the IM title now, for this championship victory. I figured it would happen for him, and it seems just a matter of opportunities available, with the pandemic shutting down so much chess during the past two years. He also won a strong tournament in Mississauga recently, ahead of GM Preotu, whom he drew in their head-to-head game. So, I believe Nick is deserving of the IM title. I think he will prove this was not a fluke, with follow-up strong play in the future. His CFC rating is over 2400, and no one gets that by fluke.

That said, I can see the point David and Kerry are following, as well. I think for this tournament, it is a Continental Championship, so that means quite a bit more than if the result had been scored in another format. That is why FIDE has designated it as it has.

In terms of historical context, it is easier to obtain international titles nowadays than in previous decades. No question about it. In 1950, FIDE formalized titles and arranged the title system, with the requirement for different federations to be represented for qualifying results, and it is very fair, but it has disadvantaged Canadian chess, historically, since Canada is so far away from most other federations, due to its geographical position. It is tougher, and more expensive, to organize norm-eligible events in Canada, than in any number of European and Latin American countires. I can think of several Canadian players, stronger than Nick, who did not get the IM titles they deserved: for example, FM Sylvain Barbeau, who I believe scored two IM norms (three are required). FM Barbeau won the 1979 Canadian Junior Championship, but is now in his 60s and is unlikely to get IM. Other Canadian players in this category come to mind: FM Ian Findlay, FM Robert Hamilton, FM Rob Hawkes, FM Bruce Harper, FM Roman Pelts (born 1937, was IM strength from his mid-20s in USSR),...

And the late IM Geza Fuster (1910-1990) got his title only in 1969, at age 59, from the Zonal that year. Probably 20+ years overdue. And 8-time Canadian champion Maurice Fox (1898-1988) was never awarded an international title.

So I think of Nick's title now, and that of young FM Anthony Atanasov, as some needed catch-up on the unkind Canadian chess fates of yesteryear.

Respectfully,
Frank Dixon
NTD, Kingston