Geriatric Weekend Warriors' Society (80+)

[Bob Armstrong]

Geriatric Weekend Warriors' Society (80+)



We are the newest kid on the Canadian Chess Block (Though far from the youngest ).

Our Mission Statement (Yikes):

To Encourage chess seniors, since they are aging, to see the merit in evolving their former competitive approach from the old "Opponent is the Challenge"
to
the now more appropriate approach:

"Personal Best is the Challenge"!

Our Goal

Keep chess seniors playing (Until they no longer can! They should continue to pursue the passion they've enjoyed over so many years)!

Project/Flyer

We will promote our group project by having 80+ members join, and agree that the group can put their name, and current age, on a "Public Members' List". This list will be available to the public on request.

We will also create, using the list as the foundation, a "Group Flyer" (Which we will distribute at Canadian (& maybe international) chess events to try to implement our goal).

Senior chess players are an important part of the Canadian chess scene....they can still play.......they can still contribute!

Contact Us

If you are an 80+ chess player (And still alive) who has played at least one Regular/Standard Rated (CFC/FQE/FIDE) tournament within the PRIOR YEAR, and wish to join:

1. Post your request to join below, with your current age (Then send us an email so we can communicate with you in future as a member);
2. Email me, Bob, at: bobarm111 at gmail dot com.

If anyone knows 80+ senior chess players meeting this condition, please refer them to this post, so they can consider joining.

Thanks

Bob Armstrong - Interim Communications Coordinator (Non - member - will join by Aug. 1 this year at the latest)

[John Brown]

Hi Bob ;
Are you expecting to run 80+ tournaments or are just using info for a data base. For me even though I'm a junior senior in your eyes I would not be interested in joining a list unless there is chess playing involved.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi John:

Good point.....

At this point, the group strategies are still in the formation stage.

The first impression we wish to give is simply: Keep playing you seniors!......we've kept playing and we are "Lovin' it"!

I imagine that the Goal of the group will soon become plural......."Goals".

My expectation is that the following goals will soon be added:

1. Mutual support and camaraderie;
2. Information sharing, particularly on chess issues of interest to seniors;
3. Creation of 80+ teams from the members for team tournaments (& conscripting 65+ from outside to fill out a team roster, when necessary -The Geriatric Weekend Warriors!) [FIDE: 50+ = Veterans; 65+ = Seniors]
4. Contributing input into all current CFC issues, but particularly issues of concern to senior chess players.

As to becoming a tournament organizer:

I know the group is willing to consider any reasonable suggestion re their evolution. But I know that organizing a tournament is an awful lot of work, requires up-front capital, and the margin is often tight.

On the other hand, there are the CHIRP and Peel CC models that avoid many of the issues faced in open tournament organizing. For example, could the members hold small round-robin tournaments just among themselves, and have them normally rated like any other tournament....of course........you guys have been doing it for years. But do the members just want to play in open tournaments, against everyone, in their own regular rating sections? Don't yet know the answer to that, until we build our membership & see what, on the ground, the individual members want their group to do.

All on the agenda of the new group, once it gets a critical mass membership!

Thanks John.

Bob A (Interim non-member Communications Coordinator)

[Erik Malmsten]

It would be harder to be a tournament organizer. The playing hall will need to be warm, quiet, bright and be wheelchair accessible. The washroom close by without stairs and may have a diaper-changing station. Inbetween rounds a dark room would be required for naps. Players can have their prescription pills by their board. Nice to have access to oxygen tanks as well as coffee. Staff would be aware if a player wanders off or forgets their board number. Staff can answer questions like whatever happened to that bright Fischer kid. Scoresheets can have Descriptive Notation.

[John Brown]

Some good ideas EriK.
I was thinking more of the Senior Community Centres where you could rent a room for a day or 2. I know some Legions are wheelchair accessible and if you can get a Member to rent the room you would usually get a cheaper rate. Libraries are good for single games like CHIRP and PEEL Chess Club events. I think once Bob gets a better data base he'll be able to create games by local and then maybe have a final place for playoffs or the final game. Seniors usually need longer time controls so I'd doubt many games could be completed in one day events.

[Bob Armstrong]

For sure, some accommodations may have to be made by the organizers for the very unique group of chess players called the Geriatric Weekend Warriors (80+).......but I do hope not ALL of the above!



Bob A (Interim Non-Member Communications Coordinator, GWWS (80+))

[Hans Jung]

I nominate you as organiser Erik. You've obviously thought of everything.

[Bob Gillanders]

I think time controls from earlier times like 40/2 SD/1 or 30/90 SD1 would be popular with this group.
None of this Rapid and Blitz nonsense!
One additional feature on the clocks would be a snooze feature. When you nod off, the clock pauses your time.

One question: Can I get an early bird discount for the first tournament in 2036?

[Bob Armstrong]

Bob G:

How did you know??

GWWS (80)+ already has a "Supporters/Waiting List" - for all those who want to receive our public emails, and stay in this exciting loop.

But it also has a feature for those waiting to become members......we will diary ahead the date to send you a notice to remind you that you are only x days from being able to join, on or after your 80th birthday.........so send me a private e-mail, and include your Date of Birth, and we'll add you to our growing "Supporters/Waiting List"!!

Bob A (Interim Non-member Communications Coordinator)

[Bob Armstrong]

The New GWWS (80+) Flyer

Geriatric Weekend Warriors' Society (80+)



25/5/23


A. Mission Statement

To Encourage chess seniors, since they are aging, to see the merit in evolving their former competitive approach from the old

"Opponent is the Challenge"

to the now more appropriate approach:

"Personal Best is the Challenge"!

B. Our Goals

1. Keep all chess seniors playing (Until they no longer can! They should continue to pursue the passion they've enjoyed over so many years)!
2. Encourage each other to go against all known wisdom, and raise our ratings when seniors!
3. Mutual support, friendship & camaraderie.
4. Highlight, and promote, the contribution of Canadian chess seniors to Canadian chess.
5. Information sharing – info of interest, to seniors in particular.
6. Organize Super-Seniors (80+) teams (“Old Pharts”) for team tournaments. To fill out teams, we will conscript from Veterans up (FIDE: 50+ = Veterans; 65+ = Seniors). We will look at participation in the Ontario 2026 Greater Toronto Chess League Regular Annual Team Tournament; 2026 World Senior Team Chess Championship; the University of Toronto 2025 Hart House Open Tournaments (Which often have a “Team Prize”); etc.
7. Organize tournaments, including seniors only tournaments.

C. Membership Conditions

1. 80 y.o. or older as of date of joining;
2. Will do something beyond what they are currently doing to try to raise their rating;
3. Have played at least one rated (Regular/Standard) Tournament (CFC; FQE; FIDE) in the year prior to joining.

D. Members (Ratings as of date of joining)

a. 1600+

b. U 1600

E. Contact Us:

Bob Armstrong, Interim Non-Member Communications Coordinator

bobarm111 at gmail dot com

[Bob Armstrong]

Non-Member 80+ Players List

Name..........................Date.........Age...CFC No.........CFC …....FQE........FIDE

..................................................................................Rating..... Rating....Rating

1600+

1.

U 1600

1. Monné, John.......... 25/5/25........ tba.......193130.............. (1184).............. -................ -
2. Nolk, E. Richard.... 25/5/25........ tba... ....100348.............. 1536................ -................ -

[Date: The day the person came onto the list; or, the day the person notified us of moving from our one rating category to the other.]

These 2 players played in the recent 2025 Ontario Open. John is known to be 80+ by the organizer. I spoke with Richard (And played him).

Bob (Interim Non-Member Communications Coordinator)

[Bob Armstrong]

80+ Members List

Name..........................Date.........Age...CFC No.........CFC …....FQE.......FIDE

..................................................................................Rating.... Rating... Rating

1600+

1.

U 1600

1. Monné, John.................. 25/5/25............. 94 y.o......... 193130.................. (1184).............. -................... -

[Date: The day the person came onto the list; or, the day the person notified us of moving from our one rating category to the other.]

GWWS (80+) has its 1st MEMBER!

John is 94 y.o., and just played in the Brantford 2025 Ontario, Open. He is from Brantford.

If you know of any 80+ current chess players (Must have current CFC membership), please alert them to this thread, so they can consider joining (Or at least post their information so we can add them to our Non-Member 80+ List).

Bob (Interim Non-Member Communications Coordinator)