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I would be interested in knowing what people thought about this year's Canadian Open compared to previous opens. I'm mainly interested in the views of people who have attended at least the past 3 or more in a row.
Which tournament did you consider the best and why?
What did each tournament do the best?
What was each tournament weakest at?
Which format worked the best? Two sections, one big section, or several sections?
I think it would be good information, as it may help others who are running these tournaments.
Which tournament did you consider the best and why?
What did each tournament do the best?
What was each tournament weakest at?
Which format worked the best? Two sections, one big section, or several sections?
I think it would be good information, as it may help others who are running these tournaments.
Hi Garland,
I think all of the last Canadian Opens have been extraordinary!
2004 - I am too lazy to look...sorry...but since you asked 3 years...I am ahead of the game :)
2005 - Edmonton - incredible!
2006 - Kitchener - Hal and Patrick did a fantastic job!
2007 - Ottawa - Gordon Ritchie and the team put on a class event!
2008 - Montreal - Fantastic
So the bottom line...despite all the internal problems of the CFC...Canadian chess continues to produce first class National Championships.
First and foremost...all 4 events were great and everyone involved should be extremely proud!
I was in Ottawa last year and Montreal this year. From the sidelines this is how I would compare the two events
First Ottawa worked very hard and attracted a great number of players to a downtown location. I was one of the players in the Ottawa Canadian Open which was held in the church basement many years ago with no A/C :)
If you compare the population base and the tradition in Montreal...then the numbers in Ottawa were extraordinary!
Why...well...every summer there is the Quebec Open which draws 225 to 250 players of late...making it a Canadian Open brings in an additional 100 players from the rest of Canada. This year, the company Empressa (Luc Deguire owner and Andre Langlois consultant and employee) tossed in a substantial dollars to make a Guaranteed prize fund of $25,000! So Montreal drew about 330 players and Ottawa came in (if memory doesn't fail me) around 290 players
In Ottawa, Peter Hum was great with media and feeding us info on a regular basis as the event approached. In Montreal, this has always (well most of the time at any rate) been our weakest link. No media coverage. Not before...not during...nor after. In case people are wondering this is also a major problem with the Chess'n Math Association....we have had our success in this area but they are far and few between.
The playing site. Well...Montreal was in a college...it may not be glamorous...but it is very functional and everyone has lots of space. Compared to the Ottawa hotel where it was played in a number of rooms in the basement...I would give this one to Montreal.
Location...the last 3 events (I don't know the physical locations before that) were all excellent...downtown...lots to do...easily accesible etc.
Prize funds and quality of players at all these events was awesome!
The only other point I would make...Montreal had the usual relaxed attitude...lots of socializing. Kitchener and Ottawa were very strict about spectators, talking etc. Honestly, for 99% of the players this event is not only about chess but also about socializing...and I say Thank You Montreal for bringing that back to the event!
Just my perspective from the outside :)
Larry
BTW, I am a Montrealer...I love Montreal...I have been involved in chess organization in this city sinces the 1960's...and I am definately biased :)
I've now attended the 2006 Kitchener, the 2007 Ottawa, and the 2008 Montreal.
I liked the Ottawa tournament best, but was very satisfied with all three really.
In Kitchener, I liked the fact that the lower sections played in the afternoon, and could go watch the top section in the evening. I am OK with sections ( though I prefer the one big swiss with accelerated pairings ).
In Ottawa, I, as I said, found the Cappelle le Grande accerated pairings system great for a large one-section swiss of around 300 players - I got great pairings out of this " ghost points " system Jonathan Berry used ( and tied for third in the " B " class ). I have heard some say that the side events at Ottawa were an important aspect too. And I found lots of tourist things to do in Ottawa.
Montreal was very good playing conditions - lots of room at each board; you weren't sitting elbow to elbow. Lighting was good and the noise level was low. The pairings were posted later that night for the next round, so you could go check databases for your oppoonents' opening repertoire. The location was quite central ( a stone's throw from St. Denis ). And Montreal is a great city to visit. Playing some good chess ( I finished 4th/ 8th in the U 2000 ) might also have helped.
I'd have to recommend the CO to one and all as a great tournament holiday, given my experience with the last three.
For me it's clear : 2007 in Ottawa was the best one and last in Montreal was the worst.
1. Site ot tournament. Small edge to Montreal. More space, goog light.
But in Ottawa players lived and play in same hotel - more comfortable,
also good for socializing.
2. Organization. Much better in Ottawa. No clocks in Montreal. Some players
in U 2400 section in first rounds started they games just without clocks...
Hard to imagine. Time conrol was to complicated for organizators to set
unusual didital clocks. For me clocks is just the difference between well
and poorly organizated tournament.
3. Strenth of tournament. Ottawa is clear 1-st, probably Kitchener is 2, and
Montreal is last. This year no GM above 2650 (like Short, Bu or Tivyakov
last year, or Bareev in Kitchener, or Ivanchuk and Shirov 3 years ago).
Lot of strong and young canadian players who played last 2 years didn't
play this year ( Charbonneau, Krnan, Samsonkin, Gershoy... sorry if I
forgot somebody).
4. System of tournament. I personally like system which allows me BOTH
compete for some prize (class prize in open section) and play with GMs.
This year I had to choose 1 of 2. Last year I played 4 GMs and still had
a chance till last round for class prize. This year most old 2300 players
prefered U2400, and young 2300 players played in open section.
5. City. For me Montreal and Ottawa both have enough to see, Monreal is
really interesting and more European city.
6. Blitz tournament. For players not from Monreal was much better to have
this event not after closing ceremony but may be after 1 ot 2 round (like
in Kitchener or Ottawa). Even with my own love to blitz I thouhgt about
leaving early. I decide to play, but was forced to drive from 11 PM to 4 AM
next day... not too easy.
My favourite (as a player) was the 1977 Open in Fredericton, NB. The worst was the following year in Hamilton.
As a spectator, the one last year was horrible - even if I had a few privileges which the average spectator didn't. This year's Open (and Quebec Opens in general), have always been spectator-friendly (although they could have had more chairs for us). As Larry said - socializing is important in these types of events. A popular distraction - the bar - was absent this year - which may have contributed to a high quality of play :) .
(and - let's get it back to one section next year)
Relatively few Canadian Opens have been held at hotels. They tend to be held on university campuses - where housing, food, and the tournament site rental are cheaper.
Im surprised nobody has mentioned anything about the lack of side events available in Montreal... personally I was very disappointed that there was only the blitz tournament... which by the way was after the tournament was over when anybody who was driving home Sunday night could not play.
All things considered, I think 2005 in Edmonton wins followed closely by last year in Ottawa. The tournament experience in Edmonton was great:
1. The field was very strong
2. The organizers were all very helpful
3. There was a side event almost ever day
4. The tournament hall(hotel) was nice, and convenient
5. Intangibles (organizers collecting ALL the games, fully open section, etc.)
The Quebec Open was traditionally a 9-round event - with two games on the first Sunday, a 5-round active tournament the second Sunday, and the blitz on the evening of the second Saturday. In the past, GM simuls have been offered - but usually not too popular (exception - the Korchnoi simuls a couple of years ago - especially the outdoor one. They sold out fast at $40 per seat).
You need one "star" like Korchnoi - rather than half-a-dozen "run-of-the-mill" GM's.
Hugh, I find your selection of the '77 and '78 Opens as your personal choices for best and worst interesting, as these are the only two that I have ever travelled away to.
(Fading) memories of Fredericton '77:
-pretty UNB campus location, good site and accommodations
-not much to see in Fredericton, aside from NB legislative building
-not many really strong players, but notably 16-year-old Yasser Seirawan
and Hamilton '78
- tournament too long (two full weeks, IIRC)
- location in a motel
- accomodation pretty basic (I stayed in the old downtown Y)
- a number of GM's from Yugoslavia and Hungary
any special reason for your choices?
The Fredericton event (of 1977) was very "friendly" - we were met at the airport, there was a free (I think) banquet for the players, food and accommodation were cheap, it was easy to get around (a $1 cab fare per person got you anywhere in the city).
If I recall correctly, the Hamilton event (of 1978) was held in an arena or community centre (non-air conditioned) out in the suburbs - a 30 or 40 minute bus ride from the downtown Y where most of us stayed (there was a motel near the site - but nothing to do there). Frank Szarka ("Chess Chat" editor at the time) was one of the organizers. I think the advertised length of the tournament (something like 11 rounds with 2 off days) was cut back to the traditional 10 rounds over 9 days by popular demand. I'll have to dig out the ads to verify this.
I checked my old CFC Bulletins and found the following re the 1978 Canadian Open in Hamilton (30 years ago this month!):
It was an 11 round tournament held over 12 days. The Bulletin suggested that most players' wives wouldn't want to take two weeks' vacation for a chess tournament, which may have explained the disappointing turnout of 185(compared to 166 at much smaller Fredericton the previous year). The tournament site was Pavilion III, "a well-lighted conference hall with a restaurant and bar in the adjoining room!"
This Open was the first to be held as a Class Tournament. The Open section was won by GM Gyula Sax, then the second-ranked player in Hungary. He, along with Leonid Shamkovich (briefly a Toronto resident) and Bozidar Ivanovic were the only GM's playing (the organizers had apparently guaranteed five overseas Grandmasters). Seven IM's (Barle, Day, Antunac, Sofrevski, Fuster, Vranesic and Piasetski) also took part.
By the way, first prize was $1300. Three guys shared second ($666).
Prizes in the Class A - D sections were $250 for clear first. Entry fees were $40 for all sections.
Hugh,
As chairman of the 2009 Canadian Open (Edmonton), I GUARANTEE that it will be one section, open swiss, no accelerated pairings.
Round one will have the 2700's against the Hugh Brodies! Everyone will have their chance, as an OPEN tournament should be.
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