For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

[Larry Bevand]

Hi Bob,

First I would like to say that I truly appreciate all the work you are doing to make the CFC a democratic organization...I had put together a very cute post on the CFC site...but it disappeared in cyberspace so I will do my best to recompose here. :)

First I think what you are doing on the CFC site is awesome!

In 1975 I organized the Montreal Open...yes 35 years ago...when I had lots of hair...today the question is "What Hair?" :)...those were the days where letraset was god...and I spent awesome hours...trying to make this a great event...I had come back from a 3 month hitchhiking trip from Florida to California with my first love...she was awesome...we were a great team...in 1975 in Montreal...chess and "La Presse" were the same thing...I went to "La Presse" (La Presse at that time was the largest French Language newspaper in North America and Roger Lemelin was a chess enthusiast that brought the Montreal 1979 event to Montreal...and had supported the game since 1972...for hundreds of thousands of dollars...and is Roger...in any hall of fame today...?...David?...or maybe I missed this!...yes I should check these things before posting :)...if so...sorry!) as a rep for the Montreal Chess League (they had seen me at La Presse many times since 1972)...financing was in place...it was as easy as saying hello...the big boss at "La Presse"...Roger Lemelin had already given the marching orders. The event attracted over 300 players! (Hugh Brodie will be able to fill in the blanks :)

Okay so...the point of the post...I put together a questionaire for the Montreal Open...it basically asked a number of questions which we thought we knew the answers to...and generally we were right....I still have this analysis :)

Anyway...the most surprising answer was to the following question (remember this is 35 years ago!)

The question was: Why did you decide to play in this event....

the options (no I do not have the questionaire in front of me so the options may be incorrect) were

Location

Prize Fund

Division of sections

Entry Fees

Other

and the winner is...other...if you guess what they responded in other...I will pay you a beer at the 2010 Canadian Open!

This was 35 years ago...and it changed my whole perspective on chess organization :)


Larry

[Hugh Brodie]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

The 1975 Montreal Open attracted 310 players.

http://canbase.fqechecs.qc.ca/winmtl1.htm
http://canbase.fqechecs.qc.ca/hist7079.htm

Was "Other" - "My friend said he was playing, so I decided to play"?

[Larry Bevand]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

The 1975 Montreal Open attracted 310 players.

http://canbase.fqechecs.qc.ca/winmtl1.htm
http://canbase.fqechecs.qc.ca/hist7079.htm

Was "Other" - "My friend said he was playing, so I decided to play"?

Hi Hugh,

Thanks!

Close but half a cigar :)...cuban of course :)

Larry

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

Hi Larry:

Thanks for the nice comments - I have tried to put democracy and communication high on my list as a governor. I am pleased if my campaign is making progress. Thanks again - we all love to get some positive feedback ( I do seem to generate my fair share of " push-back " though , too ).

As to the Can. Open, I am not really part of the organizing team at all - all I do is sometimes make some posts for Brian Fiedler. But from what I see, the Organizing Committee is doing a great job - I hope that there will be a flood of last minute applications to jump them to their minimum goal of 250 players. I hope they see your post - I like Hugh's answer for " other " - I think a lot of people play because they know someone else going. I'll await your answer.

Bob

[Larry Bevand]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

Hi Larry:

Thanks for the nice comments - I have tried to put democracy and communication high on my list as a governor. I am pleased if my campaign is making progress. Thanks again - we all love to get some positive feedback ( I do seem to generate my fair share of " push-back " though , too ).

As to the Can. Open, I am not really part of the organizing team at all - all I do is sometimes make some posts for Brian Fiedler. But from what I see, the Organizing Committee is doing a great job - I hope that there will be a flood of last minute applications to jump them to their minimum goal of 250 players. I hope they see your post - I like Hugh's answer for " other " - I think a lot of people play because they know someone else going. I'll await your answer.

Bob

Hi Bob,,

Safe Answer :)

Yes I think Brian and his team are doing an awesome job...something I have never understood...Montreal for the Quebec Open draws better than Toronto...for the whatever!

David Lavin, although we did not come to terms at the end of the game, is a bright fellow. He knew how to make things work. He may have underestimated the Chess'n Math influence in the occasion but hey...he would not have been the first :). Losing David as Prez was major!

He has put the CFC on the right track...and the CFC made money (oops this is a non-profit organization...the key word is surplus) of about $12,000. He made the right moves. Hiring Gerry Litchfield (through the company he works for) was excellent...outsourscing the Book and Equipmement business was also correct...althougth...he could have done better with us...but in my opinion ...he wanted tooo much..but the route he chose was better than the route they were on...I am easy...I like David...and I respect him...it does not mean we always have to agree...what I appreciated was that he always kept me in the loop...I can not say the same about others :)

Larry

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

and the winner is...other...

just guessing: "good organizers"

[Paul Beckwith]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

Free entry fees for women?

[Dale Haukenfrers]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

My guess is that "other" was -->I`m playing for fun.

[Paul Leblanc]

Why I Played in this Tournament

The same reason we all play in any tournament. We love to play serious chess.

[John Upper]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

Hi Bob,

The question was: Why did you decide to play in this event....

and the winner is...other...if you guess what they responded in other...I will pay you a beer at the 2010 Canadian Open!

Inspired by Bobby Fischer.

If that is the right answer, then it's sad news for today's organizers.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

Most likely someone replied he was playing to get a break from his wife.

Some people play for companionship. With CC I used to get some older people. Some used to ask to be paried together in 4 player events. When some won they would send pages of notations for the game. I published games from all the classes of players because even weak players liked to see their games in print.

I've always considered chess the entertainment business.

[Larry Bevand]

Re: Why I Played in this Tournament

The same reason we all play in any tournament. We love to play serious chess.

So simple...and soo correct!

I think Hal Bond has the right idea with his Pro-Am tournaments.

Larry

[David Ottosen]

Re: For Bob Armstrong...and others of course :)

So that kids can go to the world championships? :)