A Bye in the Final Round

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  • #16
    Re : Re: A Bye in the Final Round

    Originally posted by Egidijus Zeromskis View Post
    Tell that to H.Nakamura, who just grabbed a first prize with the last round bye (the bye was request in advance (month?) :D (the story was discussed some year ago at chesstalk)
    Nakamura is not to blame. He like most players simply take advantage of the unprincipled approach and loose regulations favoured by many organizers and chess politicians whose motto is too often "anything goes if we think it can bring one more entry or one more buck".

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    • #17
      Re: Re : Re: A Bye in the Final Round

      Right on, Jean! There's a real problem when a player can gain a point or win a prize by not playing.
      Gary Ruben
      CC - IA and SIM

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      • #18
        Re: Re : Re: A Bye in the Final Round

        Originally posted by Jean Hébert View Post
        Nakamura is not to blame. He like most players simply take advantage of the unprincipled approach and loose regulations favoured by many organizers and chess politicians whose motto is too often "anything goes if we think it can bring one more entry or one more buck".
        Well, first of all, any player who takes advantage of an unprincipled approach IS partially to blame. Let's not pooh-pooh it just because it's a top rated player. If that top rated player stood against the unprincipled approach, maybe that approach would disappear.... unless that top rated player happens to be someone who is known for hypocrisy and self-serving rants... ...in which case, the organizers wisely and correctly ignore said top-rated player.

        Secondly, organizers whose motto is as you describe seem to be rare, because if they were everywhere, they'd be doing things like, oh, you know, printing flyers, putting signs on top boards, running demo boards... but on a more serious tone, they'd be doing things like running chess960 events, or other variants, or combining chess with poker, or any thing you can imagine that would BRING MORE ENTRIES and MAKE MORE MONEY. The fact that none of this is happening means the bulk of organizers are NOT concerned with making another buck. They are concerned with running chess tournaments while not simultaneously overdrafting their (or someone else's) bank accounts by either (1) pandering to spoiled chess elitists, or (2) pandering to gamblers.

        As much as it would be nice if more organizers WERE more interested in making money (so that chess and poker could be combined blah blah blah), I for one accept the status quo and still praise these dyed-in-the-wool chess organizers for devotion and for remaining true to chess. Bravo to them, and good for chess! Eventually, money-driven organizers will appear to do the things I have mentioned, but I hope that the true chess organizers continue to live long and prosper (where "prosper" means not necessarily to make money, but at least to hold successful and well-attended chess tournaments).

        As to the bye issue of the OP: should be allowed if it's all announced beforehand and irrevocable. To think that one would PLAN on winning a tournament with a last-round half-point bye is absurd. If it's not motivated by true need (as in the OP's case), then it's a roll of the dice, and chess players are not noted for rolling dice. A player who thinks s/he has a chance to win going into the last round would rather PLAY THE GAME. Better to do that than to sit at home, chewing your nails, wondering if your half-point will hold up.

        But hey, if they do roll the dice and it works: kudos. And to anyone who grumps about losing a tournament section prize to such a scenario: don't ever play poker, maybe you shouldn't even live life, because there's a bad beat around every corner (Google it if you don't get it).
        Only the rushing is heard...
        Onward flies the bird.

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        • #19
          Re: Re : Re: A Bye in the Final Round

          Originally posted by Gary Ruben View Post
          Right on, Jean! There's a real problem when a player can gain a point or win a prize by not playing.
          And the problem is: people who see everything as black or white. Sorry for the chess pun, maybe I should say: people who see everything as right or wrong.

          Did Nakurama take his bye a month in advance thinking, "This will win me some money"? Players sometimes need to take last round byes. I would assume Nakurama is a very competitive player and would have loved to be playing that last round.

          Now, if you're saying maybe the organizer(s) shouldn't be awarding Nakurama a half-point bye in the last round, that means the organizer risks Nakurama not participating at all in the event. Did you ever do such a thing as an organizer? In other words, did you at all times as an organizer refuse to allow a half-point bye for the last round even if requested well in advance, and never bend the rule for exceptional circumstances, not even for a star player?

          Well, even if you did, maybe you were wrong to be so dogmatic. Maybe you didn't stop to think that maybe that player (star or not) would love to be playing the last round, but just couldn't, yet still wanted to play the event and not be discriminated against because of some prejudiced thinking.

          I'll admit that someone COULD abuse getting such a bye, trying to win prizes by avoiding a tough last-round match, but that someone would be a coward and would eventually be put in their place in the world of competitive chess. Sometimes you just have to believe in karma. :)
          Only the rushing is heard...
          Onward flies the bird.

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