Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

[Jason Lohner]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

You might be surprised to hear that not too many countries experience the same attitude of their "average" players as the one you mention. You keep on pointing what CFC does not do for you as a player, but very little about what you would like to see in order to change this situation. Personally I see you driving down to Vancouver (where I am) for a non-CFC rated tournament rather disappointing. I would not brag about it, but this is just me...

I would disagree with your comment on average players. From what I have read about the USCF on the usenet groups, they are having the same problems as the CFC.

My comments about driving down for a non cfc tournament I think is a valid one. People are still playing chess, and some have bypassed the CFC because it offers no value. My point is that Chess will continue with or without the CFC because many people enjoy the game. (note that I tend to play in any tournament in BC, CFC rated or not.)

As for constructive ideas for the CFC to offer its members I absolutely love the idea that Lawrence Day posted above. I love going through annotated games (the main reason why I enjoyed the magazine). The CFC would be worth it if I could access a website where Canada's top players would comment on games and write other articles. The BCCF offers a great newsletter via email and I would gladly pay the $12 BCCF fee just for that newsletter.

I also believe that the CFC has to get with the times. The website is decent, but I believe that we should offer a chess server. This doesn't have to cost a fortune... check out http://www.phpchess.com/ they will even set it up and administer it for you! imagine if each CFC membership came with an account to online play. Today's reality is that most people play chess online. If the CFC wants to get with the times it also has to offer online play.

[Joseph Shea]

Re: Resurrect itself?

So I would get more bang for my buck by donating my membership and getting a tax receipt. Interesting.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

I'm on the side of not-renewing... paying 48 a year for what... nothing? When I was paying something like 15 a year as a junior membership that's fine, but now there's no magazines.. and even if there were, 4 magazines for like 30 bucks more isn't worth it at all, now with no magazines, basically charity money. Too bad when the new year comes, the discount of having 4 magazines to no magazines is only 5 bucks less - 48 to 43, at-least in Ontario that's what I heard. If it was 48 to 30, that would be more realistic, but... that's another story.

Bindi, your math is based on a false premise.

You pay 36 to the CFC and 12 to your BC federation.

So if you think 30 dollars is a reasonable amount, which is what you state, then your squabble with the CFC is over 6 dollars a year. Your real argument is with your BC organization. I think it might be the most expensive provincial fee in all of Canada.

[Jason Lohner]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

Bindi, your math is based on a false premise.

You pay 36 to the CFC and 12 to your BC federation.

So if you think 30 dollars is a reasonable amount, which is what you state, then your squabble with the CFC is over 6 dollars a year. Your real argument is with your BC organization. I think it might be the most expensive provincial fee in all of Canada.

Once again you fail to note that the BCCF offers FAR more for its $12/year than the CFC does for its $36/year. BCCF offers a decent website and a great emailed newsletter with chess news on local players, annotated games, historical players/ games and news up upcoming events. What does the CFC offer? not much compared to what the BCCF offers. at $12 the BCCF fee is a bargain. If I could ONLY join the BCCF I would, but they have to bundle it with the CFC baggage.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

Once again you fail to note that the BCCF offers FAR more for its $12/year than the CFC does for its $36/year. BCCF offers a decent website and a great emailed newsletter with chess news on local players, annotated games, historical players/ games and news up upcoming events. What does the CFC offer? not much compared to what the BCCF offers. at $12 the BCCF fee is a bargain. If I could ONLY join the BCCF I would, but they have to bundle it with the CFC baggage.

Who cares? He said 30 dollars is reasonable to him and the CFC charges 36. The disagreement is over 6 dollars.

You are merely giving a rational for what I beleive is the most expensive provincial fee in Canada. You think the BC magazine is great and I think the one I saw was rinky dink.

[Jason Lohner]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

Who cares? He said 30 dollars is reasonable to him and the CFC charges 36. The disagreement is over 6 dollars.

You are merely giving a rational for what I beleive is the most expensive provincial fee in Canada. You think the BC magazine is great and I think the one I saw was rinky dink.

What I am doing is comparing what value you get for your fees. The BCCF offers far more for far less than the CFC. Atleast I get value for the BCCF fee, I get Nothing for the CFC fee. What people are complaining about is the lack of value for the CFC. Thats why people are wondering why they should renew.

[Bruce Harper]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

Ruben is the only person I have ever heard critcize the BCCF Bulletin. Just the opposite - many people have praised it.

You don't have to be a BCCF member to receive it - it is available at no charge and back issues can be found on the BCCF website. Look at them and judge for yourself.

Criticism from someone like Ruben is the equivalent of praise from a normal person. Duncan Smith should keep that in mind.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

Ruben is the only person I have ever heard critcize the BCCF Bulletin. Just the opposite - many people have praised it.

You don't have to be a BCCF member to receive it - it is available at no charge and back issues can be found on the BCCF website. Look at them and judge for yourself.

Criticism from someone like Ruben is the equivalent of praise from a normal person. Duncan Smith should keep that in mind.

Very good. You've made an argument and expressed an opinion. I respect that.

[Bindi Cheng]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

Gary, you misunderstood me. I meant 30 overall not 30 + 12. Why the hell would I argue about 6 dollars? Obviously, I meant 48 dollars overall and not 48 from the cfc and 12 from bc. You don't have to be a senior to understand simple common sense like this. Furthermore, why do you even post a reply? You're not even a cfc member. When I asked about reducing the price, I would have preferred someone who actually is a cfc member and someone who still plays otb chess so that their opinion actually counts since they're in the same area rather than someone who plays correspondence. (no comments about that)

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

Gary, you misunderstood me. I meant 30 overall not 30 + 12. Why the hell would I argue about 6 dollars? Obviously, I meant 48 dollars overall and not 48 from the cfc and 12 from bc. You don't have to be a senior to understand simple common sense like this. Furthermore, why do you even post a reply? You're not even a cfc member. When I asked about reducing the price, I would have preferred someone who actually is a cfc member and someone who still plays otb chess so that their opinion actually counts since they're in the same area rather than someone who plays correspondence. (no comments about that)

Bindi, I still play over the board chess. Just not CFC rated. I'm a CFC member one year removed, which means I didn't renew my membership last year.

Let's look at your situation where you figure 30 dollars is reasonable but 48 is not. First, I agree that 48 dollars is not reasonable. In fact, it's inexcusable, in my opinion. Still we have to look at how it's made up.

Now, if I organized an event in which you wanted to play, and heaven forbid, tried to charge you 48 dollars for affiliation fees you would probably tell me 30 is reasonable. I mean why should you care if 36 were to go to the CFC and 12 dollars to the Gary Ruben grocery fund.

If it was only the CFC fees I HAD to collect and you only wanted to pay 30, I'd give you the membership and toss in the difference myself when I remitted it. I used to do that when I sold CCCA memberships years ago. Never denied anyone membership if they told me they couldn't pay.

The problem is the size of the BC cut which is substantial by chess standards. An organizer has to be smoking his lawn to toss in 18 dollars.

If there are a lot of players in BC who think the provincial take is too high you should be writing to your federation and telling them. The president is a reasonable man and a nice guy. He still plays correspondence, though, so I don't know if you would consider him worthy, nor if you can beat Roger over the board. :)

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

"one good reason"

We will have an opportunity to observe the Chess Olympiad with Canadian teams ([ Clear already: largest Olympiad of all times.]). While the participation expenses are covered by donations, the eligibility to play requires the national federation to be a FIDE member at the appropriate fee. This fee is paid partly by collected CFC membership fees.

In case you are passive player, assume it as a non-tax-deductible donation at this moment.
With time the paper magazine will be replaced with an online version (several steps have been made already towards http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/showthread.php?t=38 )

[Jonathan Berry]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

I don't even have a FIDE rating, but I have the necessary games to get one at the next rating update, and I already don't care about my CFC rating. Who the hell would? It's an inferior rating system.

CFC ratings are updated weekly and reflect results against all other players in an event. FIDE ratings are updated every three months and reflect results against only a subset of players in an open event. Aside from historical (2006-2007) considerations, it seems the main way that CFC has an inferior (talking substance, not flash) rating system is that it has rated Benedict. I think he needs another abrazo costarriqueno.

It's also fun to see Gary Ruben, who doesn't live in BC, complain multiple times (and he's been doing it for quite a while, even at the old board) about BCCF dues, even after BC people who are complaining about CFC dues, champion the BCCF! They tell him that the BCCF uses the money for things that the CFC doesn't do [any longer]. I think, as a special favour to Gary, that somebody who has never been a correspondence player should start complaining about the CCCA (the Canadian Correspondence Chess Association). To give Gary that warm fuzzy feeling. Will anybody share the Love?

[John Coleman]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

I think, as a special favour to Gary, that somebody who has never been a correspondence player should start complaining about the CCCA (the Canadian Correspondence Chess Association). To give Gary that warm fuzzy feeling. Will anybody share the Love?

I can do that. I used to know a correspondence player, a nice old fart, he started coming to the local chess club after he retired. Unfortunately, he didn't have much success at OTB chess, and was going gaga, which may or may not have helped him at correspondence. Haven't seen him for a few years now.

Provocative comment about CCCA: The CCCA surely is an association of old farts, who haven't got the gonads to play OTB. Gary Ruben is an apt spokesman.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

It's also fun to see Gary Ruben, who doesn't live in BC, complain multiple times (and he's been doing it for quite a while, even at the old board) about BCCF dues, even after BC people who are complaining about CFC dues, champion the BCCF! They tell him that the BCCF uses the money for things that the CFC doesn't do [any longer]. I think, as a special favour to Gary, that somebody who has never been a correspondence player should start complaining about the CCCA (the Canadian Correspondence Chess Association). To give Gary that warm fuzzy feeling. Will anybody share the Love?

Hi Jonathan,

I received my Correspondence magazine yesterday. You should have, or will shortly, receive yours as well.

Your neglected to tell people that Gary Ruben was selling at least 100 CFC memberships a year when he was organizing over the board. Also, a part of a group of people who financially affiliated the CCCA with the CFC and paid $1.00 per person for those who were not a CFC member. (Was that the exact amount as I can't recall.) Also paying for advertising as I recall. You should recall as you were receiving the money on behalf of the CFC.

I'm only trying to help BC increase participation by charging people a reasonable surcharge on their CFC membership. The idea should be to charge a lot of people a small amount rather than making a few people pay a lot. If you look at provincial memberships as a TAX then BC players are paying the highest tax in Canada. You guys aren't fiscal conservatives.

Is that enough love sharing? :)

[Gary Ruben]

Re: Looking for one good reason to renew my CFC annual membership

I can do that. I used to know a correspondence player, a nice old fart, he started coming to the local chess club after he retired. Unfortunately, he didn't have much success at OTB chess, and was going gaga, which may or may not have helped him at correspondence. Haven't seen him for a few years now.

Provocative comment about CCCA: The CCCA surely is an association of old farts, who haven't got the gonads to play OTB. Gary Ruben is an apt spokesman.

Hi Crotchety John,

That woman at the Seniors club who wanted to charge me 20 bucks was old enough to be my mother, and besides, I'm taken. Probably more your age. :)

Besides, I'm not a good correspondence chess player. I'm lucky. Better to be lucky than good. :p