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Dark Knight / Le Chevalier Noir
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I would like to hear from a few people regarding the following.
We continue to hear from organizers who say that people won't play in CFC rated events and similar because of the perceived lack of value.
I wonder if this occurs because the organizers don't/won't/can't sell the idea of membership. Maybe, rather than tell the participants how bad the "new CFC" is, they could do a selling job. I don't think it would be that difficult.
In other words, are some organizers making a self-fulfilling prophecy in this regard? I really am amazed at the amount of vitriol we see on this subject.
Scarborough and RA seem to be doing OK with CFC rated events. Maybe the organizers of these events could tell us their experiences? Do they really hear complaints about the fees, the CFC, and so on? If so, how are they handling them?
I didn't really read your post, but I would be DISCINCLINED to play in unrated events. I mean, it'd be like playing some Starcraft 1V1 Lost Temple, but making it a UMS map. Who does that? WEIRDOS. I sure as hell wouldn't.
I would like to hear from a few people regarding the following.
We continue to hear from organizers who say that people won't play in CFC rated events and similar because of the perceived lack of value.
I wonder if this occurs because the organizers don't/won't/can't sell the idea of membership. Maybe, rather than tell the participants how bad the "new CFC" is, they could do a selling job. I don't think it would be that difficult.
In other words, are some organizers making a self-fulfilling prophecy in this regard? I really am amazed at the amount of vitriol we see on this subject.
Scarborough and RA seem to be doing OK with CFC rated events. Maybe the organizers of these events could tell us their experiences? Do they really hear complaints about the fees, the CFC, and so on? If so, how are they handling them?
I am definately going to play in non-cfc events. I play because I love to play the game. I drive 5 hours to play in
events around the lower mainland. Ratings and/or Cash prizes mean nothing to me. I haven't decided whether I am going to continue in CFC events. The local BC Interior director runs several tournaments per year. I hope they don't disappear due to people who thinks that joining the CFC is too expensive for one/two tournaments per year. Currently they average about 10-12 people per tournament. If the tournaments disappear, I will probably quit playing CFC events. This is probably not a problem in Toronto, but I am sure that it will have quite an effect on the rest of Canada.
My biggest problems is that I have spoken to quite a few 'casual' players who would stop playing in cfc events. These are people would just go back to playing club games and skip the tournament scene. Im sure that most of them would play in non rated events.
I am also sure that quite a few people would play if all the money went to rent of the hall and prize money.
Scarborough and RA like playing for rating points so they play rated club tournaments.
Other clubs like playing Chess for Chess and don't really care about ratings.
John, I wonder how you came up with this conclusion about the RA club? I have never been to Scarborough, but I can tell you that the RA club members love playing chess, and many of us finish our evenings at the onsite bar/restaurant going over our games with each other, chatting about many things inside and outside chess. We just happen to have our events rated CFC as well. How does one play for rating points anyway?! ;)
I wonder if this occurs because the organizers don't/won't/can't sell the idea of membership. Maybe, rather than tell the participants how bad the "new CFC" is, they could do a selling job. I don't think it would be that difficult.
I am not an adult chess tournament organizer, but I think I would be morally opposed to selling memberships in an organization that says this about the benefits or membership:
"What benefits do I get as a member of the C.F.C.?
Benefits include discounts on purchases of chess books, and equipment (for full memberships only), a subscription to Canada’s quarterly national chess magazine (Chess Canada Échecs) [TO: emphasis mine] and the right to obtain a rating by competing in C.F.C. rated tournaments."
Even worse, the pamphlet "Passport to Chess" mentions the BI-MONTHLY magazine. The CFC business office ordered 5000 copies of the pamphlet recently, and they were received in early September.
Scarborough and RA like playing for rating points so they play rated club tournaments.
Other clubs like playing Chess for Chess and don't really care about ratings.
Hi John.
I hope this doesn't imply that SCC and RA don't also play for the joy of chess.
I've only been to RA once and the atmosphere was very pleasant, Aris responded. As for SCC, I've been playing there for a year now, and I don't get the impression most players really care about ratings. Some do, of course, but most seem to just have the Thursday evening reserved for chess, and return no matter where their rating currently is at. I've seen some people rise and other people drop dramatically and they all continue to show up. SCC is overall a very friendly club where people play in tournaments that have no cash prizes, from beginners to masters and anywhere in between.
When you become a member of the CFC, you join a fraternity of chess players, enthusiasts, teachers, and organizers from across Canada devoted to promoting chess. The CFC represents Canada to the world as a member of FIDE, the international chess body. The CFC sends teams to the Chess Olympiad, World Youth Chess Championship, and other major international events. The CFC holds national championships (including the Canadian Open, Canadian Youth Chess Championship, Canadian Closed, Canadian Women’s Championship) to showcase Canadian talent. The CFC website keeps players informed on what happening including tournament listings, tournament reports and news items, listings of local chess clubs, and so much more. Your membership dues support all these activities to help ensure chess prospers in Canada. As a member, you are welcomed at CFC events across Canada, including national tournaments, weekend swiss’s, and local club tournaments.
Other benefits of membership include:
A national CFC chess rating,
Subscription to Chess Canada online magazine (watch website for 1st issue),
And discount prices at the CFC online store.
Last edited by Bob Gillanders; Sunday, 21st September, 2008, 10:27 PM.
When you become a member of the CFC, you join a fraternity of chess players, enthusiasts, teachers, and organizers from across Canada devoted to promoting chess. The CFC represents Canada to the world as a member of FIDE, the international chess body. The CFC sends teams to the Chess Olympiad, World Youth Chess Championship, and other major international events. The CFC holds national championships (including the Canadian Open, Canadian Youth Chess Championship, Canadian Closed, Canadian Women’s Championship) to showcase Canadian talent. The CFC website keeps players informed on what happening including tournament listings, tournament reports and news items, listings of local chess clubs, and so much more. Your membership dues support all these activities to help ensure chess prospers in Canada. As a member, you are welcomed at CFC events across Canada, including national tournaments, weekend swiss’s, and local club tournaments.
Other benefits of membership include:
A national CFC chess rating,
Subscription to Chess Canada online magazine (watch website for 1st issue),
And discount prices at the CFC online store.
Better, yes.
However:
1) The CFC website should not have listings of chess clubs, nor local reports in its news section, in my opinion. It should have links to provincial or regional associations and THEY should have chess club listings and local news. The CFC listings are often out of date and as far as I can tell some of these clubs don't exist anymore (e.g. see what happens when you type in "kanatachesschool.com"). Basically this is another example of the CFC trying to micromanage something that nowadays is better served at the regional level. You are creating unnecessary work for yourself. It also has bad optics.
2) "Your membership dues support all these activities to help ensure chess prospers in Canada. " I am sure that at least some of the parents whose kids qualified for the WYCC will be happy to know that the CFC "supports" them (just not financially, eh?).
3) This sentence seems in error: "The CFC website keeps players informed on what happening including tournament listings, tournament reports and news items, listings of local chess clubs, and so much more. " I see the typo regarding "weekend swiss's" has been corrected.
4) Finally I strongly disagree with this:
"Subscription to Chess Canada online magazine (watch website for 1st issue),"
What sort of inducement is this? "Hey buddy, pay for this membership and on some unspecified date in the future you get access to an online magazine." I don't think an e-magazine that reports on local tournaments is necessary at the national level (again, it is something that can be done region-to-region), but if it is, then offering someone something in the future (in two months? six? a year?) is a pretty shady business practice, again in my opinion. This should be left out entirely until there actually IS an e-mag.
I hear through the grapevine that the winner of the bidding for the CFC book and equipment business is a relative of one of the Executive members. Is this true? Interesting if so.
"Tom is a well known racist, and like most of them he won't admit it, possibly even to himself." - Ed Seedhouse, October 4, 2020.
1) The CFC website should not have listings of chess clubs, nor local reports in its news section, in my opinion. It should have links to provincial or regional associations and THEY should have chess club listings and local news. The CFC listings are often out of date and as far as I can tell some of these clubs don't exist anymore (e.g. see what happens when you type in "kanatachesschool.com"). Basically this is another example of the CFC trying to micromanage something that nowadays is better served at the regional level. You are creating unnecessary work for yourself. It also has bad optics.
You're right that maintaining such lists is like trying to herd cats, but some provincial associations are not strong enough to do it themselves. For those that are strong enough, I suppose that the CFC could have a direct link to their page (and keeps its eyes open for signs of morbidity). But that takes away from the concept of one-stop shopping for chess in Canada. It also doesn't serve those players who happen to live close to a provincial border.
Since the demise of the CFC printed magazine, the lion's share of membership fees (maybe more than 100%) has gone to Administration. Maybe next comes FIDE affiliation. Most of the events listed run on other monies, such as entry fees and donations. So the paragraph presents a sanitized (or perhaps nostalgic) view.
Maybe a way to explain Canada's position in the chess world to a new/potential member is to point out that once they join they are only a couple of dozen wins away from the world championship: say 6 Provincially to qualify to the Zonal, 9 there, another 9 to squeak by in the FIDE knockouts, then a Challengers semifinal (+1=9 will do) et voila, one more win and your champ!
When people join the CFC they are also joining FIDE which has put a lot of effort into maintaining a fair and accessible qualification system.
Winning it may not be likely, but it's possible with a membership and impossible without.
I hear through the grapevine that the winner of the bidding for the CFC book and equipment business is a relative of one of the Executive members. Is this true? Interesting if so.
I thought that the CFC would hook up with a well-established business. When I read that the CMA was *not* the winner of the contract, it was difficult to imagine who had won it. Amazon / Chapters / Indigo ??? Putting aside the questions that arise from possible blood ties, I wonder if this is an established chess book and equipment business, or a new one? If it is a new business, I'd be concerned that it was sufficiently capitalized. As many of us know, most new businesses fail because they are under-capitalized, in other words because the owner runs out of money to invest in the business. I think that would go doubly for the chess book and software business, an old-style business, where there's lots of competition, inside Canada. Chess equipment, of course, is different.
I hear through the grapevine that the winner of the bidding for the CFC book and equipment business is a relative of one of the Executive members. Is this true? Interesting if so.
Whoever it is that made the successful bid apparently doesn't want to sell many books or much equipment if no one knows who the person is.
"We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office." - Aesop
"Only the dead have seen the end of war." - Plato
"If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination." - Thomas De Quincey
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