Strong 2010-11 Scarborough CC Championship Coming Up!

[Bob Armstrong]

Here is an article coming out in the Feb. 15 Issue of Scarborough Community of Toronto Chess News & Views ( SCTCN&V ), the newsletter of the Scarborough CC:

Scarborough CC – Very Strong 2010-11Club Championship !

Scarborough Chess Club starts its 2010-11 Club Championship in a little over a week – on Thursday, February 24.

The feature attraction is the very strong Championship Section 10-player round robin of the 9 highest rated club members registering, plus the winner of the 2009-10 Reserves Top Section ( or the next place finisher in case the winner qualifies by rating or is not playing ). 8 players will be over 2100, the ninth player will be just shy of 2100, and the Reserves Qualifier will be over 2000 – it will include 5 Masters! The current average rating of the 9 by rating is 2200! This may well be the strongest club championship in Canada. Unfortunately, last year’s champion, WIM Yuanling Yuan ( 2352 ), is unable to return to defend her title. So it’s wide open !

As of today’s rating and activity criteria, the top section looks to be:

1. Master Rune Pedersen ( 2311 )
2. Master Andrei Moffat ( 2255 )
3. Master John Hall ( 2226 )
4. Master Josh Guo ( 2225 )
5. Master Andrew Picana ( 2206 )
6. Michael Song (2187 )
7. Bryan Lamb ( 2156 )
8. Erwin Casareno ( 2136 )
9. Ilyas Nasirov ( 2095 ) - games qualification to be met by playing Rd. 7 of current Jack Frost Swiss
( next by rating if a cancellation – David Southam ( 2083 ) )
10. 2009-10 Reserves Top Section Qualifier
Reserves Qualifier:
Since Andrew Picana, 2009-10 Top Reserves Winner, should qualify by rating then it
looks like the next one from the Top Reserves will either be Robert Bzikot ( 2008 ) or Kevin Wu ( 2011 ), who finished tied 3rd /4th with equal tie-break ( note: 2nd place finisher will not satisfy the activity requirement of the championship section ).

The balance of the players play in the Reserves – it has a top Open Section 1700 & over, and a lower U 1700 section ( a player U 1700 has the right to play in the higher section if within 100 points of the higher section rating floor ). As was said, the winner of the Reserves Open Section qualifies into the 2011-12 Championship Section. So there is definitely a prize to play for in playing in the top Reserves section !

This year we have averaged 93 players in our 3 swisses. And the club championship is usually our largest tournament.

Though our top section is now almost determined, there will be stiff competition in the top Reserves section, which will be headed up by a number of experts this year. This section and our U 1700 section provide good competitive games to the average club player. So come on out, join one of the Reserves sections, and enjoy 9 weeks of SCC’s competitive, but friendly, tournament chess.

Help us break the 100 registrants mark for the first time since back in the 90’s !

Bob

SCC Website:http://www.scarboroughchessclub.ca

SCTCN&V Website: http://scarboroughchess.webhop.net

SCTCN&V Subscribing is free: to become a subscriber, just e-mail me bobarm@sympatico.ca

[Tyler Longo]

Re: Strong 2010-11 Scarborough CC Championship Coming Up!

Good luck with the tournament, Bob. I would play if I was in Toronto.

Just a thought: Seems to me that Andrew should get the exemption into the top section regardless of his rating, and thus you should still take him and the 9 highest rated players (as opposed to whoever finished 2nd/3rd/whatever in the reserve section). It would make the championship section stronger by taking a high rated player as opposed to someone who didn't even win the reserve section last year.

My 2c... I'm sure you guys have regulations for that kind of stuff anyways though =]

[Joshua Guo]

Re: Strong 2010-11 Scarborough CC Championship Coming Up!

Hi Bob,

Did Bryan mention having increments to the Time Control? Myself and a few other top players do not like the SD/90. I suggested G80/10sec for the top section.

Bryan said he needs to run it by the governors, how is that coming?

Thanks,

[Erwin Casareno]

Re: Strong 2010-11 Scarborough CC Championship Coming Up!

Good luck with the tournament, Bob. I would play if I was in Toronto.

Just a thought: Seems to me that Andrew should get the exemption into the top section regardless of his rating, and thus you should still take him and the 9 highest rated players (as opposed to whoever finished 2nd/3rd/whatever in the reserve section). It would make the championship section stronger by taking a high rated player as opposed to someone who didn't even win the reserve section last year.

My 2c... I'm sure you guys have regulations for that kind of stuff anyways though =]

I have the same interpretation as Tyler. The qualifiers are the Champion of the 2009 Reserves section plus the 9 highest rated players.

I guess, the club interprets it in line with Bob. And it has been that way since the beginning. So there is consistency...

[Bob Armstrong]

Incremental Time Control for Scarborough CC Championship ?

Hi Josh:

I am aware that the SCC Executive ( Maurice, Bryan, Andrew, Steve, Martin ) have been involved in the suggestion to move the Championship section to increments.

The problem is our community centre rental permit. We MUST be out of the building by 10:45 PM. We cannot guarantee this with an increment time control.

I have suggested to some that the top section would have to consider an adjudication committee of a few outside players, using a chess engine, to determine the outcome if a game was in progress at the club residence deadline. I don't know what the response is to this.

You'd best ask President Maurice Smith tonight - last I heard he was against the proposal because of the permit problem.

Bob

[Bob Armstrong]

Importance of Scarborough CC Championship Open Reserves Section

Hi Tyler and Erwin:

The issue has been a live one at the SCC executive level for a number of years now. But some time ago the decision was made that SCC's priority here was to entice more players into the " Open Reserves ". Entry into the next years club championship section has proved an attractive prize - we have had numbers of experts playing, for a chance to get into the championship section, where it might not be possible for them by rating. It is felt that the enticement is even greater if the prize is a " trickle down " one - if the winner doesn't make use of the prize, then it goes to the runner-up. And this year it could be the 4th place finisher ! The chance of getting in can be won, even if not winning the tournament ! It was felt that the club could accept one player being slightly lower rated in the championship section, in order to promote the Open Reserves.

Bob

[Tyler Longo]

Re: Importance of Scarborough CC Championship Open Reserves Section

Hi Tyler and Erwin:

The issue has been a live one at the SCC executive level for a number of years now. But some time ago the decision was made that SCC's priority here was to entice more players into the " Open Reserves ". Entry into the next years club championship section has proved an attractive prize - we have had numbers of experts playing, for a chance to get into the championship section, where it might not be possible for them by rating. It is felt that the enticement is even greater if the prize is a " trickle down " one - if the winner doesn't make use of the prize, then it goes to the runner-up. And this year it could be the 4th place finisher ! The chance of getting in can be won, even if not winning the tournament ! It was felt that the club could accept one player being slightly lower rated in the championship section, in order to promote the Open Reserves.

Bob

Cool, thanks for the explanation! I would still prefer to have a stronger championship, as I kind of doubt having the off chance of getting into the championships by finishing 2nd/3rd/etc is a big draw for people playing in the tournament (If people want to play, they are going to play anyways imo)... but it's not really my club or my choice, so good luck! =]

[Alex Ferreira]

Re: Importance of Scarborough CC Championship Open Reserves Section

Cool, thanks for the explanation! I would still prefer to have a stronger championship, as I kind of doubt having the off chance of getting into the championships by finishing 2nd/3rd/etc is a big draw for people playing in the tournament (If people want to play, they are going to play anyways imo)... but it's not really my club or my choice, so good luck! =]

Hi,

I think the idea is to have someone from the previous year's reserve join the championship based on their accomplishment on that tournament. It can be argued that someone might have been much stronger then anyway, such is the case this year. Andrew Picana has had a great season at the SCC and is now master level player. In any case, this won't be much of an issue since the contenders to take the new reserve spot are pretty close to making it by rating anyway, and therefore the championship will still be quite strong.

Alex F.

[Bob Armstrong]

One Correction - 2010-11 Scarborough CC Championship

I misread the 2009-10 Scarborough CC Championship cross table when I prepared the original post - re the Reserves Qualifier:

2009-10 Scarborough CC Championship

.........................................Tie-Break
Andrew Picana 7.5 - now qualifies by rating
Randy Moysoski 7 - doesn't meet activity criteria
Mike Conte 6 - doesn't meet activity criteria
Kevin Wu ( 2011 ) 6................32
Pepin Manalo ( 1817 ) 6...........32
Robert Bzikot 6......................29.5

So the issue is whether Kevin Wu or Pepin Manalo gets the Reserves Qualifier position in this year's club championship.

Club Pairings Master, Steve Karpik, is now going back into the cross table to determine secondary tie-break, and his result should be announced shortly.

As mentioned above, SCC puts a high priority on the fact that one of the Open Section Reserves players will always get into the next year's club championship - it is a significant enticement to high-rated players to come out and play in the Reserves, as well as class players. Since it is a " trickle down " prize, if the winner doean't use it, then it falls to the runner-up, etc..

In this years' secenario, we are looking at the 4th or 5th place finisher managing to qualify, where they would never do so by rating - kind of a chance of a lifetime !

We'll let you know once our research is concluded. The candidates are anxious to hear as well !

Bob

[Bob Armstrong]

Scarborough CC Reserves Qualifier Determined

The Scarborough CC Pairings Administrator, Steve Karpik, has now determined that the Reserves Qualifier from the 2009-10 Open Reserves is Pepin Manalo. Should he decline to participate, then next in line is Kevin Wu.

Here are the 9 players by rating in the top group:

1. Master Rune Pedersen ( 2311 )
2. Master Andrei Moffat ( 2255 )
3. Master Josh Guo ( 2244 )
4. Master John Hall ( 2226 )
5. Master Andrew Picana ( 2206 )
6. Michael Song (2187 )
7. Bryan Lamb ( 2156 )
8. Erwin Casareno ( 2136 )
9. Ilyas Nasirov ( 2095 )

The list will get a final adjustment to comply with the ratings as of Wed., Feb. 23. The Championship starts on Thursday, Feb. 24.

Bob

[Wilf Ferner]

Re: Strong 2010-11 Scarborough CC Championship Coming Up!

Hi Bob(Armstrong): Please explain the term "activity criteria"

Thanks

Wilf Ferner

[Bob Armstrong]

SCC Activity Rule re Championship Section

Hi Wilf:

To play in the top section, one must play 10 rated SCC tournament games since Sept. 1 of the prior year ( this roughly equals playing 2 out of the 3 tournaments ). This guarantees that the players have a substantial connection to the club, and are not just parachuting in for the one championship tournament.

Bob