Blitz + Active?

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  • Blitz + Active?

    With our Guelph weekend event come and gone, we'd like to conduct a quick poll to elicit feedback from the general ChessTalk audience. Turnout this weekend was on par with what we were expecting - 10 players for the quads and 8 for the blitz. The winner of our A group indicated that he much prefers this one-day format, as his schedule precludes giving up too many full weekends, which suggests it has some promise.

    In any event, we are experimenting and we are never against a modest increase in turnout. From what we understand, the 30 min + 30 sec. inc. TC is largely unpopular with the regular crowd, but we aren't so sure a 20 min + 5 sec. inc. active, for example, would be in any more demand. The next time around, we will likely stick to Saturday, without including Sunday. The schedule will also be modified to allow the blitz to start sooner (approximately 5pm, instead of 7pm). We encourage you to take part in this poll and engage us in a dialogue, as we would love to suit the needs of a wider audience going forward!
    15
    A one-day active event (quads)
    6.67%
    1
    A one-day active event (swiss)
    33.33%
    5
    A one-day double round blitz event (RR up to 19 rounds)
    6.67%
    1
    A one-day double round blitz event (swiss)
    0.00%
    0
    A regular rated event (quads)
    13.33%
    2
    A regular rated event (swiss)
    26.67%
    4
    A blitz + active
    13.33%
    2
    A blitz + regular
    0.00%
    0
    Other (please indicate by replying to thread)
    0.00%
    0

    The poll is expired.


  • #2
    Re: Blitz + Active?

    I would prefer an active chess followed by SD blitz tournament.

    In connection with your blitz tournament last Saturday night, there were potentially 4 players of the Manila Chess Club who were planning to go. However, 1 player needed to work around 11:00 pm and there were concerns about the 3 min + 2 seconds , that the game might last longer than necessary.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Blitz + Active?

      Would you have a preferred TC in the active? 20 min + 5 sec. inc. was suggested, but there are always other options.

      In my view, increments are always preferable to SD TCs - even in blitz. In our case, the event ran smoothly (no shouting matches related to time scrambles, for instance) and games were consistently wrapping/wrapped up within 10 minutes. We were done 5 double rounds in 1 hr 40 mins, basically on the button (in no small part thanks to the use of SwissSys, as opposed to manual pairings).

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Blitz + Active?

        Hi Mike,

        Just stick to the regular FIDE-rated wkend swiss. I would come even if you guys have one every month :) Why fix whats working?

        Personally I'm not a fan of fast time controls. Rapid is good for developing intuition and training me to move quickly, but Blitz is just a waste of time (unless of course I'm just playing for fun).

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Blitz + Active?

          Hey Josh,

          These events are a bit of a departure from our weekend Swisses - something fun that doesn't feel like too much work (full weekend events can be trying at times). Players that can't commit to full weekends generally seem to like the option of playing in one day events. In addition, they give Hal a chance to be a player, while his proteges take care of the TDing. That said, perhaps we could look into running 3 round FIDE rated events. Anybody else out there have an appetite for more FIDE rated events?

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Blitz + Active?

            Oh I see, ok.

            In that case, would it be possible to run a 3-round quad parallel with a 5 round rapid?

            Maybe 3 games of 90/30sec is a bit too much, so perhaps just make the quad G/90 CFC-rated. And also, have 5 round rapid swiss of 25/5sec? I think this would be a good alternative to the traditional 2-day tournmanet.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Blitz + Active?

              Originally posted by Michael von Keitz View Post
              We encourage you to take part in this poll and engage us in a dialogue, as we would love to suit the needs of a wider audience going forward!
              You are not making it easy to help find some sort of consensus with an 8 choice poll with a 9th option open! A handful of people will come up with their own set of preferences and that is all. At the end you will only be in a position to listen to whoever you want and do as you please...
              I don't believe in politicians who make decisions based on polls and I don't think chess organizers should go this way either.

              - A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion. Chinese proverb.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Blitz + Active?

                Though a consensus would be nice, we are more interested in seeing what opinions are out there. In the end, we'll discuss it as a club and move forward - this poll simply gives us a reference point. By the way, Jean, do you have an opinion on events of this type? ;)

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Blitz + Active?

                  Hey,

                  The quads are interesting, however I prefer longer time controls the ones you have used thus far. Have you considered doing quads at a longer time control (at least 90'' +30')? The interesting thing about the quads to me is that the players will all likely be close in rating.

                  I know you Guelph characters are pressing for shorter events (4 round CUCC, one day quads), but I would be more interested in either quads (in one day) or sextuples (over two days) provided the time control was at least 90'' +30'.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Blitz + Active?

                    Originally posted by Michael von Keitz View Post
                    Though a consensus would be nice, we are more interested in seeing what opinions are out there. In the end, we'll discuss it as a club and move forward - this poll simply gives us a reference point. By the way, Jean, do you have an opinion on events of this type? ;)
                    Probably ALL opinions can be found out there and most of the time it is the marginal ones that are the most vocal. Regarding my opinion first I must finish going through the choices... :) And then I will most certainly reject all blitz events as unfit and unattractive for most players. Blitz is best played online.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Blitz + Active?

                      Lots of discussion - but only 4 people have voted.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Blitz + Active?

                        Originally posted by Jean Hébert View Post
                        Probably ALL opinions can be found out there and most of the time it is the marginal ones that are the most vocal. Regarding my opinion first I must finish going through the choices... :) And then I will most certainly reject all blitz events as unfit and unattractive for most players. Blitz is best played online.
                        I hate blitz online, click errors. I also hate drawing/painting on a computer. The clicking on a mouse and flat screen are not as comfortable as lifting real pieces on a a real board. Although I think there is a greater chance of missing longer moves and hidden pieces on a real board.

                        I regularly play blitz with and without increments and they are two different games. Sudden death destroys a hard-won game, while increments allows a win by technique. Sudden death gives a defender a strategy of mixing things up to keep his opponent thinking and some wild, exciting positions result. I enjoy the double-edge, both sides attacking games I can often get in sudden-death blitz, but which are easily busted in slow chess.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Blitz + Active?
                          A one-day active event (swiss)
                          Especially when the round number is high (>7, meaning that the time control is appropriate)
                          A one-day double round blitz event (RR up to 19 rounds)

                          I preferred a single-game round-robin (12 etc) event. (rotation around a long table)

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Blitz + Active?

                            I would prefer quads with slower time controls to either blitz or active events. I probably would play in 30/30 events under some circumstances but would prefer longer time controls.

                            Comment

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