If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Policy / Politique
The fee for tournament organizers advertising on ChessTalk is $20/event or $100/yearly unlimited for the year.
Les frais d'inscription des organisateurs de tournoi sur ChessTalk sont de 20 $/événement ou de 100 $/année illimitée.
You can etransfer to Henry Lam at chesstalkforum at gmail dot com
Transfér à Henry Lam à chesstalkforum@gmail.com
Dark Knight / Le Chevalier Noir
General Guidelines
---- Nous avons besoin d'un traduction français!
Some Basics
1. Under Board "Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQs) there are 3 sections dealing with General Forum Usage, User Profile Features, and Reading and Posting Messages. These deal with everything from Avatars to Your Notifications. Most general technical questions are covered there. Here is a link to the FAQs. https://forum.chesstalk.com/help
2. Consider using the SEARCH button if you are looking for information. You may find your question has already been answered in a previous thread.
3. If you've looked for an answer to a question, and not found one, then you should consider asking your question in a new thread. For example, there have already been questions and discussion regarding: how to do chess diagrams (FENs); crosstables that line up properly; and the numerous little “glitches” that every new site will have.
4. Read pinned or sticky threads, like this one, if they look important. This applies especially to newcomers.
5. Read the thread you're posting in before you post. There are a variety of ways to look at a thread. These are covered under “Display Modes”.
6. Thread titles: please provide some details in your thread title. This is useful for a number of reasons. It helps ChessTalk members to quickly skim the threads. It prevents duplication of threads. And so on.
7. Unnecessary thread proliferation (e.g., deliberately creating a new thread that duplicates existing discussion) is discouraged. Look to see if a thread on your topic may have already been started and, if so, consider adding your contribution to the pre-existing thread. However, starting new threads to explore side-issues that are not relevant to the original subject is strongly encouraged. A single thread on the Canadian Open, with hundreds of posts on multiple sub-topics, is no better than a dozen threads on the Open covering only a few topics. Use your good judgment when starting a new thread.
8. If and/or when sub-forums are created, please make sure to create threads in the proper place.
Debate
9. Give an opinion and back it up with a reason. Throwaway comments such as "Game X pwnz because my friend and I think so!" could be considered pointless at best, and inflammatory at worst.
10. Try to give your own opinions, not simply those copied and pasted from reviews or opinions of your friends.
Unacceptable behavior and warnings
11. In registering here at ChessTalk please note that the same or similar rules apply here as applied at the previous Boardhost message board. In particular, the following content is not permitted to appear in any messages:
* Racism
* Hatred
* Harassment
* Adult content
* Obscene material
* Nudity or pornography
* Material that infringes intellectual property or other proprietary rights of any party
* Material the posting of which is tortious or violates a contractual or fiduciary obligation you or we owe to another party
* Piracy, hacking, viruses, worms, or warez
* Spam
* Any illegal content
* unapproved Commercial banner advertisements or revenue-generating links
* Any link to or any images from a site containing any material outlined in these restrictions
* Any material deemed offensive or inappropriate by the Board staff
12. Users are welcome to challenge other points of view and opinions, but should do so respectfully. Personal attacks on others will not be tolerated. Posts and threads with unacceptable content can be closed or deleted altogether. Furthermore, a range of sanctions are possible - from a simple warning to a temporary or even a permanent banning from ChessTalk.
Helping to Moderate
13. 'Report' links (an exclamation mark inside a triangle) can be found in many places throughout the board. These links allow users to alert the board staff to anything which is offensive, objectionable or illegal. Please consider using this feature if the need arises.
Advice for free
14. You should exercise the same caution with Private Messages as you would with any public posting.
Re: 2011 Toronto Labour Day Tournament - Register Now
Originally posted by John Brown[QUOTE=Hugh SiddeleyView Post
Instead of sending your concerns (albeit illegitimate ones) privately to the organizers you had to air your dirty laundry here on ChessTalk. So unconstructive and proof that you're a total douchebag.
When you invited me to your tournament I politely declined. Did I ever take shots at it publicly and broadcast that I in fact had no desire to play in your poxy tournament at your stuffy little apartment? Brampton? Who the hell wants to go out to hell's high acre? Get closer man. Public transport? TTC then Sauga transit? Get real. Gotta do something about that how about limo service? Just not good enough John. We can all play this game. How does it feel?[/QUO
Good job quoting my quote there. Didn't quite work out for you did it?
Originally posted by John Brown
I don't drive and I travel mostly by GO and TTC to get to Toronto and I don't have any trouble getting to Toronto Tournaments.
Wow, you're confusing me. Didn't you want us to start rounds earlier to accomodate your commute? Something about not wanting to have to rush in like lions to the kill?
Originally posted by John Brown
First of all who would want to have a tournament at two different sites anyway?
Maybe if you were paying attention during the announcements at the Canadian Open you would have heard us mention there is a wedding reception taking place at 918 on the Saturday.
Originally posted by John Brown
Out of towners who have never been to Toronto Westin or Bathurst would have a nightmare not to mention the expensive parking near Westin.
Sometimes People from Toronto don't understand that people from other places are not used to travelling TTC paying HIGH Parking costs and food costs and Hotel costs.
And this is our problem how? At some point we have to draw the line where we're not responsible for spoonfeeding people any more. Your sense of entitlement is whack.
Originally posted by John Brown
you take what people on chess talk say too seriously.
The lighting was becoming an issue at one point, I remember my daughter found it very uncomfortable one year ( although we found later she needed new eyeglasses as well ).
How about for example "it has been improved since" or " it can only get better and it will" or shrewdly explain what will be done to make it "even better" than before? :) Clearly there are ways (good natured humour for example) to answer what you consider "unconstructive" criticism in a constructive way and turn around a potentially damaging challenge to your advantage.
Solid post Jean. I was beginning to worry about the seemingly large chasm of a gap between your chess skill and your posting skills that was evident from your previous post(s).
The short answer is the mostly incoherent criticism was coming from some knobhead who has yet to finish his grade 8 even though he's in his senior years. Maybe he can take some inspiration from Ricky from the Trailer Park Boys. He completed his grade 8 years after. There's still hope... OK that doesn't quite cut it. Let's say he was a decent fellow. What he was saying was either insulting or absurd. Just look at this:
"The tourney will be a pricey flop."
"I don't really like playing on plastic sets."
"Bathurst site was the worst site I've ever played at."
"Westin had poor lighting so is that an upgrade to a larger place?"
"Rounds are too early because TTC doesn't open early enough to get there."
Was Doc Brown a Plastic Pusher. Never saw the Movie I guess.
What Avatar. Never saw that movie either.
Doc Brown from Back to the Future. A classic... Not seen Avatar? .... I think you're the only one. I was refering to the avatar of his handle. If you even know what that is...
We used to attend the Macedonian every year. The lighting was becoming an issue at one point, I remember my daughter found it very uncomfortable one year ( although we found later she needed new eyeglasses as well ).
I sprang for lasik surgery which was fairly cheap at $1000 about a dozen years ago and my vision always comes up 20/20 on my twice a year trips to the eye specialist. I had astigmatism and was looking at a ridiculous sum of money to buy a new pair of contacts and glasses so in effect it only cost me about $500 more than the glasses and contacts would have cost. I think that there is something about the fluorescent lighting that they use at the Macedonian Hall. The absolute level of lighting seemed fine but the room gave me a headache. It may just have had something to do with my health problems but I'm not sure. I haven't had similar feelings about other sites.
Macadonian brought in a lot of casual players that don't normally play at events. One reason might have been the Amateur entry for $20 in U1700 or U1500. The existance of onsite snacks and coffee is nice too. This is why I again have the opinion, you can build better social networks and larger fields by creating Amateur options. You get families playing ( we brought 3 players several times ). People show up just to see their chess friends.
The social aspect should not be underestimated as a draw for chess tournaments. I know that I enjoy seeing the familiar faces at many of the tournaments that I attend.
So I'm going to persist and say why not extend such a policy in some events and offer Amateur options at ALL RATING LEVELS. If it turns out that far too many people want to be Amateurs, thats sending a message that maybe there needs to be more "All Amateur" events and less of these expensive feed the elite players prize money events.
I think I vaguely recall Bryan Lamb offering such options as recently as two years ago but I could be misremembering.
Because, ultimately, there just aren't enough tournament players in Canada to support through entry fees any "Pro" players. Trying to cater to an impossible goal might just be sabotaging a lot of other goals.
I have always liked the following quote and I think it applies to the current situation.
There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. For the reformer has enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the new order, this lukewarmness arising partly from fear of their adversaries … and partly from the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.
– Niccolo Machiavelli, "The Prince"
I think that we should encourage a wide variety of tournament and prize formats to see which ones work best and find those many different niches that will encourage more people to play chess. We don't need to aim for one size fits all. Personally I really like the cheap $10 Windsor tournaments (both the swiss tournaments and the round robins) with a first prize on the order of $15 or $20 and where you play three or four games with people who are close to you in rating. No elite players anywhere in sight but some enjoyable chess is played.
Of course I also enjoy watching Bator Sambuev or Nikolay Noritsyn play or analyze up close so I think that we do need to throw the elite players some bones. If they all give up chess, we will all be poorer for that fact. Knowing that such players are going to be playing in a tournament certainly encourages me to participate in such an event.
Doc Brown from Back to the Future. A classic... Not seen Avatar? .... I think you're the only one. I was refering to the avatar of his handle. If you even know what that is...
I haven't seen Avatar yet. I have the Blueray/DVD combo pack but haven't popped it in the player yet.
Re: 2011 Toronto Labour Day Tournament - Register Now
Geez John I don't know what to say. I hope you're able to make it. :) On one of your breaks why don't you head on over to the roulette table and try your luck. Or do they not look kindly at employees playing games there.
Originally posted by John Erickson
I have never paid to play in a tournament because so and so was playing. I play because I like the competition
I hate to nitpick but you're actually contradicting yourself here even though you're apparently not aware of it. Would you come if only 3-year olds were playing? No, you'd come if stronger players turned up. So in essence you're not playing in a tournament because so and so is playing, as in a specific player like a GM or an IM, but yes you're looking to play games against suitable opposition.
Re: 2011 Toronto Labour Day Tournament - Register Now
News Flash for the Labour Day Open
We're adding a new section, the Hobo Premier section, hoping to cater to the chess players out there who don't like our current format. Sponsored by Old Spice. The deoderant for smelly chess dudes. This section will be played in the chess park at Queen and Church. Morning round starts at noon to allow plenty of time to sleep in and allowing a more leisurely ride on the TTC as they'd surely be open by then. No complaining about the lighting here, the Sun will illuminate your game. The $20 entry fee also gets you a couple of contraband smokes and a nice little spliff to boot. Who's in?
We're adding a new section, the Hobo Premier section, hoping to cater to the chess players out there who don't like our current format. Sponsored by Old Spice. The deoderant for smelly chess dudes. This section will be played in the chess park at Queen and Church. Morning round starts at noon to allow plenty of time to sleep in and allowing a more leisurely ride on the TTC as they'd surely be open by then. No complaining about the lighting here, the Sun will illuminate your game. The $20 entry fee also gets you a couple of contraband smokes and a nice little spliff to boot. Who's in?
I hope they have you as the Tournament Director. We Wouldn't want any one else. With your skills as a Consultant they would not to go to waste on this Top Notch Labour Day Open Hobo Premier Tournament. Will you be providing Wall charts on the Trees? When can the chess talkers see the updated flyer. Do we pay with used butts or do you want pennies from out hats?
Will the pairings be posted in the Annex Chess Club Washroom?
Last edited by John Brown; Thursday, 4th August, 2011, 07:19 AM.
Reason: additions to post
I admit that it's easier to construe criticism as constructive when it's expressed pleasantly. But I'm willing to look behind the sometimes unpleasant expression to find value in John's prolific contribution to this thread. If players lied and never spoke up, maybe playing conditions would never improve, and we'd lose players, players who "simply prefer to quit silently," without the chess community even knowing why.
However, shouldn't that door swing both ways? Chess needs organizers as well as players. Can we do Hugh the same favour? Maybe we can look behind his hostile expressions to find "useful information" in "opinions whose honesty we can be certain of."
Why should players be encouraged to be intolerant of inadequate lighting and a hot environment when they play, while organizers are told they just have to "get used to" inadequate respect and a hot environment on ChessTalk when they organize?
Maybe in the case of us organizers, too, it's good someone is complaining, albeit in an over-hostile manner, "especially if no one else has the courage to say it." If organizers always lie and never speak up, if they hypocritically say, "the experience is great," when they actually think the opposite, maybe organizing conditions will never improve and we'll lose organizers, organizers who "simply prefer to quit silently," without the chess community even knowing why.
Well Marcus;
Let's hope the banter on here has brought you in some early entries.
I'll be there so you will have my entry support for the event.
We're adding a new section, the Hobo Premier section, hoping to cater to the chess players out there who don't like our current format. Sponsored by Old Spice. The deoderant for smelly chess dudes. This section will be played in the chess park at Queen and Church. Morning round starts at noon to allow plenty of time to sleep in and allowing a more leisurely ride on the TTC as they'd surely be open by then. No complaining about the lighting here, the Sun will illuminate your game. The $20 entry fee also gets you a couple of contraband smokes and a nice little spliff to boot. Who's in?
Hey Hugh, For the Hobo Premier Section, Is Finito Master getting an appearance fee?
Solid post Jean. I was beginning to worry about the seemingly large chasm of a gap between your chess skill and your posting skills that was evident from your previous post(s)".
I am glad to see that you have no such problem. No discernable gaps between your ... "skills".
Tweet
Comment