Jan 7 Rapid results

[Vlad Dobrich]

13 players - 5 rds swiss

1st: Artiom Samsonkin 4 1/2 - 1/2 ($110)
2nd: Razvan Preotu 4 - 1 ($70)
3rd-5th: Victor Plotkin, Doug Bailey, Yuri Aronov 3 - 2 ($13 each)
A Prize: John Chidley-Hill 2 1/2 points ($50)
B Prize: Richard Chen 2 points ($40)

Very strong field with five juniors taking advantage of gaining good competition.
Razvan Preotu put in a great performance with wins against Plotkin junior and senior plus draws with Samsonkin and Aronov for a performance rating of over 2450!
On a negative note, the bar manager complained that some players brought in drinks (sodas) from outside. This is NOT acceptable! Also some participants are not spending ANY money at the bar or kitchen - not even a coffee! Also not acceptable! Please comply with this minor request.

Current rapid ratings

Bator Sambuev 2682
Gerzhoy Leonid 2583
Noritsyn Nikolay 2583
Samsonkin Artem 2561
Plotkin Victor 2469
Sapozhnikov Roman 2472
Ochkoos Yuri 2450
Tayar Jonathan 2420
Martchenko Alex 2419
Rek Slava 2410
Kleinman Michael 2400
Gulko Andre 2398
Bailey Doug 2369
Zuniga Dante 2342
Puri Vinny 2293
Aronov Yuri 2272
Preotu Razvan 2262
Dougherty Mike 2251
Campbell Bret 2248
Jung Hans 2247
Murray Peter 2240
Song Michael 2235
Yevhen Molchanov 2229
Fiedler Brian 2201
Plotkin Mark 2198
Southam Dave 2185
Ivanov Mike 2170
Zeromskis Egis 2140
Shebetah Wajdy 2139
Miletic Dusan 2124
Pedersen Rune 2118
Haziprodromu Sam 2080
Malette Martin 2071
Dobrich Vlad 2062
Brajkovic Nikola 2061
Evans Bill 2047
Zhang Yuan Chen 2008
Stavropoulos Greg 1999
Malmsten Eric 1987
Chidley-Hill John 1986
Isaac Zelcer 1974
Posaratnanathan Julian 1970
Chernik Dmitry 1970
Robinson Dave 1916
Zagar Milan 1911
McNeil Hugh 1846
Steadman Richard 1829
Chen Richard 1796
Bell Ian 1795
McSherry Peter 1775
O'Bumsawin Nick 1714
Ali Shafkat 1705
Matthews Dan 1678
Mowers Dan 1676
Goodman Shaul 1604
Belaiche Kyle 1600
Singer Ron 1600
Heller Bob 1600
Goodman Halli 1600


The 15 minute Rapid is played from 2pm every Saturday
at the Maple Leaf Sports Bar 828 Danforth (half way between
the Pape and Donlands subway stations).
Entry fee is $30 - cash prizes for winners in rating
groupings as well as the top two or three over all.

[Normand Arsenault]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

On a negative note, the bar manager complained that some players brought in drinks (sodas) from outside. This is NOT acceptable! Also some participants are not spending ANY money at the bar or kitchen - not even a coffee! Also not acceptable! Please comply with this minor request.

Why would they need to spend money at the bar or kitchen? They are going to a chess tournament to play chess... not to buy a coffee or a drink.

Also, they are already spending enough money registering for your tournament.

[Vlad Dobrich]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

We do not pay rent for the space. We are invited to play there with the management expecting to make some sales. In the past when the players have been unwilling to spend a few dollars, we have been asked to not play there any more. This is a reasonable expectation on the part of the hosting establishment.

[John Brown]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

Hi Vlad;
Why not just tell the participants up front that if they don't buy something then they will lose the playing site. Or I guess you could always keep some of the prize fund and give it to the manager them all are satisfied.
Chess players get chess and Prizes and the Manager gets some income.

[Vlad Dobrich]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

Hi Vlad;
Why not just tell the participants up front that if they don't buy something then they will lose the playing site. Or I guess you could always keep some of the prize fund and give it to the manager them all are satisfied.
Chess players get chess and Prizes and the Manager gets some income.

The players are well aware that we have had to relocate every year or two as a result of insufficient recompense for the establishment. Putting the players on their honour to support the venue repays itself in learning life skills. They learn that you don't go to a restaurent and bring your own wine and then leave with the cutlery (not that that has ever happened with our group). Hopefully, with this small group we can reverse the perception held by many that chess players are inherently cheapskates.

[Denton Cockburn]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

You can also increase the entry fee by $5, and in return hand out a $5 voucher for purchases from the establishment.

That way the business can guarantee at least $5 in sales per player.

Denton

[Bob Armstrong]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

Hi Denton:

very creative! No extra cost to the players in a sense, since they can get $ 5 worth of value in refreshments/food, so may not object to $ 35, instead of $ 30.

Bob

[Denton Cockburn]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

The other "upside" is that it can pretty much guaranteed that not everyone will use their voucher. That way the business can make money even without having to see anything :)

On the customer side, it may reduce the complaints about people bringing in external food (because you may really want that Tim Horton's bagel).

Denton

[Alex Ferreira]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

Hi Denton,
This was tried before. I remember I think at the Seanachai (spelling?), entry fee accounted for extra $5 to be spent at the bar (we got a $5 voucher as we paid entry).
I am not sure how well it worked, but I remember the roast beef to be quite alright.

Vlad, who are you kidding? Chess players = (overall) cheapskates :)

[Normand Arsenault]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

Vlad must STOP being a moneygrubber and give SOME of his profit to the store manager... easy as that.

Problem SOLVED.

[John Coleman]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

Vlad must STOP being a moneygrubber and give SOME of his profit to the store manager... easy as that.

Problem SOLVED.

There was a prize fund of about $310, the entry fee was $30. There were 13 players, so the total entry fees, assuming no discounts for juniors, etc, was $390. So, the organiser got $80 for all other expenses, and hopfully made a profit.

If anyone can run chess tournaments for less money... I mean, go ahead. It's not like you need a license, or something.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Jan 7 Rapid results

It's not like you need ... or something.

The place and maybe an insurance :D
Yesterday I browsed the USCF forum, and there was an interesting thread about insurances with one quite awkward situation, when kids broke a glass window etc
Do Canadian chess organizers have insurances for weird situations?