Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

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  • Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

    We are looking for a tournament director to stage the first Open and Class Section Chess960 Tournament in Ontario? This TD will be the first to introduce this type of Chess Tournament. This will be a record!!! Anyone?

    Chess960, or Fischer Random Chess (also written Fischerrandom and Fischerandom), is a chess variant produced by the late former World Champion Bobby Fischer by modifying the rules of Shuffle Chess so that castling possibilities exist for all starting positions. It was originally announced on June 19, 1996, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Fischer's goal was to create a chess variant in which chess creativity and talent would be more important than memorization and analysis of opening moves. His approach was to create a randomized initial chess position, which would thus make memorizing chess opening move sequences useless. The initial position is set up in a special way and there are 960 such positions, thus the name 'Chess960'.

  • #2
    Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

    I was under the impression that Chess960 and Fischerrandom are slightly different. Wikipedia doesn't always have accurate info. And running such a tournament isn't exactly a new idea either, but if you want to, go ahead, I'm sure people will play.
    Christopher Mallon
    FIDE Arbiter

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    • #3
      Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

      I think a chess 960 tournament in Ontario would be a great idea. However, how would this event be rated, or would it be rated at all? Is there an international organization such as the FIDE equivalent for 960 chess? or would the CFC be willing to create a separate rating category specifically for 960 chess? I am almost postive strong players would come out for the tournament if a decent sized prize fund was established.

      I believe 960 chess is also internationally recognized with some of the world's top players who participate in its world championship. The game is defiantly a welcome change of pace compared to classical chess and I enjoy playing it online on occasion when I get bored of playing the same openings again and again in blitz.

      Anyways, I hope some TD would be willing to take this 960 proposal up,

      Mike

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      • #4
        Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

        Chessbase Workshop:

        http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4762

        http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4781

        http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3827

        http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/la...namentlang_en/

        http://media.www.wkuherald.com/media...-3049865.shtml
        Last edited by Precy Mckoy; Sunday, 11th January, 2009, 10:45 PM. Reason: Additional

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        • #5
          Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

          Originally posted by Precy Mckoy View Post
          Chessbase Workshop:
          Chess 960 is considered Fairy Chess. It lumps in with a lot of other chess variants. Bughouse, Kriegspiel and so forth. Fun but limited to a small minority of the already small number of chess players.
          Gary Ruben
          CC - IA and SIM

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          • #6
            Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

            Originally posted by Gary Ruben View Post
            Chess 960 is considered Fairy Chess. It lumps in with a lot of other chess variants. Bughouse, Kriegspiel and so forth. Fun but limited to a small minority of the already small number of chess players.
            Well, at least you said it's fun!

            But seriously, considered "Fairy Chess" by whom exactly?

            Chess itself could just as easily be labelled a "Fairy Game" by the world at large. You, Gary, are one who takes it pretty seriously. So please don't make light of those who want a slight variant of chess to also be taken seriously. By doing so, you just denigrate yourself, and I know you don't want to do that :)

            I would also say that I disagree that chess960 lumps in with the other variants you mention. All chess960 does is change the starting positions (and castling rules) of normal chess. And it does so with very admirable intentions: to reduce the role of (opening) memorization in chess performance.

            Chess960 tournaments are a great idea, certainly not new but at the same time in need of grass roots support. Once again, a comparison of chess and poker is relevant: in poker, there are many variants of the game that are played regularly by virtually ALL of the top pro players (Phil Hellmuth notwithstanding; he is famous for winning 11 WSOP bracelets, all of them in No Limit Hold 'Em). Asking chess to grant one variant having equal time with it's standard version - AND DOING SO IN THE NAME OF CHESS CREATIVITY - seems to be an idea whose time has come.
            Only the rushing is heard...
            Onward flies the bird.

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            • #7
              Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

              the RA club in Ottawa has had a number of Fischer Random tournaments over the last 5 years or so. And of course, there is one at this year's Victoria Chess Festival. http://victoriachessclub.pbwiki.com/...+Festival+2009

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              • #8
                Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

                Originally posted by Paul Bonham View Post
                Well, at least you said it's fun!

                But seriously, considered "Fairy Chess" by whom exactly?
                Google Fairy Chess. It's been the term for the chess variants for around 100 years.

                I can see a speed chess after a regular tournament for Chess 960 if there is enough interest. Can't see it displacing regular events though. But, if someone wants to guarantee prize money maybe they will get a nice turnout.
                Gary Ruben
                CC - IA and SIM

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                • #9
                  Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

                  Originally posted by Gary Ruben View Post
                  Chess 960 is considered Fairy Chess. It lumps in with a lot of other chess variants. Bughouse, Kriegspiel and so forth. Fun but limited to a small minority of the already small number of chess players.
                  You forgot correspondence, kid.
                  everytime it hurts, it hurts just like the first (and then you cry till there's no more tears)

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                  • #10
                    Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

                    Originally posted by ben daswani View Post
                    You forgot correspondence, kid.
                    When you can promote one of the fairy chess variants to the point where you can have more than 400 Canadian paid entrants, mostly adult, in one tournament at the same time, I'll have to think you might have a point.

                    I did that with Correspondence Chess.
                    Gary Ruben
                    CC - IA and SIM

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                    • #11
                      Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

                      Ben called you 'kid", Gary. He was obviously trying to get your "goat."

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                      • #12
                        Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

                        Ben called you 'kid", Gary. He was obviously trying to get your "goat."

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                        • #13
                          Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

                          Originally posted by Ken Craft View Post
                          Ben called you 'kid", Gary. He was obviously trying to get your "goat."
                          Naw. It's a compliment. :)

                          Back then, our president told me the event had to be limited to Canadians plus our members. There was the international agreement not to poach each others players and the consideration of the time involved when there were other postal systems involved. Had I been allowed to advertise in the U.S. for that event the number of entrants would have been at least double.

                          I made up a form letter thanking the U.S. players for their interest in the event and sent back the cheques as they came in. That was without even advertising in the U.S.

                          If you look at the CFC publications from those times, you'll find the CCCA advertisment in them. I always liked advertising. It helped to give the organization a "face" with which people could feel comfortable. After all, they were sending money for membership and supplies.
                          Gary Ruben
                          CC - IA and SIM

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                          • #14
                            Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

                            Ottawa's newest chess club (club 389) actually owns a 960 chess clock, which generates legal positions for you. We will probably have a few fischer random tourneys once the bus strike ends.

                            I think it's a nice idea but I don't agree with rating these games as they have nothing to do with classical chess and starting a whole new rating catagory for 1 tournament doesn't make much sense.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Chess960 in Ontario Chess Tournaments

                              Correpondance chess certainly fits the definition of "Fairy Chess" that Gary is describing.
                              Crossed over to "Fairy Chess" around the time the internet became popular. The term itself seems strange though, derogatory in nature.

                              Chess 960 is kind of the antithises of correspondance. In one, you get unlimited access to known chess theory during the game. In the other, the theory hardly exists yet, making it a fresh challenge. However, will enough people be interested to make it meaningful ?
                              Last edited by Duncan Smith; Monday, 12th January, 2009, 07:38 PM.

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