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2013 Canadian Open U 1600 Blog
Introductory Blog (# 1)
Welcome Back
For those of you who know me, you will know that over the last number of years, I have maintained a Canadian Open chess blog featuring the section I play in, where sections were used, or the prize section I was playing for, where there was one big swiss. In the past this has been the U 2000 section, the U 1900 section and the U 1800 section, sometimes playing up a section. I have had enough positive response in the past, that (some say unfortunately) I am encouraged to try again in 2013!! Larry Bevand, of Chess ‘n Math Association, has kindly allowed me to post on their chess discussion board, Chesstalk. So I will do it this way again this year.
My Prize Section
Unfortunately, I have suffered a steep and rather steady, overall, decline of my rating for the last three years: July 2010 – 1800; July 2011 – 1744; July 2012 – 1645; July 2013 – 1590. Old age?? I hope not – I’m only a young 68 years old later this month! But something, I must admit, seems to be happening.
So this year’s blog is now “ The Canadian Open U 1600 Blog”! This year’s Can. Op. is one big swiss, with no accelerated pairings, with sectional prizes. U 1600 is the lowest prize section. As of May 22, the pre-registered list on the CO website showed 30 players shooting for the U 1600 prizes: 1st - $ 600; 2nd - $ 300; 3rd - $ 250. The pre-registrations are apparently due to be updated, with the final ratings, once the CFC Wednesday night regular updating (due last night) takes place. Then I’ll be able to provide a list of the tentative 10 top-rated in the section, whom we’d likely have to designate “favourites”. There will have to be some updating of this though to take into account on-site last minute entries. The beauty, of course, of this section is the “shadows”! Lurking in the still waters of this section are what are known as the “junior sharks”. There may well be among them, some darkhorse winners. These are lower-rated but fast-improving juniors for whom the rating increases have lagged behind their strength increases (despite the best efforts of CFC’s new bonus point system to jump them up faster). So anything generally can, and does, happen in this section.
Again this year, my goal is to highlight a section which generally gets no coverage. But it is the class where a significant minority of Canadian chess players reside – and they are interested in what is happening in this section. The blog is also an attempt to give some flavour of the tournament, as played for this class prize, to those who are not in attendance, but are taking the time to follow the blog. I hope to relate my non-chess activities, along with the chess ones, to try to show also the social/tourist side of a “Can. Open chess holiday”.
The Right Section?? – Uncertainty
There is, however, an uncertainty hanging over my blog. The issue is whether later I am going to be forced to re-start it as: “The Canadian Open U 1800 Blog”. The reason is that apparently the organizers did not decide yet (and we start the tournament in 2 days) whether to impose what is called a “sand-bagging rule”. Apparently this decision has now been passed by the organizers to the 2 TD’s to make. The broadest rule generally is to the effect that you can only claim a prize in a section which is no lower rated than a certain number of points under your peak rating ever. For example, I have a peak rating from 2001 of 1911 (12 years ago). Applying a sand-bagging 200 points rule, I end up with a “prize rating” of 1711. Thus I must play for the U 1800 prize, not the U 1600 prize (though my rating is now 1590). I have been advised by the CO Website Administrator, John Upper, that my request that this issue be decided before the tournament starts, would be forwarded to the 2 TD’s, Danny Goldenberg and Halldor Palsson. As of this date, I have had no reply. I will deal with this a bit more in detail in my next blog.
Invitation
I hope you enjoy my musings and fact reporting over the course of this Canadian Open. It will help to make this blog even more interesting if viewers post their responses, facts they may know, their own stories, in response to my daily material. I hope to hear from many of you as the week passes! Compliments are of course welcome; but so are constructive criticisms that may improve the blog. Post away!
Conclusion
My Blog # 2 will be posted in the wee hours of Saturday, July 13, covering the “Day Prior (Friday, July 12)” to the start of the Canadian Open.
Bob A
Introductory Blog (# 1)
Welcome Back
For those of you who know me, you will know that over the last number of years, I have maintained a Canadian Open chess blog featuring the section I play in, where sections were used, or the prize section I was playing for, where there was one big swiss. In the past this has been the U 2000 section, the U 1900 section and the U 1800 section, sometimes playing up a section. I have had enough positive response in the past, that (some say unfortunately) I am encouraged to try again in 2013!! Larry Bevand, of Chess ‘n Math Association, has kindly allowed me to post on their chess discussion board, Chesstalk. So I will do it this way again this year.
My Prize Section
Unfortunately, I have suffered a steep and rather steady, overall, decline of my rating for the last three years: July 2010 – 1800; July 2011 – 1744; July 2012 – 1645; July 2013 – 1590. Old age?? I hope not – I’m only a young 68 years old later this month! But something, I must admit, seems to be happening.
So this year’s blog is now “ The Canadian Open U 1600 Blog”! This year’s Can. Op. is one big swiss, with no accelerated pairings, with sectional prizes. U 1600 is the lowest prize section. As of May 22, the pre-registered list on the CO website showed 30 players shooting for the U 1600 prizes: 1st - $ 600; 2nd - $ 300; 3rd - $ 250. The pre-registrations are apparently due to be updated, with the final ratings, once the CFC Wednesday night regular updating (due last night) takes place. Then I’ll be able to provide a list of the tentative 10 top-rated in the section, whom we’d likely have to designate “favourites”. There will have to be some updating of this though to take into account on-site last minute entries. The beauty, of course, of this section is the “shadows”! Lurking in the still waters of this section are what are known as the “junior sharks”. There may well be among them, some darkhorse winners. These are lower-rated but fast-improving juniors for whom the rating increases have lagged behind their strength increases (despite the best efforts of CFC’s new bonus point system to jump them up faster). So anything generally can, and does, happen in this section.
Again this year, my goal is to highlight a section which generally gets no coverage. But it is the class where a significant minority of Canadian chess players reside – and they are interested in what is happening in this section. The blog is also an attempt to give some flavour of the tournament, as played for this class prize, to those who are not in attendance, but are taking the time to follow the blog. I hope to relate my non-chess activities, along with the chess ones, to try to show also the social/tourist side of a “Can. Open chess holiday”.
The Right Section?? – Uncertainty
There is, however, an uncertainty hanging over my blog. The issue is whether later I am going to be forced to re-start it as: “The Canadian Open U 1800 Blog”. The reason is that apparently the organizers did not decide yet (and we start the tournament in 2 days) whether to impose what is called a “sand-bagging rule”. Apparently this decision has now been passed by the organizers to the 2 TD’s to make. The broadest rule generally is to the effect that you can only claim a prize in a section which is no lower rated than a certain number of points under your peak rating ever. For example, I have a peak rating from 2001 of 1911 (12 years ago). Applying a sand-bagging 200 points rule, I end up with a “prize rating” of 1711. Thus I must play for the U 1800 prize, not the U 1600 prize (though my rating is now 1590). I have been advised by the CO Website Administrator, John Upper, that my request that this issue be decided before the tournament starts, would be forwarded to the 2 TD’s, Danny Goldenberg and Halldor Palsson. As of this date, I have had no reply. I will deal with this a bit more in detail in my next blog.
Invitation
I hope you enjoy my musings and fact reporting over the course of this Canadian Open. It will help to make this blog even more interesting if viewers post their responses, facts they may know, their own stories, in response to my daily material. I hope to hear from many of you as the week passes! Compliments are of course welcome; but so are constructive criticisms that may improve the blog. Post away!
Conclusion
My Blog # 2 will be posted in the wee hours of Saturday, July 13, covering the “Day Prior (Friday, July 12)” to the start of the Canadian Open.
Bob A
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