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View Full Version : The CFC Regular Chess Post - Dec. 12/11 - Canadian Chess Player of 2011 - Bluvshtein



Bob Armstrong
12-12-2011, 01:00 PM
PRESS RELEASE #5/2011

DATE: Monday, December 12, 2011
BY: The Chess Federation of Canada ( CFC )
VOTE CONTACT: David Cohen (davidcohen7076400@yahoo.com )
CFC CONTACT: Bob Armstrong, CFC Public Relations Coordinator ( Tel: 416-469-5905; bobarm@sympatico.ca – Toronto, Ontario )
INTERVIEW: can be arranged

TOPIC : 2011 Canadian Chess Player of the Year

2011 Canadian Chess Player of the Year – GM Mark Bluvshtein

2011 Canadian Chess Player of the Year is Grandmaster Mark Bluvshtein of Toronto, Ontario, the fourth time he has won this honour.

http://www.echecsmontreal.ca/tim/bluvshtein2005-grand.jpg

Having graduated from York University in Spring, 2010, before entering the traditional work world, Mark took a year off to solely play “ professional chess”. At the time, he was the highest internationally rated Canadian. In this year he played in many international tournaments in both the Americas and Europe. The highlight of Bluvshtein's year of international competitions was his tie for first place in the Pan-American Chess Championship in April. Mark has now decided to “ retire” , and to pursue other interests toward a career in financial services.

Second place in the voting was taken by Grandmaster Bator Sambuev of Montreal, Quebec, who won the Canadian Chess Championship in May, thereby setting a record for the highest ever Chess Federation of Canada rating by a Canadian.

Third place was earned by Michael Song of Toronto, Ontario for his Bronze Medal at the World Under-12 Chess Championship in November.

The 9th annual vote was conducted by a poll of Canadian Chess Journalists. One ballot is reserved for voting by chess fans. In the Fan Ballot, the winner is Melissa Giblon of Thornhill, Ontario. Giblon won the Canadian Girls Under 12 Chess Championship with a perfect score in July. Second place went to Nikolay Noritsyn of Richmond Hill, Ontario, winner of the Quebec Open Chess Championship in July. He was followed by Bluvshtein in third place.

Past winners:
http://www.canadianchess.info/canadianchesshistory/CanadianChessPlayerYear.html#WINNERS

Canadian Chess Player accomplishments in 2011:
http://www.canadianchess.info/canadianchesshistory/CanadianChessPlayerYear.html#2011

Background to CFC Press Releases :

In Aug., 2010, I volunteered for the CFC non-executive officer position created at the Toronto July 2010 CFC AGM, the " Public Relations Coordinator " position ( upgrading the prior position of Director of Publicity ), first in an " acting " capacity, and then permanently. I am the first one to take on this position.

Bylaw 3 of the CFC Handbook, under Duties of Officers in Section 8C, gives the mandate of this position as:

8C. The Public Relations Coordinator will be responsible for promoting the image of the CFC and for promoting chess generally to the public. As such the Public Relations Coordinator will, among other things:

- deal with mainstream media to promote significant chess news, such as Canadian Chess Champions, a new Canadian GM, major tournaments like the Can. Closed, Canadian Open, Can. Women’s Closed, CYCC, etc., the various benefits accruing from playing chess and other positive aspects of the chess culture.

I write some press releases myself, and on some I collaborate with others, under who's name the press release appears. CFC has sent out 5 press releases this year. I look forward to the cooperation of the many Canadian chess personalities who may find themselves the subject of CFC Press Releases. CFC cannot do it alone – chess promotion requires the cooperation of everyone, if we are to make chess a more mainstream activity in Canada.

Feel free to make use of the CFC Press Releases in any publicity efforts you might be undertaking. I would appreciate being advised of any efforts made and use of the material, so CFC can build a file on the efforts being made to promote chess in Canada.

Newspapers do not acknowledge press releases ( too many daily ) and to my knowledge do not notify you if they make use of one. So if you see an article on this in any of the papers, please advise me. I have been warned that it has not been easy to get chess material into the mainstream media, and so CFC should have very modest expectations of success on this front. But hopefully, over time, with developing contacts, this will change. We have been successful at getting television interviews for a number of elite Canadian players.

Because the CFC has never before had this position filled, it has never developed a bank of Canadian mainstream media contacts who might be willing to publish CFC Press Releases on chess items, or to write articles on chess. I have been slowly building our media e-mail group, and some members have sent me contacts to add to the media bank. So, if anyone has any newspaper, television or radio contacts I might be able to use, or any advice on this effort, please e-mail me : bobarm@sympatico.ca

Bob Armstrong, CFC Public Relations Coordinator
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