5A3 - DISCUSSION ITEMS - Developments and Directions in Canadian Chess

[Lyle Craver]

This thread is for open discussion

[Aris Marghetis]

Hello there, I didn't know where else in this meeting to post this:

Are there any 2019-2020 national events that don't yet have an Organizer, plan, etc?

[Vladimir Drkulec]

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any, though I tend to focus on things like the Canadian Open, CYCC and the Canadian Closed which are all spoken for until the end of 2020.

Is there anyone considering a bid for the Canadian Open and CYCC in 2021?

[Michael Barron]

Do we have Canadian Senior this year?

[Aris Marghetis]

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any, though I tend to focus on things like the Canadian Open, CYCC and the Canadian Closed which are all spoken for until the end of 2020.

Is there anyone considering a bid for the Canadian Open and CYCC in 2021?

If I may suggest, we should cover this more specifically. In the next post for example, Michael is asking about the Canadian Senior. I could do an event like that, but Organizers like myself could really use detail. Bids for the AGM have to be prepared ASAP. So I believe we should cover more here than "off the top of heads"

[Vladimir Drkulec]

The Canadian Senior will be in Kitchener this year at the Kitchener Chessfest.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

If I may suggest, we should cover this more specifically. In the next post for example, Michael is asking about the Canadian Senior. I could do an event like that, but Organizers like myself could really use detail. Bids for the AGM have to be prepared ASAP. So I believe we should cover more here than "off the top of heads"

I think the only major events that don't yet have 2020 dates are the Canadian Junior which Gary Hua and Ken Green have brought back from near extinction and the Canadian Senior which is usually organized in Kitchener when no one else wants it. If you look at the Sports events directory listing that we got at the CSTA meeting our listings are starting on page 66 and there is little available. Perhaps a new chess festival would be the way to go, if you are interested in holding an event.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

One of the communities that I had a pretty good meeting with at the CSTA conference was Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island. At some point soon, if I don't hear from others who are interested in organizing the CYCC and Canadian Open in 2021 I will probably start looking into what can be organized here. By then we should be able to reestablish a chess culture in Windsor as we have found a location for an advanced class and we are getting a pretty good uptake of kids.

[Aris Marghetis]

One of the communities that I had a pretty good meeting with at the CSTA conference was Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island. At some point soon, if I don't hear from others who are interested in organizing the CYCC and Canadian Open in 2021 I will probably start looking into what can be organized here. By then we should be able to reestablish a chess culture in Windsor as we have found a location for an advanced class and we are getting a pretty good uptake of kids.

I think that would be a cool idea!

[Aris Marghetis]

The Canadian Senior will be in Kitchener this year at the Kitchener Chessfest.

That's awesome!

For the next 3 years, where we're running the Closed/Zonals in Kingston, if there's ever a year where the Seniors doesn't have a home, I could easily add it in.

However, I would rather not HOG it. I think it's better for everyone if it moves around as much as feasible. I'm just offering to be the safety net for the Seniors.

[Paul Leblanc]

A few people in BC have been asking me where the BC Senior will be held.
Can someone direct me to the website please?

[Victor Plotkin]

I don't think it's a good idea to combine Senior and Zonal. Many seniors played in the Zonal this year, including the winner.

[Lyle Craver]

In the thread on the Handbook I have referred to uschess.org.

One of the things I used to most like about their old site was the section on national events - the top half of the page advertises coming events, the second half has a link saying 'national events open for bids'

In other words the bidding process was front and center and any organizer considering an event knows where to look. I do NOT claim our situation is the same as theirs but I'm not too proud to steal a great idea where I see one. For instance, note how the fact that one might make a contribution is front and center on the site and not in the private member area...

[Pierre Dénommée]

Hello there, I didn't know where else in this meeting to post this:

Are there any 2019-2020 national events that don't yet have an Organizer, plan, etc?

On the crosstables page, I do not see any result for the 2019 Women Zonal. Has it been held in Kingston as planned? Do we have a 2019 Canadian Women Champion?

[Vladimir Drkulec]

On the crosstables page, I do not see any result for the 2019 Women Zonal. Has it been held in Kingston as planned? Do we have a 2019 Canadian Women Champion?

The Zonal year for women is next year, 2020.

[Aris Marghetis]

I don't think it's a good idea to combine Senior and Zonal. Many seniors played in the Zonal this year, including the winner.
Hello Victor, thanks for this point. So I've attended some of the recent Seniors (Kitchener & Calgary), and my recollection is that very few of those attendees would go to a Closed/Zonal. It would obviously be a bad idea if there was overlap between Closed & Seniors, but off the top of my head, the only top player I can think of is FM Ian Findlay. If I'm mistaken, please correct me, but my initial reaction is that the Closed and the Seniors attract a mostly different subset of our chess players?

[Victor Plotkin]

Not only Ian Findlay. M.Barron, D.Haessel and M.Dougherty have played many Zonals as well. I never played Seniors, but who knows...

[Aris Marghetis]

Not only Ian Findlay. M.Barron, D.Haessel and M.Dougherty have played many Zonals as well. I never played Seniors, but who knows...
OK, fair enough. I've only seen/played the last 3 at the Seniors. If you're in touch with them, I would love to hear their opinion (and especially Ian's) on having the Closed & Seniors at the same time/place. Like would their first reaction be frustration at having to choose between the two options, or it would be EASY to choose?

Thanks again for the input, it's critical to know what "real players" think.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

OK, fair enough. I've only seen/played the last 3 at the Seniors. If you're in touch with them, I would love to hear their opinion (and especially Ian's) on having the Closed & Seniors at the same time/place. Like would their first reaction be frustration at having to choose between the two options, or it would be EASY to choose?

Thanks again for the input, it's critical to know what "real players" think.

I don't think we should try to combine the events except in a pinch. I would hope that at some point I will once again be able to play in a Canadian Closed and I will definitely be playing in the Canadian Senior again.

[Michael Barron]

Hi Aris,
I agree with Victor - it's not a good idea to combine the Closed & Seniors at the same time/place.
This year I had to choose between the Closed & World Seniors, and would like to avoid missing the Closed next year again...

[Aris Marghetis]

Hi Aris,
I agree with Victor - it's not a good idea to combine the Closed & Seniors at the same time/place.
This year I had to choose between the Closed & World Seniors, and would like to avoid missing the Closed next year again...
Thanks Michael, I appreciate the feedback.

[ian findlay]

OK, fair enough. I've only seen/played the last 3 at the Seniors. If you're in touch with them, I would love to hear their opinion (and especially Ian's) on having the Closed & Seniors at the same time/place. Like would their first reaction be frustration at having to choose between the two options, or it would be EASY to choose?

Thanks again for the input, it's critical to know what "real players" think.

I would be against the Canadian Closed and the Canadian Seniors being held at the same time. I never saw the need for a Canadian Seniors over 50, since as Evgeny showed, over 50 players can still compete in the main event. Maybe an over 65 event is valid, but hard to attract many players.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

I would be against the Canadian Closed and the Canadian Seniors being held at the same time. I never saw the need for a Canadian Seniors over 50, since as Evgeny showed, over 50 players can still compete in the main event. Maybe an over 65 event is valid, but hard to attract many players.

We have to synch our events with the corresponding FIDE events and that is why we have an over 50 Seniors section.

[ian findlay]

We have to synch our events with the corresponding FIDE events and that is why we have an over 50 Seniors section.

I love the FIDE over 50 events. Both the team and individual. Nice to play players close to your own age. In Canada, I just do not think we have the critical mass to make these tournaments viable, but nice if someone holds them. As defending champion, I will try to play in the Canadian over 50, but sadly the World Individual conflicts with the Banff Open this year. The Pan American Senior Championship is a possibility.

[Fred McKim]

The CFC has a page indicating when the next open date is for all of our National events.

http://chess.ca/upcoming-national-events-open-for-bids

This has a link from the middle of our front page.

I know Kitchener is hosting the 2019 Senior (and maybe they are holding a Canadian Amateur as well), and we need to update that entry. Halifax organizers are working on a bid for the 2020 Canadian Senior, that they will be presenting by the July 1 deadline, but that doesn't stop anyone else from applying for that event as well or even a 2021 event. I think it makes sense to try and award things once a year as much as possible, so all organizers are planning at the same time.

[ian findlay]

The CFC has a page indicating when the next open date is for all of our National events.

http://chess.ca/upcoming-national-events-open-for-bids

This has a link from the middle of our front page.

I know Kitchener is hosting the 2019 Senior (and maybe they are holding a Canadian Amateur as well), and we need to update that entry. Halifax organizers are working on a bid for the 2020 Canadian Senior, that they will be presenting by the July 1 deadline, but that doesn't stop anyone else from applying for that event as well or even a 2021 event. I think it makes sense to try and award things once a year as much as possible, so all organizers are planning at the same time.

That is great news Fred. I have never played out East before. Also updating the CFC website would be good. On the website for the AB Senior it says "The winner receives a travel grant of up to $500 towards a trip to the 2019 Canadian Seniors Championship. If the 2019 Canadian Seniors Championship does not take place as expected, the winner may petition the board to use the travel funds at an event of equal prestige within one year of the winning the award." This should be changed.

[Aris Marghetis]

The CFC has a page indicating when the next open date is for all of our National events.

http://chess.ca/upcoming-national-events-open-for-bids

This has a link from the middle of our front page.

I know Kitchener is hosting the 2019 Senior (and maybe they are holding a Canadian Amateur as well), and we need to update that entry. Halifax organizers are working on a bid for the 2020 Canadian Senior, that they will be presenting by the July 1 deadline, but that doesn't stop anyone else from applying for that event as well or even a 2021 event. I think it makes sense to try and award things once a year as much as possible, so all organizers are planning at the same time.
I would LOVE to go to the Seniors, this time out in Halifax, all the best with the bid!

[ian findlay]

We have to synch our events with the corresponding FIDE events and that is why we have an over 50 Seniors section.

Strange that the website as directed from the CFC website http://www.chessfest.ca/ for Kitchener says Over 60 section. I would hate to go there and be too young. lol. The website also says 2018 so maybe it has not been updated yet?
I have to plan my chess 3 or 4 months in advance, so hopefully it will be updated soon.

[Lloyd Lombard]

Thanks Fred for pointing out that Halifax is preparing a bid for the 2020 Senior's. The Nova Scotia Chess Association is having a Board meeting this coming Sunday, May 5th where we'll be discussing the bid.

[Fred McKim]

Strange that the website as directed from the CFC website http://www.chessfest.ca/ for Kitchener says Over 60 section. I would hate to go there and be too young. lol. The website also says 2018 so maybe it has not been updated yet?
I have to plan my chess 3 or 4 months in advance, so hopefully it will be updated soon.

This is last year's event. The 2018 Canadian Senior was in Calgary. We are all waiting for Hal to publish the 2019 schedule, but we know where it will be and on what weekend ......

[Fred McKim]

Thanks Fred for pointing out that Halifax is preparing a bid for the 2020 Senior's. The Nova Scotia Chess Association is having a Board meeting this coming Sunday, May 5th where we'll be discussing the bid.

Yes as I understand it, everybody in NS involved with this, wants to make the bid, they are just looking to secure some funding before presenting it. If we did receive a good bid let's say May 15 - we could decide to accept it, wait until July 1st for any competing bids or else make an announcement giving competing bids 2 or 3 weeks to materialize.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

Here are the mostly short term items that we have to deal with as a federation over the course of the next one to three months

1. Fix the problem with PayPal (If we don't fix it we can't get paid)
2. Fix the problems with the website (virus/trojan warnings, security certificate possibly redo the website)
3. Implement Go Membership to hopefully free up some of Bob Gillanders time so that we can
4. Get a better handle on our financials so that we can make timely decisions in an informed manner
5. Create a communications strategy including newsletter, newsfeed, facebook, website and other social media
6. Determine what is going on with the FQE - CFC working arrangement.

[Pierre Dénommée]

I would like some details on point 6.

For point 2, is the rating software a private part of the web site? If it isn't, changing web site should be straightforward. Drupal is a nice product, but it has always been very hard to upgrade it to a newer version.

[Lloyd Lombard]

Yes as I understand it, everybody in NS involved with this, wants to make the bid, they are just looking to secure some funding before presenting it. If we did receive a good bid let's say May 15 - we could decide to accept it, wait until July 1st for any competing bids or else make an announcement giving competing bids 2 or 3 weeks to materialize.

I really don't know the full status of the bid. I'm uncertain whether we can have a bid prepared by May 15th.

[Fred McKim]

For point 2, is the rating software a private part of the web site? If it isn't, changing web site should be straightforward. Drupal is a nice product, but it has always been very hard to upgrade it to a newer version.

It seems to me the biggest hurdle with the integration of the website and the rating system last time was the storage of the database(s).

[Pierre Dénommée]

It seems to me the biggest hurdle with the integration of the website and the rating system last time was the storage of the database(s).

A first year undergraduate Computer Science student can program a database. If the database is to be accessed remotely through a web browser, by multiple users with different privilege level, this makes things more complex.

[Lloyd Lombard]

Hi everyone, I just came back from our Nova Scotia Chess Association Board meeting. I'm told to advise the CFC that our bid for the Canadian Senior's Championship will be submitted to the CFC by the end of May, 2019.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

Hi everyone, I just came back from our Nova Scotia Chess Association Board meeting. I'm told to advise the CFC that our bid for the Canadian Senior's Championship will be submitted to the CFC by the end of May, 2019.

We look forward to receiving the bid.