Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 26

Thread: Canadian Open 2011

Hybrid View

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    1,560

    Question Canadian Open 2011

    Where will the Canadian Open be next year? Sadly, we don't know yet!

    There were no bidders at this years' AGM. This has become an alarming trend in recent years. In response, the Governors have passed a motion to create the new volunteer position of Tournament Coordinator. The duties read as:

    a) The Tournament Coordinator will help to develop and train tournament organizers and directors across the country.

    b) The Tournament Coordinator will be responsible for soliciting individuals to bid on and organize major tournaments in Canada including, but not limited to The Canadian Open and The Canadian Closed.

    This is a big job, and to nobody’s surprise, no one has volunteered yet. This is a critical issue. We cannot wait and hope somebody steps forward. As such, I want to form a committee to begin the work of the Tournament Coordinator. The committee will also be tasked with identifying and motivating potential candidates for Tournament Coordinator.

    It must be stated clearly here to any potential volunteer that we don’t expect speedy results. We are beginning a process here, where we may not fully realize the benefits for several years.

    If you wish to serve on this committee, please email me at president@chess.ca

  2. #2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Gillanders

    a) The Tournament Coordinator will help to develop and train tournament organizers and directors across the country.
    It is written elsewhere in the CFC Handbook : the purpose of the TDOCP is to improve the quality of tournament directing in Canada.

    Now, there is a conflict with the Tournament Coordinator because both are training tournament directors. The Tournament Coordinator could train organisers and directors, but only the TDOCP could certify them

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    1,560

    Default Focus on 2011 bids

    Quote Originally Posted by Pierre Dénommée
    It is written elsewhere in the CFC Handbook : the purpose of the TDOCP is to improve the quality of tournament directing in Canada.

    Now, there is a conflict with the Tournament Coordinator because both are training tournament directors. The Tournament Coordinator could train organisers and directors, but only the TDOCP could certify them
    Pierre, we seem to have some overlap. The TDOCP program will be addressed shortly, but for now the intitial focus of the Tournament Coordinator committee will be:

    b) The Tournament Coordinator will be responsible for soliciting individuals to bid on and organize major tournaments in Canada including, but not limited to The Canadian Open and The Canadian Closed.

    I am looking for individuals with good organizational skills and experience running large chess tournaments (ie. Canadian Open). Some expressions of interest have already been received. The committee will received support and assistance from the Executive. This is not a "dump and run" proposal, where we delegate the problem to a committee and then wash our hands of the problem. We are looking to build a support program, a team of advisors to help chess organizers across the country.

    Anyone interested in serving on the committee?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    1,560

    Default Future Canadian Opens

    We have been treated to some very spectacular Canadian Opens recently. Large numbers of GM's IM's, the best venues. The last Canadian Open in Edmonton had an unbelievable lineup of GM's, and this year in Toronto, had a very classy venue at the Westin Harbour Castle.

    While we want to strive for excellence, perhaps we are setting the bar too high. Excellence costs money, and I am afraid the price tag is driving away some potential organizers. It is not necessary each year to top the previous year. Occasionally, we do need to settle for a more modest tournament.

    I invite organizers who are reluctant to submit bids for fear they can't compete, to go ahead and submit a bid.

    I would also like to hear from any organizers working on a bid. Let us help!

  5. #5

    Default

    I agree that no Canadian Open is a problem, even if we would have 2 000 Certified TD in Canada .

    I was seeking a way to remains active within the CFC, maybe I have just found one.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Kanata, Ottawa, Ontario
    Posts
    1,227

    Question

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Gillanders
    We have been treated to some very spectacular Canadian Opens recently. Large numbers of GM's IM's, the best venues. The last Canadian Open in Edmonton had an unbelievable lineup of GM's, and this year in Toronto, had a very classy venue at the Westin Harbour Castle.

    While we want to strive for excellence, perhaps we are setting the bar too high. Excellence costs money, and I am afraid the price tag is driving away some potential organizers. It is not necessary each year to top the previous year. Occasionally, we do need to settle for a more modest tournament.

    I invite organizers who are reluctant to submit bids for fear they can't compete, to go ahead and submit a bid.

    I would also like to hear from any organizers working on a bid. Let us help!
    Bob, you might be on to something when you suggest that we might not need to keep aiming for the same kind of "bar". I am middle-aged, so even though I have not been to too many Canadian Opens, I have been to about half-a-dozen, from Vancouver to Edmonton to Toronto to Ottawa to Montreal to Sackville, NB. (growing up in Quebec, I believe I attended more Quebec Opens, but I digress!) Anyway, most of these events were just incredible as to organization, location, international star players, prize funds, etc. The funny thing though, is that I don't recall enjoying any one of them much more than the others, as in the end, the best part was meeting people I had never met before, and seeing old chess friends again! Yes, it is cool to meet new GMs from power chess cultures, and marvel at their brilliance, but if I had to choose, I would rather meet, and chat with, walk with, eat and drink with, play golf with, etc. other regular Canadian players whom I just get to write with the rest of the year. However, I might be just one eccentric exception. What do other regular Canadian players think? What kind of Canadian Open do we want? If it is something more skewed to the regular chess guy(gal), then we might be pleasantly surprised at the Organizers/TDs that offer to help. We have an incredibly experienced suite of Organizers/TDs that used to do it for the utter joy over running a perfect tournament for appreciative friends, but I suspect that the fulfillment just isn't the same running a mega-Open. I have been assistant arbiter recently in Ottawa and Toronto, and the pressures of such events are different, not necessarily too distasteful, but different, and if I may suggest, different enough to cause cold feet amongst some Organizers/TDs? Hope to see some of you in Montreal next week!

  7. #7

    Default

    What if we said "forget about the foreign GM's" for the Canadian Open? Sure - we will pay the expenses/appearance fees for Canadian GM's - but foreigners will have to pay their own way (or find their own sponsors). This way - the prize money would end up in the hands of Canadians where it belongs. Out of the $18,000 in place prizes in the 2010 Open, only $6,500 went to Canadians (and congrats to Nikolay Noritsyn who won $3,500 of that).

    The 2011 Quebec Open dates have already been announced (last week of July) - another Canadian/Quebec Open is not out of the question.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Kanata, Ottawa, Ontario
    Posts
    1,227

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Hugh Brodie
    What if we said "forget about the foreign GM's" for the Canadian Open? Sure - we will pay the expenses/appearance fees for Canadian GM's - but foreigners will have to pay their own way (or find their own sponsors). This way - the prize money would end up in the hands of Canadians where it belongs. Out of the $18,000 in place prizes in the 2010 Open, only $6,500 went to Canadians (and congrats to Nikolay Noritsyn who won $3,500 of that).

    The 2011 Quebec Open dates have already been announced (last week of July) - another Canadian/Quebec Open is not out of the question.
    Yes, the money-leaving-Canada thing doesn't look great, but in my opinion, it's more than that. It's how many more efforts are spent to upgrade the event to international standards, it's how the pressure increases to have some sort of accelerated pairings, etc. What if those efforts were spent instead on organizing a series of social daytime activities, like golf, cycling, heck skydiving, whatever, etc. Or even if the days were full of chess stuff, how many more people would be into them if they didn't have to pay per event? And what if we actually welcomed the massive yoyo effect of one big section, which as far as I know, never happens at any other event all year?

    There are other ideas too, like provincial teams, or some kind of per capita formula that determines a winning province, and so on. To reiterate, I have had an awesome time helping arbiter recent COs, as they were superbly organized, and memorable for sure. But I am just wondering what it would be like if a Canadian Open were run with most of the emphasis on the "Canadian" part. As it stands now, I respectfully submit that the Canadian Open is not as Canadian-centric as it could be, nor due to the event formula can it be considered an internationally prestigious event. We seem to be somewhere in the middle, getting some praise from all viewpoints, except not as much love as we could be getting from the regular joe Canadian player (1400-2200).

    Sorry if this sounds too philosophical, but I guess I'm hoping for more than just a long chess tournament - I want an annual total chess vacation!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    694

    Default

    I agree with you Aris. I don't go to Canadian Opens to see the foreign GMs and I'm afraid that most potential organizers are intimidated by the prospect of going out on a financial limb to pull out all the stops for an event in the same league as the 2010 Open in Toronto.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Kanata, Ottawa, Ontario
    Posts
    1,227

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Leblanc
    I agree with you Aris. I don't go to Canadian Opens to see the foreign GMs and I'm afraid that most potential organizers are intimidated by the prospect of going out on a financial limb to pull out all the stops for an event in the same league as the 2010 Open in Toronto.
    Thanks Paul for the confirmation. I wonder how others feel? Would players be more interested in a CO that was very Canadian-centric? If our opinion is in the minority, then we should close the door on my musings right away!

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •