North American YCC

[Vladimir Birarov]

Yesterday I'm back from Montreal where I had the opportunity to see Canadian youngsters playing in NAYCC. It was very impressive event. Many thanks to Larry Bevand for wonderful organization and to Hal Bond for impeccable refereeing.

Congratulations to:
Hong Rui Zhu - North American Champion in U12 Open
Ziyi Qin - North American Champion in U14 Open
Arthur Calugar - North American Champion in U16 Open

Michael Song - second place in U12 Open
Konstantin Semianiuk - second place in U14 Open
Nikita Kraiouchkine - second place in U16 Open
Alexander Martchenko - second place in U18 Open (he tied for the 1st winning eventual champion in the regular game but losing in 10+5 playoff game )
Mathanhe Kaneshalingam - second place in U8 Girls (also lost in playoff)
Kelly Wang - second place in U10 Girls
Regina-Veronicka Kalaydina - second place in U14 Girls (led with 4 out of 4 but had a tough 3rd day)
Sonja Xiong - second place in U18 Girls

Lloyd Mai - third place in U18 Open
Zixin Chen - third place in U8 Girls
Jiaxin Liu - third place in U10 Girls
Kexin Yu - third place in U14 Girls

[Henry Peng]

May I kindly ask a question to CFC Governor Mr. Birarov?

Why you just expressed congratulations to the top three finishers in each section and left 4th and 5th players behind though per NYCC official website:

TROPHIES FOR THE TOP 5 PLAYERS IN EACH SECTION

I did not go to Montreal in person but other parents informed me that all top 5 players from each section did receive the award from the organizer.

Do you think 4th and 5th players also deserve the congratulations from CFC governor as well?

Please advice.

[Henry Peng]

All the kids in WYCC team received a response from CFC Governor Mr. Borarov last night stated:

Tt is organizers' decision to award trophy to 5th or maybe even 10th place, I didn't see this as a big achievement.

How's the kids, parents and coaches feeling?

I am scared of bringing my kids to WYCC already. For sure they will NOT have a big achievement defined as CFC governor and team coach.

Can I please ask you that don't tell my kids that besides top three, others are not a big achievement at Greece. Please keep your idea away from my kids.

I think all of kids who are playing chess and trying hard, they are all winners and they all made BIG achievement.

Don't be discourgaed by WYCC team coach Mr. Birorav's statement. If you keep on trying, you are making achievement.

Please accept my personal congraduations to all kids!

[Valer Eugen Demian]

Any sport in the World celebrates the top 3 ever since official competitions were started. I am not sure I understand Mr Peng complain.

Could you please answer a question: how do you reward a top 3 player for his work, effort and result when it gets the same congratulations as the one finishing 10th? One has done much better than another isn't it?...

Finishing outside top 3 is an incentive to work more and reach those top places next time. Why fool a kid saying "Congratulations" for finishing 10th? The player knows it is not good enough because there are 9 players ahead. Why let it accept that result and reduce the desire to finish at the top next time?

A player should be rewarded fairly for the result obtained. Of course it is just simple logic 1st place deserves more rewards (and congratulations) than 10th place. This is why we keep the score and count points. It is up to the coach and parent to be fair and acknowledge both positives and negatives for each ones participation. However this is something different...

[jack qian]

Any sport in the World celebrates the top 3 ever since official competitions were started. I am not sure I understand Mr Peng complain.

Could you please answer a question: how do you reward a top 3 player for his work, effort and result when it gets the same congratulations as the one finishing 10th? One has done much better than another isn't it?...

Finishing outside top 3 is an incentive to work more and reach those top places next time. Why fool a kid saying "Congratulations" for finishing 10th? The player knows it is not good enough because there are 9 players ahead. Why let it accept that result and reduce the desire to finish at the top next time?

A player should be rewarded fairly for the result obtained. Of course it is just simple logic 1st place deserves more rewards (and congratulations) than 10th place. This is why we keep the score and count points. It is up to the coach and parent to be fair and acknowledge both positives and negatives for each ones participation. However this is something different...

why?why?why? it is war.

[Valer Eugen Demian]

why?why?why? it is war.

See, this is exactly where the problem lies. We teach kids from the moment they can walk and run that all it matters is to have fun and everything they do is "good job". I am sorry to say this is absolutely wrong. You see it in international competitions where Canadians are rarely fighting for the top 3 places; some solid exceptions were made for Vancouver 2010 and one can only hope this trend will continue.

If someone wants to play a game for fun it is one thing; however when someone reaches the international stage and represents a country, it is not about fun in the first place, but about being competitive and doing your best.

Ultimately (surprise, surprise) life is a competition day after day and young people better be prepared for it. You compete for better education, for a better job, a better life, etc, etc. Of course there are several levels of "better" and each one of us settles for their own; still those finishing at the top deserve praise for their results.

Chicago Blackhawks and (insert here any team name) do not deserve the same amount of praise. This is from a pure sports point of view, having nothing to do with being professional clubs...

The simple fact there's a form of scoreboard to keep track of performances in any sport should clarify everything!... If this would not matter, why would we still keep it?

[Kerry Liles]

See, this is exactly where the problem lies. We teach kids from the moment they can walk and run that all it matters is to have fun and everything they do is "good job". I am sorry to say this is absolutely wrong. You see it in international competitions where Canadians are rarely fighting for the top 3 places; some solid exceptions were made for Vancouver 2010 and one can only hope this trend will continue.

If someone wants to play a game for fun it is one thing; however when someone reaches the international stage and represents a country, it is not about fun in the first place, but about being competitive and doing your best.

Ultimately (surprise, surprise) life is a competition day after day and young people better be prepared for it. You compete for better education, for a better job, a better life, etc, etc. Of course there are several levels of "better" and each one of us settles for their own; still those finishing at the top deserve praise for their results.

Chicago Blackhawks and (insert here any team name) do not deserve the same amount of praise. This is from a pure sports point of view, having nothing to do with being professional clubs...

The simple fact there's a form of scoreboard to keep track of performances in any sport should clarify everything!... If this would not matter, why would we still keep it?

I have noticed it is now quite commonplace to have (in some sports) a registration level where keeping score is deliberately not allowed. I guess the idea is that the kids will all be 'winners' and there will be no (official) losers...

I also noticed from umpiring kids t-ball and baseball, that even without any official score-keeping, all of the kids KNOW who won and who lost!
Quelle surprise...

I am reminded of an anonymous quote:
"winning isn't everything, but losing sucks"

[jack qian]

See, this is exactly where the problem lies. We teach kids from the moment they can walk and run that all it matters is to have fun and everything they do is "good job". I am sorry to say this is absolutely wrong. You see it in international competitions where Canadians are rarely fighting for the top 3 places; some solid exceptions were made for Vancouver 2010 and one can only hope this trend will continue.

If someone wants to play a game for fun it is one thing; however when someone reaches the international stage and represents a country, it is not about fun in the first place, but about being competitive and doing your best.

Ultimately (surprise, surprise) life is a competition day after day and young people better be prepared for it. You compete for better education, for a better job, a better life, etc, etc. Of course there are several levels of "better" and each one of us settles for their own; still those finishing at the top deserve praise for their results.

Chicago Blackhawks and (insert here any team name) do not deserve the same amount of praise. This is from a pure sports point of view, having nothing to do with being professional clubs...

The simple fact there's a form of scoreboard to keep track of performances in any sport should clarify everything!... If this would not matter, why would we still keep it?

Why are Canadians rarely fighting for the top 3 places?
Because goverment is not care for chess. Also comany don't donation and club do not train kids.
For example in BC there are rare fide rating chess match and training system.
But in some country like Turkey,India,China,there have many chess clubs and teachers train kids. Some super kids get training by GM,IM. however, in canada most kids study by themself.

[xuekun xing]

Mr. Demian:

I think you are changing the topic now. Mr. Peng simply asked a question: per NYCC official website, top five will receive trophies. Mr. Peng is asking why Mr. Birorav only mentioned top 3?

For example, WYCC will award top 10 per section. If any of our players will make top 10 but not top 3, will Mr. Birorav do the same thing? If yes, Mr. Peng and myself will ask the same question again. Why?

Should we just simply follow the tournament rule and announce the winners' list?

If Mr. Birorav persists that only top 3 have big achievement, it is so easy to say his statement is not that logic when he tried to apply his idea to NYCC. For example, U18 girl section, 4 players in toatl. U 12 boy section, I am not sure how many players but must be over 30. How would you compare 3/4 and 3/30? Who has big achievement? 4th or 5th place in U12 open section or top 3 in U18 girl section? The answer is straight forward.

Anyway, not a big deal. All parents and players have their own definition of achievement.

Have a nice weekend.

[Valer Eugen Demian]

Why are Canadians rarely fighting for the top 3 places?
Because goverment is not care for chess. Also comany don't donation and club do not train kids.
For example in BC there are rare fide rating chess match and training system.
But in some country like Turkey,India,China,there have many chess clubs and teachers train kids. Some super kids get training by GM,IM. however, in canada most kids study by themself.

Thank you for touching these points! We definitely need to work on these to improve chess. My personal actions (not only words) are:

1. Have been asking CFC to relentlesly pursue recognizing chess as a sport in Canada. You should look only on this forum to see how many times I have been saying this.

2. My club has received some donations, including the real case of my current employer sponsoring the participation of one club member to CYCC (value about $2,000). What we promote is "support your brightest" since not only those in need require help!

3. In BC our FIDE rated juniors have increased in numbers in the past 2-3 years. Names like Botez, Sohal, ChangHe are part of the new wave and they have been trained locally!

4. Outside of my junior chess club there are also a couple in Surrey, one in Vancouver at the public library, a couple in private schools and so on. This is far more than let's say 5 years ago or more.

5. You would be surprised (or not) to find out most of the top BC junior players representing Canada in inetrnational competitions have private coaches and very good ones.

What I want to say is junior chess in BC is right now in better shape than it was in the mid 90s, last time when there was a very active junior life because of a very good BCCF leadership. All we have to do is continue this work and improve it. Good juniors need time and opportunities to grow. They do not come out of the blue!

Now if more would do only as much, we could be farther ahead in CFC.