7. Motion 2012-H TDOCP Motion

[Pierre Dénommée]

The seminars are way too short. In France, reaching the top level requires three seminars. Even at the seminar in Montreal, the FIDE lecturer admitted that the seminar was too short. A proven system for seminars goes like this

2 days for RULES, round robin pairings, the philosophy of arbitration, team play, the role of the team captain and basic administrative skills. Also, tiebreaks and prize sharing are part of this step.

2 days for Swiss pairings, which includes the pairing of a full simulated tournament devised to show the future arbiters the hard situations that Lyle has mentioned. Unfortunately, we do not have such a tournament ready in Canada. Because the teaching material is for FIDE Dutch, there is no TD discretion, which does not means that finding the right pairing is easy. Also included is hands=on experience with a pairing software.

2 days of FIDE stuff: rating, titles, Tournament Rules.

After the first seminars, there must be two positive evaluations as a Deputy Arbiter. This is to evaluate what cannot be measured by a test. As Lye pointed out, there are other skills required to be an arbiter. Those skills are not the same at club level then at national level. At national level, ability to reach a correct decision despite the pressure is very important. Your next decision may decide who will represent Canada at the Continental or at the World. The players and in case of Youth events, there parent are looking at you. The decision should not be influenced by what is at stake, the parents or the coaches.

The seminar should go where there is a demand. It cost less to move the lecturer then to move 6 participants.

Why are we afraid to forbid those without a title for being an arbiter? Is there any sport in Canada that is so generous? I do not know any.

Have we considered becoming a member of Sports Officials Canada http://www.sportsofficials.ca/ ? They likely have brilliant ideas on how to run a good officiating program.

As I see it, this motion is too little. This program can in no way insure the competence of futures arbiters. Furthermore, as long as it is optional, I do not believe that there will be many participants.

This is an example of an officiating program that works in Canada http://www.baseball.ca/files/Operati...ual+v+2011.pdf .

[Pierre Dénommée]

I believe that we owe them a real quality assurance. Maybe this is just a resurgence of my past life as a Part Time Faculty teaching Software Engineering, but for me, Quality Assurance is not optional and it must be done in a correct manner.

We owe our membership some semblance of quality assurance with respect to tournaments run in our name.

[Hal Bond]

Baby steps Pierre! I am on your page but considering our starting point we will have to make improvements year by year.

[Lyle Craver]

Is there anybody here who has directed 10 or more tournaments that has NOT encountered some extremely sketchy tournament pairing situations?

Some of my worst are in late rounds when there are siblings (or others who for valid reasons would prefer not to be paired) where they ARE indeed the proper pairing - my stock answer when they approach me on the subject is that I will try to avoid pairing them in the early rounds, if they are in fact the proper pairing in a later round I will pair them and I will expect a tough match!

Almost always that's been exactly the result! You get the occasional 10 move draw but usually it's as much for intramural bragging rights as the tournament result!

[Kevin Pacey]

The original program was suspended I believe back in 1992!!

The CFC asked all pronincial associations in 2004 to nominate TDs to titles given that 12 years had gone by and a lot of tournaments had been directed by people that had no official recognition available to them. The list is now on the CFC site.

In 2012 it may be prudent to push active TDs up a grade or three given the non certification has been the de facto policy of the CFC going back all the way to 1992. Please pick a number of events for NTD, for example 40-60 lifetime, and RTD at 30 or 40 and grandfather these folks.

I propose the following amendment to motion 2012-H, but first I need a seconder, and (if that occurs before the end of the meeting) then a ruling by the chair on whether to allow the amendment to come to a vote before the end of this meeting (as it is past day 3, 6pm, of the meeting, which ordinarily would be the deadline for amendments to be made):

Just before 'Certificates and Pins', etc., near the end of the text of Motion 2012-H, insert the following Regulation as an amendment:

7. Regulation for retroactively awarded TD titles
Notwithstanding regulations 1, 2 and 4 above, the title of RTD shall be awarded for life retroactively to current CFC members who prior to 1 January 2012 have directed at least 40 CFC-rated events, and who apply to receive such a retroactively awarded title. Similarly, the title of NTD shall be awarded for life retroactively to current CFC members who prior to 1 January 2012 have directed at least 60 CFC-rated events, and who apply to receive such a retroactively awarded title. For such retroactively awarded TD titles, Licence fee will still be charged every 6 years.


The feelings I have about such grandfathering of TDs are similar to Halldor's. I feel that if people have directed 40+ tournaments already, and haven't been driven out of the business because of complaints, then they probably aren't doing too bad a job of directing.

[Halldor P. Palsson]

I will second Mr. Pacey's motion.

I think the CFC should recognize folks that have been carrying the can while we get the TD certification system perfect after about 20 years of contemplation.

I urge the chair to allow the amendment to be voted on.

[Ken Craft]

Can I give an example? I was an RTD under the old test system, I have directed over 40 CFC tournaments but I have not directed a tournament in over a decade. Under the amended motion would I be eligible for grandpparenting?

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

I think, raised questions about the fee were not answered. I add several more:
How much is a fee? Can it be related to the regular membership fee like 1/5 of it ? What would happen if the fee is not paid?

If it is not too late: Motion - remove the sentence "Licence fee will be charge every 6 years. "

[Michael von Keitz]

I think, raised questions about the fee were not answered. I add several more:
How much is a fee? Can it be related to the regular membership fee like 1/5 of it ? What would happen if the fee is not paid?

If it is not too late: Motion - remove the sentence "Licence fee will be charge every 6 years. "

Voting commences this evening and you don't have a seconder at the moment. Unfortunately, this amendment comes too late.

[Halldor P. Palsson]

http://www.chess.ca/cfc-arbiters lists you as a RTD and these are lifetime titles.

Is TD-ing in your future or is this entirely hypothetical?