Why Do You Take Out/Renew a CFC Membership?

[Bob Armstrong]

Many factors go into deciding whether to take out/renew a CFC Membership. What factor is most important in your decision?

1. Basic Annual Membership Cost
2. No. of tournaments available to me per year, and the no. of those I intend to play in
3. the benefits flowing directly to me ( magazine, bookstore, CFC rating, office services, etc. )
4. the desire to fund a vibrant national organization

Are there others?

Bob

( P.S. Sorry for the duplication - wasn't quite sure how to post a poll )

[Peter McKillop]

For the 4th choice, how about amending it to read: the desire to fund a vibrant national chess organization run by democratically-elected, fully-accountable, competent, honest chessplayers.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Peter:

The instructions for posting a poll clearly state that you must keep the options " short " !! Obviously that's what I meant though.

I take it the inclusion of " democratically-elected " refers to Ontario's current unconstitutional method of electing CFC Govenors?

Bob

[Peter McKillop]

Correct. How do you like Tom O'Donnell's idea (from OCC's board, I think) of rating everyone through FIDE (no separate CFC ratings)?

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Peter:

I like the idea.

One problem though is that the floor for FIDE ratings is 1200. So Canada would have to keep its rating system for juniors mainly, so they could have ratings 'til they graduated to a FIDE rating. " All-junior " games could be rated through CMA instead of FIDE so that they had ratings in that system, but that still leaves juniors playing in adult tournaments without a rating.

Another issue is that I think you have to play a certain number of FIDE-rated players in a tournament, in order to get a new FIDE rating. So initially it will be very hard to get Canadians integrated into the FIDE system. Eventually, when the majority of Canadians do have FIDE ratings though, the problem will start to disappear. But we'll still have problems due to the geography of Canada, and the pools of chess players where there will be few FIDE rated players, and little chance of playing outside their area FIDE players.

But I don't see in principle why we need a national rating system when there is an international one available.

Bob

[Bob Gillanders]

weekly rating updates ?

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Bob:

But we'd be recommending that FIDE hire YOU to start it !!

Bob

[Ken Craft]

I remember the good old days when we waited 2 months for our new ratings. What is this obsession with knowing one's rating change immediately?

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi Ken:

It's a culture of instant gratification now!

Also, it may make a difference in :

1. whether you get into a tournament ( rating high enough - eg. Canadian Closed with a floor of 2200 );
2. whether you have to play in a higher section ( if your rating has dropped below 1800, you'd be able to go into the 1600-1799 section if the ratings are updated ); and
3.whether you get into a higher section of a tournament ( eg. where there are a number of reserve round-robin sections, like in the Toronto Closed ).

Bob

[Bob Armstrong]

The recent FIDE General Assembly in November authorized FIDE to go from updating the ratings every 3 months to now every 2 months ! So they are moving in the right direction.

Bob