4. Executive / Officer Reports

[Hal Bond]

Thank you, Hal for your report. Does this mean that you're not running for FIDE president? This was the external factor that led me not to vote for a boycott.

Let's just say I am less inclined to run than I once was.

[Paul Leblanc]

Speaking of financials and referring to a discussion elsewhere regarding the fact that CFC membership dues have been unchanged for quite some time:
Why don't we consider budgeting a small incentive grant for organizers willing to take on some of the national championships that present such a challenge each year?
I'm speaking of the Canadian Closed, Open, Junior, Women's and possibly the Senior.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

Speaking of financials and referring to a discussion elsewhere regarding the fact that CFC membership dues have been unchanged for quite some time:
Why don't we consider budgeting a small incentive grant for organizers willing to take on some of the national championships that present such a challenge each year?
I'm speaking of the Canadian Closed, Open, Junior, Women's and possibly the Senior.

If the Canadian Open is bundled with the CYCC we don't have a shortage of willing organizers. I think organizers have to have a realistic understanding of what the Canadian Open entails and not go crazy on the prize fund unless and until they have sponsors and funds in place. In the case of the Senior it has worked quite well in the past as part of the Kitchener Chess Festival. Did the tournament lose money in BC?

We broke even in Windsor by following the BC model for putting on a Canadian Open with a reasonable prize fund matching entry fees and funds raised.

The Canadian Closed remains a problem largely because of all the rules we have in place which makes it cost prohibitive for most organizers. At some point, when I am no longer CFC president, I would like to take a shot at organizing this tournament since I have already done the two big junior events (CYCC and NAYCC) and the Canadian Open.

[Paul Leblanc]

The 2016 Canadian Senior broke even financially. It would have been nice to provide better amenities for the players and to have been able to help with travel costs to the World Senior but that was far beyond our budget.
Good to know that there is no shortage of bids for upcoming Canadian Opens. I remember at the Toronto events in 2010 and 2011 that the organizers came to the AGM requesting that the CFC write off the rating fees because they were over-budget. That was probably caused by "going crazy with the prize fund". The 2012 Canadian Open in Victoria was paired with a CYCC in Vancouver and would have had a considerable loss without a last minute BC government grant. The prize fund was quite modest but it's hard to generate more than 150 entries on the geographic fringes and travel costs for the visiting GM's is quite high.

The Closed and the Women's Closed are not affordable for any organizer without support from the CFC.

I suppose, in closing, that an event proposal to hold a national championship could contain a stipulation that some CFC funding be provided and then be judged accordingly.

[Fred McKim]

The 2016 Canadian Senior broke even financially. It would have been nice to provide better amenities for the players and to have been able to help with travel costs to the World Senior but that was far beyond our budget.
Good to know that there is no shortage of bids for upcoming Canadian Opens. I remember at the Toronto events in 2010 and 2011 that the organizers came to the AGM requesting that the CFC write off the rating fees because they were over-budget. That was probably caused by "going crazy with the prize fund". The 2012 Canadian Open in Victoria was paired with a CYCC in Vancouver and would have had a considerable loss without a last minute BC government grant. The prize fund was quite modest but it's hard to generate more than 150 entries on the geographic fringes and travel costs for the visiting GM's is quite high.

The Closed and the Women's Closed are not affordable for any organizer without support from the CFC.

I suppose, in closing, that an event proposal to hold a national championship could contain a stipulation that some CFC funding be provided and then be judged accordingly.

I expected we would have to infuse some cash to get someone to organize the 2017 Canadian Closed. The FQE agreed to organize the event (with the possibility of some "credit" towards the CFC-FQE deal from us), but we did have to pay the airfare for the winner to go to the World Cup. Likewise, we are paying for the winner of the CWC to go to the next World Women's Tournament. Ideally the events should be self-sustaining, but this may be impossible for the Women's and only possible if the Open gets 50 entries (which has been known to happen in Toronto) - of course barring sponsorship.