English Chess Forum

As a chess organizer one of the difficulties I sometimes experience is venue availability. Of course it's impossible to please everybody but it's nice to cater for players of all abilities. I've had a couple of people suggest running a 4 round FIDE weekenders over Saturday and Sunday. I've also been told such events are popular in America. I'm curious to know what you guys think. Please kindly share your opinions and complete the poll below.

I'm not sure I'd want to play in one, but they'd be an excellent opportunity for testing out a pairing system I've worked on.

IM Jack Rudd wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:11 pm

I'm not sure I'd want to play in one, but they'd be an excellent opportunity for testing out a pairing system I've worked on.

Thanks Jack. Why not? The main reasons that I could think of are the increased possibility for tying for prize money and not getting the opportunity of earning as many FIDE points as you may desire.

You may select up to 2 options

I couldn't resist and voted both "Yes" and "No".

IM Jack Rudd wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 12, 2019 11:11 pm

I'm not sure I'd want to play in one, but they'd be an excellent opportunity for testing out a pairing system I've worked on.

The obverse of this is that my decision would be influenced by the pairing system to be used.

Having not played a weekend congress for many years, the two things which might get me interested again would be avoiding 3 games in one day and avoiding Friday afternoon/night travel, both of which cannot be done at present, apart from at bank holiday and longer events.
The downsides would be the likelihood of having multiple ties, the possibility of getting 3/1 white/black splits, a feeling of poor value for money, and it just feels 'incomplete'.

Graham Borrowdale wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 13, 2019 1:07 pm

the two things which might get me interested again would be avoiding 3 games in one day and avoiding Friday afternoon/night travel

A lot of people do this by taking half point byes, either in round 1 if Friday evening play is scheduled or round 3 if Saturday evening.

At the recent Kidlington Congress, just 6 players out of a starting field of 21 showed up for the evening round in the Open.
http://kidlingtonchess.org.uk/wp-conten ... idied.html

The Under 180 mustered 16 from 34
http://kidlingtonchess.org.uk/wp-conten ... ected.html

In the Netherlands it is fairly common to have Quads where you compete in a four player all-play-all over three days, usually divided by rating, alongside another event. If this can work, a four round Swiss can certainly work. You can have a lot of smaller sections. Imagine imperial college congress where so many take byes on Friday night.

For me, it would depend on whether an appropriate section for my rating was FIDE-rated. The number of rounds wouldn't be as big an issue.

Its worth considering. For me the prospect of less variation in the opponents playing strength would be a plus point , as distinct from the weak/strong alternation which you often get. One less round wouldn't worry me, as although I'll usually play a third round in a day at Hampstead for example I suspect the quality of the game suffers.

Maybe Ok for sections of 16 & Jack's magic pairings. I'm really not bothered by pairing systems as a choice.
It is the quality of those organising, public transport, when compared to my busy life.
A third rd can be an issue & if I feel like it I will ask arbiter for a half point bye especially if my game finishes 60 minutes or 30 after everyone else.

Those organising locally are doing an excellent job.

(My "magic pairings" are deliberately designed for the situation where the sections are rather larger than 16.)