Congress Fees

[Gavin Strachan]

This sort of links with the Bridge thread. Not quite sure if this is going to work but hey ho. With higher congress entry fees then prizes can be higher, facilities on offer improved, etc. Entry to the premium event British cost up to £200. How much would you pay for a 5 round weekend congress before you think "I want to play but that's too much I am not entering"?

[Jon Mahony]

If I really wanted to go I’d pay up to £40.00 but I haven’t yet entered one that charges over £25.00 - if you are staying over both nights as we often do, you are looking at the best part of 200 quid, with travel and the obligatory night out on the Saturday - us NHS staff are on a limited income!

I notice the Middlesbrough congress next month is charging a little over par (£25.00) for one of the less established ones, but I don’t mind that - I expect the rental of the venue isn’t cheap, I’ll be off to that one.

[Joey Stewart]

It can also depend on the prize money too - I would expect to pay a premium for a shot at winning a higher prize, but I have seen some tournaments that charge quite high fees and offer relatively insignificant figures as prize money.

[Jon Mahony]

It can also depend on the prize money too - I would expect to pay a premium for a shot at winning a higher prize, but I have seen some tournaments that charge quite high fees and offer relatively insignificant figures as prize money.

Apart from the odd joint second and third (about 15 quid) I never get near first place so not a problem at the moment

But yeah, some tourneys take £25 quid off you and the prize is only about £150/200

[Joey Stewart]

Some of the spectrum/castle congresses have fees upwards of £30 and only offer prizes of £60-70 I wonder where all the entry fees end up going when you only need to get three people playing to have covered the prize fund costs.

[Dean Madden]

Some of the spectrum/castle congresses have fees upwards of £30 and only offer prizes of £60-70 I wonder where all the entry fees end up going when you only need to get three people playing to have covered the prize fund costs.

I guess quite a lot goes towards hiring the venues.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Some of the spectrum/castle congresses have fees upwards of £30 and only offer prizes of £60-70 I wonder where all the entry fees end up going when you only need to get three people playing to have covered the prize fund costs.

I guess quite a lot goes towards hiring the venues."

Spectrum entry fees are generally sub £30 and 1st prize about £120, with total prizes per section being £200, but the ethos of the events has been for the last 16 years that they are played in nice (we hope) hotels, scattered round the country (or even outside it). Hiring the venues does cost varying amounts of money, but the organisers also have to get there and need accommodation, and also have to eat (although not as much as some organisers eat...) There are printing and stationery costs, game fee etc.

Obviously we could save money by using a grotty school hall and running all events within 5 miles of home, and only having one organiser, or by adopting Joey's suggested entry fees and prizes. That would make it more profitable!

[Joey Stewart]

There is this website which has all the entry forms of tournaments over the last couple of years: http://www.castlechess.co.uk/Events/?Type=past

Entry fee was £28 last year (so maybe I was wrong about the £30+, but not far off) and is now up to £30 but the cunning part is the bit where it says £150 per section - making it appear to be a nice prize but when this money is split between the top three players it becomes significantly less.

I dont like to knock organisers, as I know it is a hard and mostly thankless job but I always tried to keep costs down to a minimum whenever I arranged events as value for money is a primary factor in most chess players minds - that and getting the chance to win a good prize, not seeing most of the entry fee go towards a lavish hotel.
Still, people keep entering these events and if it has been running for 15 years then obviously there is some sort of market for this style of thing.

[Kevin Thurlow]

But Spectrum (founded 1994) and Castle Chess (founded 2009) are completely different and independent events...

[Sean Hewitt]

I always tried to keep costs down to a minimum whenever I arranged events as value for money is a primary factor in most chess players minds - that and getting the chance to win a good prize, not seeing most of the entry fee go towards a lavish hotel.
Still, people keep entering these events and if it has been running for 15 years then obviously there is some sort of market for this style of thing.

Low cost and value for money don't necessarily go together.

There are players who prefer the bragain basement approach and would be happy to play in a barn if it knocked five quid off the entry fee. There are also those who would be happy to pay alot of money for first class conditions.

Personally I believe that most players fall between these two extremes. They want a good quality venue with good conditions and are they have to pay a bit extra in order to get it - and they are prepared to do just that. They are the players that we try to cater for with e2e4 events. We won't suit all players (and don't pretend to try), but hoefully we appeal to the majority.

[Joey Stewart]

But Spectrum (founded 1994) and Castle Chess (founded 2009) are completely different and independent events...

But castle always put on their literature that they were 'formerly spectrum' events so I assumed that it was the same organisers who had rebranded the franchise.

[Gavin Strachan]

Sean's group is call e2-e4 events. Would it be annoying if someone came up with d2 -d4 events or e7 -e5?

[Sean Hewitt]

Sean's group is call e2-e4 events. Would it be annoying if someone came up with d2 -d4 events or e7 -e5?

Nope! I should just quote Fischer - e2e4, best by test

[Jonathan Rogers]

Ha - so if there is ever an event where none of the players turn up due to a dispute (Hungary?) we should call it a c2-c4 event!

[Kevin Thurlow]

"But Spectrum (founded 1994) and Castle Chess (founded 2009) are completely different and independent events...

But castle always put on their literature that they were 'formerly spectrum' events so I assumed that it was the same organisers who had rebranded the franchise."
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When the organiser of Castle left Spectrum, the former continued with some of the Spectrum venues and labelled them as "formerly Spectrum", even continuing the numbering of some of them! Spectrum, (see http://www.spectrumchess.com/), are still active, and continuing to run a Portsmouth congress in September, with new venues in the pipeline.

I agree that the comment on the Castle entry forms is capable of causing confusion, and have heard that some people playing there have got the impression that Spectrum no longer exists. Norman Went started Spectrum (with Les Day) a long time ago and I don't think he has plans to change the name! I think he is pleased that other people recognise it was a good idea.