RE: prize money

[Paul McKeown]

No doubt the top half of the Major Open will be slightly offended by the comments in this thread. Alot of them are very capable of getting a win or a draw against IMs and FMs, even some GMs (no names!).

Why should the top half of the MO be offended?

What exactly is the grading/rating qualification for the top half anyway? My impression is that it hasn't been particularly strenuous the last few years. If I wanted to play I'm pretty sure (without looking it up) that I would be in the top half, too. Getting wins and draws against IMs and GMs is rather unusual for me (although not altogether unheard of), but FMs rather less unusual (from memory I faced FMs on six occasions over the last two seasons, one win, three draws, two losses, although my memory may have erased some results, though ).

So, although I have great respect for FMs and 200-plussers, as they are much, much better at chess than I am, if I was to fork out £100 to play, I would expect to have the opportunity to play IMs and GMs in exchange for that large sum of money.

Those FMs and 200-plussers who play in the MO do so, I expect, in order to chase the rather generous prize fund and/or to qualify for the following year's British Championship. I doubt they do it for the quality of the opposition - they can duff me and my sub-200 brethren up any day of the week.

[Stewart Reuben]

Christopher Kreuzer >Depends how large your living room is. Can you really fit in 10 chess boards and chairs and tables? If you can, I'd go for it and see how many are prepared to gamble a large entry fee. You said this is what happens in poker, but I think poker tends to attract gamblers, whereas chess attracts a different sort (though there seems to be a great deal of cross-over from chess to poker, I presume that is for the money).<

Of course my living room is big enough, otherwise I wouldn't have mooted the possibility. Anyway, the there is another room plenty big enough for 10 players. 2 'people' play in my living room 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I will leave you to puzzle that one out.

Most posters don't seem to realise just how unusual the Major Open is. There are very few longer tournaments anywhere that don't have 2350+ players taking part. If it was advertised out of Britain it might attract foreigners. But the whole event hasn't even been listed (free) on the FIDE Tournament Calendar.
Last time I looked I would be the highest rated player in the MO, just. I may withdraw from the Seniors and play there. Although I drew 3 consecutive games with IMs in Ravenna in April, I don't have any real ambitions anymore.

Stewart Reuben

[Paul Cooksey]

For 20 people it could be held in my living room with nearly zero expenses. How many people do you think would enter?

Depends how large your living room is. Can you really fit in 10 chess boards and chairs and tables? If you can, I'd go for it and see how many are prepared to gamble a large entry fee. You said this is what happens in poker, but I think poker tends to attract gamblers, whereas chess attracts a different sort (though there seems to be a great deal of cross-over from chess to poker, I presume that is for the money).

I'm a bit doubtful Christopher would want to enter this tournament if it also included, say, Michael Adams. I think therein lies the issue for this sort of event.

[matt_ward]

Correct, I for one play more Poker than chess.

And make decent money

[matt_ward]

Chris I totally agree, some of them definitely deserve respect they are no push overs. I do not believe there is any tournament which is easy to win.

As I said before their are a number of juniors which are very talented and I for one would treat with upmost respect. At the end of the day the best player will win simple.

Matt.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Of course my living room is big enough, otherwise I wouldn't have mooted the possibility. Anyway, the there is another room plenty big enough for 10 players. 2 'people' play in my living room 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I will leave you to puzzle that one out.

Yeah, I realized you were likely to have a room big enough. I was just 'highlighting' it as somewhat unusual. I wasn't aware that you had two such rooms though. You don't have a 'Turk' automaton in that room, do you? Playing 24/7 against a computer?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turk

[Paul McKeown]

The main prizes for the Major Open are £1000, £500, £250, £150, £100, which is pretty generous.

Just to enter a few facts into this thread and put it all into perspective, the top half players players currently entered are, in descending order of ECF grade (FIDE rating is bound to be unreliable):

1. Richard Weaving 195 (j), 2. William JK Boulton 190 (j), 3. Nicholas Tavoularis 188, 4. Stephen J Gregory 186, 5. Clive L Waters 184, 6. Richard J Savory 183 (last grade 2007 list), 7-8. James WR Nicholson 182, Samuel A Walker 182 (j), 9-10. Alexander Combie, Dominic M Rabbitte 181, 11-12. Oliver Gill, John S. Garnett 177, 13. Michael J Rabbitte 176 (j), 14-15. Richard J Webster, James N Stayt 167.

So, in fact, currently there are not any FMs, never mind IMs or GMs, nor, indeed, are there any players graded over 200. Naturally this can change in the coming weeks, pot hunters having taken stock of the odds may yet register. Nevertheless, I think it is fair to say that the Major Open has sunk to depths undreamed off even a decade ago.

Oh, and bye the bye, I wouldn't reckon on the chances of Matthew J Ward (156) to take one of those prizes, even in the absence of star players

[matt_ward]

Paul,

One would seem your against me, I do not believe I've met you but hiding behind your computer wouldn't surprise me. My new grade should be around 169- 175, I have drawn with a 197 fide 2209 this year so far who I totally outplayed.

I am confident I can play my best which I feel is around 180-190. If you believe everything on paper more fool you.

It's like striking the iron while it's hot. Everyone throught Nadal was going to win the final in actual fact he got totally outclassed.

Thanks for your comments I will take them on board and do my best, what more can I ask. On principle I am doing well been playing four years and should hit 170 remind me of your grade Paul.

Matt.

I am not going to take the bait as your clearly looking for a reaction!

[Richard Bates]

The main prizes for the Major Open are £1000, £500, £250, £150, £100, which is pretty generous.

Just to enter a few facts into this thread and put it all into perspective, the top half players players currently entered are, in descending order of ECF grade (FIDE rating is bound to be unreliable):

1. Richard Weaving 195 (j), 2. William JK Boulton 190 (j), 3. Nicholas Tavoularis 188, 4. Stephen J Gregory 186, 5. Clive L Waters 184, 6. Richard J Savory 183 (last grade 2007 list), 7-8. James WR Nicholson 182, Samuel A Walker 182 (j), 9-10. Alexander Combie, Dominic M Rabbitte 181, 11-12. Oliver Gill, John S. Garnett 177, 13. Michael J Rabbitte 176 (j), 14-15. Richard J Webster, James N Stayt 167.

So, in fact, currently there are not any FMs, never mind IMs or GMs, nor, indeed, are there any players graded over 200. Naturally this can change in the coming weeks, pot hunters having taken stock of the odds may yet register. Nevertheless, I think it is fair to say that the Major Open has sunk to depths undreamed off even a decade ago.

I came 4th equal in 1992. I had a (August 1991) grade of 159J. On the other hand the four qualifiers were Lawrence Cooper, Dave Ledger, Andrew Hammond and Stuart Clarke (I think this was the tournament when he was given a double-default for swapping white's and black's knights and agreeing a draw), so maybe i was a bit under graded...

[LozCooper]

The main prizes for the Major Open are £1000, £500, £250, £150, £100, which is pretty generous.

Just to enter a few facts into this thread and put it all into perspective, the top half players players currently entered are, in descending order of ECF grade (FIDE rating is bound to be unreliable):

1. Richard Weaving 195 (j), 2. William JK Boulton 190 (j), 3. Nicholas Tavoularis 188, 4. Stephen J Gregory 186, 5. Clive L Waters 184, 6. Richard J Savory 183 (last grade 2007 list), 7-8. James WR Nicholson 182, Samuel A Walker 182 (j), 9-10. Alexander Combie, Dominic M Rabbitte 181, 11-12. Oliver Gill, John S. Garnett 177, 13. Michael J Rabbitte 176 (j), 14-15. Richard J Webster, James N Stayt 167.

So, in fact, currently there are not any FMs, never mind IMs or GMs, nor, indeed, are there any players graded over 200. Naturally this can change in the coming weeks, pot hunters having taken stock of the odds may yet register. Nevertheless, I think it is fair to say that the Major Open has sunk to depths undreamed off even a decade ago.

I came 4th equal in 1992. I had a (August 1991) grade of 159J. On the other hand the four qualifiers were Lawrence Cooper, Dave Ledger, Andrew Hammond and Stuart Clarke (I think this was the tournament when he was given a double-default for swapping white's and black's knights and agreeing a draw), so maybe i was a bit under graded...

Those were the days I scored 9.5, Marusenko 9 and Dave Ledger 8.5. Thankfully several of my opponents turned down draws and went on to lose

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I came 4th equal in 1992. I had a (August 1991) grade of 159J. On the other hand the four qualifiers were Lawrence Cooper, Dave Ledger, Andrew Hammond and Stuart Clarke (I think this was the tournament when he was given a double-default for swapping white's and black's knights and agreeing a draw), so maybe i was a bit under graded...

You would have been 12 or 13 at the time? I bet the rest of the field loved being chewed up by a future IM!

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I am not going to take the bait as your clearly looking for a reaction!

This would have had more impact if you had not written the rest of your post in response to what Paul said!

[Richard Bates]

I came 4th equal in 1992. I had a (August 1991) grade of 159J. On the other hand the four qualifiers were Lawrence Cooper, Dave Ledger, Andrew Hammond and Stuart Clarke (I think this was the tournament when he was given a double-default for swapping white's and black's knights and agreeing a draw), so maybe i was a bit under graded...

You would have been 12 or 13 at the time? I bet the rest of the field loved being chewed up by a future IM!

Hardly "chewed up" - I only got 7.5 And i did neglect to mention that despite my lowly grade i did have a FIDE rating of 2230 so wasn't really in the game of stealing other people's rating points!

Still a bit annoyed by the King and Pawn ending i lost against Lawrence though

[Sean Hewitt]

I came 4th equal in 1992. I had a (August 1991) grade of 159J. On the other hand the four qualifiers were Lawrence Cooper, Dave Ledger, Andrew Hammond and Stuart Clarke (I think this was the tournament when he was given a double-default for swapping white's and black's knights and agreeing a draw), so maybe i was a bit under graded...

I went to university with Stuart Clarke. Whatever happened to him?

[Alex Holowczak]

Still a bit annoyed by the King and Pawn ending i lost against Lawrence though

So this is where your love of adjournments comes from.

(Sorry, couldn't resist... )