The Real Deal! 4.5 guarantees £100

[Marinel Miu]

what prizes offer the other tournaments that have lower entry fees and where are they organised.

The obvious comparison is with Adam Raoof's monthly series of quickplays down the road at Golders Green. His offering is first prize of £ 100 and second prize of £ 50 against an entry fee of £ 25, or £ 31 for non-members of the ECF. But that's run as four sections with grading prizes and junior prizes subject to entries. Perhaps it's not directly comparable, but at the Open and perhaps U170 level, I would have thought Watford is trying to attract the same players as Golders Green.

Outside of London, the usual practice is that local organisers run a tournament on their patch once a year. If you get several, as is the case I believe in Manchester, that forms a local circuit.

I am a regular player in Adam's tournaments and Adam can confirm this.The comparison with Adam's tournament alone from the start puts the issue in the wrong path.
Watford Rapid-Play tournaments will have there own stamp and identity, especially for this reason Chess Freedom 4.5 was created. It is about the freedom to play chess and give value to your skills. I don't claim that this tournament will be anyone cup of tea, only good players will find it attractive.
Comparing my tournaments with London Chess Classic which is a major international event with big sponsorship money again... is wrong.
There are a handful regular monthly tournaments now in England and every year one or two disappear because the organisers find it difficult to keep them.
Facts are simple and time will tell if this tournament is The Real Deal or not!

[Marinel Miu]

Still if you don't want to be biased you should mention what prizes offer the other tournaments that have lower entry fees and where are they organised.

£2,100 in the two-day 4NCL Rapidplay (entry fee £30).
£1,050 in the one-day 4NCL Blitz (entry fee £20).

Good news you can play in it every month!
How many entrants does Rapid-Play 4ncl have?
What are the chances to win anything at 4ncl with 75% performance (4.5 out of 6) or 60% (the best in the last 4 rounds)?

[Roger de Coverly]

Good news you can play in it every month!

I rather think the point is that you don't. To use a disparaging Kasparov phrase, most of the regular tournament players in the UK are basically "tourists" and therefore welcome a circuit with a choice of destinations and venues.

[Mike Truran]

Good news you can play in it every month! How many entrants does Rapid-Play 4ncl have? What are the chances to win anything at 4ncl with 75% performance (4.5 out of 6) or 60% (the best in the last 4 rounds)?

You asked for comparisons; I gave you two. Now you claim that your event''s format is different from the 4NCL's. Of ocurse it is.

You don't need to justify your event! I wouldn't pay a £40 entry fee for a single day's rapidplay chess, particularly for games that aren't graded/rated but there may well be players out there who will. If it succeeds, I'm sure will all be very pleased for you. Let us know how you get on.

[Ian Thompson]

I wouldn't pay a £40 entry fee for a single day's rapidplay chess, particularly for games that aren't graded/rated but there may well be players out there who will.

It will be interesting to see which tournament does better - the Watford one or this one on the following day, as they are opposite ends of the spectrum on both prizes and entry fees.

[Mike Truran]

We got 76 last year (excluding fillers). As you say, Ian, opposite ends of the spectrum - low entry fees and no prize money (but plenty of trophies, medals and certificates in the three sections which were not insubstantial in terms of cost).

As the saying has it, "different strokes for different folks".

[Marinel Miu]

We got 76 last year (excluding fillers). As you say, Ian, opposite ends of the spectrum - low entry fees and no prize money (but plenty of trophies, medals and certificates in the three sections which were not insubstantial in terms of cost).

As the saying has it, "different strokes for different folks".

Congratulations to all the rapid-play chess organisers. Watford Rapid-Play does not compete with any of them as most of them are on different dates and clash only accidentally. If you want I can promote your tournaments on my website by adding a link to them. I don't regard them as competition.
A player who plays for trophies, points and no prizes will never play in my tournament.
And No I cannot get 76 players in this tournament. Maximum entries accepted are 40. So the comparison again is forced. This tournament will not be a crowded event. I don't want it to be.

[Mick Norris]

Interesting - prize fund at least £500 (plus £100 for each player not finishing in the top 2 who gets at least 4.5 points)

Maximum entry 40 @ £40 = £1,600
Minimum entry 20 @ £40 = £800

Good luck to the organisers

Your math skills are very good but I am missing your point.
Yes I organise it at at a loss with 20 players.
So far all the prizes were paid fully in my previous tournaments despite the fact none was even close to cover the costs.
A tournament requires people to run it, a venue, equipment and other associated costs, not just prize money.
The tournament is for good players who can stand a chance of reaching 4.5 or at least have the best score in the last 4 rounds.

Hi, I think it is the North/South divide, I am back today at Manchester University where I got my Maths degree 30 years ago

Interesting means interesting up here, I wasn't making a point

Yes, I have organised half a dozen Rapidplays at the City of Manchester Stadium, plus a few at Bury Town Hall and other venues in Bury, so I am aware of the other costs

Good luck means exactly that, I hope you make it work, but I am concerned if you haven't covered your costs previously as, whatever anyone says, events have to at least break even to survive in the medium to long term

I actual think chess is too cheap, so anyone trying to charge properly is welcome, I really hope it works for you

[Marinel Miu]

Interesting - prize fund at least £500 (plus £100 for each player not finishing in the top 2 who gets at least 4.5 points)

Maximum entry 40 @ £40 = £1,600
Minimum entry 20 @ £40 = £800

Good luck to the organisers

Your math skills are very good but I am missing your point.
Yes I organise it at at a loss with 20 players.
So far all the prizes were paid fully in my previous tournaments despite the fact none was even close to cover the costs.
A tournament requires people to run it, a venue, equipment and other associated costs, not just prize money.
The tournament is for good players who can stand a chance of reaching 4.5 or at least have the best score in the last 4 rounds.

Hi, I think it is the North/South divide, I am back today at Manchester University where I got my Maths degree 30 years ago

Interesting means interesting up here, I wasn't making a point

Yes, I have organised half a dozen Rapidplays at the City of Manchester Stadium, plus a few at Bury Town Hall and other venues in Bury, so I am aware of the other costs

Good luck means exactly that, I hope you make it work, but I am concerned if you haven't covered your costs previously as, whatever anyone says, events have to at least break even to survive in the medium to long term

I actual think chess is too cheap, so anyone trying to charge properly is welcome, I really hope it works for you

Thank You Mr Norris (or Mick) for your posts.
My tournaments can be easily misunderstood and I don't want to start wrong debates. I am first of all a participant in chess tournaments more than a tournament organiser. I will organise my tournaments the way I would like them to be when I play in them. My first tournaments including the one in August were ECF/FIDE registered with low entry fees (£15 juniors and £17 adults,4 sections) and my biggest disappointment is that the response especially in the Open was very poor. Understandably strong players will not be bother to travel and play for £100 1st prize.
Apart from that, keeping a low entry fee will require a huge number of entries just to cover the costs and this will overcrowd the venue.
My new tournament will be on a class of its own when it comes to playing conditions and concept. I am raising the playing standards of monthly rapid-plays. This is now a fact. Pictures from the 1st tournament are available on the website, courtesy of Mr Brendan O'Gorman.

[Marinel Miu]

For details about Chess Freedom 4.5 please visit:

http://watfordrapidplay.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog-page.html

[Marinel Miu]

Circle And Chesshead promotional episodes are now available at:

http://watfordrapidplay.blogspot.co.uk/ ... shead.html

[Nick Grey]

Appears NOT to be ECF or FIDE rules.
Not something that I can really suggest to my club, or leagues.

[NickFaulks]

Appears NOT to be ECF or FIDE rules.

Explain?

[Mike Truran]

I expect Nick means not ECF graded/FIDE rated.

[NickFaulks]

If that is what he means, I don't see why it is a reason to avoid the event. Perhaps some entrants might play more freely if their ratings/grades are not at risk, just money.