Entry Fee vs. Prize Fund

[Gareth Harley-Yeo]

Having recently partaken in a thread on people not wanting to pay high entry fees and the possibility of them paying a lesser fee by forfeiting their eligibility for game prizes it struck me that this would not work in Opens/Majors as so many people might want to take up this option, there may be little no no Prize Fund available. It was argued that the low entry fee should be given to only local entrants who might not otherwise participate, but that opens a can of warms as to how each event defines 'local', I don't think anyone is pro postcode lotteries.

This got me thinking, could a tournament be ran without a Prize Fund? Would there be sufficient take up? Your average FIDE Open/Major has a sprinkling of GMs, the rest are 2200-2000 rated players. Obviously the GMs are only there to pick up the prize fund, but would their omission be compensated by a higher turnout of average club players, who are there to play for rating rather than financial gain?

Norm seeking tournaments are held, so why not 'budget FIDE tournaments'? Do you think this sort of format would work, especially in the more deprived areas of the UK, or would the lack of titled players mean this would be the beginning of the end for quality chess?

p.s. I don't wish to see the like of Keith Arkell leaving the tournament scene, I regard him as a personal friend (who owes me a baileys ).

I'd just like the forum's thoughts on whether it's a workable model?

[Ian Thompson]

This got me thinking, could a tournament be ran without a Prize Fund? Would there be sufficient take up?

The answer is Yes, under the right circumstances. That's clear because tournaments are run with nominal prize money, where there is clearly no chance of even the winner recovering their expenses. The Royal Beacon Seniors is an example - entry fee £18, first prize £100, 4 or 5 nights in a hotel required, as its a 5 day tournament.

[Sean Hewitt]

This got me thinking, could a tournament be ran without a Prize Fund? Would there be sufficient take up?

The answer is Yes, under the right circumstances. That's clear because tournaments are run with nominal prize money, where there is clearly no chance of even the winner recovering their expenses. The Royal Beacon Seniors is an example - entry fee £18, first prize £100, 4 or 5 nights in a hotel required, as its a 5 day tournament.

I agree. The Uxbridge International offers no prize money and requires five days and the last one got 80 players. Admittedly the Masters are potentially playing for titles but most players are playing for rating points and enjoyable competitive games.

Of course, at the Uxbridge International we pay the GMs a fee. Unless that were done at a weekend swiss also you wouldn't get the GMs to play. But that could be budgeted for quite easily.