OOOooooooOOOOklahoma! The 2007 US championship, fresh from jilting A4FC sponsorship, has landed in Stillwater, Oklahoma starting May 15. I dunno how deep those waters run, but the pockets are looking pretty short. They're looking at a prize fund of around $50,000 for a nine-round swiss-system tournament with 34 players. If that's the case I could see half the players taking a loss on the trip. Still, sponsor Frank K. Berry of course deserves thanks for his efforts and his cash. So many players had already qualified under the old system that when the USCF decided to break off with AF4C it was too late to have a format under which $50K might sound like a decent prize fund. Oh well, as long as only the players suffer.
That leads us to the next innovation, selling spots in the championship. You heard that right, "patron entry fees" is the name they've given to this scheme, which is either brilliant or an abomination, or perhaps that rarest of beasts, a brilliant abomination. Actually it will probably be a washout. Top poker tournaments are like this, pay to play. Good players are often sponsored and split their winnings with the people who put up the money for their entry fee. In poker there is a large luck factor that attracts the thousands of people you need to have millions of dollars in prizes. This luck factor doesn't exist in chess beyond the occasional fingerfehler so it's unrealistic to expect a crowd of people willing to pay thousands of dollars to get their head kicked in. That's what S&M parlors are for. I suppose there might be a few wealthy masters out there who want the US championship on their resume, we'll see. Or maybe some Trump type will do it on a lark. (In a swiss a patzer patron will probably only get one or two games against the top players anyway.)
Even stranger is that these patron entry fees, if there are any, don't all go into the prize fund! The first $15K (first?!) goes to the USCF. This, if not the concept itself, led GM Joel Benjamin, veteran of 23 consecutive championships, to write "the angriest letter I have ever written in my life" to the USCF. (Also on the hit list is that the USCF pocketed part of the $25K AF4C chairman Erik Anderson gave them for the championship as a parting gift.) With such a small prize fund I doubt any GMs will pay the $5,000 to play for a small chance to win first place and get his money back.
There will also be three places for local players, and I assume this means all of Oklahoma and not just Stillwater (pop. 40,000).
That link to Stillwater data also says they have 40 sex offenders. If Sloan and the USCF board shows up for the event they'll have to update that to 41 for the week.
"At least $65,000 will be available for prizes and/or player expenses. ... Frank K. Berry has contributed $50,000 and may raise or donate more, and USCF has committed to raising or donating $15,000."
If I read this correctly, the prize fund will be slightly less sad, so that maybe now 2/3 of the players will break even. Allegedly Mr. Berry is trying to raise more dough, but no word on how that's going.
I will be going, assuming I can figure out how to transport a motorized wheelchair from Oklahoma City to Stillwater. As the lowest rated qualifier, I am looking forward to getting nine up pairings (although some or all of the sponsor's exemptions and "patrons" may be rated below me).
Congrats on your qualification, Michael. A pity about the bait and switch on the final! The Seattle and San Diego events were good times even if we kept screwing up the prize fund calculations.
As for breaking even, of course that will depend on the prize distribution. First prize needs to be 10,000 to be respectable and that means either a majority lose money or it's $1500 to everyone else, breaking even at best. Let's hope they can come up with additional funding - and that it goes to the players not the USCF.
I missed out on the narrowest of margins in 2005, on half a tiebreak point when I got mauled by GM Akobian in the last round while one of my earlier opponents lost to a much lower rated player. Such is life. Getting to Seattle or San Diego certainly would have been a whole lot easier from Sacramento than Stillwater.
No offense, but what is there to do between rounds in Stillwater? It is a college town roughly the size of the town outside of Sacramento where I currently live.
I do promise one thing: I'll be blogging from Oklahoma!
Who is Frank K. Berry?
Has he said anything about worries about short draws?
How much did A4FC offer in previous years?
Is there any possibility of getting a sponsorship from Frankenberry cereal for Frank K. Berry United States Chess Championship?
I haven't read Joel Benjamin's letter, but based on the Mig's description, it appears that he misunderstands some financial details. First, it would appear that Erik Anderson has not yet come through with the $25k contribution he said he would make. No one at the USCF has slurped it up; it just hasn't arrived yet. Benjamin's misunderstanding may be the result of the fact that the USCF folks are too polite to publicize Anderson's tardiness; Anderson may re-emerge as a patron in the future, and they certainly don't want to endanger that possibility.
Second, the USCF as an organization has agreed to throw $15k into the pot. If they help organize a donation/patron campaign, it would not seem unreasonable to allow them to apply the first $15k to the "USCF $15k contribution" account. In other words, it's not as if the first $15k is going to be channeled into anything other than the prize fund.
Joel Benjamin writing an angry letter, what has the world come to?!
I originally thought the "patron entry fees" was a good idea to raise extra funds for the tournament. But something surely does not add up seeing as it will be going directly to the USCF. Once again it seems like the USCF has ruined things.
Maybe we should take a poll: which is worse, FIDE or USCF?
There is plenty to do between rounds in Stillwater: prepare for your next opponent. Oh, and there is a ping pong table. The hotel does have wireless internet, which is all I really need. I am sure Berry's will have many side events going, both chess-related, such as blitz, fischerrandom, handicap, and not so much, like friendly poker games.
Is this letter by Joel Benjamin available online? It feels weird discussing a document no one has seen (except Mig, that is).
Another possibility with the patron entries is that a wealthy fan of a notable player may elect to buy him in. Players like Larry Christiansen or even someone like Emory Tate may have a chance at that.
Somebody recently said Britney Spears' greatest achievement is managing to make Kevin Federline look like the stable half of a relationship.
This is what comes to mind with the USCF. Every year they manage to make Sam Sloan look more stable.
I'm fairly certain the local players that would be invited (possibly Langer, Movsisyan and perhaps another FM) are all about as strong (probably stronger actually) as Aigner...
Instead of bitching about the details of the championship, perhaps the GM's should be thankful that in spite of the USCF's incompetence, once again there will be a US Championship.
Is this all that American GM's can do is bitch? Would they rather not have a championship at all rather than a less extravagant one?
Seriously, people should be thanking Frank Berry for saving the US Championship, in SPITE of the USCF's incompetence.
As far as the local invitees go, I think than FM's Langer and Movsisyan are probably two of the guys that are 'in'... and if that is the case, they're just as strong as Aigner.
Mig, find better hosting.
Thanks.
I keep checking the calendar to see if it's April 1st yet. Every time I read Mig's entry, my brain scrambles itself.
Regarding the "patron entry fee" The ROI sucks. It's like the VIG the state has in "play" at the ponies. Too many fingers in the pot before it even gets on the ground. Benjamin was right to send his "angriest letter." You summed it up when you said "scheme." It's ridulous.
ridiculous
My server was doing maintenance, should be okay. Seems okay. My hosting ROCKS, btw. Pair.com.
I don't think "shut up and be happy with whatever you get because you're lucky to get it" is a reasonable discussion. The players can kvetch all they like; dialogue is the only way things improve. The AF4C put up a prize fund four times larger plus special prizes and many players complained loudly about the format. It's right there in the Bill of Rights. Near the top.
I don't believe Joel's letter was intended to be an open one. I haven't seen it myself, only reporting on how he described it to me. I was just noting that a prominent US Ch veteran was angry and had protested to the USCF. It's what passes for reporting around here. I'll ask if he'd like to share it or make a statement.
The US should go back to a 10-14 player Round Robin system. That way, winning the title of US Champion depends less on luck, and there are fewer players who need to be given a slice of the Prize Fund. With all due respect to Mr. Aigner and Mr. Langer, their games will not be among the first that I'll be looking at. These Swiss System Championships are a scheme in themselves, so why not charge patron Entry Fees. In the US, the rich buy their way into everything, anyhow.
The USCF already has a Championship that is contested with the Swiss System format: It's called the US Open
The Stillwater Swiss is simply a glorified Masters tournament, with a fancy title for the winner
Remember that one could be the clear winner of one of the Qualifying tournaments (which were themselves "Swiss Lotteries", and if they hadn't coughed up the $75 Qualifier Fee, the result would not suffice to get him/her a slot in the US Championship. It was pay for play all of the way.
The best bet would be to sell the naming rights to the US Championship to Dubai, which seems to have the happy problem of having too much money
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-03-06-louvre-abu-dhabi_N.htm?csp=34
The US should go back to a 10-14 player Round Robin system. That way, winning the title of US Champion depends less on luck, and there are fewer players who need to be given a slice of the Prize Fund. With all due respect to Mr. Aigner and Mr. Langer, their games will not be among the first that I'll be looking at. These Swiss System Championships are a scheme in themselves, so why not charge patron Entry Fees. In the US, the rich buy their way into everything, anyhow.
The USCF already has a Championship that is contested with the Swiss System format: It's called the US Open
The Stillwater Swiss is simply a glorified Masters tournament, with a fancy title for the winner
Remember that one could be the clear winner of one of the Qualifying tournaments (which were themselves "Swiss Lotteries", and if they hadn't coughed up the $75 Qualifier Fee, the result would not suffice to get him/her a slot in the US Championship. It was pay for play all of the way.
The best bet would be to sell the naming rights to the US Championship to Dubai, which seems to have the happy problem of having too much money
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-03-06-louvre-abu-dhabi_N.htm?csp=34
That would be a shame, I've had the opportunity more than once to be near Aigner at a tournament. He plays the game very well.
I fully appreciate and understand the opinion of readers who feel that a 2300 player like myself doesn't belong in the US Championship. As a traditionalist, I have publically stated my support for a 12-14 player round-robin.
Over the past few years, the US Championship expanded to become both the most prestigious event and to include more players. The theory was that more players mean more stories and more publicity. What failed was the publicity angle. I am sure if the US Championship had gotten this publicity, then AF4C wouldn't have dropped the ball.
Selfishly, I am glad to have gotten the opportunity after several close misses. It may not be the best way to determine a US Champion, but it certainly is a chance for me. It burned me to see players around my rating and below in the past tournaments. And it would have burned even more if the one year that luck was on my side that the format changed again.
Michael, you certainly don't owe anybody an explanation. I'm a low expert and if I qualified by some fluke, I'd fly out, presumably get my butt handed to me 9 times, be widely mocked on bulletin boards and still go home happy. Congrats and I hope you make the most of your opportunity.
Reminds me of a story I read about a guy named Magnus Carlsen who was the lowest rated player at Linares. Some people said he should not be included in the tournament because he did not play well enough.
Go for it Michael and remember Magnus. Maybe he will bring you some luck.
I think Michael is one of the nicest people in chess and I am personally very happy to see him play. I will be watching your games Mike. Remember you eared that seat at the tournament. Sit in it and hang on for the ride of your life.
Kenny
I do think that a player's rating ought not be the only basis for determining invitations to Round Robin tournaments, especially National Championships. Indeed, I liked the system where the winner of the US Open would be a Qualifier for a Round Robin US Championship, as well as the winner of the US Junior Ch., and even the winner of the Chess Grand Prix (often Igor Ivanov). Thus, in theory an unrated player could join the USCF, play in and win the US Open, and then compete in the subsequent US Championships.
A Carlsen-like phenom would have several ways to qualify, even if their rating was not yet high.
Carlsen was the lowest rated player at Linares, but he was rated within 100 points of the highest rated player, and less than 60 points below the average rating, so not a good analogy to the situation wth the US Championship.
And--there was just one Carlsen "gambit" at Linares...if the average rating of the event was sub 2700, then it wouldn't be the Linares that we know
Mr. Aigner,
For those who tell you that you do not deserve to be a participant of the US Championship because of your rating or any other reason clearly miss the point having qualifying criteria. There may or may not be higher rated people who do not qualify for the US Championship, but that is the nature of the format.
Ratings are designed to show strength over longer period of time, and using tournaments to qualify people are designed to show strength for that short period of time (less than a week).
I say cheers to you for qualifying and hope as a dark horse you go in and play fighting chess and have a few "upsets." You have a new cheering section in Colorado.
And another in Louisiana! He brings great honor to chess with civil manner and litertate discussion. Jude Acers/ New Orleann, Louisiana