350$ Entry Fee???

The cost of the entry fee for the 40th annual world open chess tournament is 350$!! But why someone would spend that amount of money for playing chess? It would be better to gamble, surely there are more chances of winning the money back.

And of course FIDE and USCF should also be charged with illegal gambling if they don't have a licence, since chess is a game, and that amount of money is not for playing a game.

Let's hope chess.com will make soon a chess federation too, so everyone can have a legal rating here, instead of going under USCF or FIDE.

Chess is a skill-based game of perfect information. While there is "luck" in chess, it has nothing at all to do with what happens on the board. Because the results of any particular game is entirely about skill, having prize money for tournaments is not gambling and doesn't fall under gambling legislation in most jurisdictions. 

As for why someone would spend that much on chess -- the answer is "because it is fun." If the only reason you're going to Phili over the July 4th weekend is to win your section, of course, you're almost certainly coming home disappointed. But if you're going in order to take part in an historic chess event in an historic city over a national holiday, then you can't help but have a good time.

As for chess.com forming their own federation. I wouldn't hold your breath. 

Not everyone enters tournaments with the idea or goal or expectation of "making money."  Many players, perhaps the majority, enter just because they enjoy playing in tournaments.

If you're interested in "making money," attemtping to do so by winning chess tournaments is not realistic at all.

the entry fee limits serious competition

Agreed. Significant entrance fees mean that people will show up ready to play. Only serious players pony up a couple hundred for entrance fees. Now, where it can become a problem is in the last round when folks start just not showing up because they can't win anything. But for the most part, I'd rather play in a tourney that costs a few hundred entrance fees, because it will have a lot of players there. The local tourney's that you can pay $20 to play in only have a dozen people show up, which makes it a crap-shoot as to if there will even be anyone there within one's rating range. 

$350.00 to play in a chess tournament is ridiculous. You probably have to be expert strength to win the Under 1800 section.

If $350 is ridiculous, why is the tournament charging that much so successful? 

The fact of the matter is that they are running a good tourney, giving the players what they want, and they're getting great attendance at all levels of play at the price points they're setting. 

If you guys don't want to pay a few hundred dollars to enter a tournament, then don't. But to say the entrance fee is out of line is demonstrably false given that the attendance numbers at those price points are really, really good. And, btw, that's not just at the World Open. Look at the entrance fees for Chicago Open or King's Island. They're in that range as well. And likewise, they're very successful.

$10.00 to see a movie is ridiculous to me as well, and nothing you can say would demonstrate that it isn't.

If you have the cash to spare, when you gamble, you spend money to enjoy the thrill and experience, and the only thing you might win is money, but probably not. When you spend money for chess, you enjoy the thrill and the experience as well, and you might win money, but probably not. You more likely win knowledge and pride and personal strength, win or loose, which you don't get from gambling.

You decide what you value. Attending a pro footbal game as a spectator can cost as much, as can a night at the racetrack or a Broadway show. It's up to you to decide what is worthwhile.

Of course, if you haven't got the money to spare, spending it on any of those things is ridiculous.

Naa.  Probably the best an expert rating could get you in the U1800 is top 10.  The best section an expert can win is the U1600

$350 is ludicrous. Why do they think you'll really show up, throw down $350 and play. I think the $169 entry fee to the US Open is equally ridiculous.

I ponied up $350 for the entry fee for the World Open in 2009, and it was worth every penny although I didnt win a thing! It's the World Open! If the entry fee was even half of what it is, they couldnt affort to pay so many large prizes in every section.

The reason I spent so much and was glad to do it was, well, I had always wanted to play in a major tournament and see live in person all the big name GMs that I read about in magazines and on the internet...and I saw quite a few! Kamsky! Benjamin! Nakamura! Wow! What was also pretty cool was there were over 1000 participants...that many chess players in one place, well thats really neat to be a part of. The priceI isnt so bad if you compare it to taking a family of four to Disneyland for the weekend or something. 

Then there was the added bonus of seeing Philadelphia on the 4th of July...got to see the Liberty Bell, Independance Hall, lots of street festivals going on, Cheryl Crow did a free concert...there was a lot of bang for the buck in my humble opinion. Sure, I cant afford to do it every year, but I had to do it at least once in my lifetime!

(BTW I finished 5.0 of 9 in the U1800 section, but then again I am no expert )

ok lets see $350 for what 9 rounds of 6 hours? 54 hours. a movie or play for 90 minutes is 10.00 which amounts to $360... so if you dont like chess that much do something else. it is an EVENT similar to a convention. 

I'm a crusader against high entry fees, but when all is said and done, it's what the market will bear.

When I first entered the world of tournament Chess, I asked someone at the local club what the deal was with Chess tournaments having such high entry fees.  He explained that the good players won't come unless there is a prize.  The good players want prizes.  The weak players want to play against the good players.  The result is high entry fees.  As long as there are people willing to pay the fees, that's how it will be.

You can come to my tournament and pay 10 bucks, but there won't be any grandmasters there.

ETA:  And I don't mind the mere existence of high entry fee tournaments.  I think it's great that there are people willing to pay that much.  My objection is that in some areas, there are no entry level, low fee, tournaments. 

lol sorry i had a typo i meant it limits it to serious competition only no patzer wanna play 350 to lose me being one of those patzers lol

are you on your way to becoming a titled player just curious?

damn well win this tourney and get at it sir

Why pay $350 to tax your brain against players you haven't got a prayer of winning against?  It is better to stay safe here on chess.com, fire up your houdini chess engine and watch strong players get smashed by the fine piece of software that you purchased for less than $350 

You can easily drop that much taking your family out for dinner and a movie.  Blow past it easily if you want to throw in tickets for four to any live performance or sporting event.

For something like this, it doesn't really sound all that unreasonable.

ManOfZen you're right, but haters gonna hate. What can you do?

I can't quite figure out the complaint -- this is the premier open tournament in the USA. There are hundreds of smaller tournaments with lower entrance fees all over the country for people who don't want to play in the World Open. And compared to other large tournaments, the fees are not out of line.