Ashley's Million-dollar chess tourney - but bring your own clocks

Correct

Ok. Well I learned something new. Thank you. The vast majority of the stories I've been reading about it say they never got anywhere near the number of players they needed to keep from losing money. But heck, people can read anything on the net.

What if you don't own a chess clock, but you paid for the tournament and are seeded in the tournament?

If you look at the aftermath of the HB Global tournament, you will find that the HB Foundation, who sponsered the tournament as a fundraiser, lost $200,000 (http://www.chessninja.com/dailydirt/2005/12/hb-foundation-foundered.htm (See Maurice Ashley post December 10, 2005, fourth paragraph).

Well I guess I'm the one that stands corrected.  I do remember reading somewhere else that they didn't lose money but had just failed to make as much of a profit as they had projected.  Anyway, with 1,507 players attending that event it might have continued to grow but thats the past.  Fortunately for us we have MC now and they're in this for the long haul.

I was wondering where the goalposts would be moved to.

+1

Hmm, Ashley himself said it lost 200 bigguns in the link above. Thanx for the link. Sounds believable. We'll see how it goes in 2 months.

Perhaps this has already been mentioned, but this tournament seems like an attempt to create a media-worthy event and to give chess some spectacle value.

In that sense, this could be a great move for chess in the U.S. and it should be applauded. More media attention will be necessary for chess to become more popular, and for tournament money to improve for everyone below the super GM level.

I like the idea and hope more folks get on the bandwagon.

+1

The tournament is supplying the clocks.   The topic header is incorrect.

@rdecredico

You remind me of "that guy" on the sidelines at a sports event who loves to yell and complain and point out everything the team is doing wrong.  And while the players on the field move on to bigger and better things, you'll still be standing there on the sidelines.

+1

I find maskedbishop trying to reason out the logic... rdecredico doesn't even try that...

+1

>How are you so sure that it will fade out in another six months!<

I meant the tactic of calling critics of anything "haters." THAT will fade out in six months...it's currently all the rage on the Internet. 

>The event will go on as planned, will be far less than spectacular and all the people that were sucked into the idocy will pretend it was fantastic. It will go on for a second year, lose even more money, and then excuses will be made for why it will be shit-canned. If this type of event were viable and profitable then Goichberg would already be doing it, fools.<

Exactly. It's not just the entry fee. The flights and expenses of Vegas triple the cost of experience. For people outside of the USA, flying into Vegas is astonishingly expensive. Non-stop from Britain: $1949. Price drops a bit if you can handle multiple stops and sitting on a plane for 15  hours...

A few people will win big and everyone else will go home thousands of dollars poorer, but proclaiming "it was worth it." But...they won't re-up next year. 

And for those who come in second because they lost in speed-chess...they may very well not show up next year either. 

>he created a model in which entry fees are designed to cover prize funds with a brige gap coming from a Whale who probably does not know any better (and may even be able to afford dropping a few mil on losing endeavours).<

Yes...let us not forget that none of this would be happening if a millionaire with a lot of free time from Canada wasn't looking for something to do with her excess cash...certainly her own accountants have decided she can take the hit...which I'm guessing will be written off as business loss anyway. So in a way, the said millionaire IS the big sponsor.  Well at least she's more interesting than Saitek. 

BTW did Will Smith sign up yet? Or Jennifer Shahade? Or Yaz? Just wondering...

Oh got it. I am not particularly worried to call your criticism, instructive or not, as hatred. Please keep doing what you are doing - bring out logic behind why you think certain things should not be the way it is. For example, your this very thread might be the reason we are going to have chess board, clocks and sets in MCO supplied by the organizers. I personally would (or could) never ask that.

As for why others call you haters... I guess you will understand. Lots of those people that you called "there truly is a sucker born every minute" have MCO in their heart and will not be composed enough to control themselves (have I not failed too in the past?) seeing someone anti-advertising against their dream tournament. You just have to accept it or ignore it. Opposing views are the central requirements in a democracy and we live in USA!! 

>Opposing views are the central requirements in a democracy and we live in USA!! <

Agreed. And I suppose I deserve no less for terming people "suckers." But criticism, even when undermined with silly name-calling like I did early on, is not *hate.* I think people are using that label now in an effort to chill conversation and make the critics look far blacker than they really are. 

FTFY.