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

New MC video still quoting an Indiana dentist:

At :23

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPn6g8TUoyo

Cause you know, there's wisdom in the teeth:

http://tinyurl.com/n4gz57y

Hey don't knock it, you could have a starring role as the villain of the Millionaire Chess saga. "The evil maskedbishop and his scheming right hand man rdecredico", seems a feasible plot line to me, and let's be honest the book is going to need a lot of padding given there's very little to actually say about the event.

Let's just wait until somebody parts with their hard earned money to buy the book and tells us all about it.

>let's be honest the book is going to need a lot of padding given there's very little to actually say about the event.<

Yeah, a $40 hardcover is a bit of a reach. None of the games are going to be particularly interesting to the general chess-buying public (such as it is), and how much can one write about negotiating with caterers and limo services? 

I'm sure once the bigger bills start rolling in, that fingers will get pointed all over the map. The fundamental marketing error will never be acknowledged:

$1000 IS TOO HIGH. 

Unless you read the book you can't claim that it's not worth the price.

What the hell is this book you guys are talking about?  

http://millionairechess.com/product/millionaire-chess-book/

Thanks P-style!  That is some funny stuff indeed:

"What began as two friends catching up by a lake quickly turned into a bold plan to stage the richest Open chess tournament of all time. Learn about how a shared vision to elevate the visibility and popularity of the world’s most prestigious board game became the Millionaire Chess Open. "

LOLZ

> to elevate the visibility and popularity<

The fundamental misconception. The "visibility" will be brief, some reportage before and after the match about the money. People love to read about money. 

The popularity will not change one whit. There's only metric there - USCF memberships. Fischer's 1972 champtionship run made them rise dramatically. MC will not. 

The riposte is "it's not about memberships, it's about social awareness, media coverage, ESPN." Again...the only buzz about MC will be on chess boards, where chess already is popular. Your water cooler crowd won't start chattering about it, nor will ESPN be filming matches.

Magnus Carlson, the first western WC since Fischer and the highest-rated player ever,  is playing in the USA right now for a major championship. How's the media coverage there?

NO-ONE ELSE BUT US CARES. 

Here ya go. Toppermost of the poppermost. No massage chairs or chocolates here. 

http://uschesschamps.com/live

I think that this topic has been beaten to death.  There are now two key events.  Around October 20, the USCF rating report will be issued (maybe by then we may also have some player feedback on the tournament itself), and in January, 2015, we should know if there is going to be an MC 2.

SO wesley so is registered!!

Would be nice if he wins?! :p

I think a second MC will be duly announced and planned, but I've said previously that they will only get about 250 or entries, which will effectively kill it...unless they scale back the prizes, drop the entry fees, and cobble together enough promotional give-a-ways that "total" a million in order to keep the name.

You know, like an all-expenses paid trip the old Sidney Samole Chess Museum in Florida (now closed), or a private dinner with Bill Goichberg and Sam Sloan, or a signed Irina Krush standee...stuff like that.

You did. You brought up end-user license agreements, which are software contracts. Oooooops on you!

He doesn't appear in the Registration List.

http://sports.inquirer.net/163648/wesley-so-to-lead-webster-team-in-big-purse-chess-tournament

woot.  that would mean a few other big names may be playing too.  besides the ones already playing.

i agree with thewantedbishop, but i think it would be nicer if i won.

>that would mean a few other big names may be playing too<

That was always the plan, dude. You're there to feed the pot.  And peek into the VIP room, where you aren't invited.

>SO wesley so is registered!! Would be nice if he wins?! :p<

Yeah, it's always great when grandmasters win! I love seeing them win all the money. They are better than us, and we are here to make sure they are there!

Wesley So and Le Quang Liem now officially registered.

Funny fact: So, Bu, Le, Yu are the first four names on the list. 

Has the Tal Memorial meanwhile been officially cancelled? I'm asking because it is still on the list of upcoming events at 2700chess.com. I can't believe it is really going to happen, though.