Ashley's Million-dollar chess tourney - but bring your own clocks - Chess Forums - Page 68

maskedbishop · 2014-05-13T16:10:41-07:00

Well, there truly is a sucker born every minute. If you take a quick gander at the already-entered lists, hopeless patzers have ponied up their $1000 entry fee (no typo there, folks) for the thrill of playing in the same room as such chess stalwarts as Alex Fishbein and Gregory Kaidanov. A cool gran

johnmusacha

Sep 15, 2014

0

#1341

Dude, that video is funny as hell, brah.

I_Am_Second

Sep 15, 2014

0

#1342

rdecredico wrote:

edmundich wrote:

I really dont seewhy would anyone be opposed of the tournament. I am upset because they have a very weird and, in my opinion, unwise way to fight the cheaters and as a result honest players suffer. But the idea that I can win 40K playing chess is awesome. When I just started playing chess 16 years ago, I didnt care about the prize. 16 years later, after I spent a lot of time and money learning this game, I want to play for the bucks, and this is all i care about when i enter the tournament. beauty comes seconds

I am completely opposed to the event.

It is a divisive event. It is a mockery of what chess tournaments should be. It is aimed at the 'my shit smells like roses' crowd of fuktards that think they better than other people because they can afford ridiculous entry fees.

This is all about Maurice Ashely trying to put distance between himself and the riffraff of the chess world and for him to find a way to line his pockets.

It will go down in flames, as it should.

And regardless of the number of people that would agree with my position, my position is fecking spot on.

The masses are asses.

Well since you are not playing, its success or failure doesnt matter to you.

woton

Sep 15, 2014

0

#1343

As a diversion, anyone have any idea what prompted this open letter from one of the TD's?

http://millionairechess.com/news/a-tournament-director-speaks/

ahyanzaman

Sep 15, 2014

0

#1344

But for the supporters, lets understand that we see the world of chess through a color glass. Critics see it black and white and hence their feedback might be lot more direct. To tell you frankly I think the critics in this post, knowliong or unknowingly, have helped MC team as much as we supporters did with our well wishes. So I would say, let the flow of criticisms come. Ultimately the only thing that can be bad for MC team is people not talking about MCO, doesn't matter good talk or bad talk.

johnmusacha

Sep 15, 2014

0

#1345

As the kids say, TLDR,brah. I read the first three words and was all like screw this, TLDR, brah.

Ka-Kow!

Cezar99

Sep 15, 2014

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#1346

It was prompted by his incompetence. This clown doesn't have a clue about what he is doing. He probably received so many emails exposing his incompetence that he felt like he had to do something.

woton wrote:

As a diversion, anyone have any idea what prompted this open letter from one of the TD's?

http://millionairechess.com/news/a-tournament-director-speaks/

edmundich

Sep 15, 2014

0

#1347

rdecredico, you are a sad guy, i pity you

woton

Sep 15, 2014

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#1348

Cezar99

Never thought of that. The letter reminds me of communications that upper mangement sends out when things aren't going well.

niemker8835

Sep 15, 2014

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#1349

I've been reading through this thread, and one thought keeps coming back around; the negativity is just plain bizzare. As chess players and lovers, we should all be grateful that such a tournament has been organized so that even amatuers have an added incentive for a change. Those opposed in such hostile terms are actually sounding more like sour grapes than actually having legitimate objections. Some objections are:

1) those going think they are better than others because they can afford the entry fee. This is silly. I worked some overtime to be able to go; simple as that.

2) "Bring your own clocks." Rubbish; they are supplying sets and clocks. (The person with this objection must then object to all tournaments held in the U.S., including the World Open. This makes one suspect they have never actually attended a tournament before.)

3) Even if you win first place, it isn't that much money. What?? Uh, compare it with the usual tournament. Second place is still well above a first place finish at the World Open. A third place finish is still equal to a first place at the World Open on practical terms, not the "estimated" prize fund.

4) This tournament is "bad for chess." There is a saying in German that roughly translates: "Against such stupidity, even the gods are silent."

You people that are so opposed to this sound like you just want this to fail, ie. sour grapes. If you [so obviously] hate this event, then 1) stay away, and 2) just let others enjoy it without all the senseless hostility.

small_potato

Sep 15, 2014

0

#1350

niemker8835 escribió:

3) Even if you win first place, it isn't that much money. What?? Uh, compare it with the usual tournament. Second place is still well above a first place finish at the World Open. A third place finish is still equal to a first place at the World Open on practical terms, not the "estimated" prize fund.

That logic is like having a $1 bill, and a pile of $2 next to it and saying "wow look at this $2, it's like, double the value of this $1, it's so much money". Whether something is objectively a lot of money isn't connected to other amounts of money available from other sources. "Millionaire" chess has relatively large prizes compared to other tournaments, but nobody will come anywhere close to becoming an actual dollar millionaire if they aren't already, and the money, certainly for the non-open section, is not life changing to anyone in full time employment. Again, aside from the tournament name, there's nothing wrong with that, but to then claim you are "taking chess to the next level", is a bit of a piss take.

klought9

Sep 16, 2014

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#1351

rdecredico wrote:

klought9 wrote:

Why worry about what someone else does with their own money. I think that this could open up some minds and ideas, about chess. Thats all that matters, not feeding the world, or saving some stupid spider in Uganda.

Because the tournament sets a a bad precedent and is being run for the wrong reasons and ends up hurting chess as far as growth and progress.

Of course, people too dumb or ignorant to see this reality gonna think otherwise.

You make a valid argument, then kill it with an uninformed, personal attack? Not too bright.

Iluvsmetuna

Sep 16, 2014

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#1352

Valid argument ? Could chess really have a lower standing in the real world ?

niemker8835

Sep 16, 2014

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#1353

small_potato

niemker8835 escribió:

3) Even if you win first place, it isn't that much money. What?? Uh, compare it with the usual tournament. Second place is still well above a first place finish at the World Open. A third place finish is still equal to a first place at the World Open on practical terms, not the "estimated" prize fund.

"That logic is like having a $1 bill, and a pile of $2 next to it and saying "wow look at this $2, it's like, double the value of this $1, it's so much money". Whether something is objectively a lot of money isn't connected to other amounts of money available from other sources. "Millionaire" chess has relatively large prizes compared to other tournaments, but nobody will come anywhere close to becoming an actual dollar millionaire if they aren't already, and the money, certainly for the non-open section, is not life changing to anyone in full time employment. Again, aside from the tournament name, there's nothing wrong with that, but to then claim you are "taking chess to the next level", is a bit of a piss take."

You missed the point. No one is saying this is going to make anyone a millionaire, the point is, some are saying that the prize fund for first is not that much. So on one side the detractors are unhappy with the entire concept, yet turn around and say the prize fund is not big enough. Perhaps they didn't choose the best name for this event, but there is some exageration by the detractors about what the "next level" is about.

Also, I picked the World Open to compare to because it is the next highest payout, yet it is certainly not typical of the usual tournament where the payout for first could be anywhere between $200 and $1200. So the comparison is not "a $1 bill, and a pile of $2", it is more like a $40,000 pile to a $200 pile, or $40,000 to a $1,200 pile. Maybe you guys have so much money that $40,000 is nothing, but to be able to go to a chess tournament, enjoy the fight and competition, and have a chance to win a year salary sounds like fun to me. I apologize for being positive about this, but I can't wait!

woton

Sep 16, 2014

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#1354

niemker8835 "...but to be able to go to a chess tournament, enjoy the fight and competition, and have a chance to win a year salary sounds like fun to me."

There are about 100 players per section. That means that 50 will win nothing, and another 44 will win small prizes. Will your enthusiasm be the same if you are one of the 94?

edmundich

Sep 16, 2014

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#1355

You guys are forgetting that the money are guaranteed. This is a BIG risk. I have organized tournaments in Bay Area and first tourneys cost me a lot of money.

woton

Sep 16, 2014

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#1356

edmundich

I'm not sure of the significance of a guaranteed prize fund. What forces the organizer to pay the money other than the fact that the USCF may cancel their affiliation if they don't?

Scottrf

Sep 16, 2014

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#1357

Reputation.

woton

Sep 16, 2014

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#1358

Scottrf

I understand what you're saying, but saving one's reputation doesn't force payment. As an example of what I'm talking about, I had to have a bonding company guarantee payment if I failed to properly perform some work that I did.

Scottrf

Sep 16, 2014

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#1359

Amy Lee is a successful businesswoman, it's probably in her interest to keep her word, and probably worth more than a few hundred thousand dollars in future relationships.

Scottrf

Sep 16, 2014

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#1360

And if they don't pay up, they are only conning people willing to pay $1000 plus expenses for pushing around wooden figures in silence