Millionaire Chess 2!!

MC3 isn't going to happen. Not unless Ashley can find some other multimillionaire he can slick-talk into financing his delusions of grandeur. Going by multiple posts she's made since MC2 closes it seems pretty clear that Amy Lee has no interest in continued involvement.

People got screwed by others who got away with it. Anyone with half a brain knew this would happen beforehand.

Nothing new under the sun. Get over it.

In any case, the only one with "the dream" was GM Ashley.

All I know is American GM like B. Fisher and M. Ashley are hated by people in there own country. For all you chess players who think you going to be a GM like B. Fisher he was a genius with a 180 IQ. Maurice Ashley is beat down on this forum for a 1,000 entry fee and a large prize in every section. Let me be clear, I am disapointed with the guy Zdenko, I think he sold out the MC team. Amy Lee made it clear, they all had different jobs.

Amy Lee and GM Ashley came to give to the chess world. If you read this forum dating back to MC#1 you would think they came to take. As American chess player we are so dum, we spend our life chasing a rating. The percentage is so small to make it 2200 and 2400 we might as well have a good time winning a large prize. On top of that we are no where in the standing when it come to chess ranking by country. I think its the Russian, India and China, we worship Nakamaura who is not American and beat down Ashley who is a US grandmaster. This dude do not respect us, thats why he did the 9 move draw. I saw a American go ask him for his autograph, he turned him down and looked at him like he was crazy. A grown man asking for a autograph. Nakamaura took another early draw no one is talking about, the game vs Wesly So to qualify for millionaire Monay. Look like So had great position and Naka was struggling to castle, as soon as he castle they agreed on a draw, everybody standing around was stun. They walked by the crowd like screw you guys. I ask a few stronger players was So better in that position, they all agreed. Naka crushed him the next game to play on Monday.

Zdenko is not a American and he let all these guys from different countries in the backdoor. These guys treat us like dum Americans. Rightfully so, look how you treat your own grandmaster. Like I said, I only been playing tournament chess for 5 years, so I am  a fan watching without the worship gen most of you chess players have. I walk away from tournament chess with no regrets. It is sad when we can perdict a bad outcome for a chess tournament, but we can't come up with no positive solution.

Well, many of us never believed they came to give something to the chess world. There are a lot better and more obvious ways to give to chess should any millionaire feel like it.

From people donating boards and chessmen to schools or organizing stuff in their free time for their chess club to what Rex Sinquefield does with his Sinquefield cup; those things are awesome and I don't hear anyone complaining about Rex putting his own money into what was easily the best tournament to watch for me last year. Yasser Seirawan doing analysis together with Kasparov ? I loved every minute of it.

In contrast, MC was designed as a buisiness, not a sponsorship for chess enthusiasts.

Sure, they made all kinds of noises about "taking chess to the next level" but for me at least that only translated into players playing the same game as ever but paying more money for it so the promoters can get richer. I'm glad the MC concept failed.

You may disagree, but I did indeed feel like they were trying to take something from chess, and not give something.

He most certainly is a US citizen and a natural born one at that (born to a US citizen and automatically granted citizenship). He also has lived most of his life in the US.

I would be interested to hear about amature tournaments in Europe. How are they modeled, promoted, prizes... etc? Do they have the same issues as the US with sandbagging, lower classes funding the prizes for the best of players? If the tournaments are successful, what sets them apart from US tournaments that struggle with participation and credibility?

In Portugal, I have seen rapid tournaments (20 min) where the entry fee is 10 euros, and the prize for best 1600 is 40 euros. best 2000 is 80 and overall winner gets 300-400. You get around 120 players.

But at least in Lisbon, lots of the action happens in Team events, so no need to worry about sandbagging, you don´t get any money anyway.

How come you don´t consider Nakamura an American but Ashley being born in Jamaica is a "real American" (just for you, since both are Americans)?

I agree, many tournaments give bragging rights in one form or another, but not too much in outright prizes. A lot of team leagues, with the lower leagues being purely hobbyist fun.

Chess feels a lot more healthy and a lot less commercialized in Europe.

This is the most ridiculous post in here so far.

 - Far from being hated, Bobby Fischer is still revered by most American chess players, even to the point of often being blind to his personal faults.

 - Few people seem to have an issue with Maurice Ashley personally.

 - Bobby Fischer's supposed IQ has absolutely no source except from Frank Brady, who was told by some guy, who was told by some guy, who speculated that Bobby's IQ "probably must have been...". There's no actual record of Bobby ever having taken any IQ test in his life however.

 - How is Nakamura not American? He was born to an American mother, he's an American citizen from birth and he's lived in America since the age of 2. How is that less American that Maurice Ashley, who was born in Jamaica and moved to the US at the age of 12?

If you don't want to be treated like a "dum" American then stop acting like one.

Thanks guys for the response. It is heartening to see the spirit of chess lives in Europe. Unfortunately, here in the US many of us are discouraged with "chess events" and it's promotion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6iJP1dZ7Xp8

All my information may not be correct, but my point is clear. The people on this forum has spent the last 2 years predicting and hoping someone else chess tournament fail. On top of that jump up and down like a cheerleader " I told you so". This is the US there is nothing wrong with starting a business. I thought selling water was crazy, it is the top seller. What they do in Europe has nothing to do with a  man plan in the US.  We try to put everyone in the same box, if they don't fit we beat them dowm to prove a point. Ok! you guys are right, what is the best move in this position. 

Typically, tournaments in Europe are organized to promote the game of chess and not to make a fast buck.

99,9 % of them are organized by chess-clubs. Something like 90% of the entree fees takes care of the prize-fund. (many times some cash added by sponsors) 10% or so goes to miscellaneous costs like mailing, computers, the arbiter's fee and what not. Many times there is some company (sponsor) that puts in a certain amount which takes care of paying for the venue.

There are volunteers selling drinks, sandwiches and stuff like that. That's mostly were the only profit is made. That money typically goes to the chess-club and partly pays for training youth-players , inviting GM's for simuls, sending teams to tournaments to represent the club and other activities.

Some tournaments are divided into rating groups. < 1600, <2000 and the open tournament where all can play. Prize-funds for lower rating groups are much lower. Juts an example: the open €1000,  <2000 €300 and  <1600 €150 for first. Or something similar. Many tournaments have no rating groups, just one big open section.

Hardly any sandbaggers around. And if there are they are quickly spotted and confronted. Smaller countries, so getting a bad name is more of a big deal.

You guys are taking this very seriously.

I for one am dismayed that chess here in the US is not perceived and practiced (as I read the feedback) as it is played in Europe. Clubs, team events, trophies, bragging rights all are lacking, except in a few localized big cities. Maybe the country is just too big, too diversified, or too money hungry to ever embody the spirit.

The sandbagging also exists in Europe. This just to be elegible for play a "B" tournement and win from 100 to 3000 euro ... Reason why easily could happen for much higher prices.

Sandabagging rules should be done with more consideration of the historical rating Player.

Par example taking into account of 10 years and add a rating for each missing year, plus an additional rate for those who have just obtained a valid rating few months before... 

In this way a player will be better certified and a Mr Cocorito or a mr курица would start with at least 400 points higher.

Accepted richie... obviously you have been around the block, your perceptions are spot on. I sometimes have a little more empathy for the "Mark". Being said, chess is just a hobby, sometimes taken too seriously by us all.

Pretty much none of your information as correct, and your "point" (such as it is) could not be farther from the mark.

People haven't been "hoping" MC, fails, they've been pointing out the obvious flaws in MC's business model, and cutting through the bullshit churned out by MC's marketing and Ashley's sycophants.

Nobody's said there's anything wrong with starting a business. No one faults Bill Goichberg for his for-profit business model of selling chess tournaments. The bone of contention is that MC has been sold as this glitzy, glamourous big-money event for high-rollers while at the same time being sold as something altrustic, something Lee and Ashley are doing out of the goodness of their hearts.

MC3 is happening - :)

https://millionairechess.com/mc-newsletter-55-mc3-here