AN EXAMPLE OF A GOOD TOURNAMENT SHOULD BE

2 days ago I took part in weekend tournament, 17chess club Open 2011 tournament which was organised by Syazrin ( Pengurusan Catur Ar Rahman ) and Max (17 chess club). Arbiter was Najib Wahab.

All in all for me this was a text book example of how a good chess tournament should be...though in my case, result wise, still a disaster tournament. 3rd disaster tournaments as pointed by Saprin...ok now at least i know Saprin do read my blog :)...

Why this tournament is a good tournament?

Lots of prizes
In main category the cash prizes is until 10th position and there are also prizes for best IPTA, best female, best junior and so on. As if this is not enough, they also have lucky draw (thanks to Stonemaster who generously sponsoring the lucky draw prizes) to ensure the contestant glued to witness the prize giving ceremony.

Few years back i entered these one tournament, let it remain anonymous. Entrance fee is RM30, Prizes? 1st RM150, 2nd RM75, 3rd chess book. I did asked the arbiter why so few ( and so kedekut...though this one i did not asked openly) prizes? Arbiter smoothly informed “oh, we want to teach chess player to enter the tournament not because of prize money but more for LOVE of the game” in front of him i silence but come on...who are you kidding? for love of the game my cxxk! Maybe you, organiser should first walk the talk and organise tourney with RM5 entrance fee...for love of the game...

Cheap entrance fee
Entrance fee is RM19 only. KL rate wise...very cheap though Terengganu’s even cheaper... RM10. Don’t know why the odd number of RM19, maybe even better is RM17 to reflect 17chess club...

Freebies to contestant
All contestant received a bottle of mineral water and a pack of tit bits (chocolate, candy etc)

Punctual
The tournament was punctually conducted. An exception to guaranteed at least half an hour late Malaysian weekend tournament syndrome.

Nice number of contestant.
54 players took part. 2 weeks before i took part in one tournament in which there are more than 100 contestants took part. No doubt a victory to organiser but actually a disaster to the contestants. First a warm tournament hall (arbiter needs to request player who has finished their game to emptied the hall, sorry but we paid to see the chess player in chess action...not to see chess player in smoking action outside) second, a packed toilets, third squeeze-in-time to see pairing and in my case... fourth, a disastrous result.

Drama
When Udani was defeated by Saprin, a race for first prize is wide open between Saprin, Fadzil Nayan and Udani...suddenly out of nowhere Abdullah undertook them all to finish first!

Friendly arbiter
With Najib as arbiter you can expect a smooth, punctual and friendly atmosphere of tournament. Unlike some arbiter who like to scream to contestant as if we are a bunch of kindie kids “SIT DOWN!! ALL PLAYER SIT DOWNNN!!...ALL PLAYER REPORT THE RESULT NOWWW!!!! NOWWW!!!”

After event event
Shortly after the tournament ended there is a blitz tournament being organized. Enough to get even the most chess-tolerance-player chess drunk!

Result upload to chess server.
Don’t we all loved it if the results are upload to chess server...we can see list of opponents one face, rating performance, initial seeding and so on.

Congratulations to all behind this for the tournament well organised.