Irish chess Grand Prix leagues?

flipsake

Just wondering what thoughts active chess players have on a Grand Prix league with several rating bands throughout the Irish chess calendar?
Perhaps it could take the form of offering a modest prize fund for top 3 players in say 5 rating bands with 200 point intervals eg under 2000, 1800,1600,1400 down to under 1200.
I’m sure with the number of tournaments and the variety of rating bands, it would be possible to find at least 3 or 4 tournaments at each band. Perhaps points could be given for top 10/20 players in each section per tournament and a tally kept over the course of the season starting in September and finishing at Irish Champs.
I’m sure it’s been tried before but if it was well planned, results efficiently updated, sufficiently supported by the ICU and tournament organisers, I think their would be several benefits.
Not alone would it be a nod of appreciation/respect for the grassroots players who make up the bulk of weekender participants, but it could generate some exciting competition. It rewards consistency. It’s a realistically attainable prize for large groups of players. And if it takes off, it possibly increases entries.
Downside would obviously be the cost. Let’s say €350-500 per section, so €1750-€2500 in total over a year. But perhaps a bit of imagination around sponsorship, and/or small levy on each participating tournament (controversial I know) could help.
Any thoughts? Is it worthwhile trying?

cdeb

It was done about 10/15 years ago - it was dropped after a couple of years because it meant that the ICU was giving up a sizeable amount of its budget (20% or so) to encourage the most active players to play - who are the players who need least targetting.

Possibly there would be some benefit if prizes were given out to encourage the 1900+ cohorts out to play, but again you'd have to imagine that there's fairly legitimate reasons - family, work, etc - why a lot of them don't play more often.

sodacat11

cdeb wrote: »

It was done about 10/15 years ago - it was dropped after a couple of years because it meant that the ICU was giving up a sizeable amount of its budget (20% or so) to encourage the most active players to play - who are the players who need least targetting.

Possibly there would be some benefit if prizes were given out to encourage the 1900+ cohorts out to play, but again you'd have to imagine that there's fairly legitimate reasons - family, work, etc - why a lot of them don't play more often.

Are 1900+ players any more likely to have a family and work than their lower rated neighbours?
There is undoubtedly a lack of players in the 1900- 2200 rating range at most weekend tournaments and something should be done to try and remedy this. As I pointed out in a different post players in this range have little chance of winning prizes, grading or main prizes and in opens they often end up playing too many much weaker players. There are some too who try to artificially bump up their ratings by only playing in tournaments like Bunratty, Kilkenny and the Irish Championship where there is little risk of losing a heap of rating points in a single game and where a draw guarantees a rating gain.
The solution is more all play alls , grading prize bands that include 1900/ 2000 players and tournaments that have rating floors of 1800 or 1900.

cdeb

sodacat11 wrote: »

Are 1900+ players any more likely to have a family and work than their lower rated neighbours?

Well they tend to be older, which would at least make it slightly more probable.

Retd.LoyolaCpt

At the risk of derailing the thread, just one response to Sodacat. You are expecting too much in my book from a group of 77 players. They make up 6.5% of players which means that for a 50 player tournament like Limerick, you'd only expect 3 (rounded from 3.2) to play.

For Cork, they over-contributed to entries with 10 in all (6 on the ICU list). (5 would have been expected)

Andrews: 4. (5 expected)

City of Dublin: 11. (10 expected)

Irish: 19

From the list of 77 - about 10 of these live abroad

mikhail

Retd.LoyolaCpt wrote: »

They make up .065% of players

I guess you mean 6.5% of players.

Retd.LoyolaCpt

mikhail wrote: »

I guess you mean 6.5% of players.

Amended, thanks

sodacat11

Retd.LoyolaCpt wrote: »

At the risk of derailing the thread, just one response to Sodacat. You are expecting too much in my book from a group of 77 players. They make up 6.5% of players which means that for a 50 player tournament like Limerick, you'd only expect 3 (rounded from 3.2) to play.

For Cork, they over-contributed to entries with 10 in all (6 on the ICU list). (5 would have been expected)

Andrews: 4. (5 expected)

City of Dublin: 11. (10 expected)

Irish: 19

From the list of 77 - about 10 of these live abroad

In that case I think that we should be given "endangered species" status and treasured by the chess community. May I suggest free alcohol and accommodation and the use of a masseuse be provided to all 19-2200 players when they travel more than twenty kilometres to any tournament?
Some more all play alls would help too!

Retd.LoyolaCpt

Yeah, think we'll do more of those

brilliantboy

Retd.LoyolaCpt wrote: »

Yeah, think we'll do more of those

More massages? :cool:

Danville

Kilkenny already offer free alcohol at the blitz on Sunday night.
If Sodacat is prepared to out himself we'll give him two!

sodacat11

Danville wrote: »

Kilkenny already offer free alcohol at the blitz on Sunday night.
If Sodacat is prepared to out himself we'll give him two!

Sodacat will miss Kilkenny this year as he will be appearing in the Malta Open instead. http://www.chessorg.de/Listen2018/Malta-Open-Teil.php

Tim Harding

sodacat11 wrote: »

Sodacat will miss Kilkenny this year as he will be appearing in the Malta Open instead. http://www.chessorg.de/Listen2018/Malta-Open-Teil.php

Looks like a big event with a lot of English support. Please give my regards to Graham Burton; it must be 43 years since we last played.

sodacat11

Tim Harding wrote: »

Looks like a big event with a lot of English support. Please give my regards to Graham Burton; it must be 43 years since we last played.

I don't think that I know Mister Burton but I will make a point of saying hello for you.