It’s time to get this thing started soon: various of the chess bloggers will have a tournament on FICS (getting an account is free; I’d also recommend downloading BabasChess to make your life easier). So far, the following people have expressed interest:
LiquidEggProduct – Donnie
Rhuiden – Tom
ppwchess – Polly
RLP – Robert (Wahrheit)
TheDarkKnightTwo – l3rucewayne
gorckat – gorckat
NoTB – Tacticus Maximus
RockyRook – Rocky Rook
If you want to join, comment on this post (with your FICS handle) by end of day Wednesday. If I’ve mistakenly added your name, let me know, too.
The tournament will be one non-blitz game a week, round robin format. The time control is not settled; I did like the G/15 with 30 second increment per move, but add your suggestions here.
Much thanks to Wahrheit for getting the ball rolling on this.
I’m guessing that those on the list don’t need to comment, but in case I’m wrong: TheDarkKnightTwo is my FICS “handle”
15 30 is acceptable, although I might prefer a little more time. When I want to play a long game I go for 40 30 (which if the game is 40 moves should work out to 60 minutes if my math is right.). But that, I think it was 27 minute + some such increment or something time control you mentioned a while back would make a nice middle between the two. Any of these are fine with me though.
Am I in? I’d like to participate.
@l3rucewayne: Your time control suggestion is noted. We’ll see what the general consensus is.
@Rocky: You’re in!
i’m not particular about the time control. peeps gonna have to look for me, because I have no idea how to use any of the commands. I just go in and seek.
I figured players would message each other to figure out ideal times, then you just do something like “match name 15 30” at the right time. So finding each others seeks hopefully wont be a problem.
Thank YOU, Donnie, for keeping the ball rolling. For selfish reasons I’m just looking for a time control that will result in games not much linger than 90 minutes max; I don’t have many blocks of time longer than that during the week is all. I can play on weekends sometimes if worked out in advance. Looking forward to meeting up with everyone!
Thanks, this sounds like fun and fodder for lots of interesting blogging.
Since it is round robin we know we will all be playing each other once but we will not know who has what color or what week we play until the schedule is posted. Will all of the pairings be posted in advance? And, if so, can games be played before the week scheduled if mutually agreeable?
My preference is 15 30.
Mascot should get an account, too. (Maybe as a computer account?
Not that I don’t believe you’re real, Mascot! Just that I think, uh…your “thought process” might be, umm…an algorithm! Yeaaaah…like an algorithm…umm…right.
It sounds like 15/30 is acceptable, so we’ll go with that.
@Wahrheit: No, you’re not being selfish. We all have real-life commitments, so having a not-too-long time control is perfectly reasonable.
@Tacticus: The entire schedule will likely be released at the beginning. I don’t have a problem with people playing games early if it is necessary, but I would probably release the results of each week all at once just to keep the “feel” of a one game a week tournament. (It builds suspense!)
@Gorckat: Unfortunately, the Mascot will not be ready for this tournament. If and when we have a second one, yes.
I should get the handle LEPMascot and play for him.
Hey, as long as you can be as snide and condescending as he would be, no one will no the difference!
I could open 1.a3…
The Anderssen Opening! Perfect if you want to give your opponent a handicap.