2015 GAYP National Tournament format & schedule

[JR Smith]

The new 2015 GAYP National Tournament format was voted on at the Southern Open. The majority of players wanted a 4 day tournament Monday through Thursday. Masters, Majors, & Minors will play 2 1/2 hour rounds as: 2+3+3+2 over 4 days. Rules of play and paring/scoring the tournament in general is pattered after the Tennessee Open which seems to be a proven format and a well run event. Also emphasized at this meeting was reserving your rooms at Econo or Comfort by the July 11th dead line to get the checker room rate discount. If you made reservations prior to this new schedule you should call and modify you hotel arrangements. Connie Bullington, GMgr/Marketing Sales Director is aware of this and "OKed" our playing room on current booked rooms at both locations.

View Schedule: http://nccheckers.org/NCCA/2015%20GAYP% ... hedule.htm

[bazkitcase5]

Will the Masters division be using clocks like in previous National Tournaments?

If so, what if both players are within their time controls, yet they still go past the 2 1/2 hour round limit?

[Michael Holmes]

Since I came in 13 out of 17 in the last GAYP USA National I played in would I be allowed to play in the Majors?

[bazkitcase5]

haha, now you know better than that Michael

[Michael Holmes]

I haven't studied GAYP in a couple of years and I don't hardly play nowadays. Not to mention I don't study anything nowadays.

[bazkitcase5]

that didn't seem to hurt you too much in Missouri - it wasn't GAYP, but you still proved you are a very capable master player and you know it

it would be big time sandbagging for you to play anything but masters

[Michael Holmes]

Maybe I should just wait and play in the TN in the majors (year 2011 high ratings for majors: RJ 2116 and TS had 2018. I could name more from other years but no need). I wasn't really planning on playing in this GAYP National tournament. There are too many work days in it. Perhaps in a year or so I can be in a position to take 4 or 5 days off from work to play 14 to 18 games of checkers. Or I can just play on Saturdays or Sundays with two grandmasters that live near by.

[Chexhero]

The way it has been for the last two Nationals is that any player rated over 2000 or has won a National major has to play up in masters. Michael, I agree with Clayton, you are too talented to play down in majors.

I also want to comment on the Nationals formatting, which seems to be changing every year now for minors/majors and masters. I do agree times change and things like formatting are to be adjusted, but I think it's time now that we decide on a set format for years to come for both divisions. I think when you change the settings every year it takes away a little of the prestige that the Nationals is suppose to encompass. I am ok with this format for masters, though 2 1-2 hous a round I think is cutting it a little short for a National tournament.

[Michael Holmes]

Im taking a break. May quit teaching checkers too. Plus i am sort of between master and major. I can quit competition for a year and just study problems. The following year i can study GAYP and then perhaps play better.

[Michael Holmes]

I vote to include a Saturday and Sunday to help with work days.

[JR Smith]

Will the Masters division be using clocks like in previous National Tournaments?

If so, what if both players are within their time controls, yet they still go past the 2 1/2 hour round limit?

Will the Masters division be using clocks like in previous National Tournaments?

If so, what if both players are within their time controls, yet they still go past the 2 1/2 hour round limit?

I had rather have Frank Davis answer your questions; however, Frank doesn't use forum, facebook or email.

Playing Rules were discussed at the Southern and this group of players agreed to accept Frank's judicative ruling on slow play. He doesn't want to get into clocks, if Masters want to and agree to use a clock, this is between them. The same with the computer end game decision. The two opponents would know to conclude his win or agree to a draw if he has a win position but can't convert in the time left on his clock. Of course, if time runs out you lose. It would be better to let Frank judge the ending, but he wouldn't get involved if opponents have decided to play with a clock.

If Masters use a time-clock, they would set the time as 2 ½ hour - 75 minutes (1:15:00) for the round or (0:37:30) as a 1 ¼ hour game for each side as Moiseyev vs Kodolo did at the MO Mixer. I'm not going to get into required moves as in the past ACF 3-Move National Master’s group was required to make 30 moves in the 1st hour recorded by the clock and 15 moves each successive ½ hour. This doesn't work well on short games as some Masters feel GAYP play is relying on known pp and doesn't need the extended game time as 3-Move and 11-Man.

The tournament format, schedule, and rules of play will proceed much like the MO Mixer, except Frank follows his tournament rules which are well established and posted in the game room. 2015 TN Open http://nccheckers.org/NCCA/2015%20TN%20 ... 0rules.htm

[bazkitcase5]

I realize your just the messenger in this case JR, so this isn't directed at you, but it bothers me that the ACF is declining, yet we choose to be less professional, rather than attempting to become more professional. After all, it is the National Tournament. The ACF's #1 event, yet we are treating it like just another run of the mill tournament.

Personally, I would prefer clocks be used in the masters division at all events, but at the very least they should be used for the masters division in the National Tournament. Frank does a great job running his tournaments and 95% of the time, there would be no issues with 2 1/2 hours for 2 GAYP games, but at the end of the day, it still lacks professionalism. It still allows 1 player to take up 2 hours on one game if they wanted. It would be frowned upon and its not likely anybody would do this intentionally, but by the current rules, there would be nothing anybody could do about it and that is nonsense.

It also allows a potentially great game to be cut short and adjudicated, which could be avoided with the standard clock rules. Moiseyev and I played a GAYP game in 2003 that last 3 hours and we still finished the round in time (4 game rounds back then). That epic game would have had to be adjudicated under these rules and that is a shame. It makes more sense at state tournaments, because they are usually crammed into one weekend and need everything to be wrapped up. However, this is the National Tournament and the most rounds we play in 1 day is 3. That means at 2 1/2 hour rounds, we'd be done around 4:30-5. That is plenty of time left in the day to use more proper time controls, because we aren't having to cram everything into one weekend.

I don't want to come across as a complainer, I just want to see the game and the ACF grow again and I truly believe one of the ways for that to happen is more professionalism. The ACF has to take charge again and establish set rules for their events, especially the National Tournament, otherwise attendance is going to continue to decline, which I don't think is something any of us want. It actually benefits me in this case, but we can't have rules and dates for the biggest tournament of the year voted on and changed just 3 weeks in advance. I feel like that sets a bad precedent and doesn't make the organization look good to outsiders and potential new players.

[Chexhero]

I agree with Clayton 100%. I would highly doubt that Chess decides 3 weeks in advance by a majority vote at a tournament of less than 20 players what format should be used for a National event. Rather, members in Chess know well in advance what to expect for a National. The ACF needs to establish their own procedures for both state and especially National events. Time clocks should absolutely be utilized at all Master events. Even online checkers has time control. If we want checkers to ever start growing again, we need to enhance the professionalism of the sport.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

My list "things-to-do" is growing.

[Michael Holmes]

Increase our numbers. How many people have any of us introduced the game to this year. Lets make a difference by getting more people to play. If we all try we will make a difference.