The Future of World Titles?

[tommyc]

The reason id like to see a change is;;;;;;;;;;;;In a tournament setting i think the title would change hands more often thus keeping the title more vibrant ,more players would get the oppertunity to play for it,when one person holds it for many years as often happens,it takes away the value ,i think.Many champions have given up the title perhaps thru non activity or some other reason.Its not good for the game that the title is held for a long time by one champion.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Thanks Tommy, very interesting ... I always thought that Marion Tinsley and Walter Hellman used to be a true champions who kept title for many years totalling with more than 20 years each. It was under existing system which didn't change much since it's started. Indeed we can force them (Tinsley and Hellman) to play in tournaments every two years with limited time control and other dirty tricks and make it harder to defend title and less predictable.

Are you saying - this is not good for checkers keeping players like Marion Tinsley & Walter hellman as a World Champions ???

Today there is only one way and stimulus for strong players to capture title - play better, improve and beat current champion. And if noone can do this for long time - thats what we need to be worry about, change and improve. But do not change the system, we should have to change players attitude and force them to work on checkers and play better !

To be honest I should say that I am not in position of Marion Tinsley who was several heads above competitors. I might be above others only by half of head or less. And you still don't like even this situation. You (I mean good potential players) don't even want to work hard on checkers at all, but for some strange reason - still want a title.

No way ! I am not only a title holder, I also feel on my shoulders a great responsibility and laggage of traditions and historical heritage. All old champions (live and past) are behind me. I would feel very sorry and guilty if I fail to keep and save evrything they passed on me - respect, quality, honesty,

in any kind of sport "World Champion" always meant - BEST and we, Anglo-American Checkers, are not exception. We are not playing Tick-Track-Trick. Checkers is combination of Art, Sport and Science and you must be good in each component.

Simply saying, It's quite easy to get title - just play better than current Champion.

I would probably think more about some changes if we have many $$$$$$ involve. But without this we don't hav much left on table - principals, traditions, respect, heritage, honesty, morality. And you wonna put all this into garbage can ???

Things you are proposing are in big interest of very, extremely small eilte group of players, who reached the level when they can get title but not in honest fight. They can get it only under some handicape and dirty tricks. This not in interest of majority number of players and Federations.

As a World Champion I also am an ambassador for all and every player, who loves the game and want to play, improve, compete and get title. I represent these players. an I certainly believe that we are majoirity and we are future of game, not past. Everyone who wants to play checkers better is on my team !

PLAYING BETTER should be our main goal, not - how often title should change hands. When we have more strong players on top and better quality - title will definetely change hands ... some day.

Respectfully,

Alex Moiseyev

[tommyc]

If the champion is really BEST then he can overcome any obsticle ,any Ty, any match play,Tinsley,Hellman or even your good self im sure would not shirk any challenge put to him..............that is surely the measure of a GREAT CHAMPION??

Are you this man??.......are you the one that history says HE was the The one who feared NO one and no type of challenge Ty or otherwise.Hail the great ALEXANDER!!HE CHANGED THE COURSE OF CHECKER HISTORY........not Tinsley or Hellman .........................but Alex M..........!!

[kiwinurse]

I dont understand what you mean by dirty tricks Alex. Are you saying that in all tournament play there are people that cheat the system?The tournaments only as good as the referrees make it,and isnt this what weve all been talking about,to install rules that dont allow cheating?Surely it cant be that hard to do,or are all organizers idiots that sanction cheaters?If thats the case,checker matches are no longer worth attending.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

If HE CHANGED THE COURSE OF CHECKER HISTORY........not Tinsley or Hellman .........................but Alex M..........!!

I am OK to be in the same line with Tinsley and Hellman and DO NOT change (destroy ?) anything.

I can only quote myself again:

Things you are proposing are in big interest of very, extremely small eilte group of players

[Alex_Moiseyev]

I dont understand what you mean by dirty tricks Alex.

I named "trick" an attempt to change system in interest of small (though strong) group of players who has lesser chances to get title under existing and well proved match system.

Tommy wrote very clearly - we need to change the system in order do not keep title for long time in one hands. Thats what I called "dirty trick".

[tommyc]

Some of the greatest world champions in many sports became world beaters in "the moment" but never to produce it again,so take all your good moments and run with them thats what we ALL aspire to....even no-hopers like us.

If the great man Alex is alluding to[as Jan puts it] some kind of conspiricy theory in a tournament event he may have a point [well get his opinion on that ]........but i remember him giving Mac a line in the 1115 2420 1216 which Mac played on me in the Mail match WCM of 2006 that gave me loads of trouble,is that the same thing? This line originated from Wylle PRO who had beat Alex with it previuosly] Altho i was able to draw the line against Mac in the match ,something the other two challengers Bill Carter or G Miller didnt do in their WCM matches ,i wouldnt go as far as to say it was a "conspiracy" loads of players swap lines especially for WCMs.

I will comment on Alexs last post to clarify a point or two.Its really the time limits lets say ,players dont get many chances to qualify in a lifetime to play for match play title and as Alex says there are 4-5 world wide who may be of same standard with hopes of winning a qualifier[does this hold same dirty tricks Alex talks of?]so we re talking years b4 lets say,all of these 4-5 get the chance.My idea is that more of them get the chance sooner and Alex being as good as he is will repel them easily, i have no doubt,until one day he wont.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Jan / Tommy,

are you only reading your own posts ???

All fantasy about personal cheating is only yours. I never mentioned this.

I can repeat again for those who read my post until this point (and didn't jump to post reply):

I called as "dirty trick" an attempt to change system in interest of small group of players.

Every good player who reads this should understand - new system not only against me, it's against you ! It doesn't work for you and not supposed - don't even think about

[kiwinurse]

"I would probably think more about some changes if we have many $$$$$$ involve. But without this we don't hav much left on table - principals, traditions, respect, heritage, honesty, morality. And you wonna put all this into garbage can ???

Things you are proposing are in big interest of very, extremely small eilte group of players, who reached the level when they can get title but not in honest fight. They can get it only under some handicape and dirty tricks. This not in interest of majority number of players and Federations. "

Whats money got to do with changes?You would agree to changes if money was involved?I no longer see theres much left in checkers on the respect,honesty,morality line as it stands now,under the status quo.and as far as handicap and dirty tricks go,under the old system we have now,they are alive and well,so what is changing?
Whats really important is changing the qualifier system,as players are dwindling every year. Noone can afford to play overseas every year.

[tommyc]

Alex i say ............"your on the run" Stand like a man and say.........cmon ill beat the lot of ye!
Instead of crying foul!!!!!Chicken!!

Lets be honest abt it.........the last 4 QTs were won by.Jim Morrison/Rich Beckwith/Ron King/Miki Borghetti/
now in all honesty Alex M will lick these guys every day of the week individually.Is that an honest assessment?



Im NOT saying........................."Lets change title hands more often" ..............im saying lets give more players a chance to play for it under a time scale that is viable!!

[sure ive said it plenty times yull beat em all up anyways]

[Alex_Moiseyev]

You would agree to changes if money was involved?

Yes. In this case we have at least some reasonable excuse for changes. Otherwise we have what Tommy said: "Lets change title hands more often"

About cheating in tournaments I am unaware - it's all yours and Tommy. But concerning world title - I like when things depends only on my own skills and abilities, not 3rd party.

[Alex_Moiseyev]

the last 4 QTs were won by.Jim Morrison/Rich Beckwith/Ron King/Miki Borghetti/

You forgot about me - I won QT in 2008 in Beijing by good margin.

Also, Jim Morrison and Richard Beckwith won GAYP QT.

I think all of them were good challengers and played good matches to the best of their abilities. Do you think the QT Swiss system didn't work well and left better players / potential challengers behind ? if so - change it.

When i will be in challenger position (one day this should happen) - I will test it

[tommyc]

Well it was pretty riducules [YOU CANT PLAY IN YOUT OWN QUALIFIER?]as you were the sitting champion at the time,but because it was actually a Gold medal event this cleared the way for you to leget play in it. Fair play. I know Rich and Jim was GAYP qualifiers but im not talking specifically abt the 3 mv only but any WCM.

PS...........YOU CANT PLAY IN YOUR OWN QUALIFIER....... because you might have a bearing on the result of who might win the qualifier?Now would that be fair looking?

[Alex_Moiseyev]

YOU CANT PLAY IN YOUR OWN QUALIFIER

Here where I totally agree with you. I didn't have any intention to play in QT event and I told WCDF that they cannot use Olympic event for their needs. They didn't listen me and we had what we had. I played for Olympic gold medal. WCDF used this bid to solve their own financial problems - all questions to them, please.

Next Olympic Mind Games will be in Manchester 2012 and I will be there indeed. Please, tell WCDF do not use this event again as QT bid.

[tommyc]

I will continue this conversation later as despite the minus 10-12 degrees temperature i must go and play some Texas Holdum with Myles.By then i hope the poster of this subject on the Forum [Mr Devlin] might have some comments to add,hither or tither!!.