US OPEN 11 MAN BALLOT CHAMPIONSHIP, VIDOR, TX

[WatsonFranks72]

U.S. 11-Man Ballot ACF National Checker Tournament July 8-10, 2021
Vidor, Texas


The 11-man Ballot National will be held on July 8-10, 2021 (Thursday-Saturday) at the Holiday Inn Express, 20691 I-10, Vidor, Texas 77662. The phone number is 409-783-2420. When making reservations, be sure to indicate that you are with the ACF Checkers Tournament. You may call the Hotel or contact us and we will email you the reservation link. It is important to get this done as early as possible. The rate is $89 per night plus tax. Players may check in on <Tuesday/Wednesday/Saturday night> at same rate.

The business meeting will precede the tournament at 8:30 AM on Thursday, July 8. We are planning on two or three divisions plus a GAYP beginner’s division, depending on turnout (Majors/Minors divisions may need combined). ACF ratings will be consulted to seed players. Division cutoffs shall be Masters: 2000 and above; Majors 1700 to 1999; Minors 1699 and below. There will be three rounds Thursday, three rounds Friday, and two rounds Saturday. Play starts at 8:30 am Friday and Saturday. The schedule may be adjusted by a round if needed for a round-robin format. Rounds will be 3 hours with a one-hour break between rounds. Masters will use time clocks and record games. Current ACF membership is required and may be paid at registration. Tournament entry fee will be $40 for Masters, and $20 for Majors/Minors.

The Hotel is 108 miles from Houston Intercontinental Airport. The tournament committee members will provide transportation to and from the airport. The Hotel is also only 45 miles from the Lake Charles Airport if some prefer to go that route.

The City of Vidor is excited about hosting this World Class event. The city has supplied money for funding. The City of Vidor contributed $7500. We are currently working on more funding from other sites. If you would like to contribute to the prize fund, send your contributions to 820 Concord, Vidor TX 77662. Make checks payable to Watson Franks.

For further information, contact us at 409-201-2543.
We do look forward to seeing you!

Watson & Rita Franks
ACF DISTRICT 8 DIRECTOR
820 Concord
Vidor, TX 77662
409-201-2543
watpics@aol.com

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Watson, many thanks for this posting and hosting event! This is great opportunity for many of us just one step forward returning to normal life after unprecedented pandemic ongoing nightmare!

Al members of my family, including my kids, myself, my wife were already fully vaccinated and I feel 100% comfortable come here without any treat and risk for myself and my checkers colleagues and friends!

I am coming here for many reasons, such as financial (great prices), opportunity to play my favor 11 man ballot style where I still owe a World Title, opportunity to play in real, in-person checkers event due to long delay because of pandemic, opportunity to meet and reunions my friends etc

I invite everyone who reads this - come here, let’s make it special for all and everyone of us.

Regards,

ALM

[WatsonFranks72]

Thanks for the good word. Hope we get a full field. Vidor is excited!

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Houston Airport carpool for ACF National 11 man ballot.

Hi, guys! Today I checked tickets and flights to Vidor, TX, and find a good deal with Houston International airport which require a car rent to drive approximately 90 miles to Vidor and back.

I am planning to arrive to Houston International Airport on Wednesday, July 7 at noon and leave on Saturday, July 10 around 8 pm. I am looking now for other up to 3 people with whom I can share car rent expanses - approximately $95-$105 per day.

Any takers ?

If anyone is interested - respond me here

Regards,

Alex Moiseyev

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Houston Airport carpool for ACF National 11 man ballot.

Hi, guys! Today I checked tickets and flights to Vidor, TX, and find a good deal with Houston International airport which require a car rent to drive approximately 90 miles to Vidor and back.

I am planning to arrive to Houston International Airport on Wednesday, July 7 at noon and leave on Saturday, July 10 around 8 pm. I am looking now for other up to 3 people with whom I can share car rent expanses - approximately $95-$105 per day.

Any takers ?

If anyone is interested - respond me here

Regards,

Alex Moiseyev

Any takers ?

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Last update from Watson Franks

“$7500 Prize Money

The 11-man Ballot National will be held on July 8-10, 2021 (Thursday-Saturday) at the Holiday Inn Express, 20691 I-10, Vidor, Texas 77662. The phone number is 409-783-2420. When making reservations, be sure to indicate that you are with the ACF Checkers Tournament. You may call the Hotel or contact us and we will email you the reservation link. It is important to get this done as early as possible. The rate is $89 per night plus tax. Players may check in on <Tuesday/Wednesday/Saturday night> at same rate.

The business meeting will precede the tournament at 8:30 AM on Thursday, July 8. We are planning on two or three divisions plus a GAYP beginner’s division, depending on turnout (Majors/Minors divisions may need combined). ACF ratings will be consulted to seed players. Division cutoffs shall be Masters: 2000 and above; Majors 1700 to 1999; Minors 1699 and below. There will be three rounds Thursday, three rounds Friday, and two rounds Saturday. Play starts at 8:30 am Friday and Saturday. The schedule may be adjusted by a round if needed for a round-robin format. Rounds will be 3 hours with a one-hour break between rounds. Masters will use time clocks and record games. Current ACF membership is required and may be paid at registration. Tournament entry fee will be $40 for Masters, and $20 for Majors/Minors.

The Hotel is 108 miles from Houston Intercontinental Airport. The tournament committee members will provide transportation to and from the airport. The Hotel is also only 45 miles from the Lake Charles Airport if some prefer to go that route.

The City of Vidor is excited about hosting this World Class event. The city has supplied money for funding. The City of Vidor contributed $7500. We are currently working on more funding from other sites. If you would like to contribute to the prize fund, send your contributions to 820 Concord, Vidor TX 77662. Make checks payable to Watson Franks.

For further information, contact us at 409-201-2543.
We do look forward to seeing you!“

[Ed Gilbert]

A couple of years ago I did an analysis of the 11-man ballots. As a result, we now know which ones are draws and which ones lose. Of the 2500 ballots, there are 247 that lose. I also developed a difficulty metric for the ballots that can be seen in these two tables:

Table of 11-man difficulty ratings ordered by rating value

Table of 11-man difficulty ratings ordered by ballot number

Kingsrow has a separate, large opening book specifically for 11-man. It is part of the standard kingsrow install, and can be selected in Engine Options.

More details here Kingsrow 11-man ballot page

-- Ed

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Ed, many thanks for your research and exploring 11 man ballot. We have to think seriously now if we use list of losing ballots or keep our procedure unchanged.

Today both players review few mins elected ballot and if both players agreed - ballot remove.

It's sounds a bit childish, but it works! Based on my experience playing in plenty numbers of National and World Title matches, I can confirm - very limited small number of ballots were removed and surprisingly human verdict in terms of accuracy was close to program evaluation. I think only one time we abended drawn opening and picked losing.

We will discuss (I am going to make a motion) this during meeting and maybe vote for next National. Personally - I am in favor to keep it unchanged.

ALM

[mclark]

In the context of a championship match I think both players would be motivated to reject ballots that are outright losses. The downside of both players needing to agree in the context of a tournament is that a weaker player might view a lopsided opening as the best chance to earn points against a much stronger player and insist on playing it.

Let's say that in the second to last round of a Major/Minor combined division a player tied for first is paired with a player toward the bottom and they draw the opening

Remove 12 and 26; 9-14 21-17.

Would we want the outcome of the tournament to be influenced by the drawing of such an opening? I know this is an extreme example. I think that having an opening like this included in a tournament would be bad for the brand of 11-man ballot.

Matthew

[Alex_Moiseyev]

Matthew, sorry - probably I wasn’t clear in my statement: removing rule which I quoted doesn’t apply to your example, because ALL openings which lead to man down position must be avoided. For instance:

Remove 12 and 24
11-15 28-24

[mclark]

Ah, good. Thanks for clarifying this. I like your suggested procedure. If the ballot leads to one side being a piece down, either from the drawn moves (as in my example) or by force (as in your example), or if both players agree to reject the opening, the players start the drawing process over from the beginning. They should draw again for removal, not just for the moves.

Having a list of ballots that have been discarded in advance could be a hassle at a tournament because either the referee would have to look up everyone's ballot in the table or players would have to crowd around a chart posted on the wall. There are probably a lot of lopsided ballots that are technically draws that would be easier for most players to win than some that are labeled as wins through computer analysis. So it makes sense for the players to make the decision according to their ability and strategy.

Matthew

[WatsonFranks72]

Please email us at watpics@aol.com
To let us know if you plan to attend.
If you are flying in to houston, let us know time schedule

Watson

[WatsonFranks72]

LARGE CASH PRIZES
TROPHIES
FOOOOD!
FELLOWSHIP

GOOD TIME FOR ALL!

[Alex_Moiseyev]

It’s never late … I know - many my friends are reading this now. I invite all of you come to Vidor, play, socialize and celebrate end of pandemic era in USA and open checkers season in America. It will be first high caliber checkers event after long delay and I want all of you guys come here.

As usual, there will be three Divisions here: Masters, Majors and Minors and everyone can find one for his/her comfort and fun.

It’s still a good time to make reservation and schedule trip.

Sincerely yours,

ALM

[WatsonFranks72]

Thanks!!!

I am planning on hosting a one night speed mini speed tournament on thursday after a catered barbque!
$500 to winner of the speed tourney. Winner takes all.

!


Also the district 8 and Texas championship!