Saturday, March 31, 2007

Doeberl All Over Again

It's Doeberl Cup time again next week. As my friend Toby says, if you're not in Doeberl, you're not a real chess player. This year's edition has been dubbed the O2C Doeberl thanks to a $6K injection from O2C. It's just a bit disconcerting that smack in the centre, the first words I see on O2C's website are the words, "mental health training"; it makes you think they must train loonies or something. Nonetheless I suppose we should say thanks!

And another mention of the SIO. Over the last week or so entries to this tournament have suddenly surged hitting the 150 mark. New players include Pinoys FM Jesse Sales, Angelito Camer and Arianne Caoili. My initial plans to play in this event have been sadly derailed by work. I have to be OS, for work, the following week and that involves quite a lot more serious prep than chess! We'll see what happens.

For those who want to get in some rapid warm up, the City of Sydney Rapid is on tomorrow at the Parramatta RSL. See some of you there.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Mental Health Training" LOL
I WAS going to play, not now!

Anonymous said...

Wasn't there a O2C connection with the Aspergers Society? Wern't they previously called something like that?

Anonymous said...

I am now disillusioned with the Doeberl, an event that I have supported for many years. For the last few years they have made a healthy profit, and it is long overdue that they have substantially increased the prize fund from the $10k that it has been for many years. Yet now that it is $16.5k they put all the $6.5k increase into the top division, which will be pocketed by greedy GMs from overseas who care nothing about Aussie chess. Well, this is not the Aussie way and is unpatriotic. What about the players like me who have loyally supported the Doeberl over many years by playing in the Minor and Major divisions? What is in it for us? What about our loyalty? The Doeberl used to have a good Aussie egalitarian split of prizemoney between the major divisions [I don't begrudge the top division getting more than the major and the major getting more than the minor, as this is fair enough, and the proportion was in my view fair and just]. I never thought I would say this, but I now think that Peter Hanna was right about the Sydney Easter Cup. Bring on the Sydney Easter Cup. That is where I will be this Easter. Stuff the elitist and un-Aussie Doeberl.

Anonymous said...

I dont think the overseas GM's are greedy...they are just trying to make a living.

One question I have,has anyone in NSW seen an actual tournament flyer for this years Doeberl?
It appears none have been sent to Victoria.

Are they taking the promotion route of ONLY using the internet to promote their tournament?

Havnt they realised that this is crazy when many long term players dont use the internet to find information about chess tournaments.

At least Brian Jones sent tournament information to Victoria for the Sydney International Open

Anonymous said...

442 You don't even play chess! LOL

Anonymous said...

You obviously havnt met me...

Anonymous said...

To anon #3 (a trolling antichrist I shouldn't wonder) - what a crock. The Doeberl is a year to year proposition. It takes only one substantial loss for the entire future of the event to be put in jeopardy. You make the organisers sound like money grubbing profiteers, which is so far from the truth as to be laughable.

Anonymous said...

Flyers were mailed to contact names at my Victorian Chess Club, and then printed for display on our local nb.
Seemed to work well as the display was well in advance.