I had this idea, it won’t ever come to fruition because I’m not wealthy and could never afford to put on such a tournament however:
A tournament of champions (kind of like the us masters in golf) where anyone who has ever won a us (mens) championship would be eligible to participate.
So yeah, that’s my idea, maybe when the uscf gets some money together they could organize something like that.
We used to have the annual Lone Pine tournament, funded by the Piatigorsky family. Gregor Piatigorsky was a significant cellist and played in a “dream trio” with Jascha Heifetz and Artur Rubinstein.
(My advance apologies if this correction is, well, incorrect. But I believe I have my history right.)
The Lone Pine tournament series was funded by Louis Statham. In fact, the tournament’s actual name was the Louis D. Statham Masters, but it was known as the Lone Pine International. The tournament ran throughout the 1970s, and ended as Statham’s health declined. (The last Lone Pine event was 1981; Statham died in 1983.)
The Piatigorsky Cups were the tournaments funded by Gregor and Jacqueline Piatigorsky. I believe there were only two of those (something like 1963 and 1966?).
Sorry you’re right!
One of my kids is a string player so I happened to be watching that video recently. That’s what put the Piatigorsky name in my head.
Lone pine is not what i was referring to, that was just a strong tournament that occurred in the past, like foxwoods, not just any strong player would be invited, it would be specifically geared towards those who achieved the title of US champion.
Would deceased ex-champs be invited? If yes my money is on Fischer to sweep the field.
Actually, Lone Pine is more accurately compared with the Midwest Masters (now US Masters), although the entry requirements for Lone Pine were extremely strict. For example, there were years where it was only open to GMs, IMs, USCF senior masters, and juniors over 2300.
Your specific proposal is interesting, though irrespective of USCF’s financial health, I don’t think it will happen unless some wealthy patron cracks open his/her piggy bank.
Golf has a couple of events that kind of parallel yours, but neither follows your specific format requirements (for good reason, I believe). The Mercedes Championships, which opens the US PGA season, invites only the winners of PGA TOUR events from the previous season. Also, the Masters invites all its previous champions to play every year (although they have started actively discouraging past champions at or beyond the age range of 60-65 from playing).
Perhaps a hybrid of your idea would be to invite the winner of every major open tournament in the country during a previous defined 12-month period, plus every past US Champion. (This would require a definition of “major open tournament”; a possible idea might be “any tournament offering a first prize of $5,000 or more.”) You’ll have an easier time making a decent-sized field, and the major-open winner restriction should keep it pretty competitive.
For the sake of reference, here is a list of living former US champions: L. Alburt, J. Benjamin, A. Bisguier, W. Browne, R. Byrne, L. Christiansen, N. de Firmian, R. Dzindzichashvili, J. Grefe, B. Gulko, A. Ivanov, G. Kamsky, L. Kavalek, H. Nakamura, A. Onischuk, S. Rachels, Y. Seirawan, A. Shabalov, Y. Shulman, M. Wilder, P. Wolff, A. Yermolinsky. A number of these players are inactive, for various reasons.
Something which cannot be readily discerned from USCF records.
Introducing the concept of “the majors” in chess makes some sense. There are only 4 majors in golf, and the idea of keeping it at a high level, VERY elite, adds to the idea. Also, they are static. The tournaments don’t change.
Potential Majors in chess would likely include:
U.S. Open (300 GPP)
World Open (300 GPP)
National Open (200 GPP)
Chicago Open (200 GPP)
(I note that these are all at 200 GP points and up)
Possibilities include:
Philadelphia Open (200 GPP)
U.S. Masters?
New York International (200 GPP)
North American Open (200 GPP)
No other events seem to be at or above 200 GPP? But then I missed something.
Mike, would using Grand Prix points offered, as Kevin suggests, make qualifying events for this proposal more easily trackable? If so, I like the idea of the qualifying line being at 200 GPP. (Throw in the US Masters, in those years it is held.)
EDIT: To clarify, I would say the winner (or winners, in the event of a tie) of the open (or top) section in any event offering at least 200 GPP should qualify for this proposed event.
We do have records showing the number of Grand Prix points for events (back to 2005), since we need that information to compute the Grand Prix standings.
Here is a summary of all the Grand Prix events in the last 12 months (since 5/20/2011):
[code]GP Points Events
6 58
10 91
15 43
20 28
30 24
40 15
50 4
60 12
80 11
100 8
120 6
150 8
200 8
300 3
[/code]
And here are all the events that had 100 or more Grand Prix points:
[code] Event ID Affiliate Event GP Points
201108074391 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 4TH ANNUAL CLEVELAND OPEN! 100
201108146361 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 2011 INDIANAPOLIS OPEN 100
201109044261 RALEIGH TOURNAMENT CHESS CLUB 2011 NORTH CAROLINA OPEN 100
201110096011 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 8TH LOS ANGELES OPEN! 100
201110168291 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 20TH MIDWEST CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS! 100
201110303221 MARSHALL CHESS CLUB MCC CHAMPIONSHIP 100
201201297992 GREATER HENDERSON COUNTY CHESS LAND OF THE SKY XXV 100
201203115892 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 19TH ANNUAL WESTERN CLASS! 100
201108146411 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN CONTINENTAL OPEN 120
201108280911 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 43RD ANNUAL ATLANTIC OPEN! 120
201111273861 CHESS PALACE 47TH ANNUAL AMERICAN OPEN 120
201112304421 CHESS HOUSE 2011 EASTERN OPEN 120
201201161701 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN GOLDEN STATE OPEN 120
201204013892 ROCHESTER CHESS CENTER 34TH ANNUAL MARCHAND OPEN 2012 120
201107177631 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 4TH CHICAGO CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS! 150
201107177731 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 16TH PACIFIC COAST OPEN! 150
201109054751 SAN DIEGO CHESS CLUB SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OPEN 2011 150
201110303181 MICHIGAN CHESS FESTIVAL LLC MICHIGAN INTERNATION CHESS FESTIVAL 150
201111138751 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 20TH KINGS ISLAND OPEN! 150
201111273321 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 42ND ANNUAL NATIONAL CHESS CONGRESS 150
201202207232 SAN DIEGO CHESS CLUB RECESSION BUSTER 150
201204086552 RENO CHESS CLUB 2012 RENO LARRY EVANS MEMORIAL 150
201106126551 VEGAS CHESS FESTIVALS NATIONAL OPEN CHAMPOINSHIP 200
201106219211 MARSHALL CHESS CLUB 4TH NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL 200
201106281721 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL 200
201108218881 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN MANHATTAN OPEN 200
201110106261 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN CONTINENTAL CLASS 200
201110231361 RENO CHESS CLUB WESTERN STATES OPEN 2011 200
201112294511 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN NORTH AMERICAN OPEN 200
201204086022 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN PHILADELPHIA OPEN 200
201105302021 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN CHICAGO OPEN 300
201107043831 CONTINENTAL CHESS ASSN 39TH ANNUAL WORLD OPEN 300
201108074461 US CHESS FEDERATION 112TH ANNUAL US OPEN - 2011 300
[/code]
It is worth noting that the Masters golf tournament invites all players who win PGA Tour events during the preceding 12 months. There may not be any comparable qualification process in chess.
I don’t think you implied this, but I don’t see inactivity as a reason for a player not playing. There are always going to be players on the bottom of the cross table somebody has to occupy that spot. I do like your idea of the hybrid though. Of course the inactive players would be more than welcome to decline the invitation. Again though I am of the opinion that if there was a hybrid it wouldn’t just be like Lone Pines entrance requirements, it wouldn’t be open to foreign players who are just strong players, it would only be open to players who had won large national tournaments and former us champs.
Another possible selection criteria:
Here are all the events in the past 12 months which had 10 or more Masters in them. (Not all of them were Grand Prix events.)
[code]Event ID Section Event GP Points Players Masters
201202209002 1 WORLD AMATEUR TEAM 2012 -N- 1237 112
201105302021 1 CHICAGO OPEN 300 139 79
201107043831 2 39TH ANNUAL WORLD OPEN 0 137 77
201107043831 1 39TH ANNUAL WORLD OPEN 300 94 68
201108219121 1 1ST METROPOLITAN CHESS INC INTERNAT 0 86 65
201106126551 1 NATIONAL OPEN CHAMPOINSHIP 200 86 59
201108074461 1 112TH ANNUAL US OPEN - 2011 300 367 58
201204086022 1 PHILADELPHIA OPEN 200 80 57
201108218881 1 MANHATTAN OPEN 200 76 54
201106219211 1 4TH NEW YORK INTERNATIONAL 200 69 53
201201088942 1 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL -N- 61 47
201112304291 1 2011 PAN AMERICAN INTERCOLLEGIATE 0 128 41
201111138751 1 20TH KINGS ISLAND OPEN! 150 68 37
201112294511 1 NORTH AMERICAN OPEN 200 62 37
201110106261 1 CONTINENTAL CLASS 200 51 35
201111273321 1 42ND ANNUAL NATIONAL CHESS CONGRESS 150 57 35
201112294511 2 NORTH AMERICAN OPEN 0 94 33
201201161502 1 44TH LIBERTY BELL OPEN! 80 52 31
201110231361 1 WESTERN STATES OPEN 2011 200 39 27
201112294191 1 30TH EMPIRE CITY OPEN! 60 63 27
201201161701 1 GOLDEN STATE OPEN 120 60 27
201109044261 1 2011 NORTH CAROLINA OPEN 100 53 26
201202207232 5 RECESSION BUSTER 150 50 26
201204157852 4 2012 NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONS -N- 330 26
201107177631 1 4TH CHICAGO CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS! 150 37 24
201203115892 1 19TH ANNUAL WESTERN CLASS! 100 34 23
201112304421 1 2011 EASTERN OPEN 120 37 22
201109053601 1 77TH ANNUAL SOUTHWEST OPEN 40 55 21
201111273861 1 47TH ANNUAL AMERICAN OPEN 120 28 21
201204013652 1 2012 FINAL 4 OF COLLEGE CHESS -N- 22 21
201105200191 1 DCCL WINTER 2010-2011 PT 2 0 87 20
201106239521 1 24TH THURSDAY NIGHT CHAMPS! 30 35 20
201109054751 1 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA OPEN 2011 150 63 20
201109231121 1 DCCL SUMMER 2011 0 78 20
201110023401 1 2011 US CLASS 30 31 20
201110168291 1 20TH MIDWEST CLASS CHAMPIONSHIPS! 100 33 20
201110303181 1 MICHIGAN INTERNATION CHESS FESTIVAL 150 68 20
201108146411 1 CONTINENTAL OPEN 120 31 19
201106043601 1 FAIRFIELD COUNTY MASTERS & CLASS 20 18 18
201107249651 1 16TH ANNUAL BRADLEY OPEN! 80 30 18
201109053581 3 ILLINOIS OPEN 2011 30 70 18
201109053811 1 NJ OPEN 2011 40 54 18
201109208321 1 SEPTEMBER MASTERS 15 22 18
201105177391 1 MARSHALL MASTERS 15 22 17
201105301811 1 80TH MASSACHUSETTS OPEN 40 35 17
201105303121 1 2011 LINA GRUMETTE MEMORIAL DAY 40 42 17
201110230421 1 MULLIGAN MASTERS AND EXPERTS IV 0 35 17
201202196412 1 USAT-NORTH 2012 -N- 171 17
201202207132 1 US AMATEUR TEAM WEST 2012 -N- 177 17
201204293362 1 2012 MARYLAND OPEN 50 50 17
201105125721 1 10 GRAND PRIX POINTS TONIGHT! 10 32 16
201107198131 1 JULY MARSHALL MASTERS 15 31 16
201108218881 2 MANHATTAN OPEN 0 63 16
201110303221 1 MCC CHAMPIONSHIP 100 33 16
201201298072 1 2012 CARDINAL OPEN 60 38 16
201204086552 1 2012 RENO LARRY EVANS MEMORIAL 150 50 16
201105301861 2 THE NEW YORKER OPEN! 0 61 15
201105301861 1 THE NEW YORKER OPEN! 30 26 15
201106281721 1 PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL 200 33 15
201108022831 1 2011 DENKER TMT OF HS CHAMPIONS 0 50 15
201108280911 1 43RD ANNUAL ATLANTIC OPEN! 120 36 15
201112202291 1 MARSHALL MASTERS 15 22 15
201203043042 1 21ST ANNUAL EASTERN CLASS 80 21 15
201108074371 1 17TH ANNUAL NORTHEAST OPEN 60 38 14
201108167011 1 MARSHALL MASTERS 8-16-2011 15 31 14
201111273081 1 THANKSGIVING OPEN 60 37 14
201112314601 1 25TH LAST BLUNDER OF 2011! 10 51 14
201202217282 1 MARSHALL FEBRUARY MASTERS 15 17 14
201205158472 1 MASTERS 15 16 14
201205200312 1 MAY GP -N- 35 14
201105147351 1 2011 CT STATE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 10 25 13
201105229061 1 MULLIGAN MASTERS & EXPERTS III 0 33 13
201105301791 1 TEXAS STATE AND AMATEUR 30 31 13
201106198581 1 2011 CASTLE CHESS GRAND PRIX 80 34 13
201106219151 1 MARSHALL MASTERS 6 21 2011 15 18 13
201108147221 1 PORTLAND CC CENTENNIAL 60 54 13
201109053591 1 67TH OHIO CHESS CONGRESS 30 40 13
201201088182 1 2012 CHESAPEAKE OPEN 30 29 13
201201161502 2 44TH LIBERTY BELL OPEN! -N- 47 13
201201297992 1 LAND OF THE SKY XXV 100 26 13
201202196382 1 SOUTHWEST COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS -N- 25 13
201202196922 1 THE 2012 MINNESOTA OPEN -N- 41 13
201203043012 1 44TH ANNUAL VIRGINIA OPEN 30 64 13
201203188412 1 16TH ANNUAL MID-AMERICA OPEN! 80 48 13
201203208912 1 MARSHALL MARCH MASTERS 15 17 13
201204178912 1 MARSHALL APRIL MASTERS 15 16 13
201105260601 1 ORIGINAL 4 RATED GAMES TONIGHT 0 37 12
201106022901 1 10 GRAND PRIX POINTS TONIGHT! 10 45 12
201107092011 1 48TH CANADIAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP -N- 15 12
201111159351 1 NOVEMBER MASTERS 15 16 12
201201088302 1 MARSHALL CC JANUARY GRAND PRIX 10 40 12
201202051132 1 LOST LAKE MASTERS 2 -N- 14 12
201202124022 1 2012 BALTIMORE OPEN 20 52 12
201202165292 1 10 GRAND PRIX POINTS TONIGHT! 10 32 12
201205199552 1 2012 US MENS CHAMPIONSHIP -N- 12 12
201105197871 1 ORIGINAL 4 RATED GAMES TONIGHT! 0 33 11
201105301881 1 CALCHESS STATE + CLASS CHAMP 2011 80 25 11
201106261171 1 MCC JUNE GRAND PRIX 10 31 11
201107043841 1 51ST ANNUAL PACIFIC SOUTHWEST OPEN 30 56 11
201108146361 5 2011 INDIANAPOLIS OPEN 100 28 11
201109053651 1 2011 LABOR DAY CHESS FESTIVAL 30 29 11
201110096011 1 8TH LOS ANGELES OPEN! 100 13 11
201111138721 1 MCC NOV GP 10 43 11
201112046381 1 MCC DECEMBER GP 10 32 11
201112222791 1 10 GRAND PRIX POINTS TONIGHT! 10 30 11
201112304331 1 27TH NORTH AMERICAN MASTERS 0 12 11
201201088142 1 CONTINENTAL AMATEUR! -N- 37 11
201203042802 1 MCC MARCH GRAND PRIX 10 41 11
201203188422 1 LONG ISLAND OPEN 60 37 11
201204013892 1 34TH ANNUAL MARCHAND OPEN 2012 120 47 11
201204157812 1 BILL WRIGHT SAINT LOUIS OPEN 30 22 11
201205178952 1 GET READY 4 NEXT THU TONIGHT! -N- 32 11
201106054091 1 6TH METROPOLITAN CHESS INVITATIONAL 0 10 10
201106167371 1 ORIGINAL 4 RATED GAMES TONIGHT! 0 41 10
201106252471 1 2011 US JUNIOR CLOSED 0 10 10
201107177731 1 16TH PACIFIC COAST OPEN! 150 28 10
201107249831 1 LANDON BROWNELL MEMORIAL 0 10 10
201108074711 1 2011 POTOMAC OPEN 30 30 10
201108270821 1 11TH METROPOLITAN CHESS FIDE INVITA 0 10 10
201110188771 1 MARSHALL OCTOBER MASTERS 15 13 10
201110251301 3 5TH ANNUAL SPICE CUP - 2011 0 10 10
201110302851 1 15TH ANNUAL TEXAS COLLEGIATE CHAMPS 0 17 10
201112108181 1 MCC SATURDAY GAME 60 -N- 39 10
201112119551 1 13TH METROPOLITAN CHESS FIDE INVITA 0 10 10
201112139321 1 CCSCSL INVITATIONAL 0 10 10
201201171982 1 MARSHALL JANUARY MASTERS 15 14 10
201201298252 1 2012 MARYLAND CHESS LEAGUE ROUND 1 -N- 24 10
201202124272 1 MARSHALL CC INVITATIONAL -N- 10 10
201202269852 1 16TH METROPOLITAN CHESS FIDE INVITA -N- 10 10
201203064662 1 REYLJAVIK OPEN -N- 10 10
201203105162 1 CMC ACTION TOURNAMENT GRAND PRIX -N- 16 10
201203105512 1 GRAND PRIX -13TH BRUCE BOWYER MEMOR 10 24 10
201203156792 3 28TH NORTH AMERICAN MASTERS -N- 10 10
201203250662 1 2012 MCL ROUND 2 -N- 24 10
201204013472 1 MARCHAPRIL GP 10 47 10
201204138162 1 2012 SAINT LOUIS INVITATIONAL -N- 10 10
201205199572 1 2012 US WOMENS CHAMPIONSHIP -N- 10 10
[/code]
These are two separate concepts. I’ll address the first one here; the second effectively gets covered later in this reply.
My guess is that many of the inactive players are unlikely to play. This is based on reading comments they’ve made in interviews such as this one. That is part of the reason why I would look to find a way to get more players in - hence, the hybrid.
My personal thought is that such an event should have a minimum USCF rating requirement for the former US champions who are invited to play. (I would think that 2400 should be the bare minimum, and one could easily argue that it should really be 2500.) If a former US champion drops below that rating line, that player can be invited to give lectures and talks, or play simuls, or whatever - but putting them in the main field is not good.
Again, a golf parallel: several former Masters champions played well past the point where they could even hope to break 80, let alone actually make the cut after two rounds. They suffered the indignity of getting letters from Augusta National suggesting they no longer play the main event.
I would hope we could avoid either of the competitive or the PR pitfall, while preserving the competitive level of the event throughout the wallchart. As you say, someone has to be at the bottom of the wallchart. What is somewhat under the organizer’s control, though, is where the bottom of the wallchart stops.
I believe I gave an idea for entrance requirements to this proposed event that match the ones you’re mentioning here. In any event, I would say we’re in heated agreement on this.