c4countdown

As we were getting the league trials set up, there was some indication that some people would prefer one-off rating-restricted tournaments. With that in mind, I'll put myself forward to organize such an event.

The Event: The 2009 apterous Summer Open, U1200, U1000, and U800

When: Starting the first day of summer, Sunday June 21, and running for five weeks

Where: In your favorite web browser

Tournament Guidelines: This will be a five-round Swiss-style tournament in four flights. The top flight, the Open flight, will be open to anyone who wishes to participate. The other three flights will only be open to those whose ratings qualify them for it. The U1200 flight will only be open to those whose ratings are below 1200, the U1000 to those whose ratings are below 1000, and the U800 to those whose ratings are below 800. I will be regularly checking the "published" apterous rating list over the next two weeks and taking an average [EDIT: maximum] of those ratings to determine eligibility. (Note: If two consecutive divisions both have an odd number of players, I may "ask" someone to play up a division.)

Each round will be played over one week, running from 12:00:01 Sunday morning to 11:59:59 Saturday evening (UK time). Each round's pairings will be posted in the forum and you have the rest of the week to complete a best-of-three Standard 15 match and post the results in the forum. Pairings will be done Swiss-style, meaning that you will play other players with the same score as much as possible. Rankings will be done primarily on match points (1 point for winning the match, 0 if not), followed by game winning percentage, followed by points per game. The player with the best score after five rounds is the winner.

Absences: I've done Sunday--Saturday in the hopes that even if you take off a weekend, you can still get all your games in, since you'll only miss one day of each week, so I do not intend to give half-point byes. If you have extreme circumstances, let me know and we'll see what we can do. A match that is unplayed will earn 0 points for both players; a match that is unfinished for reasons outside the players' control will be scored at my discretion.

Entry fee: $0 (or in the UK, £0)

How to enter: Post in this thread or (better yet) send me a PM with who you are and what flight you intend to enter. For-sure registration will end 11:59:59pm June 19; after that, players will be added at convenience.

Questions? Comments? Vitriol? Post below please.

Note: If there is enough interest, I may run a concurrent "side" event of Summer Goat.

Andrew Feist wrote:I will be regularly checking the "published" apterous rating list over the next two weeks and taking an average of those ratings to determine eligibility.

The ratings already include averaging over time. You'd be better to either set a fixed date on which the ratings will be taken, or to take peak rating over some period of time.

Otherwise, sounds like a decent idea, so count me in.

Count me in please for the open flight.

I'm in.

Me too, please.

Yes please.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Andrew Feist wrote:I will be regularly checking the "published" apterous rating list over the next two weeks and taking an average of those ratings to determine eligibility.

The ratings already include averaging over time. You'd be better to either set a fixed date on which the ratings will be taken, or to take peak rating over some period of time.

Otherwise, sounds like a decent idea, so count me in.

You may need to clarify if players are automatically put in their appropriate divisions or if you can choose to 'play up' a division

Also what about prizes

Me in also please. Annoyingly you've set the bar just below me, so I can't enter any of the restricted tourney's. So I'll have to make do with losing in the first round of the Open (again! ) If only I was worse...
Edit: I've actually just noticed that since it's not a knock-out I can't technically get knocked out in the first round, which is awesome

In, although I probably need to lose a bit and drop below 1200...

What Charlie says is true about time averaging. What I'm worried about are people near the line who tend to go back and forth a lot; I don't want them trying to throw games to get under. (Edit: Not that I believe anybody really would, but it's the principle of the thing.) I'll use peak rating instead (I've already got today's list, and I'll get more).

If you are U1200, you need to tell me what division you are going to play in, otherwise I will have to ask you. (Go ahead and edit your post and put it in there.)

As to prizes, our budget runs to basically nothing. Perhaps we can convince Charlie for an inventory item?

Bung me in the U1200. Nice to see chess-related Apterousness =)

Andrew Feist wrote:What Charlie says is true about time averaging. What I'm worried about are people near the line who tend to go back and forth a lot; I don't want them trying to throw games to get under. (Edit: Not that I believe anybody really would, but it's the principle of the thing.) I'll use peak rating instead (I've already got today's list, and I'll get more).

If you are U1200, you need to tell me what division you are going to play in, otherwise I will have to ask you. (Go ahead and edit your post and put it in there.)

As to prizes, our budget runs to basically nothing. Perhaps we can convince Charlie for an inventory item?

I was only kidding about actual prizes as there is no entry fee

On a slightly different matter how about a time handicapped tournament for all with times varying between 3 and 45 seconds depending on rating

It would be a great leveller

Sure, count me in.

Count me in for the U1200 please

Pity, I'd like to have gone in for the U800 band, but will miss the whole of one week, and am only here for a very short time in two other weeks. Hope you'll run something similar after September, when I should manage five consecutive weeks.

Best of luck with the competition.

I haven't actually read the OP because it's too long, but I assume this is some kind of competitiona and I see lots of my friends saying "I'm in", so I'm in too please

Put me in The Open too please

Stick me in the U1000 (if I'm still eligible - ever hopeful I can increase my rating a bit!)
(If I'm not eligible, then the U1200. If I'm not eligible for that then some other, better, player has hacked my account and played for me.)

Please can I have a go? At trying to remember to play my games

Put me down for (hopefully) the open section

In seriousness, I'd like to play under-1200 simply because I actually want a vague chance of doing well!

The plan is to keep the field updates here. (Updated 9 June 0345.)

Currently registered in the open:
Kirk Bevins|1824
Junaid Mubeen|1733
Jon Corby|1693
Charlie Reams|1640
Dinos Sfyris|1549
Kai Laddiman|1549
Oliver Garner|1469
Ben Wilson|1422
Neil Zussman|1302
Jim Bentley|1284
Ian Volante|1211

Currently registered in the U1200:
Henry Meier|1082
Daniel O'Dowd|1032

Currently registered in the U1000:
Andrew Feist|943
James Hall|904

Currently registered in the U800:
<none>

Currently registered for an unknown division:
Ian Dent|665


The cutoffs were chosen looking at the player list to give not-quite-equal splits (more players in the lower groups who might be less active/likely to play). The first blush seems to indicate I didn't do that very well; on the other hand, registration's only been open for two days. If we get close to the end of registration and things are still lopsided, we may adjust cuts so that the lower groups don't look so sad. I'm hopeful we won't have to do that though; and certainly that decision won't be made for a little while.

Ian Dent wrote:I'm in.

Et moi, S'il vous plait

Stick me down Andrew - U1000.
Got a week holiday from July 24th but should be around anytime up til then.

Andrew Feist wrote: Currently registered in the U800:
<none>

How frustrating. A competition I might have had a chance of winning, if I was to be around for the full time.

Yep, I'm in

Please put me in the U1000 (If I am eligible when the ratings are averaged or whatever you are going to do to them), if not then please put me in the U1200.

Argh, I may be away for a week or so in August, but when dates are known, then if it happens to be a Sunday-Saturday holiday and not a Wed-Tue one, then please strike me off. However as things stand, please keep me in

Matt Morrison wrote:Stick me down Andrew - U1000.
Got a week holiday from July 24th but should be around anytime up til then.

My database thinks your rating is 1003 (based on the list I downloaded Sunday). I've put you in the U1200 section.

Paul Erdunast wrote:Argh, I may be away for a week or so in August, but when dates are known, then if it happens to be a Sunday-Saturday holiday and not a Wed-Tue one, then please strike me off. However as things stand, please keep me in

It's a five-week tournament; it runs from June 21 through July 25, so you should feel free to make whatever August holiday plans you like.

Ok first dunce reporting in for the U800, looks like I'm winning so far!

I only ever look at the Apterous board, would not have known this was here if you hadn't said in chat, needs a topic on the Apterous board.

Andrew Feist wrote:

Matt Morrison wrote:Stick me down Andrew - U1000.
Got a week holiday from July 24th but should be around anytime up til then.

My database thinks your rating is 1003 (based on the list I downloaded Sunday). I've put you in the U1200 section.

I'd built up to about 1300 in the old ratings, after the change I went down to 1003 (which you obviously saw).
I'm now at 985 or something, and I very much doubt I'll be going back above 1000 as I've only played about two games in the last month or two.
I was hoping the Summer Open would give me some aptolove back as I'm not feeling it much at the moment. U1000, trust me!

Sounds good - please add me to the U1200s.

put me in the u1200 as well please

Just to clarify. I am hoping to enter all of the tournaments.

Thanks.

Ian Dent wrote:Just to clarify. I am hoping to enter all of the tournaments.

Thanks.

I suppose we can do that. It will cost you four times as much, though.

Andrew Feist wrote:

Ian Dent wrote:Just to clarify. I am hoping to enter all of the tournaments.

Thanks.

I suppose we can do that. It will cost you four times as much, though.

Seems a bit weird to let people enter multiple divisions. It would just make U1000 division into a regular tournament with 75% of the players banned. Your tournament though, so I won't complain if you want to run it that way.

Charlie Reams wrote:

Andrew Feist wrote:

Ian Dent wrote:Just to clarify. I am hoping to enter all of the tournaments.

Thanks.

I suppose we can do that. It will cost you four times as much, though.

Seems a bit weird to let people enter multiple divisions. It would just make U1000 division into a regular tournament with 75% of the players banned. Your tournament though, so I won't complain if you want to run it that way.

Well, in a "normal" tournament you wouldn't be able to play all divisions because they're all at the same time and you can't be in >1 place at the same time. But the U800 people are eligible for all the divisions, and here we don't have that time-and-place restriction. It's playing up with a vengeance.... (I just have to rejigger my database now.)

Can I enter U800 and U1000 please?

Enter me for the U1200 please, and I'll probably have a crack at the Open as I'll have plenty of time on my hands after exam and fancy having a go at a bit of giant-killing.

I'd like to enter please. My rank is floatign about the mid 1300's at the moment, so i suppose that would mean i should enter the open flight thingymajig. It will be nice to try and win the wooden spoon.

Can I be in for U1200 and the Open (or the Open if I only can enter one)

Sounds like a bit of craic. I'd like to enter the U1000 please. I like the idea of multiple entries. I'm not going to waste anyone's time by entering the open, but if you're still cool with this i'd definitely have a go at the sub 1200 too. Cheers. Let the trash talking begin!

Quite a bit of activity the past couple days. The U1200 and the U1000 fields are starting to look respectable.

The field for the open (currently 24 players):
Kirk Bevins|1824
Junaid Mubeen|1733
Jon Corby|1696
Charlie Reams|1641
Innis Carson|1623
Dinos Sfyris|1597
Kai Laddiman|1579
Andrew Hulme|1575
David O'Donnell|1549
James Hurrell|1524
Oliver Garner|1469
Ben Wilson|1451
Jack Hurst|1325
Neil Zussman|1305
Jim Bentley|1290
Ian Volante|1255
Matt Bayfield|1242
Mark Harrison|1135
Peter Lee|1119
Aaron Higgs|1086
Jeff Burgin|1074
Paul Erdunast|1044
Simon Myers|1032
Ian Dent|665

The field for the U1200 (currently 15 players):
Matthew Green|1183
Henry Meier|1164
Mark Harrison|1135
Tyron Potts|1121
Peter Lee|1119
Aaron Higgs|1086
Jeff Burgin|1074
Paul Erdunast|1044
Tom Rowell|1042
Daniel O'Dowd|1038
Matt Morrison|1033
Simon Myers|1032
Shaun Hegarty|940
Andy Wilson|898
Ian Dent|665

The field for the U1000 (currently 8 players):
Shaun Hegarty|940
James Hall|932
Liam Tiernan|900
Phil Collinge|900
Andy Wilson|898
James Levison|884
Niall Seymour|834
Ian Dent|665

The field for the U800 (currently 4 players):
Adam Dexter|724
Maxine Silkstone|722
Ian Dent|665
Steve Rogers|461

Plenty of room left everywhere, so keep on registering!

Note: Several players have de facto petitioned to "play down" by trying to register for sections they're not eligible to play. Those will be handled on a case-by-case basis, but I will say that I feel that playing down runs completely counter to the idea of Uxxx sections, so you've got an uphill battle ahead of you.

Count me in please Andrew. Enter me the the U1200 if I'm eligible or the Open if I'm not.

(My current rating has gone up this morning to a personal best of 1199, so for now I will be "top seed" for the U1200. However, if I win my next standard game I'll presumably exceed 1200 and will end up as a whipping boy in the Open...)

I'm in. U800 division please (unless I have an incredible dramatic ratings improvement over the next few days!!)

U800 looks like a short tournament!

I'm genuinely not trying to play under my rating Andrew. How about U1200 AND U1000, good by you?

Numbers man, I've missed you on Apterous.

You can add my name to the list for the u1000.

Please put me down for the open.

In please

In please for the U1000 and U1200 groups.
This should be fun.

I'll play. U1200 if I'm eligible.

I reckon that U1400 would make more sense than U800.

It might be amusing to let bots enter...

Kai Laddiman wrote:I reckon that U1400 would make more sense than U800.

Let's just say that the next time the cutoffs will be different.

Charlie Reams wrote:It might be amusing to let bots enter...

I had thought about putting a bot into the groups if there were an odd number of players, but then realized I would have to check whether everybody in that group had paid their money, so decided to put myself in as the odd person instead. (Of course I may still need a bot or two in U800....)

Andrew Feist wrote:I had thought about putting a bot into the groups if there were an odd number of players, but then realized I would have to check whether everybody in that group had paid their money, so decided to put myself in as the odd person instead. (Of course I may still need a bot or two in U800....)

I'd be more than happy to go in the U800 group if necessary to make it an even number, but only if I could play both rounds 4 and 5 on the evening of the final day of round 5, which I can see could be organisationally awkward for the delayed round 4 games. Alternatively, I'd be happy to concede round 4 games.

I would like to enter the open section, please.

For future tournaments, you could just say there will be however many divisions and then split them along rating lines at the end. (That's what I'm planning for the next Aptobash, at least.)

Charlie Reams wrote:For future tournaments, you could just say there will be however many divisions and then split them along rating lines at the end. (That's what I'm planning for the next Aptobash, at least.)

To be fair, Andrew's method has been used for many major Scrabble tournaments in the US for ages and it does work well there- however those tournaments in question do have 800-odd entrants.

Hi I would like to enter the U1200 and the open if possible. Thanks Peter Lee