2004 Doeberl Cup

[Garvinator]

It is not possible to score a title norm in an event with less than 9 rounds.

ok he didnt then

[1min_grandmaster]

Another excellent Doeberl Cup! The record entry was deserving for such a great event. Anyone who has yet to go to the Doeberl Cup doesn't know what they're missing. The atmosphere was electric and the playing conditions (in the Premier) were excellent.

Cups and coffee was organised by the club. They has supplied a large number of cups but were used inefficiently by the players. I don't think this is the organisers' fault.

There were many eating places open on Friday and Monday at Manuka (about 4 minutes walk from the playing venue), including Subway, McDonalds, cafes and bars. People were not forced to eat the hot food available at the playing hall. I thought it was interesting that kind of food was served right next to the top boards of the minor tournament, would have been a great distraction!

The Premier division has to be played in the adjacent room. There is no room for in the main hall for a third division. Anyway, entrants are paying extra to play in the top division.

I've always thought there are too many people talking at one end of the hall (the main entrance end). But what can you do as an organiser?

I thought the organisers did a great job. Well done Roger McCart, Shaun Press and others for making it a top event. I hope they get even more entries next year.

[Garvinator]

watch out, im a chance to go next year

[shaun]

I thought the organisers did a great job. Well done Roger McCart, Shaun Press and others for making it a top event. I hope they get even more entries next year.

Thank you for your kind feedback. As an official I thought this was the best Doeberl Cup I have been involved in. There were no major problems or disputes which not only reflects well on the organisers but also on the players as well. The chess was also exciting, with all three tournaments having exciting last round games to decide the winners.
Of course there were little things that didn't work as well as hoped, such as the coffee cups and the lighting for the top boards in the minor, but we hope to solve as many of these problems as we can for next year.
As my GM friend correctly observed, the club did supply cups, but failed to account for the overuse by players. When the problem was discovered Roger McCart went out and purchased more cups (and tea, coffee and milk), meaning that CL only had to wait 40 minutes for his coffee fix.

[Bill Gletsos]

Shaun,
I notice there were a number of withdrawls (3 in the premier, 1 in the major and 1 in the minor).
Given only one was from the ACT it would seem that it is a costly exercise to come to the Doeberl and then withdraw especially after just 1 round or even after 4 rounds.
What were some of the excuses?
Were all of them approved?

[arosar]

My first ever Doeberl was truly exciting, fun, and I have no complaints against the event or the organisers. This tourn will now be in my calendar I think now practically for the rest of my life. I'll definitely sell this event to all I know.

I don't believe it to be true that food places were closed on Friday and Monday (yesterday?). I know - I went out every night! Restaurants and cafes were open in Manuka throughout - from brekkie til dinner.

As to noise, this was always dealt with quickly by Mr Press, CZ, and Forace. Anyway, most of the blame lay with the likes of me, spectators and players, who often forget to step out when chatting.

Thanks for recommending Victor Lodge. Cheap, well run, family business with excellent service. They serve fantastic brekkie too. Loved the location (on Dawes St - just 15 mins walk from the venue). You wake up to the birds chirping and their singing sounds like a river stream - it's sooo beautiful! I also loved my morning walk from the hostel to the venue. You walk past gorgeous houses and verdant streets. My only complaint against Victor Lodge was that they didn't have a corkscrew - so I had to go out and buy me own. But no problem - I loved the wine. I'd been looking for it in Sydney and I only just found it in Canberra!

Finally, remember when Matt suggested that J Escribano should play by remote? Well, I totally agree with this. I happened to watch his game and he waves me off telling me that I was distracting him. And in one round, he gets up and basically moves his board to another table. Methinks I'll give him a quick call tonight and tell him to take up correspondence chess instead.

Anyway, I could go on about some more funny and quirky things. You know, like Sandler putting it across to one of the arbiters (I think it was CZ) that maybe the premiere should charge sub-2000 people a fortune to discourage them from playing in that section. Just listening to him in that style of speech, in that accent, was just, well, sorta unique. Or this kid who had trouble winning in a K+R v K. There was a small crowd of his mates around his table. Feeling a bit embarassed maybe, he says to himself, "what am I doing?" Then his little kid opponent, with that tough serious kid look goes, "Sssshhhh!!". Finally, when mate is delivered, the first kid raises his arms in triumph with a, "yessss" and all of us promptly gives him an applause! Fantastic!!

Actually....a controversy...uumm...on second thought - I think the decision was fair.

AR

[shaun]

Shaun,
I notice there were a number of withdrawls (3 in the premier, 1 in the major and 1 in the minor).
Given only one was from the ACT it would seem that it is a costly exercise to come to the Doeberl and then withdraw especially after just 1 round or even after 4 rounds.
What were some of the excuses?
Were all of them approved?

The list of shame is as follows:
Stephen Bartlett
Ibrahim Ogada-Osir
Roger Farrell
Ronald Scott
Harry Hoholis
Dejan Soco

The other withdrawals were all approved by the organisers (mainly on medical grounds).

The organising committee has decided that the unnaproved withdrawers will be required to lodge a $100 forfeit bond when they next enter the tournament, which will be refunded upon satisfactory completion of the event.

There was also one player who did not attend the prize giving to receive his prize, Adrian DeNoskowski. As he lives in Canberra I suspect his defence will be he didn't realise he had won anything, but there will still be a 20% deduction from his prize amount.

[Alan Shore]

There was also one player who did not attend the prize giving to receive his prize, Adrian DeNoskowski. As he lives in Canberra I suspect his defence will be he didn't realise he had won anything, but there will still be a 20% deduction from his prize amount.

Who arbitrarily decided this? Never in my life have I heard of such a ridiculous deduction. I suppose you just pocket that 20% for yourself Shaun?

[shaun]

Who arbitrarily decided this? Never in my life have I heard of such a ridiculous deduction. I suppose you just pocket that 20% for yourself Shaun?

Listen Dion. You seem to assume a familiarity with me which I do not understand. I don't think I have ever met you face to face, or that there is any reason why your opinions carry any more weight with me than the opinions of other complete strangers who randomly approach me. Indeed, you would have been better to remain as Bruce Dickinson as I could at least say that I have heard of you, something I would be hard pressed to do so now.
As to your question. A) The deduction of a percentage of prize money for failing to attend the prize giving ceremony is a common enough practice in other countries around the world (25% being a common standard in England) and B) This was decided a couple of years ago by the organising committee and is clearly printed on the entry form.

[Alan Shore]

Listen Dion. You seem to assume a familiarity with me which I do not understand. I don't think I have ever met you face to face, or that there is any reason why your opinions carry any more weight with me than the opinions of other complete strangers who randomly approach me. Indeed, you would have been better to remain as Bruce Dickinson as I could at least say that I have heard of you, something I would be hard pressed to do so now.
As to your question. A) The deduction of a percentage of prize money for failing to attend the prize giving ceremony is a common enough practice in other countries around the world (25% being a common standard in England) and B) This was decided a couple of years ago by the organising committee and is clearly printed on the entry form.

Shaun, I still think that is harsh, yet if it is printed on the entry form, then I am sorry for the comment I made, I was unaware of this.

As for your spiel at the beginning, I don't really understand what you're getting at. I don't know you in person, I don't expect my opinions to be carries with any more weight than anyone else so I'm confused. I know we've disagreed in the past and I've had problems with a few of your posts here before and subsequently argued against them but I don't see the current relevance - I don't judge you in any way since I've not met you.

[Oepty]

If you think deducting 20% is bad, I heard a story which might be incorrect, that a couple of years ago at the Glenelg allegro a player wasn't there to collect his prize so he didn't get it. I think it went to the next person. I think 20% is very fair as it takes time to chase the player up and if it is posted as a cheque that takes money.
Scott

[Lucena]

Indeed, you would have been better to remain as Bruce Dickinson as I could at least say that I have heard of you, something I would be hard pressed to do so now.

Ouch

[Paul S]

I have a close friend who played in the Doberl. he said that whilst the chess was good and the atmosphere wondeful there were some snafus

There was no food for him on Friday or Monday as the food places were all closed. On friday they forced him to eat one sausage sizzle for $2. Then they had a hamburger which costs $5. My friend was very unimpressed but as he was hungry he had no choice

Chesslover, what is your "friend" (is that you, Jose?) whingeing about? A mere 5 minute (maximum) walk from the Italo-Australian Club is Manuka town centre, with LOTS of places to choose from to eat, ranging in price/quality from cheap takeaway to expensive restaurants. During my time at this year's Doeberl I did not eat at the Italo-Australian Club at all, due to all the choice in Manuka! During the Doeberl I eat (and drank!) far too much at some of Manuka's fine restaurants (I can recommend Verve and Christophe's), which IMHO was one of the reasons for my worse than expected performance at this year's Doeberl.

Why didn't your friend go to Manuka town centre at some stage (like virtually everyone else)? It seems to me as though your friend was the only person at the Doeberl who ate ALL his food at the Italo-Australian Club.

Then my friend had dramas because of the ineptness of the canberra organisers. There was tea and coffee but no CUPS!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, this was also a minor annoyance to me during one of the rounds. However, the organisers rectified the situation later on during that round in question.

That is right- there was tea and coffee and suger and hot water but no CUPS. When my friend went to complain to the barman about the lack of cups many times he was given a rude reply. When he went to the organisers and asked him for the cups the organisers just said they were coming and ignored him.

Perhaps if Jose did not complain so many times then maybe he would not have been ignored and treated rudely? After all, surely once is enough for such a complaint? Why did Jose have to complain MANY times?

Also my friend said that the noise levelwas very loud and that disturbed him as well. Many times people complain not just my poor friend, but others as well. The noise and smell was overwhelming in that hall and also there was a room just for the elite as well

That is the reason why my friend who is a future IM did not play as well as he could

What about the noise from your friend's headphones during NSWCA tournaments last year that distracted other players? What about the noise your friend sometimes makes by arguing with opponents/arbiters and thereby distracting other players games? Nice to see someone get a dose of their own medicine, I say! :p

My friend liked the chess and watching the other IMs and GMs but found rhe noise and food and no cups very annoying. I would complain but my friend said that the arbiters now do not take any notice of him so he cannot complain much

I wonder why arbiters now take no notice of him?

[chesslover]

Who arbitrarily decided this? Never in my life have I heard of such a ridiculous deduction. I suppose you just pocket that 20% for yourself Shaun?

Good one mate. I had a lot of hearty chuckles at this.

But that was a good question you asked - where does the 20% go?????

Pity it was not used to buy some extra cups for the cofee and tea. What is the use of providing coffee and tea when there is no cups hey?????? If these canberra organisers had spent more time on providing cups than it would have been a much better tournament

The attitude of some of the the barmen was really rude. When my friend asked for a cup again that man almsot looked like assaulting my dear friend

[Garvinator]

The attitude of some of the the barmen was really rude. When my friend asked for a cup again that man almsot looked like assaulting me

i thought it was your friend that was having the issue about cups, so why the assaulting me comment would you like that third goosemaster norm now