Last evening I travelled over to Ellsworth to play some chess with Dick Powell and a couple of area high school students. It was a relaxed two hours with casual conversation and even more casual chess. When we had to leave Mr. Paperback at 8:00, we had enjoyed the beauty of the game while enjoying each other's company.
Today I spent forty-five minutes at the end of the school day taking my class through lessons from Susan Polgar's curriculum. The students enjoyed the challenges before them and took the thoughts of 64 squares with them out the door and home for the weekend. I am sure that other things like "Youth Hunting Day" were more on their minds than chess, but again they enjoyed the camaraderie at the end of the day in looking at chess lessons together.
After the students left, I hustled to John Bapst where I met with Yuri Riabkov, their chess coach, to discuss plans for PVC high school chess this year. I mentioned that I had been in contact with John Dearing (Bangor coach) and Steve Abrahams (Orono coach). We have tentatively scheduled our organizational meeting for Monday, November 2 at Border's in Bangor. Yuri was also excited by the fact that he has close to fifteen interested students this year and that the school is willing to support two teams for the states this year. It was nice to see that there are more students excited about joining their friends over the board this year. Again the social aspect seems to be a strong draw.
I then came home and saw that there was another statement on chessmaine.net from Akagi Kayashima. I am surprised that he feels that the choice between candidates represents a choice between new and old. I certainly hope to push Maine chess forward if I'm elected and I don't feel that I will rely on old ideas. I do hope to rely on those that have been involved in Maine chess in recent times to help push chess in Maine to greater heights. I also hope that if I am president that Akagi will still promote chess in Maine. I would be disappointed if his promoting chess here is dependent upon his being elected.
I have always enjoyed the relationships that I have developed while playing chess. It is something that draws one back to a club or a tournament setting. I'm hoping that I can encourage others who want to cultivate these memories and feelings to participate in over-the-board chess during the next few years.
Thanks again to all those who have been most supportive in my candidacy.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Tournament Proposals
I must comment on the proposed tournaments that Akagi Kayashima is presenting to the Maine chess community. I feel that it is great that Akagi is willing to promote new tournaments in Maine, but I also feel that it is presumptuous to assume that his proposals are what the members of the Maine Chess Association want as their championships. He may continue to present his vision of what MECA chess events should be like, but until the election is complete and the officers and policy board have agreed to these changes I feel he should not present them as actual MECA events.
Akagi obviously has some innovative ideas, but let's not be too premature in their presentation.
I will be supportive of any tournament directors that want to stage different types of tournaments, and I will actively help in making tournaments successful. I also wish to move slowly in changing the format of tournaments that are MECA sponsored state tournaments. My focus will be to work on increasing MECA membership and attracting more over the board players to tournaments.
Thanks again to all those who have contacted me with their support.
Andy
Akagi obviously has some innovative ideas, but let's not be too premature in their presentation.
I will be supportive of any tournament directors that want to stage different types of tournaments, and I will actively help in making tournaments successful. I also wish to move slowly in changing the format of tournaments that are MECA sponsored state tournaments. My focus will be to work on increasing MECA membership and attracting more over the board players to tournaments.
Thanks again to all those who have contacted me with their support.
Andy
Maine Scholastic Chess Coaches Meeting
With small attendance following the norm, seven of us met to discuss topics relevant to scholastic chess and to plan for the state scholastic championships in late winter. Ron Lewis facilitated the meeting that generated plenty of healthy discussion for two hours. Kathy Richards presented a detailed financial report that showed that there was a small net gain after last year's tournaments. Then we set dates for next year's championships. The most healthy discussions included the definition of a team and the format of the high school tournaments.
I'm sure that there will be a detailed write-up written on chessmaine.net, so I'll spare being long-winded. Teams will continue to be defined in conjunction with USCF rules and regulations in order to keep confusion to a minimum.
Dick Powell from Deer Isle-Sonington, Ryan Tripp from Orono Middle School, Steve Abrahams newly of Orono High School, Dan Deluca from the Airline School, and myself were the other five attendees. It was nice to hear viewpoints from the experienced and the brand new. Steve brings experience from other states and had many fresh insights, while Ron provides the experience and knowledge of past practice that is invaluable in discussing perennial issues.
I enjoyed the time discussing scholastic chess and feel extremely confident that we are continuing to point the scholastic ship in the right direction.
I'm sure that there will be a detailed write-up written on chessmaine.net, so I'll spare being long-winded. Teams will continue to be defined in conjunction with USCF rules and regulations in order to keep confusion to a minimum.
Dick Powell from Deer Isle-Sonington, Ryan Tripp from Orono Middle School, Steve Abrahams newly of Orono High School, Dan Deluca from the Airline School, and myself were the other five attendees. It was nice to hear viewpoints from the experienced and the brand new. Steve brings experience from other states and had many fresh insights, while Ron provides the experience and knowledge of past practice that is invaluable in discussing perennial issues.
I enjoyed the time discussing scholastic chess and feel extremely confident that we are continuing to point the scholastic ship in the right direction.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Scholastic Teams
The topic of what constitutes a school team has been a major topic of conversation since I first started attending coaches' meetings fifteen years ago. It is always a dilemma. During this time frame the Airline Community School,the Stillwater Montessori School, and the Toddy Pond School have always brought students to participate in the state competitions despite having very low enrollments. These schools have incorporated chess into their weekly activities and have been able to compete with the top programs in the state. Home school students in these communities have often been integral parts of their programs. They have not been hindered by their size in producing competitive chess programs.
For state competition the regulations of what constitute a school team is consistent with the National Scholastic requirements. The idea to widen this definition of a school team is being discussed so more students can be encouraged to participate in chess. It could potentially have an impact on the strength of schools' teams and lead to recruitment to a program.
A few years ago there was a change in how the K-8 team competitions were formatted that definitely has had a competitive impact on the smaller sized schools. It used to be that five students from each school would play five students from another school like the format that is still used at the high school level. Now a school may enter as many students as they would like in the championship section and the top five scorers' points are combined to arrive at a school's total score. Small schools are now at a disadvantage due to the fact that they are less likely to have as much depth as a bigger school, but there are more students that participate in the championship sections.
In sports in Maine there are classes depending upon the size of the school. This is impossible to do at this stage with chess because so few schools enter the state competition. It is difficult to make comparisons with other sports due to the paucity of programs. In sports competition, both schools put the same amount of players on the playing surface. Yes, bigger programs do have more substitutes to call on, but they can never h+69ave more on the court than the other team.
Where am I going with this argument you ask? I basically would like the team definition to be consistent with the national scholastic definition of a team and that formats at both the K-8 level and high school level be consistent.
I'll report out on the meeting tomorrow. It should be an interesting discussion.
For state competition the regulations of what constitute a school team is consistent with the National Scholastic requirements. The idea to widen this definition of a school team is being discussed so more students can be encouraged to participate in chess. It could potentially have an impact on the strength of schools' teams and lead to recruitment to a program.
A few years ago there was a change in how the K-8 team competitions were formatted that definitely has had a competitive impact on the smaller sized schools. It used to be that five students from each school would play five students from another school like the format that is still used at the high school level. Now a school may enter as many students as they would like in the championship section and the top five scorers' points are combined to arrive at a school's total score. Small schools are now at a disadvantage due to the fact that they are less likely to have as much depth as a bigger school, but there are more students that participate in the championship sections.
In sports in Maine there are classes depending upon the size of the school. This is impossible to do at this stage with chess because so few schools enter the state competition. It is difficult to make comparisons with other sports due to the paucity of programs. In sports competition, both schools put the same amount of players on the playing surface. Yes, bigger programs do have more substitutes to call on, but they can never h+69ave more on the court than the other team.
Where am I going with this argument you ask? I basically would like the team definition to be consistent with the national scholastic definition of a team and that formats at both the K-8 level and high school level be consistent.
I'll report out on the meeting tomorrow. It should be an interesting discussion.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Looking for Feedback
Hi! I'm very excited about the responses that I have received in regards to Maggie and I running for President and Vice-President of the Maine Chess Association. We are very interested in hearing any suggestions that the rest of you might have in helping Maine chess grow and become more visible. Send us a comment or contact me at bvbryan@aol.com Thank you all for your support!
Friday, October 9, 2009
The Future of MECA
As a candidate for President of the Maine Chess Association, I feel obligated to critique a letter written by Akagi Kayashima to the Maine chess community. Instead of restating his letter, I am offering a glimpse into how I would function as MECA president.
As president I would be forthright in any specific plans that I have in mind and would work with all directors and organizers in making Maine chess visible and player friendly. I would strongly encourage directors to look to all the counties in the state for venues to host an event. Then I would assist by providing insight into that specific area of the state and talking with clubs and individuals in that area about their interests and wants. I would advise Akagi on how to reach all the burgeoning chess players in the state and help him in the promotion of his tournaments. I will not be personally affiliated with any tournaments but would encourage all directors and organizers to see the value in being associated with the Maine Chess Association.
As far as changing the Maine Closed Championship, I feel that there is no need to throw the baby out with the bath water. The Closed Championship has been very successful when it has been consistent and rotated from Portland to Augusta to Bangor on a three year cycle. It can prosper again in this cycle by having it occur each year in late April to maximize interest among both the old guard and the scholastic champions who have just finished their scholastic season. It is the perfect time in Maine to hold the event and can continue to be so.
Let's also encourage chessmaine.net to expand their horizons and organize another tournament or two. If you haven't noticed, the Chessmaine.net Championship has quickly become the most popular tournament in the state. Kudos to Dan DeLuca for taking the bull by the horns and making this work. It's my belief that Dan should be closely involved in the future of MECA since he is the one who has re-energized the chess community through his unparalleled state website and fine tournament.
In regards to holding a major tournament at a gambling venue, I have reservations. Many of our active players are scholastic players who provide strong competition for the old guard. I am not in favor of holding a large tournament at a gambling venue in Maine particularly when we would like these strong scholastic players to be a part of the resurgence of Maine chess.
And on one final thought for the evening, I would not discourage other interested parties from holding events. Yes, there is a concern that too many will saturate an area in a given time frame, but this has yet to be a concern. I have yet to hear anyone say, "There have been too many events in the last month; I can't go to them all."
As president I would be forthright in any specific plans that I have in mind and would work with all directors and organizers in making Maine chess visible and player friendly. I would strongly encourage directors to look to all the counties in the state for venues to host an event. Then I would assist by providing insight into that specific area of the state and talking with clubs and individuals in that area about their interests and wants. I would advise Akagi on how to reach all the burgeoning chess players in the state and help him in the promotion of his tournaments. I will not be personally affiliated with any tournaments but would encourage all directors and organizers to see the value in being associated with the Maine Chess Association.
As far as changing the Maine Closed Championship, I feel that there is no need to throw the baby out with the bath water. The Closed Championship has been very successful when it has been consistent and rotated from Portland to Augusta to Bangor on a three year cycle. It can prosper again in this cycle by having it occur each year in late April to maximize interest among both the old guard and the scholastic champions who have just finished their scholastic season. It is the perfect time in Maine to hold the event and can continue to be so.
Let's also encourage chessmaine.net to expand their horizons and organize another tournament or two. If you haven't noticed, the Chessmaine.net Championship has quickly become the most popular tournament in the state. Kudos to Dan DeLuca for taking the bull by the horns and making this work. It's my belief that Dan should be closely involved in the future of MECA since he is the one who has re-energized the chess community through his unparalleled state website and fine tournament.
In regards to holding a major tournament at a gambling venue, I have reservations. Many of our active players are scholastic players who provide strong competition for the old guard. I am not in favor of holding a large tournament at a gambling venue in Maine particularly when we would like these strong scholastic players to be a part of the resurgence of Maine chess.
And on one final thought for the evening, I would not discourage other interested parties from holding events. Yes, there is a concern that too many will saturate an area in a given time frame, but this has yet to be a concern. I have yet to hear anyone say, "There have been too many events in the last month; I can't go to them all."
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
More Chess Thoughts in Maine in October
Roger Morin continues his promotion of USCF rated events in northern Maine with a tournament upcoming in Presque Isle. The University of Maine at Presque Isle is a perfect venue to hold an event in Aroostook County. It also is a terrific time of year to view the fall colors, stop at a farm stand for County potatoes, and check out the windmills in Mars Hill. Hopefully this event will help kindle a spark up north for USCF chess. Good luck with your event next Saturday, Roger!
Looking to the Maine State Scholastic Chess Coaches meeting also on October 17, a discussion will include what constitutes a team and how can exceptions be ruled on quickly and efficiently. I have consistently felt that teams should be based at one school and not be able to combine with another school to form a team. I have felt this way ever since I have been able to field multiple teams from a K-8 school with a population of 50 for the past 15 years. I have begun to think that an exception could be that you may play "up" to another school. For example, if you attend a K-5 school, you may play for a middle school that you would attend in the future. They would have to be sending public schools for the community.
Strictly speaking in the Championship sections, team champions should be from one school. There is the Individual tournament for those that can't form a team although it doesn't have the atmosphere of the team tournament. Chess coaches need to look at all their options and pick what makes the most sense for their club. The Novice section provides a good opportunity for newcomers. Maybe we could look to making the flier for the State events more user friendly and have a press release for chessmaine.net to detail the options. It should be an interesting meeting; all chess coaches that are available should attend. The meeting will take place at 1:00 in the Memorial Union at the Unviersity of Maine in Orono.
The Eastern Maine Open, November 7, will kick off the chess season in the Bangor area. It should be a well attended event. Two years ago there were 63 players in attendance while it usually had 20-35 players since 2004. There are four sections: Open, U1400, U1000, U600. It's a great opportunity to get back in the swing as there will be more tourney opportunities often after that.
The Aurora Winter Solstice will be December 5. That event will be celebrating its fifth year with the best homemade eats at a chess event. There will also be four sections. It has consistently drawn forty entrants since its inception.
Check chessmaine.net events page and mark your calendars. Hope to see you across the board!
Looking to the Maine State Scholastic Chess Coaches meeting also on October 17, a discussion will include what constitutes a team and how can exceptions be ruled on quickly and efficiently. I have consistently felt that teams should be based at one school and not be able to combine with another school to form a team. I have felt this way ever since I have been able to field multiple teams from a K-8 school with a population of 50 for the past 15 years. I have begun to think that an exception could be that you may play "up" to another school. For example, if you attend a K-5 school, you may play for a middle school that you would attend in the future. They would have to be sending public schools for the community.
Strictly speaking in the Championship sections, team champions should be from one school. There is the Individual tournament for those that can't form a team although it doesn't have the atmosphere of the team tournament. Chess coaches need to look at all their options and pick what makes the most sense for their club. The Novice section provides a good opportunity for newcomers. Maybe we could look to making the flier for the State events more user friendly and have a press release for chessmaine.net to detail the options. It should be an interesting meeting; all chess coaches that are available should attend. The meeting will take place at 1:00 in the Memorial Union at the Unviersity of Maine in Orono.
The Eastern Maine Open, November 7, will kick off the chess season in the Bangor area. It should be a well attended event. Two years ago there were 63 players in attendance while it usually had 20-35 players since 2004. There are four sections: Open, U1400, U1000, U600. It's a great opportunity to get back in the swing as there will be more tourney opportunities often after that.
The Aurora Winter Solstice will be December 5. That event will be celebrating its fifth year with the best homemade eats at a chess event. There will also be four sections. It has consistently drawn forty entrants since its inception.
Check chessmaine.net events page and mark your calendars. Hope to see you across the board!
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