I know this is debatable and may attract opposing views but this is my view. In the coming Malaysian Open many people have raised objections that the entry fee is just too high. For a patzer like me I think so too. I would love to just pay around RM 100 to enter and have a chance to play against a grandmaster as I would rarely have this chance. However I can also see it from the point of a norm seeker. If I had a chance for an IM or even GM norm playing a patzer in my first round would totally ruin my norm chances in a 9 round tournament. This is called a “junk round” where one round is totally wasted playing against a weak player.
Solutions have appeared in the form of “accelerated pairings” where essentially the group of really strong players and weaker players are less likely to meet each other in the early rounds.
Anyway, the good news is there IS a Challenger’s section and I will publish the details as soon as I receive it. So there is an alternative to a cheaper entry fee tournament going on simultaneously as DATMO 6.
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Malaysian : 30 June 2009 at 10:39 pm
A number of players in the challengers were undoubtedly stronger than those playing in DATMO proper.
I think it is a fallacy that meeting 1-2 patzers are going to spoil your chances in a longer tournament like DATMO. Frankly, please tell me how many Malaysians are going for a norm. If they are of adequate playing strength, they should be playing no less than 6-7 rated players and that should be enough. Opposed to that, we are placing financial obstacles to prevent many local players with potential to try their luck.
GilaChess : 01 July 2009 at 12:52 pm
I’m talking about norm chances not only for Malaysians.
Anyway let’s make a comparison with the Subic Open not long ago. This is their entrance fee price structure:-
2400 to 2449 US$50
2300 to 2399 US$75
2200 to 2299 US$100
2100 to 2199 US$125
They don’t even allow unrated to play. At least in DATMO you can play if you can pay.
Having a cheap free for all tournament DATMO is good for the locals of course but it will also cheapen the event to the point that some stronger players will avoid playing in it.
Malaysian : 01 July 2009 at 11:30 pm
There is no comparison of like to like as the Phillipines has so many good rated local players going not only for IM but GM norms as well. It is in their interest to boost the playing field. Here we have so few good and rated players that even a single pinoy is causing us all great problems. What are our norm chances? Instead we actively deny locals from even trying and I think that is wrong. As I said before there were years that the best Malaysian finished 30+ (I think that was Mok) and you get what I mean. How many locals can match Mok????