National FIDE rated rapidplay event

[Ianbrownlee]

Hi Guys
I am hoping to introduce a rapid play event which will be FIDE rated (assuming I will still be Home Director next season) and I would like serious input from as wide a field as possible.

Here are a few of my thoughts, I've already spoken to a few people in my neck of the woods

1. Do we use utilise the MacIsaac trophy which is not being used at the moment or do we get a new trophy (i'll buy it if the latter)

2. As in the MacIsaac should be a minimum grading of say 1850. I'm thinking of a secondary quickplay on the same day for those below 1850.

3. Location. Should we have it over different venues like the Grand Prix format or have it as a one off on a saturday. I'm thinking of say accumulate the points and play as often as you like. It gives the people in relatively remote locations (e.g. Aberdeen) a great chance to participate.

4. By rapidplay I mean 15 minutes each, possibly with increments

I am keen to hear from anyone who has an opinion one way or the other

[PeterReidSmith]

Excellent idea, keep going.

[Jim Webster]

The following is an extract fro the Management Board meeting in February.

McIsaac There was a general discussion on the appeal of the McIsaac and what would be needed to involve more players. It was decided by the Management Board that the format for this would change to FIDE Rated Rapid Play Tournament. The Rules and Arbiters Committee will rewrite the rules for the McIsaac, although a decision on the Rapid Play time control has yet to be determined. Ian Brownlee to advise on the time control.

As far as I am aware all that remains to be decided are: -
- the time controls
- dates and venue(s)

The grading floor for McIsaac (1850 current) was to be retained.

[StevieHilton]

Jim,
Would a player be allowed to play in the event if their national rating was below the limit but FIDE rating was higher?

[Jim Webster]

Steve,

Since it is a FIDE rated event, I would expect FIDE rating to take precedence. That's one really for the Rules Committee to finalise.

Personally I think that the rating criteria order should be
1 FIDE Rapid
2 FIDE standard
3 SCO or National

but.......

[Ianbrownlee]

Jim,
Would a player be allowed to play in the event if their national rating was below the limit but FIDE rating was higher?

easy one this. The 1850 quoted is the local grade and that is the benchmark we are using. 1850 wasnt pulled out if the air. The 1850 limit comes directly from the MacIsaac tournament which also used the local grade. We may indeed raise the limit in future if the tournament takes off.
We are trying to revitalise the prestige and spirit of the MacIsaac but give it an updated and modern twist. Since most people's FIDE grades are nigher then their local grades, we would have to put a much higher grade limit if we referenced FIDE grades rather than local grades. There are many small details to be ironed out . The Home Director whoever he or she may be would run the tournament as director but the arbiters would have to be FIDE rated and the rules, regulations and submissions for grading would be FIDE. In fact the games would be submitted both for local and for FIDE using the same submission principles we applied this year for both the Richardson and Spens cup. There also requires to be a lot of work involved both by the arbiters and by the Grading Director.
I am still keen for national participation. There are already great examples in how the tournament could be run, such as the SNCL and our existing home tournaments. What I need now more than anything are opinions on points I have already highlighted. If this tournament runs as a one off venue, chances are it would be at Grangemouth but if multiple venues are used, we are looking at additional venues, hopefully in Ayrshire, Perth Glasgow etc , wherever we could get a free or low cost venue

[StevieHilton]

Ian,
As it is going to be a FIDE rated event then FIDE ratings have to take precedence

[HelenMilligan]

Many of our rapids and weekenders here in NZ are FIDE-rated but rating cut-offs, grade prizes, and pairings are regularly done on national ratings. As far as I am aware, the only requirement is that the pairings are done consistently and correctly (easy to achieve if you use a FIDE-approved program - we use Vega mostly). Only big international events (the NZ Open) use FIDE ratings (because a lot of the players won't have NZ national ratings).

[Ianbrownlee]

Ian,
As it is going to be a FIDE rated event then FIDE ratings have to take precedence

rubbish Stevie and it wont be. Not all of our stronger players have FIDE ratings so what do I do, exclude them. No chance. If I used FIDE ratings , the limit would have to be pushed way up so it makes no practical difference. Actually i'm surprised you haven't mentioned the problem of blind players using incremental time controls. The 2nd clock used by the blind person would have to be in total sync with the original clock especially in any time scramble. This is a potential problem that I dont see an easy solution.

Anyway its not just FIDE rated and local ratings for this event will take precedence for the moment. How this will actually pan out will be down to the arbiters and I will not (and cannot) step on their toes. The arbiters committee have been charged with organising rules of play as we speak.

[robin moore]

I did a quick rough check on the grading list.
169 players have a national CS published grade of 1850+. Of those 169, 147 have a Fide grade.
There are 262 players on the SCO Fide list that have a Fide grade of 1850+.