Scottish Blitz 2013

[Jonathan Edwards]

With limited time available, due to now being in honours years at university, I have unfortunately been unable to find a main sponsor for the Scottish Blitz 2013. I am exploring a different way of raising funding and sponsorship by creating a Kickstarter page for the Scottish Blitz this year. The page allows both individuals to donate and companies to purchase sponsorship packages through a transparent method.

Here is the link: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/3689...ampionship

Official website: http://www.scottishblitz.com

I would love to be able to have the opportunity to build upon the successful blitz last year and bring real attention to chess in Scotland - from both an external and internal point of view. Sponsorship made up 40% of total revenue for the tournament last year and as such I have set a minimum aim of raising £1,000... so if you would like to see the event go ahead and progress from last year, then please donate (minimum £1) or pass the link onto individuals/companies who might see potential. I have set 60 days as a deadline to raise the amount as this will allow enough time to organise.

As a brief outline of aims; I would like to see entries pass the 100 mark. I feel this can be achieved by reducing entry fees and bringing titled players to the tournament as this is what will encourage chess... for both adults and juniors, the possibility of playing top Grandmasters is exciting. Naiditsch has confirmed that he will be playing for free if the event goes ahead (and I think he may be coming to play a simul sometime soon!) as he enjoyed last year's blitz so much, which is certainly a good start.

If you have any suggestions or questions please let me know!

Many thanks,

Jonathan.

[Andrew McHarg]

Glad to see this will be going ahead again. For me it was one of the most enjoyable tournaments of last year and I hope to be able to play again this year.

Perhaps it would be an opportunity to try out a tournament without cash prizes Jonathan? Instead you could give out medals or something. It would ease the amount you are having to find and I genuinly doubt it will put most off from playing, particularly if it reduces the entry fee. Most people go to a tournament to play Chess, not to win money. And very few do win money, yet the others keep coming back. Basically I'd rather spend £15 entry fee with no opportunity to win a prize than a £30 entry fee with a slim opportunity of winning a prize.

Just my thoughts. In any case, good luck with it! =) (PS: and good luck with your honours year too)

[Hugh Brechin]

It'd probably make it a mite harder to attract the grandmasters, mind.

[Jonathan Edwards]

It'd probably make it a mite harder to attract the grandmasters, mind.

Yup. This would essentially be the problem with no prize fund. It's interesting to compare the event last year with the British blitz in 2012. The British blitz had 90 entries with 5 titled players and a prize fund of £500. The Scottish blitz had 80 entries with 13 titled players (15 if 2 hadn't withdrawn the day before) and a prize fund of £1,800. Is this down to the number of active players in England in comparison to Scotland..? Possibly. The other key factor will of course be the entry fee... which I would like to have around the level Andrew mentioned.

Glad to see this will be going ahead again. For me it was one of the most enjoyable tournaments of last year and I hope to be able to play again this year.

Great to hear that you enjoyed yourself Andrew! Just to clarify, I won't explore the possibility of running the blitz in the event that funding isn't achieved (which seems really likely). This is down to a few things... but generally without a prize fund, top players won't play as a lot of them are professionals after all and it suddenly becomes very hard to get entries - certainly too much stress to even cover the venue cost.

[Alan Jelfs]

Jonathan,

I've made the first pledge on kickstarter.

I hope the event goes ahead, I really enjoyed it last year, despite my dismal performance.
It would be good if the GMs turn up again too.

Cheers,
Alan

[Hugh Brechin]

I've backed it too; that's us 2.5% of the way there already.

[Jonathan Edwards]

Thanks so much Alan and Hugh! It's really appreciated.

As a matter of interest, do they take the money from you now or do they wait until the target is reached? All I know is that the money is only donated if the target is hit.

[Jonathan Edwards]

In order to encourage more players to take part, entry fees will be reduced from last year... Adult entry will be £15 and junior+student entry will be £10.

[Derek Howie]

Was it not possible to find a date to stop it clashing with the Primary Individual again?

[Jonathan Edwards]

Was it not possible to find a date to stop it clashing with the Primary Individual again?

Unfortunately not. I had originally hoped to have it the weekend before, but it clashes with the French league so Mr Naiditsch couldn't play.