11-09-2017, 01:36 PM
(11-09-2017, 12:05 PM)George Neave Wrote: I don't mean to criticise the good work that folks are doing with juniors. My point was intended to be more about what happens when you reach 18 and what's on offer in the adult game. In a healthy sport one expects to see promotion from junior to senior as offering more opportunity and not less. It's a point for debate really - nothing more.
Sorry George, I wasn't taking that part as criticism and I didn't mean to come over as defensive as I think I did - sorry about that. I guess my comment is more the part about CS and tournament organisers focusing on juniors - I just don't think that aligns with what those of us in junior circles think - many of us would think the opposite - that the top players are looked after, but the juniors aren't. Some irony there perhaps.
Having run junior tournaments for about two years now, our economics are a lot simpler than a full weekend congress - we can reallocate medals and trophies if we're short of entries or have too many. It must be difficult for adult events when the prize money adds a huge fixed cost to your event. One other thing that is very common in junior chess - is the use of a venue multiple times a season (we play out of the same venue 6 times a year) - so it offers a bit of predictability for our players in terms of travel and what the event is going to be like, and quite a bit of predictability for organisers too. SNCL, David and John's FIDE Blitz also have this element too them - I wonder if that model of reusing a venue multiple times a season is a way forward of driving entries upwards.