Ayr 2015

[Adam Bremner]

Using vague numbers because it varies with budget, something like £250/£150/£100 as top prizes in the sections, but bump up the grading prizes in the respective sections. Any sort of set up where improvement was encouraged and rewarded is welcome, otherwise what is the point in trying?

This. If say a 1950 is playing for a £75 grading prize when the Minor winner is getting £100. Again vague numbers.

[Jonathan Livingstone]

What I don't understand is why a 1499 regularly has chances to win a congress, while a 1950 ALWAYS has to play the Open and will very rarely win.

Great point. There is a mix of entries and motives why people enter a tournament. We all know some just enter an event that they see gives them the best chance of a prize, and thats fine and nothing wrong there. The more that enter, the better all round.

There is another category of entrant though. I always play up being a 1700 never entered anything other than an Open event which is a personal choice for my own reasons which won't get into to keep focus on the subject matter. It means zero chance of a prize. I feel I am investing in the congress and the overall experience that it brings.

I can think of several other players, in exactly the same situation as me who regularly or always do the same for their own reasons. Throw in some developing Juniors/teenagers and it shows there are a lot of players who play in a congress who are happy to invest in the experience, and are not in the slightest motivated by money.

If there was a vote today, should the Open receive a larger share of prize money than the other congresses, it would be an overwhelming yes from me.

[David G Congalton]

Who'd be a tournament organiser? %-(

As the organiser of the Ayr Congress I've read through this thread with interest. Like others I appreciate that there are many views and many sides to the topic of prize money in congresses and its distribution. When I started the Prestwick Congress (which evolved into Ayr) five years ago I spent a considerable amount of time considering this particular topic before deciding that the option to be adopted would be equitable prize funds and entry fees across the sections.

The impetus for starting the congress was the apparent issue at the time of there not being as many weekend congresses during the year as there had been. The principle behind the original Congress was to provide an opportunity for as many chess players as possible, of all abilities to play a weekend of competitive and enjoyable chess. This remains the case.

Over the following five years the congress has slowly developed and decisions were made on many fundamental aspects of the event. I have to admit that many of them were based on what I enjoyed about congresses and what I wanted to see the congress achieve.

The great majority of players will leave without a prize and will have had to spend more than there entry fee to play, in some cases considerably more but at the start of the event everyone has paid around about the same entry fee and everyone has a reasonably realistic chance of winning the same first prize.

There are additional prizes on offer to try and encourage participation from particular groups.

Junior Specific Prizes

Veteran's Prize

Women's Prize

I have also made a small concession to titled players of free entry, as recognition of the achievement they have made in obtaining a title. This isn't a great amount and is probably no more than a token gesture but it has been offered from the outset, when the event was first held at Prestwick Airport.

Originally, it was partially offered as I thought that the presence of titled players may encourage others to enter the event but in all honesty, looking at the numbers in the various events throughout the years, I'm not sure it does. The Major and Minor numbers haven't moved much and the only year that the Open saw a significant increase was the year when we managed to bring over GM Sarunas Sulskis.

Despite this I've retained free entry for titled players as I do think that it is nice to say well done and recognise the achievement, even in a very small way.

Prize money and the main entry fees have remained largely the same but I have tried to add to the congress in other ways which make it an enjoyable experience for all, regardless of whether participants win a prize or not.

As I said, I've made decisions on fundamental aspects of the event which rightly or wrongly have taken the congress down a route which means it may not be all about the prize money and more about the weekend experience as a whole.

The event is held in a centre of town hotel, which I hope provides nice, comfortable conditions to play in. I've brought in more live boards to allow more games to be broadcast on the internet so that those that can't make it, for whatever reason, can enjoy a small part of the tournament.

I've brought in the big screens which allow players to see what's happening on the top boards without having to jockey for position close to the board.

I've introduced a commentary/coaching team with two of our younger coaches running the show over the weekend in a fun but informative way. This seemed to be an enjoyable part of the event for both adults and children alike.

I'm sure there are other aspects of the event which have changed over the years and hopefully for the better.

I don't know whether at aged five the event is now experiencing growing pains with all the discussion about prize fund distribution and incentives to develop players and encourage improvements. There's certainly lots of food for thought and I will take all the criticism and comments from both sides on board when deliberating over what happens next season, while keeping in mind that the principle behind my organising events is to provide an opportunity for as many chess players as possible, of all abilities to play competitive and enjoyable chess.

David Congalton

[robin moore]

Iain Fraser Junior Cup
1st
- £75, Iain Fraser Cup & Gold Medal.

2nd
- £50 & Silver Medal

3rd
- £25 & Bronze Medal
Open to all graded juniors under 17 at 23rd
May 2014,
regardless of section. Placings will be determined by
tournament performance against live grade as given on the
CS grading database at the start of the tournament.

Ali Roy Cup

1st - £50 & Ali Roy Cup.
Open to all graded females, regardless of section.
The winner will be determined by tournament
performance against live grade as given on the CS
grading database at the start of the tournament.

Senior Cup

1st
- £50 & Senior Cup.
Open to all players over 55 at 23rd May 2014, regardless of
section. The winner will be determined by performance
against live grade as given on the CS grading database at
the start of the tournament.

I am sure folks would agree these are good additional prizes available in all sections to those qualifying.

[Alan Tate]

Entry list is looking quite decent now. Almost worth playing for the chess! I predict a massive carve-up in the open with 4/5.

[andyburnett]

Entry list is looking quite decent now. Almost worth playing for the chess! I predict a massive carve-up in the open with 4/5.

Join in the fun then Alan I predict a 4.5/5

[Alan Tate]

The playing conditions look excellent but I find weekenders to be a bit of a lottery. Could easily just be throwing away £100.

[andyburnett]

The playing conditions look excellent but I find weekenders to be a bit of a lottery. Could easily just be throwing away £100.

You won £500 in the Edinburgh 'lottery', time to re-distribute the wealth

[Jonathan Livingstone]

The playing conditions look excellent but I find weekenders to be a bit of a lottery. Could easily just be throwing away £100.

You won £500 in the Edinburgh 'lottery', time to re-distribute the wealth

+ his £400 from last years "Edinburgh Lottery" I only remember that because I was at that one.

Does anyone know when was the last time 7 titled players entered a Scottish weekender? It just doesn't happen (or often). This is also the sort of prestige and turnout this fantastic congress deserves.

Doesn't have to cost £100? The likes of Andy and Alan deservedly have their free entry. I won't be eating anywhere fancy, bye on the Fri night, and staying in a decent but modest B&B for £23 on Sat night. Plenty East of Scotland people to car share with also.

[Alan Tate]

Exactly. Odds are for someone else to win

Lots of titled players, and also seemingly more FMs than normal. Hard to believe having these players does not attract other ambitious players to enter.