Chess Community!

PlayChess is talking again about the power of chess communities. I believe in this power to bring people together around a set of common goals--expose chess to the community at large, to teach children the joys of the game, to teach adults the educational aspects of the game, to sharpen the players, to expand the visibility of the game, its players, its champions.
Here is an excerpt from that article:

Establishing and sustaining the organization

"Chess communities are commonly wholly or substantially dependent on volunteers (or low wage “I do it for love” people) for their success. The scourge of chess communities (especially clubs) is burnout due to the person who created the community being overloaded, and/or the volunteers failing. The trick to sustaining the organization is to recruit, build and retain a sufficient pool of volunteers. The key is balancing volunteer value, workload, and commitment.

The person(s) who created the chess community will undoubtedly be the most committed. People, who are just given small tasks to make the operation work, will have a low level of commitment, because the volunteer value to them is low. They will most likely think “I’ll do this just because I want to play chess here”. These people will be the most likely to be intermittent, or quit altogether.

On the other hand, creating high volunteer value is an approach that lets a volunteer own a piece of the organization. Give the volunteer responsibility to drive that part of the organization, and let them shape it. Put their mark on it, own it. Do not micro-manage them. Then their commitment is high, turnover is lower. This in turn makes recruiting easier, because now you are deliberately looking for people that want to take over, not just do little tasks here or there. They naturally want to make things happen. You just have to let go, which for some is not easy, and can be a fatal flaw.
By recruiting and retaining people that want their big piece of the pie, the creator of the organization can now focus on maintaining a neutral structure for the volunteers to operate. This can be a charter, by-laws, Board of Directors, etc. This is structure that the active volunteer will naturally not be too interested in, but usually will be happy to operate in, mainly because it constrains everyone the same, and in a transparent manner..

Once you have a structure and a volunteer pool that wants their big slice of the pie, you need to keep recruiting. The reason is growth. If you have created a community and organization with a brand that people trust, and products that people buy, then you will be in growth mode. You will need to keep recruiting volunteers. Start looking for volunteers with management skills. Look at the structure of the IECC (http://www.iecc-chess.org/) for a good example of an organization that has grown because they put a good structure in place, and let people own pieces of it. [NOTE: Even though IECC offers a “free” product, I still consider it a “sale” if a player decides to commit 3 months to playing an email chess game with IECC. Nothing is “free”]. "

Please go and visit them for the whole article. Information is power!

In the role of Tournament Director and fellowship founder I have taken on some responsibility at BrainKing.com in The Gothic Chess Ladder Fellowship. The Founder, Filip Rachunek, is a programmer in the Czech Republic, and along with his partners have founded and maintained a strong correspondence site, with room for traditionalists and the chess "avant garde" who look more deeply into the game than the average player. The sense of community is high there, and so is the sense of responsibility of keeping the site in good order. There is opportunity for individuals to dictate elements of the whole through establishing fellowships. There are many Master-class chess players there, and several who will be participating in the World Open for standard chess. These players also are involved in Janus Chess, a popular German variant played on an 8x10 board, with 2 more pawns, and 2 extra pieces called Januses, who look in 2 directions--they move like both a bishop and a knight--and change the flavor of the gamewithout being so different from the original, because if you remember the queen is simply a combination of the bishop and the rook; these players are also involved in Gothic Chess, also on the 8x10 board, and the extra pieces are the Archbishop, a knighted bishop identical to the Janus, and the Chancellor, which is a knighted rook. These piece powers are far from new, and present themselves in chess history as far back as the 1600s.
This experience in leading this creative group is beyond price and a joy in itself, both in sharing information and developing structure for future events. The ladder itself is very challenging to the players, and the opportunity for analysis is highly accessible. Whether you are up for a traditional game, or wish to expand your chess senses, come in and prepare to get your ideas challenged and chewed.

Coming up in Atlanta and the surrounding areas:

1.Chattahoochee CV Chess and Games center, Columbus, GA
Columbus Scholastic -- March 18, 2004 CV Chess & Games 5 PM registration. Need directions?

Columbus Open '04 -- March 27, 2004 CV Chess & Games 9:30am-10:30am (Eastern Time) registration.

2. Atlanta Chess and Games Center, 3155 East Ponce de Leon rd, Decatur, GA.
--2004 Atlanta Championship (ACC - Decatur)
Date : 12 March 2004
Category : Open Tournaments
Event description
March 12-14 or 13-14 2004 ATLANTA CHAMPIONSHIP
5-SS, 30/90, SD/1 (2-day schedule Rd. 1 G/90). $2,500 b/90, $1250 GTD. In 6 sections: Open: $400-200-100, u2200: $225-150. Under 2000: $225-150. Under 1800: $200-150. Under 1600: $200-150. Under 1400: $200-150. All, EF: $42 by 3/10; $47 at site. Re-entry: $25. Bye: all, rds. 4 or 5 must commit before rd. 2. Unrated: EF: $15. Trophies to top 5 (not part of based on). 3-day schedule: Reg.: ends 3/12 7pm. Rds: 7:30, 2-7:30, 10-3:30. 2-day schedule: Reg.: ends 9:30am. Round 1 at 10am., then merges with 3-day. Hotel/Info: David Spinks (404)-377-4400. Enter: Atlanta Chess Center, 3155A East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Scottdale, Georgia 30079. NS. NC. Grand Prix Points: 6

Atlanta March Scholastic (ACC - Decatur)
Date : 21 March 2004
Category : Scholastic Tournaments
Event description
MARCH 21. ATLANTA MARCH SCHOLASTIC.
4-SS, G/30. Atlanta Chess Center, 3155A East Ponce de Leon Ave., Scottdale, Ga. 30079. In 4 sections: High School: open to 9-12. Middle School: open to K-8. Elementary: open to K-6. Primary: open to K-3. All, EF: $13. Trophies to top 4 each section (based on 10 each section, more per entires). Reg.: 12-1 p.m. Rounds: 1st at 1:30, rest as soon as possible. Awards ceremony right after last round. Info: (404)-377-4400. Enter: Atlanta Chess Center, address above. NS. NC.

Also:
--Georgia Open COLLEGIATE TEAM Chess Championship
(Emory University -- Cox Hall Ballroom)
Date : 6 March 2004
Category : Scholastic Tournaments
Event description
Building on a tradition of some past events organized by the Georgia Tech Chess Club, and with the support of the Emory Chess Club, the GCA is sponsoring a new annual college team championship at an outstanding Emory University site on Saturday, March 6th, 2004.

Tentative Basics: 4-Board Format, USCF rated, G/45 time control, 4 round swiss, first round pairings posted at 9am, round times 10-12-2-4, awards ASAP. Final details very shortly.

Entry Fee: $80 per college team which includes four quality buffet meals. Extra meals are available at $10 each and must be ordered in advance.

GCA Contact: Ted Wieber, GCA President, 770-476-5659, president@GeorgiaChess.org

***********
2004 Georgia Open Collegiate Team Chess Championships
Emory University, Cox Hall Ballroom – Saturday, March 6, 2004
College Team Registration Form: 4-Board TEAM Format

Purpose. This form is designed for college student teams entering the Georgia Collegiate Team Chess Championships. This event is USCF rated and organized in 4-board team format. Colleges and universities outside Georgia are welcome, however the highest placing Georgia school will be designated Georgia State Champion. Please read this form carefully, as well as other rules and guidelines posted on the GCA website calendar and discussion boards at www.GeorgiaChess.org

College Team: ____________________________Extra Lunches___(see below)

Address: _____________________________________________________

Coach / Advisor: ___________________ Phone: _________ Email: ______

Team Roster. A school team can consist of 4 to 6 registered players (4 minimum), although only 4 can play in any one round. Second or “B” teams can also be entered. All of these players should be ranked below in order of USCF ratings / playing strength. This ranking will remain constant during the tournament and will strictly govern which board position the player is assigned in a given round.

Name, Class, USCF Rating / ID Number

1. _________________________ _____ _________________________

2. _________________________ ____ _____________________

3. _________________________ ____ ______________________

4. _________________________ ____ ______________________

5. _________________________ ____ ______________________

6. _________________________ ____ ______________________

Payment. Deadline for registration and payment is Tuesday, March 2, 2004. No on-site registration. Entry Fee is $80 per college team which includes a buffet lunch for four at the playing area! Additional lunches are available at $10 each and must be requested in advance. Other food options are available in the vicinity. Make checks payable to the GCA and mail check and registration form to GCA, 3445 Kates Way, Duluth, GA 30097. GCA Contact: Ted Wieber, 770-476-5659, president@GeorgiaChess.org

2004 Georgia INDIVIDUAL Scholastic Open Championships (Cobb County Civic Center)
Date : 20 March 2004
Category : Scholastic Tournaments
Event description
Annual GCA sponsored state championship open to all. Location: Cobb County Civic Center. Full details to be published shortly.

Typically this event will be USCF rated, G/30 time control, 5 rounds, in 4 sections: Primary, Elem, MS and HS.

Winners of Elem, MS and HS sections will qualify for 2004 Georgia Closed or Invitational Scholastic Championship to be held on May 1-2, 2004.

GCA Contact: Alexis Fairweather, GCA Scholastic Coordinator, scholastics@GeorgiaChess.org, (678)355-0495.

Flyer and registration form link shown below.


More info : www.georgiachess.org/downloads/2004individualstatechamp.pdf

- posted by nasmichael @ 5:41:00 PM