The Town Hall Archives

Jared

It has recently come to light that quite a few people here are chess enthusiasts. Or at least, they know how to push wood across a board, even if they may do so haphazardly.

So, it is my pleasure as mayor of Odyssey to announce the First Great Odyssey Chess Tournament, which, if it goes well, could someday be proceeded by the Second Great Odyssey Chess Tournament.

This tournament will be single elimination, meaning that once you lose a game, you're out. If you want in, post here. You'll be paired up with someone, you'll play them... if you win, you move on to round two. If you lose, you go home crying. Or something.

Players will be responsible for working out a time to play with the person they are paired with... each round will last a week, so players will be able to play a game with whomever they are paired with at any time in that period.

The number of rounds and whether or not there will be byes (rounds in which a player is automatically pushed forward without playing a game) will be determined by how many people join in.

Games can be played on any online game server that can operate under time control. Games will be played under 25 0 time controls, meaning that each player has a total of 25 minutes to play his moves during the game. This keeps the max game time at under an hour (50 minutes, to be exact), which is far longer than most, if not all, of the games will go.

For those who do not have accounts at chess-playing sites with time controls, I suggest getting a free account and downloading the small program (2.3 meg or something -- free) at www.chess.net (they also have a "Gold Member" paid version... go with the free one). If you don't like it, you could also try www.freechess.org, but it is more complicated, in my opinion.

As I said, once you are told whom you have been paired with, you have one week to find a time to play... (you will be told in the pairings who gets white and who gets black). You'll simply report who won back to me so I can begin pairing people for the next round. You are responsible for playing the game once you are paired up. If something comes up that keeps you from playing, you'll need to let me know by PM so we can work something out. Otherwise, your game will be forfeit.

So, sign up! Here's what you need to post on this thread to be counted in:

-- That you want to be in the tournament (kind of obvious, huh?)
-- What chess server you use (I strongly suggest that everyone uses chess.net -- it would make things easier)
-- What your handle/username at this server is (I'm asking that you sign up with a chess server BEFORE posting that you want to join the tournament)
-- What your rating is... if you have one. If you've played online or tournament chess for a while, you might have an established rating. If you do, post it. If not, ignore this. (You must have played at least 20 games on a chess server for a rating to be considered "established" -- if you've played less or none, don't post a rating here.)

Okay, that's it. Everyone who likes chess, post to join in on the First Great Odyssey Chess Tournament!

The Top Crusader · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 12:46 pm Post subject:

Very well. The good people of Odyssey have thrown down the gauntlet... and I accept.

Jared · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 12:49 pm Post subject:

That is very well... but you'll need to sign up for a chess server, then let us know what it is and what your username on it is.

And welcome to the tourney! Hmm... what should the winner get? The Bernard Walton Chess Award? Wink

It could be shaped like his "queenie" or "tower" Smile

The Top Crusader · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 12:50 pm Post subject:

Okay, I didn't read the whole thing... will a Yahoo account suffice, or do I have to sign up specifically for a chess thingy?

Shock

Anyway... I'm late for work!!!

Jared · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 12:51 pm Post subject:

You'll have to sign up for something else, unfortunately, as Yahoo! Games and MSN Gaming Zone chess don't feature time controls. Sorry!

DrBlackgaard · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 1:17 pm Post subject:

I'm in!!

This could be kind of fun! Smile

My handle at Chess.net is JosephPaul.

Coralfish · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 2:06 pm Post subject:

OK, I shall join(though I need tons of practice!).

I am registered under coralfish10. Smile

[On chess.net - JW]

Elf of Rivendell · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 6:42 pm Post subject:

How do I sign up on chess.net? The downloads don't work, and I can only log in as a guest!!!!

Jared · Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2003 9:24 pm Post subject:

Well, that's very strange that the downloads don't work. DrBlackgaard successfully downloaded the software today. Make sure you were in the right place: http://www.chess.net/play/cnfw-lite.html

Once you have the program, install it and run it. Log in as a guest (username and password BOTH set to "guest"). Then, once you're in, type this:

/assist Could you help me register an account?

An administrator will then respond and help you set up an account. They do it this way to keep people from signing up for numerous accounts and playing themselves to boost their ratings.

If you have any trouble getting it to work, let me know!

Elf of Rivendell · Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2003 6:23 pm Post subject:

I'm in!..... but my account only works for 2 weeks on a trial basis...