2015 AY and Winnipeg Opens have been rated by FIDE.

Easy come, easy go; I gained 10 points in the Winnipeg Open, and lost 10 in the AY.

Winnipeg Open changes:

Baron, Gustav L	35
Wasserman, Leor	44
Boron, Anthony	10
Schulz, Waldemar	-8
Babb, Jeff	-11
Atem, James	4
Bince, Rolando	-45
Green, Jim	8

AY changes:

Gentes, Kevin	14
Kaptsan, Aron	5
Bince, Rolando	14
Atem, James	-4
Moncal, Nilo	-22
Baron, Gustav L	6
Boron, Anthony	-10
Babb, Jeff	-6

A few other players may have received their first FIDE ratings - it used to be that 9 games were needed against FIDE rating opponents, plus some performance minimums, but now it appears that only 5 or 6 games are required.  I will be posting the FIDE ratings later.

2016 Manitoba Closed Championship Qualifying

2016 Manitoba Closed Championship Qualifying -

Manitoba Closed 2016 format : 8 player knockout 

(Note: on February 23, 2014 the MCA board approved the adding up to two spots to the the Manitoba Championship at discretion of the Board; if the Board add the two spots, qualifiers 7 and 8  (ordered by CFC rating, along with the new 2 additions will play in a preliminary knockout round, producing two winners who then play with the top six qualifiers by CFC rating. On November 23, 2014, the Board approved continuation of this procedure for 2015 forward) 

Qualifiers -
Players must be Manitoba Permanent residents.

(Persons  who are not citizens or permanent residents, but who have been a resident of Manitoba for a twelve-month period immediately preceding the tournament, may be admitted to the Tournament provided they can clearly demonstrate to the MCA Board of Directors that they have a settled intention to continue to reside in Manitoba. The admittance to the Tournament of such exceptions shall be entirely at the discretion of the MCA Board of Directors.)
 

Qualifiers must play 10 standard rated games (somewhere in the world) during calendar 2015 in order to qualify. In order of preference - if the qualifying player did not want to participate or the qualifier is redundant, we continued down the list until there were 8 willing participants.

     1. Previous Year's Champion (KEVIN GENTES)
     2. Winner of the Reserve (non held)
     3. MB Junior Champion (if rated above 1900)  - 
     4. Top Manitoban in AY Memorial (KEVIN GENTES)
     5,6. Top 2 finishers in the Tournament of Champions (Nov-Dec) 
     7. Player with the best MTPPS (Modified Tournament Performance Point Score) 
     8. Player with the 2nd best MTPPS (Modified Tournament Performance Point Score) 
     9. 2nd Manitoban in the AY Memorial
    10. Player with the 3rd best MTPPS 
    11. Player with the 4th best MTPPS  
    12. etc.from the MTPPS 

The above players will be contacted in early January 2016 to determine their willingness to participate in the knockout.  If any of the players decline, invitations will be provided to next players on the list below.  Then there will be a short period when wild-card bids (as described above) will be entertained.

MTPSS -  Modified Tournament Performance Point Score
MTPPS is calculated as follows:
A Loss = 0 points
A Draw = the rating of the opponent
A Win = the greater of [your opponent's rating + 200] or [your rating]

The top ten performance scores for each player are counted
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Chess at the Museum !

The Manitoba Chess Association in co-operation with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is hosting a “learn to play” chess event at the Museum from 1:00 to 4:00 pm on each of the following four Sundays:  August 23 & 30, September 6 & 13.  Representatives from the Manitoba Chess Association will be on hand to teach people how to play chess or to help improve their game.  Our giant chess set is set up at the Museum during the Magna Carta exhibit, from now until September 18, so bring the family and join in the fun!  Regular admission prices do apply.

Also, on Sunday, August 30 from 1:00 to 4:00 the Manitoba Chess Association will be holding a rapid chess tournament at the Museum that is open to all.  Five round Swiss.  Time control of 10 minutes per player per game with 2 second increment per move.  Please register on-site that day from 12:30 to 12:45.  $500 prize fund.  Entry fee of $10.  You do not have to pay an admission fee to the Museum in order to play in the tournament.

At these Museum events, the Manitoba Chess Association representatives will be in chess costumes provided courtesy of the Immaculate Conception Church of Cooks Creek, which hosts a Medieval Festival every two years.  The Manitoba Chess Association will be participating in the next Festival to be held in July 2016.

2015 Abe Yanofsky Memorial has been rated by the CFC

See the crosstables here:
2015 AY Open

2015 U1800

Congratulations to the following who achieved new peak established ratings:

Saul Magnusson 1977
Collin Anderson 1974

Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - August 8, 2015

from the Winnipeg Free Press

White to mate in 2 (Funk)
1.Ne5

2015 Abe Yanofsky Blitz Championship - Tuesday, August 11

2015 Abe Yanofsky Blitz Championship
Tuesday, August 11
University of Winnipeg, Portage Avenue Room 4CM42
Registration 6:35 - 6:55

Time Control - 3 minutes + 2 second increment.
(same time control as used in the World Blitz Championship)

Format likely to be 2 Sectioned Round Robins, or 2 Sectioned (Open, approx U1800) Swisses depending on number of entries.

Current estimate is that there will be approximately 9-10 double rounds (2 game matches) ie. 18-20 games per player.

Entry fee - $ 10,  $ 5 for 2015 Abe Yanofsky Memorial entrants.

Prizes - Entries to 2015 Abe Yanofsky Memorial (transferable)