2. What reasons lead to your answer to question number 1?
I'm a busy person. Having a 2 day tourn is important to me.
Great Organization
Sorted by rating, not grade
Time control - love the increment
sets provided
prize fund structure
playing site
friendly director
Is a very comfortable place and there are a lot of good players adn persons.
flexible schedule
Very nice venue and staff
Well organized; friendly staff; great venue; nice amenities
Great location. Great playing conditions. Free breakfast
I like the U16/U18/U20 format
Rounds start on time
less issues
well organized
Prize money is clear
very well organized starts on time
good breakfast!
Prize pattern based on number of points allows one to leave early with the check
Well organized event
efficient and well run
The place was good.
Parking was free and easy.
Excellent location, well managed
Great venue. Good organization
Well organized. Run smoothly; Excellent playing conditions; Excellent location; Player friendly
Quality games. Well ventilated
close to home and well run
good conditions/tournament quality
TD attends to the finest details
well organized; on-time plays
everything - especially sets/clocks; flexible byes
better hotel; provide set; breakfast; prize money by points
well organized plus you have an U1400 section. Many tournaments do not. Lowest section is oftern U1600.
Efficient tournament; Nice people; good facilities.
Well organized; fair compensation
There are not many rounds. They provide chess sets.
Well organized; good facilities
The service and quality of tournaments
It was interesting playing for score based prizes instead of place.
I like pretty much everything over here.
Great venue; nice cash prizes; well organized
well organized; great location
well run; sets provided; text messages; free water; good location
The MCA TDs are the best in the region - by far efficient, fair, pleasant
This tournament has a lot of people to play with. So it's a pretty fun tournament. I would probably recommend this to my friend.
The rating categories were very good. Good competition, well organized and well run.
Close to home; sets provided; helpful staff
It's great. Well run
well organized
good boards, breakfast, playing hall
great idea for texting pairings
Unsure what to think of prize pool
Boards provided; decent accommodations; Little considerations like taping doors, breakfast, and snacks; Indifferently convenient location for Baltimore and DC; I now remember chess tournaments are a hellish grind.
It was a good tourney, but at times it was loud. and there were other (non-chess) very close.
Best weekend events in the US but still the MCA runs events that require the commitment of an entire weekend. Some more blitz or rapid tournaments would be nice.
Good conditions and parking free; Good restaurant selection nearby; Boards/sets supplied is a big plus; Rounds start on time, unlike Goichberg events; good hotel and location.
Great
This was my first rated tournament and I enjoyed it.
Fun; excellent organization and attention to detail
the money
well run. But, a bit hectic
I like the tournament a lot but I don't have very many "chess friends" that I would recommend it to.
very well run tournament
Good organization; Adding U2200 section is good since I don't usually play in Open section; Sets and clocks provided
Good conditions, just a slight bug in the email system.
The increment setting is too high
Mike does it right; DGT wooden boards and clocks; Text pairings consistently; Hotel room includes WiFi; breakfast; spacious playing tables; FIDE time control - increments
Willingness to answer questions; excellent choice of site; consideration for player's comfort; additional features such as continental breakfast, screen in skittles room w/highest board games
time limit; chess boards/clocks; 2-day tournament
Great location; good turnout; good TDs
convenient location; emailed information; sets provided; clear prize structure
The tournaments are fun, organized and just generally a blast
The game starts on time; pairings are provided well in advance; The chess players below 2000 are not allowed in the championship section; chess boards and clocks are provided to chess players
It's well run
pleasant conditions; convenient location; nice time control; convenient prize determination
The money
food, playing hall, drink
well organized tournament with good conditions. Boards and sets are provided. Because the tournaments are widely attended at all skill levels, there are reasonable match ups in almost all games.
3. What do we do better than other tournaments?
Breakfast!
Providing boards and clocks is great. I like that pairings are posted online!!
I like the shorter time controls
A good mix of strong players
I like how prizes are awarded
Better Organization
Better opponent pairings
everything
The organization
flexible schedule
Chess sets, Coffee and cookies provided
Location
provide sets and clocks; great, convenient venue
Provide free breakfast and provide clocks
nothing really
Better organized
Prize pattern
Good location midway for VA and MD residents
Boards ( + clocks) provided
Have pairings sent as text message to cell phones and ease of registration & hotel booking online. I wish other tournaments were the same as the Maryland Open!
provide supplies
increased efficiency
The organization was excellent and the rounds started on time.
location, location, location!
provide equipment
text pairings
The chess sets and chess clocks
Pairing distribution with text/email is wonderful!
Email, Text pairings; Sufficient space; Supply boards/Pieces
Start on time, text pairings, provide sets, good tables, lots of room at each table.
time control and providing boards
more friendly; nice tournament location; providing sets & clocks; providing Sunday breakfast (which I missed this AM!); time with increments; messaging/email pairings
well organized; on-time plays
sets/clocks
better hotel; provide set; breakfast; prize money by points
well organized plus you have an U1400 section. Many tournaments do not. Lowest section is oftern U1600.
Texting pairings
organization
There are not many rounds. They provide chess sets.
Start on time; good resources
provide breakfast and a good place to stay
payout for score not place
You have food and water that we can enjoy.
Text/emailing pairings is a great feature.
My first one don't know.
local
Great atmosphere especially for kids. TDs even paired up my son in a rated game in another division when he had a bye. Bravo!
Everything is a lot neater and the facility is awesome.
More higher caliber players
start on time
organization; boards and sets; pairings by text
food, drink
texting pairings
Timely pairings and starting; text messages
You are very organized. Directors were great. Competition was also great.
Provide equipment; text or email pairings; competent arbiters; increment instead of delay; FIDE rated
I do like the later start on Friday as traffic in this area sucks and trying to get to a 7pm round could be a pain. Also give me more time to relax after work on Friday.
The way prize money is handed out
Text email pairings
show top games online
continental breakfast
give more money; free food
Good atmosphere; TDs do a good job staying involved.
Texts of pairings; start on time
On-time pairings > CCA is very poor in this area
texting pairings; sets and clocks provided
providing equipment; starting games on time
Having preset boards
pairing info pushed out ASAP is a big positive; point-based prizes; Thanks for being different; location is great; high quality boards; increment time control; The tourney stature feels higher with such a high quality playing environment.
Provided boards, clocks; I like how we had 2 hours to play each game; sitting area
< You're on the metro; Later start on Saturday is nice; Nice to have boards and sets set up
convenient location; emailed information; sets provided; clear prize structure
nothing (never been to any others)
The game starts on time; pairings are provided well in advance; The chess players below 2000 are not allowed in the championship section; chess boards and clocks are provided to chess players
start on time; provide equipment; text pairings; straight forward prize structure
pairings up quickly, really quickly
I don't know. This was only my second tournament after a long hiatus. But it compares favorably in playing condistions with most tournaments I played 15-25 years ago.
serves food for free
everything
organization, timeliness, pairings by email, good playing conditions
4. What do we do worse than other tournaments?
The playing hall is right next tot he analysis room. I can hear everyone's analysis during my game.
I wish there was a food vendor nearby. Where do a go when I get hungry in the middle of the game?
Tournament is 3 days
nothing
nothing
get GM lecture
40/90 for game 1 Friday is too fast.
Not a damm thing!!!
Nothing comes to mind
nothing really
Passage to conf. rooms sometimes gets blocked
Pairings go wrong at times. Persons were missed altogether.
Smaller playing rooms.
Piano should be in the lobby so it playable by chess players as a means of entertainment & stress relief.
round times don't correspond between section to section
nothing
Temperature control in the tournament room
higher entrance fee
None
Nothing!
?
N/A
size of sections
0
prize structure should be standard - based on score greatly favors GMs and disfavors lesser masters
9am Sunday is a bad idea
N/A
Different time controls for different sections makes it difficult when friends/family are in different sections.
Nothing
Nothing
TDs could be more present in the room
nothing
nothing
I don't think you do anything.
The 9am game was too early. My 6pm game lasted a while and with travel it didn't allow me to sleep much before the morning game. (hotel was all booked)
My first one. don't know
Nothing that I have noted.
For writing down the score, in scholastic tournaments someone records it for us, but not in this tournament. I like the scholastic way better.
prize system
I don't know about this score-based prize thing... seems very punitive for draws
space, there wasn't nearly enough
prize structure can be a bit weird
If Continental Chess were the standard, then everything you do surpasses them.
Well, I guess in the lower sections its not as important, but it does look slightly unprofessional to mismatch pieces. I guess we just bring our own.
lock up the sodas
not experience enough to answer
The prize structure leads to collusion. I heard an offer for one person to take the win last round if they were drawn.
Even though the Rockville Hilton is convenient, I feel cramped here. Opening/closing doors is distracting. I thought the hotel at the Rio had better conditions.
Nothing major I can think of, minor details are usually not perfect anywhere.
Nothing at all that you do worse. Wish you would consider more 9-round tournaments. You just do them better.
Sunday game #1 - too early
timings; Do sections like U1000, U1300, 1500, U1700, U2000
I can't think of anything. Thanks for the great job that you do!
Atmosphere seems a bit formalized compared to some other tournaments probably because of high stakes and hotel location
nothing (never been to any others)
nothing that I can think of.
Annual 5K run on Sunday morning makes it tricky to get here
not enough tournament directors
little skittles room
nothing
N/A
5. What would you like us to change?
Food Vendor!!!
Please make sure playing hall is quiet.
Make more games in one day.
have more tournaments
Is Ok
Allow jump from Friday early schedule to Sat Sun 2-day schedule: 1 game Friday, 3 game Sat., 1 game Sunday (3pm)
Provide digital clocks or set people's individual clocks for them. Repeated problems with digitals not set right.
Bupkus, Nada, Nil
The water this tournament was worse than usual.
free chess sets for all participants (no change in prizes/ entry fees) Also free clocks?
not very much
Start time on Sunday . 9am is way too early!
Although the hotel is really nice, it would have been great if the venue were larger and advertiaed better.
Adding the use of the piano would have been better so it is playable away from the playing area.
Also, time control could have been slightly better, maybe 40 moves in 2 hours, sudden death in 30 mins - 1 hour.
faster games, more rounds
nothing
Require better air conditioning
Demand frequent cleaning of the toilets
This tournament is fantastic
Nothing comes to mind. Great job as usual!
0
N/A
N/A
I'll be more greedy -> provide clocks for to ALL
maybe be giving the rating of the opponent when messaging/emailing pairings
based on score
make it 10am Sunday
N/A
Higher compensation
nothing
nothing
nothing
More pens :)
nothing
Just keep it up please!
I would like you guys to change the score writing thing.
Nothing. Hilton is a great hotel and a great place to have a chess tournament. Too expensive though. Try to get the Hilton to have lower room rates and lower entry fee for all categories.
nothing
change to regular system of prizes
odd timing of rounds regarding upper and lower sections
Maybe later Sun morning start; Time controls don't match and presets!! :)
Conventional prize structure for at least some tournaments. How about lower entry fees for all with reduced prizes in the chess sections.
I'm not a fan of the time control, but that is probably more dictated by FIDE, who has done their best to butcher that aspect of the game. Perhaps a lot of players like it.
Wish the last round started at 3:30 instead of 3pm as I like more break between rounds. I realize less break before the last round is typical though.
A few of the boards and pieces were bad.
More money involved; more prizes
Dedicated area for kids and parents in order to prevent noise and crowding around the entraces to the rooms.
prize structure
tournament site
Provide phone # for contact or maybe get several email addresses, for clearer communications
Only reason not to give a perfect 10 is noise in the Jeffereson room coming from Adams each and every round. Highly distracting. Adams should be made into a playing hall or only projection with seats (no tables). Hard to keep going to TD to fix situation.
Sunday game #1 too early
The timings (try to have games a bit later like 11:00 am instead of 9 because because a lot of people travel to get here). more prizes
Personally, I would like to have slightly lower registration fees and slightly lower prizes. I realize many others might feel differently and it's not realistic.
Possibly add some lower stakes side events
nothing, I think it's good the way it is.
Have a better air conditioning in the playing room (not so hot and have a better ventilation)
1 more TD
1st round of 3-day schedule starts rather late. I chose 2-day because playing so late Friday night didn't seem appealing. But I prefer slower time controls, So 1st round starting at 7 instead of 8 might have made a difference.
more prizes
bye prizes, for example, 4 pts out of 5 = 80%. 3.5/4 = 87.5%
N/A