The City of Sydney championships opened on Sunday at the New South Wales Bridge Association Centre in Surry Hills. Turnout was low - truly a disappointment for the state association. I can imagine the new administration scratching their heads wondering what in the world do they need to do to excite players. Here is a venue that is right in the heart of the world's most beautiful city, highly accessible, plenty of pre-game activities - but no players! Well, only about 40 or so anyway. I'll have the exact numbers next week plus some photos.
I did manage to sneak away with a player list. Here are some of the top players.
OPEN
George Xie, Tomek Rej, Andrew Bird, Johny Bolens, Laura Moylan, Raymond Song, Pat Halpin
Actually, there are two sections to this event and I'm playing in the stronger one. I'm hoping to play enough FIDE rated players to complete my second FIDE block. Also I think the tougher opposition will do me some good. My dear fans, wish me luck!
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3 comments:
No wonder turnout is low. Having games start at 6.30pm on Sunday night is just plain stupid, as many people have to get up early to go to work the next day. There is nowhere to park in the CBD, unless people have lots of money to pay for exorbitant parking fees. This means people have to try and get home using Sydney's trains, which are unrelaible and unsafe late at night. On Sunday nights there are not only reduced train services to get home (compared to weekdays), but often trackwork (takes people considerably longer to get to their destination). Whose stupid idea was it to play in the CBD and start at 6.30pm on Sunday night? If it was held at Ryde-Eastwood and a sensible time of say 3pm then turnout would have been better.
I agree. I wouldnt spend five or more dollars to park my game for a game. Also many people like me enjoy the weekend family dinner.
From what I hear there are virtually no juniors playing in this year's COS, which is not surprising, due to 6.30pm start, and hassle for parents in getting home by train late at night (few services, delays due to weekend trackwork maintenance etc). The NSWCA seems to be trying to appease Peter Parr (as a result of Lyons and Parr being spectacularly outmanouvered at the AGM by Bill Gletsos and Charles Zworestine) by hosting a tournament close to Parr's business. I wonder if we will be having a NSWCA tournament at Riverstone later this year to keep Brian Jones happy? After all, why should Parr have a NSWCA tournament close to his shop and not Jones?
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