Author: Russell Reagan
Date: 21:46:59 07/07/04
Go up one level in this thread
On July 07, 2004 at 19:27:13, GuyHaworth wrote: >I am happy to receive suggestions for the requirements of an ICGA infrastructure >to support ICGA events, and also happy to hear of good examples of such >infrastructure, technologies involved, and expertise willing to be involved. 1. Automation: It is possible to automate the entire thing: playing games, updating a website, relaying live games, and so on. It can all be done automatically and instantly. It will be more work to get it all working initially, but it is a one time effort that will benefit all future ICGA competitions. 2. Internet event: The ICGA should organize some kind of internet event. It doesn't have to replace the WCCC. It can be the 'World Internet Computer Chess Championship', or not. Maybe it could replace the blitz championship (which should be automated given the time contraints). The CCTs at ICC are wildly popular. They get more popular each year. The one thing that is missing from the event is the consistent participation from the top programs in the world, something that the WCCC seems to get. If you could pull that off (and why wouldn't the ICGA be able to?), you instantly have the biggest computer chess event in history. 3. Declining participation: WCCC participation continues to decline every year. I don't know what the solution is, but it is a real problem. I think there are two main problems: financial requirements and time requirements. One idea to help ease the financial requirements is to hold qualifiers, with the possibility of getting significant financial assistance if you perform well enough. This way, everyone has a chance to participate if they can demonstrate that their program is strong enough. If mine isn't, I'm fine with not being able to participate. Borrow an idea from big poker tournaments. For instance, the World Series of Poker main event costs $10,000 to enter. If you have the talent to enter, but not the money, you can enter 'satellite' tournaments (basically a qualifier) for a reasonable entry fee (under $100). The winner of that event gets $10,000 to enter the main event. The other problem is time. Make the event shorter. It doesn't have to be fewer rounds. If you automate everything, you can play two to four rounds per day. The whole event could fit in one three-day weekend. As it currently stands, the chances of me participating are below 1% unless it is within daily driving distance of my home. I think many people share this situation. If the time requirements and financial requirements made it easier to participate, I think participation would go up. Look at how easy it is to participate in CCT, and look how many people participate. Zero financial cost and one weekend. Participation goes up each year, while WCCC participation goes down each year. 4. Playing level of participants. I am very much for allowing everyone to participate, but I would rather the "main event" be top quality participants. I think the qualifiers would work well here also. Allow anyone to enter, say, internet qualifiers. If I don't make the cut, then I am fine with not participating in the WCCC. I would still get to participate in some capacity. Perhaps another idea is to have a yearly cycle, like the old FIDE championship cycle. Hold regionals, zonals, etc. and a longer match between the two finalists. I'd much rather see 24 games between Junior and Shredder than _one_! That is all... for now :)
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