Post: #105405 by Brenan on Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:51 pm
I think it is asking a bit much of players to eschew a significantly higher prize fund for a nice location.
But it ought to be their call.
Why can't the EB appoint a committee of top-ranked US players to come up with a set of minimum standards for the US Championship and US Women's Championship? Organizers that meet these standards would then be eligible to bid.
If the EB put half the effort into promoting chess for the professionals instead of running around putting on kiddie chess events, we might have stronger championships with meaningful titles.
And if the EB doesn't stepup to the plate soon on this, maybe some leading US players can organize a statement of minimum standards, which if an event does not provide, they will not play in it.
What they choose to call for is their business, and certainly beyond my qualifications to prescribe. But for starters, I am betting that we have seen the last Armageddon fiasco.
"I'm going to have a tuna fish sandwich."
SLOAN***ATKINS***HARING***