Low turnout here too! Sixteen, expected at least thirty for Ghostbusters
2003.

Which way are the fish swimming?

Tom Klem

"Bruce Draney" wrote in message
...
The second longest running adult chess event in the state of Nebraska
will not be held this year. The reason given is apparently cost. The
annual Polar Bear which was run consecutively since 1973 will not be
held for the first time in 30 years.

Lincoln no longer has a free playing site available, and the director
cited costs as the primary factor in deciding to chuck it. This event
was one of Nebraska's most colorful, run by a man who wore shorts no
matter the time of year, he turned it into a fun event where anyone who
wore shorts in the late Fall throughout the tournament would be eligible
for special prizes and a partial refund on the entry fee. We had a very
nice free playing site in Lincoln until last year. Now we do not have a
nice free playing site in Lincoln. I will not elaborate on the reasons
why we no longer have a free playing site in Lincoln, as that has been
brought up before.

In 2001, the third longest running adult chess event in the state was
permanently cancelled in North Platte, Nebraska, due to declining
support of players, the costs of continuing to secure playing sites and
the jacking up of the TLA prices over 500% by George DeFeis and Tim
Redman.

On a related note, a tournament held this weekend in Lincoln lost the
principal organizer over $200.00 as the turnout was only 10. There were
more trophies than there were players. This person can ill afford to
lose $200.00 and I suspect this may be his last attempt to organize
adult chess events as well.

This coming weekend an unrated team tournament in Kearney, Nebraska is
expected to draw over 100 players. Let's see, USCF rated tournament
draws 10 and unrated team event in Kearney is expected to draw over
100. Is there a message here about the value of USCF membership? Forty
nine dollars is a killer in this part of the country. What the hell
though, no one gives a rat's anyhow.

Best Regards,

Bruce