Which EGC prizes do you prefer?

[PeterHB]

Vouchers for books may be suitable for weaker players - particularly if accompanied by a sticker to go in the book identifying the event.

I whole-heartedly agree with this suggestion. At the 1kyu and below level this seems the best suggestion to me. The sticker specifically stating the name of the competition, the particular event and placement in that got you the prize. From an event outside Go I have a book with a nameplate of this type that has kept its place in my possessions ahead of medals and plastic cups for other things.

[Bantari]

Last year in Groningen together with my wife we spent near 4000 euro.

This number is amazing.

I spent 3 weeks in Italy with my wife, including airfare, hotels, restaurants, shows, gondola rides, and all kinds of other cool stuff and it cost me slightly less than that.
I had no idea attending Congress was so expensive! Its not how I remember Congresses to be... What changed?

[RobertJasiek]

What was the biggest side event prize you saw?

My problem is: most of them I do not see. Winners get them and the kibitz sees only an envelop or the like.

I recall EGC 2000 had reasonable prizes for some of the side events but small prizes for other side events: Lightning first prize was either DEM 500 or 800 (divide about by 2 for EUR) plus a good book from a special bookshop sponsor. What I got for 2nd places in Blind 13x13 and Torus Go was a t-shirt / mug.

For 1993 9x9 2nd place I got 6 mugs. For one 13x13 2nd places 1 t-shirt, for another 13x13 2nd place I could exchange one trophy, which I was about to add to trash, into a book, for the third 13x13 (I had to organize the tournament so that it would be held at all!) 2nd place last year see Herman's post.

I consider such small prizes disrespect of the winners, especially in comparison to the congress entry fees. It is better not to give any prize than a too small prize. Then at least one knows that it was for honour only.

Only for a trivial tournament (handicap, 2001) with only 5 players, which I won, a mug was about appropriate.

[RobertJasiek]

Bantari, one can spend any amount of money during a congress, depending on the accommodation. But maybe flights from Russia can also be expensive at times?

[Bantari]

Bantari, one can spend any amount of money during a congress, depending on the accommodation. But maybe flights from Russia can also be expensive at times?

I understand that.
I could have probably spent millions in Italy by staying in best hotels, eating in best restaurants, having personal chauffeur drive me around, and so on... this is not the point.

The point is - was the 4000 euro what the Congress costs an average player, or is the amount inflated by personal preferences of Alex and his wife?
Not that there is anything wrong with having personal preferences.

If its the latter, the comparison with prizes is meaningless.
If the former, then it is indeed an issue.

I am not invested in that, I just find it interesting.

PS. It is hard for me to believe an inter-European flight being substantially more expensive as the flight from San Diego to Rome, but I have not checked the prices, so it might well be.

[Mike]

Bantari, one can spend any amount of money during a congress, depending on the accommodation. But maybe flights from Russia can also be expensive at times?

I understand that.
I could have probably spent millions in Italy by staying in best hotels, eating in best restaurants, having personal chauffeur drive me around, and so on... this is not the point.

The point is - was the 4000 euro what the Congress costs an average player, or is the amount inflated by personal preferences of Alex and his wife?
Not that there is anything wrong with having personal preferences.

If its the latter, the comparison with prizes is meaningless.
If the former, then it is indeed an issue.

I am not invested in that, I just find it interesting.

PS. It is hard for me to believe an inter-European flight being substantially more expensive as the flight from San Diego to Rome, but I have not checked the prices, so it might well be.

I, also, found 4000€ to be a huge amount to spend. Last year, I did not go to the congress, but I did make a financial plan to see if I could and the number was like less than a quarter of that, including travel and all. This year I've spent 275€ on it so far(travel+accommodation+registration) and I have about 500€ to use for the entire 2 weeks for food and whatever expenses(partaayhh, woo!) there happen to be.. Guess some people just choose to live a bit more extravagantly.

I voted cash price, never had much care for cups and such. I know I won(or placed 2nd, whatever), what do I need a cup for?

[tj86430]

Last year in Groningen together with my wife we spent near 4000 euro.

This number is amazing.

I spent 3 weeks in Italy with my wife, including airfare, hotels, restaurants, shows, gondola rides, and all kinds of other cool stuff and it cost me slightly less than that.

So what? Comparing how people spend when traveling is pointless. I spent >10000 in less than 3 weeks in NZ. Does that make NZ expensive?

[Bantari]

Last year in Groningen together with my wife we spent near 4000 euro.

This number is amazing.

I spent 3 weeks in Italy with my wife, including airfare, hotels, restaurants, shows, gondola rides, and all kinds of other cool stuff and it cost me slightly less than that.

So what? Comparing how people spend when traveling is pointless. I spent >10000 in less than 3 weeks in NZ. Does that make NZ expensive?

So nothing.
Just wondering if this is the normal price of Congress attendance or of Alex's personal choices, that's all.

Just for you:
If congress 'requires' that much money to attend, I find it extravagant.
If it was Alex's choice to spend so much, great, I'm glad he had a good time, but then the comparison to Congress prizes is misplaced.

I am not sure how to make the point clearer.
But feel free to IM me I will try to explain more.

[RobertJasiek]

Last year's congress hotel was not the usual student block of flats but also not terribly expensive. The two weeks in hotel plus modest supermarket food amount to ca. EUR 530 ~ 550. Add to that travel cost to the Netherlands.

So you need not spend Alexander's EUR 2.000 per person.

Accommodation was somewhat expensive for the average congress player and the organization / city made it hard to pay less unless you would camp afar. I looked for alternative regular accommodation but could have saved less than EUR 5 per night, most of which (or even more?) would have been lost on bike renting and hours of wasting time. Hardly attractive alternatives.

Of course, if you ate food at the hotel restaurant and drank 10 beers a day bought there, you might already have spent much more. Add expensive flight tickets, visas(?), congress holiday trips, restaurents every evening and we approach EUR 1.500, I'd guess. But 2.000? Needs also a bit of luxary or tickets bought in the last second:)

[deja]

Last year's congress hotel was not the usual student block of flats but also not terribly expensive. The two weeks in hotel plus modest supermarket food amount to ca. EUR 530 ~ 550. Add to that travel cost to the Netherlands.

So you need not spend Alexander's EUR 2.000 per person.

Accommodation was somewhat expensive for the average congress player and the organization / city made it hard to pay less unless you would camp afar. I looked for alternative regular accommodation but could have saved less than EUR 5 per night, most of which (or even more?) would have been lost on bike renting and hours of wasting time. Hardly attractive alternatives.

Of course, if you ate food at the hotel restaurant and drank 10 beers a day bought there, you might already have spent much more. Add expensive flight tickets, visas(?), congress holiday trips, restaurents every evening and we approach EUR 1.500, I'd guess. But 2.000? Needs also a bit of luxary or tickets bought in the last second:)

Robert, for some reason, I found this post by you to be very refreshing. Thank you. Nevertheless, 10 beers a day at a hotel bar is way under per-diem in my book. Are you sure you're German?

[richardamullens]

Last year's congress hotel was not the usual student block of flats but also not terribly expensive. The two weeks in hotel plus modest supermarket food amount to ca. EUR 530 ~ 550. Add to that travel cost to the Netherlands.

I stayed at the campsite - a 30 minute walk from the congress venue. It was 8.5 euros per night which for 15 nights comes to 127.5
Add to this 5 euros per day for bicycle hire and we are at 200 euros. The bicycle gave additional mobility and made trips into the town pleasant rather than a chore.

It was hard to avoid spending some money in the hotel. Coffees and beers were each 2 euros as was the smallest of snacks - so one each of these per day adds another 90 euros.

I bought a lot of my food from a supermarket that was within walking distance. A litre of yoghurt was a bargain at about 65 euro cents and for dinner I cooked noodles, fish, green beans and a tomato on my solid fuel camping stove - thus I was living at a price I might pay at home.

It was pleasant to stay at the campsite where there were other go players but neither it, nor the hotel were what a party animal would desire.

It is no fun if one doesn't socialise to some extent so, I guess that 30 euros went on a dinner with other British Go players in a restaurant.

Rock bottom price then 320 euros plus travel plus the tournament entry fee.

Much cheaper was the Prague tournament where one could eat and quaff beer or Slivovitch without pausing to consider the price and I felt able to take my wife and 2 kids - both of whom played in the tournament.

365 days to go, I can't wait to show up at Bordeaux ! It would be interesting to hear the report of those organising it.

[henric]

Regardless of money prizes I would like to see standardizad cups (or medals, diplomas or whatever) for all championships (European Champion, European Team Champions, European Pair Champions,0 European Youth etc), which look the same from year to year. It's the tradition and continuity that lends prestige to the titles IMO.

best regards,
Henric

[Liisa]

Oh my, €4000! I spent 0 euros for accommodation as I lived 2½ weeks in tent enjoying excellent Finnish weather and warm water of Lake Näsijärvi. It was really suffering as I spent 16.80 euros in fine restaurant but luckily I earned some 30 euros from empty cans and bottles, so it covered some of the money that was spent to the luxus. I think that people just have too much money!

By the way I HATE book prizes and good money is that talks. As due to tournament system, only top players are able to fight for top 10 prizes and the rest are excluded. Thus at least 40 % of the total prize money pool should be distributed to those who got good GoR improvements by playing well in Congress.

Cups are better to make from plastic, because plastic burns better than metal in incineration plant.