Life In 19x19

For side events, such as blitz, team, 13-13 and so on

I voted for cups.
We had very nice cups on EGC in Tuchola!

50 Euro cash prizes for side events, like on EGC in Sweden, is not the best option, I think.

I think that a cup is good, perhaps also smaller ones for 2nd and 3rd place, but I also think that it should be accompanied by a cash prize, even if it is small.

Personally, I prefer some kind of permanent memento, like a cup. A cash prize is also nice, but it need only be a token amount.

Go books or similar items are mainly a good prize because organizers can often get them at a discount, so it is more economical than cash prizes.

What a poll! I need to vote "others" because I prefer BIG cash prizes! The side events are not jokes but "hard work"!

Perhaps the wording would be better as just "cash prizes" - small to some people could mean 5 Euros, and I can see people never voting for it as it stands - I'm not sure how helpful that will be with regards to the information in people's votes

Yeah. Cup accompanied with a paper diploma is a great suggestion.

Helel wrote:I'm against cash prizes even in the main tournament.
Money is the root of all evil, and we would all do best to stay away from the stuff.
Play for honor or not at all.

As for minor prizes I prefer cups and similar. Something you can look back to with joy in 30-40 years.

Oh gosh, I guess I've read more than 250 posts from helel and in EVERYone was the twisted evil smile. This leads me to always think about Helel when I see this damn smile...

I want to see cups and diplomas as prices.
I think no money need to be involved as prices in amateur tournaments.
Instead I can imagine a lower playing fee.

I see that some strong and semi-strong players want to get some payment for using their brains more efficient than others.
For those I would like to see an European pro circus with sponsors, high entry fees and high cash prices.

As a general principle amateurs should be playing mainly for honour or self-satisfaction. But most people would not blench at modest cash prizes.

As a further general principle, all entrants to an event should expect equal treatment. But most people would not blench at stronger players (given that go is a competitive game) being accorded a little extra honour, a bigger cup, or even a little extra cash.

Where European go congresses appear to have gone a little awry (do remember to see this in the big picture of a fantastically successful enterprise) is that these general principles have wobbled - some prizes have not been modest and treatment of all entrants has not always been even. Greed has eneterd the scene.

If the entry fee to cover costs only is 100 euros and if the fee to include modest cash prizes is 101 euros, few people would quibble at the extra. If the fee to include big cash prizes was 120 euros, and every group got decent cash prizes, then I'd expect some disgruntlement in the wallet area but acceptance because of a sense of fairness. But if the fee of 120 euros is meant to include big cash prizes for strong players only, I'd expect almost total disgruntlement, either because of the extra financial burden or the lack of fairness, or both.

The latter seems to be the situation we might face at the moment. It would be interesting to know when cash prizes were introduced and why, but I suspect that the law of unintended consequences has struck again and that the original motives have been subverted. If so, we need a correction on the tiller.

There are good reasons, of course, for entry fees that are higher than absolutely necessary. An obvious one is to provide some insurance against the unexpected. A less obvious one, but one which I consider a worthy reward, is the scope it gives the organisers to give their event a bit of distinction or flair, or to guide the development of go in a direction they favour. I suspect that too often in practice totally exhausted organisers who find they have a cash surplus just pile it onto the prize fund without thinking enough about how it could be better used (though some do, and I salute them). It's difficult to do anything at the event, of course, by the time it becomes obvious there is some surplus. Still, I think it would be good to consider longer-term schemes such as creating very reduced fees for young people, or scholarships. The organisers can still promote their own aims, or just get the kudos if that's enough - for example scholarships could be named after their event.

For the specific case of the European champion, I'd say that the chance to compete in the various international pro events for the following year is financial reward enough.

John Fairbairn wrote:If the entry fee to cover costs only is 100 euros and if the fee to include modest cash prizes is 101 euros, few people would quibble at the extra. If the fee to include big cash prizes was 120 euros, and every group got decent cash prizes, then I'd expect some disgruntlement in the wallet area but acceptance because of a sense of fairness. But if the fee of 120 euros is meant to include big cash prizes for strong players only, I'd expect almost total disgruntlement, either because of the extra financial burden or the lack of fairness, or both.

I agree with this whole-heartedly, and it was one reason why I was happy with Alex's idea of having the supergroup eligible people paying a surcharge of an extra 100 euros for being in the supergroup that tops up the prize for the top end of the tournament. That way, it is only those in the running that have to pay extra, and they are all with a chance of getting their investment back if they believe in their place in that supergroup.

John Fairbairn wrote:For the specific case of the European champion, I'd say that the chance to compete in the various international pro events for the following year is financial reward enough.

We don't have such prizes as Fujitsu cup or Chunlan invitations. EGF may held addional events or just send someone they want to send.

Last year in Groningen together with my wife we spent near 4000 euro. I got 475 euro back as the first prize. I won Fujitsu cup preliminary (by internet) later, but it was not included to EGC prize

RobertJasiek wrote:What a poll! I need to vote "others" because I prefer BIG cash prizes! The side events are not jokes but "hard work"!

Robert, you played more congresses than I played. What was the biggest side event prize you saw?
I remember magnetic Go board (near 100 USD worth).

breakfast wrote:

RobertJasiek wrote:What a poll! I need to vote "others" because I prefer BIG cash prizes! The side events are not jokes but "hard work"!

Robert, you played more congresses than I played. What was the biggest side event prize you saw?
I remember magnetic Go board (near 100 USD worth).

What counts as side events?

In Groningen, first prize in individual side events (9x9, 13x13, lightning, bonus) was 100 euro (60 for 2nd place, 30 for 3rd).

Group events (rengo, team) had larger prizes, but after sharing they were smaller per person.

Pairgo had 500 euro main prize (so 250 each) because of sponsorship from the Japanese Pairgo Association.

Rapid had 200 euro main prize (120 for 2nd and 50 for 3rd).

Weekend had 700 euro total for top prizes (shared four way because four players tied for 1st place)

breakfast wrote:

RobertJasiek wrote:What a poll! I need to vote "others" because I prefer BIG cash prizes! The side events are not jokes but "hard work"!

Robert, you played more congresses than I played. What was the biggest side event prize you saw?
I remember magnetic Go board (near 100 USD worth).

That is what I won in a low (but not the lowest) division in Amsterdam in the early 1970s. The runner up received a Japanese book of tsumego. At the time I thought I was fortunate, but in retrospect the book may have been better for my go. Perhaps there were 16 people in a division and 8 divisions. In the tournament I tied with a German player though when we met he beat me. The result was decided by a lightning game. This year in Amsterdam the prizes were envelopes containing, one assumes, cash. Who says that tournament administration has improved ? I wonder if anyone has the records for those early tournaments.

At the Zomergo last year I won a bottle of beer http://www.rhodamine.eu/~richard/diary/ ... _1881.jpeg for 4 out of 5 - I was also very happy with that although it did not last as long as the magnetic set.

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