Knight’s Tour/ Tournament Travel
Southern California Open September 1-3
DRAWING PLAYERS It is always hard to determine exactly
Play in Sunny San Diego I
By CHUCK ENSEY, Vice President, San Diego Chess Club
n the past the Southern California Open has varied its location to try to attract new players from the vast sprawling suburbs of Los Angeles
to the large San Diego county area and all points in between. The Los Angeles airport area hosted 7 of the last 16 events due to the cheaper deals available for ballrooms there because of the many under-booked hotels there. The 1999 event at the LAX Windham
was a high-water mark in terms of atten- dance with 251 players drawn to the large (at the time) $16,000 prize fund, but there were other years like 2000, 2007 and 2010 when attendance was only in the 120 range. The 2004 event at the Burbank Hilton drew 152 players with a $20,000 prize fund (50% guaranteed).
VISITING SAN DIEGO
California’s second largest city and the U.S.’ eighth largest, San Diego boasts a citywide population of nearly 1.3 million residents and more than 3 million residents countywide. Within its borders, San Diego County encompasses 18 incorporated cities and numerous other charming neighborhoods and communities, including downtown’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, Coronado, La Jolla, Del Mar, Carlsbad, Escondido, La Mesa, Hillcrest, Barrio Logan and Chula Vista just to name a few. San Diego is renowned for its idyllic climate, 70 miles of pristine beaches and a dazzling array of attractions including the world-famous San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld San Diego and LEGOLAND California. San Diego offers an expansive variety of things to see and do, appealing to guests of all ages from around the world. Along the west, 70 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline not only supports year-round outdoor recreation, such as surfing, boating, sailing and swimming, but also important scientific research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. To the south, it’s a whole different country, Mexico, featuring its own cultural offerings in various towns along the border and coastline. San Diego’s arts and culture and culinary arts are booming. Balboa Park, the largest urban cultural park in the U.S., is home to 15 museums, numerous art galleries, beautiful gardens, and the Tony Award-winning The Globe Theatres. San Diego County also features 92 golf courses, beachfront resorts and luxury spas, gaming, a dynamic downtown district, annual special events and unique holiday offerings, multicultural festivals and celebrations, colorful neighborhoods and communities, a rich military history and much more.
46 August 2012 | Chess Life
Big prizes are helpful, but don’t always work out, for instance in 2006 the San Diego club hosted a $25,000 fully guar- anteed event halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, but only 132 players showed up. Some blamed it on the expensive hotel rooms, others on the fact that nearly everyone had to drive a bit to get there. In 2009 the rotation had moved back
to San Diego and a new location in Mis- sion Valley was attempted with only moderate success, 131 players with a $20,000 prize (60% guaranteed). In 2011, a repeat performance drew 181 players, probably due to a fully guaranteed prize fund of $20,000 and to the addition of an optional two-day schedule.
what draws players—is it the location, the prize fund, the playing schedule, the famil- iar territory, the state of the economy? Most likely it is a combination of all these factors. We now think we have hit on a winning formula by keeping this event at the same great location with a large guar- anteed prize fund of $20,000 and the option of a two or three day schedule. The entry fee is still a modest $100, which will only cover the prize fund if we have over 200 players. The 2013 event is also already locked in at the San Diego Crowne Plaza hotel. The three-year run in San Diego came about due to the lack of event organizers in Los Angeles after the death of John Hillery. His shoes are proving to be very hard to fill. It takes a lot of time and effort to organize events and the risks are great while the rewards are few, if any, and sometimes all you get are complaints about various minor matters. I hope Bill Goich- berg is grooming a successor, where would the state of U.S. chess be without some- one with his energy? The San Diego Chess Club is hopeful
that the more stable environment now in effect will allow this event to grow back to the glory days of 250 players or more. We are doing everything we can think of, now it is up to you, the chess player, to support this event!
“Knight’s Tour” is devoted to chess tournaments and travel. Details about this event are in the “Tournament Life” section which begins on page 50.
PHOTOS: IRINA NIZMUTDINOVA
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