It is finally time to announce:

[Michael Sherwin]

Also, I am toying with the idea to include an unlimited hardware event that can be considered as a tune-up for the main world computer chess championships. Any thoughts?

[OliverUwira]

The idea becomes more appealing the longer this thread is getting (-:

I've just checked flight rates out of curiosity and it seems no big business to get there from Europe

If you'd like to include some chess event into the social program, I could contribute a simultaneous exhibition.

[Don]

Interesting idea!

I am glad that there is a lot of time to formulate the best possible event.

I have not been on talkchess for a few weeks so I just now noticed this thread.

I think it's awesome and I'll make every effort to be there.

I have a suggestion however. The only reason I go to ANY computer chess event is to interact with other program authors. Without program authors these kind of events are not very interesting - you could easily just run the tournament in your own house by having people send you programs. With such a personal investment of cash you should insist on that the event is dignified with authors.

To make a good turnout likely, you could do something like providing travel assistance or perhaps accommodations for the players. You can usually negotiate good prices for a block of rooms this way.

Those are just some thoughts and suggestions - things I think are important to most every computer chess author - especially the ones that are not so well funded!

Don

I can see now that getting authors to the event that could not otherwise afford to come by helping them with travel and lodging may be more important than a large prize fund. However, the cost may be way more than the prize fund offered in the first place. This is getting very confusing and it would be nice to have some clarity. I need people to get on board with helping to plan things as there is never as much time as it seems.

Some realism:

I offered such a large prize fund to entice as many authors as I could, to be there. It is the normal way of things that some will just simply not be able to make it, for what ever reason. Most authors do not live in a vacuum and have family and friends or a university or countryman that could sponsor them. I would be willing to donate a little extra to a fund that others can donate to as well. There must be other persons with means that would be willing to help, because they also would want this event to be a huge success.

On the other hand if my investments do half as good in the next year and a half as they did this last year and a half, then no problem, I will just pay for everything. This event then could be my legacy to computer chess. We will see, but no promises other than the promised 120k.

Are you considering to get some financial help with sponsors? Since you are putting up so much of your own money, it would probably be easier to get some additional help because such a tournament is going to involve a lot more expenses than just the prize fund.

I am just offering ideas - but I think I know what would surely get a lot of participation. You could distribute the prize fund in such a way that most of the participants can expect to get something. For example it could be based on points won. Given a certain number of rounds and participants you know in advance exactly how points (1 point per match) are involved and you could offer a few dollars per point in addition to a much larger prize for winning the tournament, etc. I think you would get heavy participation if you did that. It would not have to be a very large percentage of the total prize fund either.

I have found that people are motivated by only a small amount of money. For example a couple of decades ago when computers were starting to get strong almost everyone in a human tournament refused to play. We offered only $10 for a draw and $20 for a win and the majority of players were suddenly willing to play the computer.

[Michael Sherwin]

The idea becomes more appealing the longer this thread is getting (-:

I've just checked flight rates out of curiosity and it seems no big business to get there from Europe

If you'd like to include some chess event into the social program, I could contribute a simultaneous exhibition.

Like you said; "more appealing", all the time.

Thanks Oliver!

I wonder if there is someone willing to do a simultaneous against the engines?

[Michael Sherwin]

Interesting idea!

I am glad that there is a lot of time to formulate the best possible event.

I have not been on talkchess for a few weeks so I just now noticed this thread.

I think it's awesome and I'll make every effort to be there.

I have a suggestion however. The only reason I go to ANY computer chess event is to interact with other program authors. Without program authors these kind of events are not very interesting - you could easily just run the tournament in your own house by having people send you programs. With such a personal investment of cash you should insist on that the event is dignified with authors.

To make a good turnout likely, you could do something like providing travel assistance or perhaps accommodations for the players. You can usually negotiate good prices for a block of rooms this way.

Those are just some thoughts and suggestions - things I think are important to most every computer chess author - especially the ones that are not so well funded!

Don

I can see now that getting authors to the event that could not otherwise afford to come by helping them with travel and lodging may be more important than a large prize fund. However, the cost may be way more than the prize fund offered in the first place. This is getting very confusing and it would be nice to have some clarity. I need people to get on board with helping to plan things as there is never as much time as it seems.

Some realism:

I offered such a large prize fund to entice as many authors as I could, to be there. It is the normal way of things that some will just simply not be able to make it, for what ever reason. Most authors do not live in a vacuum and have family and friends or a university or countryman that could sponsor them. I would be willing to donate a little extra to a fund that others can donate to as well. There must be other persons with means that would be willing to help, because they also would want this event to be a huge success.

On the other hand if my investments do half as good in the next year and a half as they did this last year and a half, then no problem, I will just pay for everything. This event then could be my legacy to computer chess. We will see, but no promises other than the promised 120k.

Are you considering to get some financial help with sponsors? Since you are putting up so much of your own money, it would probably be easier to get some additional help because such a tournament is going to involve a lot more expenses than just the prize fund.

I am just offering ideas - but I think I know what would surely get a lot of participation. You could distribute the prize fund in such a way that most of the participants can expect to get something. For example it could be based on points won. Given a certain number of rounds and participants you know in advance exactly how points (1 point per match) are involved and you could offer a few dollars per point in addition to a much larger prize for winning the tournament, etc. I think you would get heavy participation if you did that. It would not have to be a very large percentage of the total prize fund either.

I have found that people are motivated by only a small amount of money. For example a couple of decades ago when computers were starting to get strong almost everyone in a human tournament refused to play. We offered only $10 for a draw and $20 for a win and the majority of players were suddenly willing to play the computer.

On the spot money for any points won--not a bad idea at all!

Once I get a site nailed down, then I plan on contacting possible sponsors. If I can not nail down YSU then I will consider allowing the ACCA to choose the location.

[Nelson Hernandez]

We need some specs, Michael.

Each machine would or would not be dedicated to a particular player during the entire tournament?

How much free internal hard drive storage would the machines have?

Would players be permitted to attach their private external hard drives?

Would there be any size or play limitations on opening books?

Your stock portfolio: are you predominantly long or short, are you margined, are you hedged, and what kind of Beta are you running? I was a stock millionaire once too for about two weeks. I got cocky and stubborn. Refused to take profits. Then I was a former millionaire. Launched a hedge fund. You don't want to know how that turned out. Oh, man! Retired from investing.

[Michael Sherwin]

We need some specs, Michael.

Each machine would or would not be dedicated to a particular player during the entire tournament?

How much free internal hard drive storage would the machines have?

Would players be permitted to attach their private external hard drives?

Would there be any size or play limitations on opening books?

Your stock portfolio: are you predominantly long or short, are you margined, are you hedged, and what kind of Beta are you running? I was a stock millionaire once too for about two weeks. I got cocky and stubborn. Refused to take profits. Then I was a former millionaire. Launched a hedge fund. You don't want to know how that turned out. Oh, man! Retired from investing.

There needs to be an experienced committee in place before specs can be defined. I just do not know enough to try to dictate these kinds of details. So far no one is knocking down my door to be on this committee. Maybe after I get some money moved into the 'Spring 2012' account so that people can know that I am serious they will start becoming an active part of the effort.

Investing:

I am primarily long the market, but, I hedge in several different ways. I use moderately safe high yield stocks as a hedge against slow but steady market decline. I have stocks that will do well if interest rates stay low and I have some stocks that will do well if interest rates start to rise. I have oil stocks if the economy starts to heat up. I have some foreign company based closed end funds that will do okay if the U.S. stays sluggish. I have bought puts against the S&P500 in case of a meltdown as well as ~$150k in inverse 3x ETF's that will make a fortune if there is a market crash. And I am fully margined so that the yield that is made on the borrowed money can pay for all the hedging. And I sell covered-calls and sell puts to bring cash in when it seems the thing to do. Also I have an 'options account' that just holds some cash so that when an obvious opportunity presents itself I can get in and then out with a quick profit. I do some speculating that pays off now and then as well as some bottom fishing. I have about 8 accounts total with 4 being small and just experimental. If I do well experimenting in the small accounts then I move whatever I'm doing to the big accounts. I have taken big percentage losses in the small accounts.

Beta: I favor low beta on stocks that I do not sell calls or puts for and high beta stocks for selling the calls and puts. High beta stocks earn higher premiums than low beta stocks.

[Nelson Hernandez]

For what it is worth, I would favor...

> Dedicated machines to entrants
> Players allowed to attach external hard drives during competition
> Internal hard drive storage is almost irrelevant if external devices are allowed; if they aren't, then ample internal HD free space becomes a critical issue, as well as having dedicated machines
> No size or play limitations on opening books

Time control: three rounds per day is challenging but comfortable. Four could be done as well, but that would make for grueling days and fatigue would increase the probability of human error.

Your stock portfolio sounds well diversified. You seem to have an appreciation for the great risk of abrupt volatility posed by the markets these days. Sounds like you could survive a dire situation pretty well.

[Steve B]

For what it is worth, I would favor...

> Dedicated machines to entrants

now there's a surprise suggestion
i would second that emotion actually
but I'm guessing you didn't mean the kind of "dedicated "machines that i am interested in

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10261668@N05/sets/

Left Out In The Cold Regards
Steve

[Nelson Hernandez]

I meant that on the day contestants arrive they would get their tournament briefing and would receive identical Atom-equipped computers with pre-loaded operating systems. (They would have to be marked somehow so people could tell one of the other.) Then the entrants could spend the rest of the day getting their chess software loaded to their assigned machine and test performance. All technical issues and questions ought to be ironed out that day. Entrants would hold on to their machines until the end of the tournament, when they would remove anything they loaded to the hard drive and return them as they got them.

As for the external HD, this would permit entrants to use EGTBs if they wished, as well as bring whatever size opening book they wanted to the tournament. I consider both of those elements software, and there ought not be any restrictions on software since it all works together to play chess.