OCTOBER CHESS FESTIVAL–WE AIM TO PLEASE!

This morning we heard from GM SIMON WILLIAMS about the Chess Festival this October. He said it’s OK with him if participants in the October Chess Festival simul play something other than the Black side of the King’s Gambit (He used the expression, “Scared”…LOL). This should be “good news” for those who like to play in simuls and have a hope of beating the big cheeses!

There is a little downside however (never underestimate a GM). When it was originally announced that the simul would be only King’s Gambits, that meant Black (you) would face 1.e4. Now the non-KG players don’t know whether Simon will play 1.d4 or 1.e4 or 1.c4 against them! Actually, Simon or Andrew will go first, then when they are half-thru the first round the other celebrity will start at the beginning again. So let’s say we had 40 participants and Simon went first. When he got to #21, then Andrew would start with #1, again after Black made his response to Simon’s move.

If you do want to play the KG (as Black) against the GM you will have to tell us before you sit down to play him! And Simon also suggests that anyone who beats them IN the King’s Gambit will receive a special prize!

At the moment we have no idea how many will play in this simul event even though it is FREE to play… another unique idea from the “small company with the BIG ideas.” If you have registered or will register, please let us know if you will be playing in the simul as I need to know how many chess sets and boards to purchase. I sold all my inventory years ago when I sold my retail business (Chessco).

IF YOU HAVE NEVER PLAYED IN A SIMULTANEOUS EXHIBITION BEFORE IT WILL BE EXPLAINED!

You won’t have nearly as long (timewise) to think as in a usual simul but on the other hand it does create several advantages! The simul won’t take nearly as long, and accelerated thinking often comes up with “better moves.” Besides that, the two guys think this will be great fun. Every simul we have done in the past has been different from each other–this is one of the aspects which makes our Chess Festivals one of the highlights of the year!

Williams was pleased to see what Andrew Martin will be talking about in his lectures and he proposes some concepts of his own, three of them. He sent me a list and asks that you that are coming VOTE on your favorites! At this time, with 12 pre-registered, a difference of ONE vote for a topic could make a topic “seem” popular even if it wasn’t. So we would like a lot of you to sign up (register) to get a more valid statistical inference. Here are the topics so far:

1) So just how good is Nakamura?
2) Play like Nakamura!
3) The most amazing chess moves of all time!
4) The most amazing chess maneuvers of all time!
5) Bobby Fischer’s unknown brilliancies.
6) Bobby Fischers’s best moves.
7) Creating an attack from nowhere!
8) Winning won positions.
9) Swindling you’re way out of trouble!
10) The best attack of all time! (demonstrating a great attacking game)
11) The ‘Jedi Mind Trick’! (A lesson on trying to get into you’re opponents mind and stopping his plans)

That’s 11. Do you have something you think would be terrific? If so, think about it for a couple minutes and send it to me. (info@chessbutler.com)

Then we will re-run the list and take a final VOTE for your TOP 3! The most getting votes will be the top 3 chosen.

Some of you know he has produced a DVD (which we sell for $35) called THE MOST AMAZING CHESS MOVES OF ALL TIME, so that might give you “pause,” as they say. I know which (3) I would chose but I am not voting, so it’s your show. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE to get your two cents worth in!

THE REGISTRATION PRICE?

This event was announced earlier in 2015 so you’ve had plenty of time to set aside some money to pay for the registration! But you didn’t did you? (See #11 above!) Well, you still can and I still accept $50 deposits. Must be paid in full 30 days before the start of the event, October 23-24.

But there is also the GUARANTEE! That is, if for some amazing reason you have registered for our Chess Festival #5, and then you discover something horrible, such as you can’t make it, I will refund your money (except for $25 to cover the cost of buying materials expressly for your attendance). So, if you paid $150 (you are a Morphy Klub member, for example, which entitles you to a $50 discount) you would get $125 back. I think most of you who haven’t registered had forgotten about that.

ONE OTHER THING!

You probably noticed that Simon’s Company GingerGM (he’s a redhead, that’s why the name!) produces some great titles for DVDs. And to tell you the truth, I’ve sold more individual GingerGM titles than any one ChessBase DVD. Simon is fun, smart, and a hardworking “intriguer.” Recently, he decided to drop his prices (he may have had too much to do to keep him busy) I am going to be picking up his DVDs and selling them at the Festival and from my shop at drastically reduced prices. I will mention them when I get them, so save up for them, or, get them in advance!
If you don’t want to take up space in the event you are flying into Moline International, I will arrange to ship your boughten goods to the address of your choice for the cost of shipping & handling. Give me a few days to get the parcels together to send out. Thanks.

This is the latest update. Those who have registered should keep their eyes on the lookout for mail, emails, or this Blog.

**REMINDER**

You can save $50 by registering before July 1, 2015. I am fully aware that this does not encourage some people who can afford it, to register early. I have charged more in the past for late registrations. As I said, some don’t care. But this time the limit of people in the playing room is 75! Everything is based on that being the UPPER Number. If 80 people show, 5 are going to be disappointed! And I will be the one who gets blamed! I don’t like being blamed for anything I didn’t do. My staff is limited this time around. I do train staff and I don’t have the time, this time around, to do that.

Also, I asked people, several months ago, to send me questions to pass on to the celebrities. Thanks to those who took the time to do this. You are reliable good souls. I’ve decided to dispense with this since I don’t have the extra staff to deal with this and prefer you ask them yourselves.

If you have mislaid or lost info on the hotel we are staying at, just drop me a line or call 563-271-6657. I will also be asking a deli to give me information on food preferences for the Boxed Lunch scenario on Friday and Saturday. I’ll tell you more about that later.

In the meantime pardners, send me $200 for each of you who are coming. You both get a 10% discount if one of you brings the other!

I FORGOT, PAYMENT METHODS

One thing a long time ago which I learned was to not forget the “payment details.” We accept cash (in person at my office), checks, money orders, PayPal, and credit cards (Visa, MC, Discover).

To pay by using PaylPal, just go to their site (www.paypal.com), create an account if you don’t already have one. When it comes to send my company the money, type in my email address: info@chessbutler.com, and the dollar amount. They will send the $$$ to me. You can get a PayPal credit card and all kinds of other stuff. That’s it, they have my email address on file. You’re done.

Thanks,

Bob Long

P.S.: You can probably expect a Festival announcement every day on this Blog website. I am trying to make June the BIG month. Just has two register from Texas. They are going to make it a “chess vacation” by also stopping into the Chess Hall of Fame in St.louis. Great idea.