ONTARIO CHESS ASSOCIATION INC.

2006-2007 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The OCA has continued to make great progress in many areas. Our players have directly benefitted by the active year of tournaments throughout the province. Each League held many events, as well as Ontario again held major Canadian Events, including the Canadian Open, the CYCC (Canadian Youth Chess Championship), The Canadian Closed and The Canadian Women’s Championship! All these events were well run, and players appreciated the quality event preparations, as well as the competitive play. A special thanks is extended to all of our Organizers and Tournament Directors for all their successful hard work! It continues to be the volunteers and dedicated people who work all year helping with organizing and/or with events at the provincial, League and club levels.

We especially thank our sponsors of chess. At the provincial level we have significantly benefitted from the Ontario Government’s Trillium Foundation’s support of our York Region Chess Program. This two year program has seen thousands of youth participate in events throughout York Region. Activities included school chess clubs, tournaments, special teacher training, chess camps, and simultaneous chess challenges. In addition both women and seniors have participated in adult events in York Region. This area now has the most active chess in the entire province! We are working with Trillium staff on a plan to extend this program province-wide, hopefully commencing this Fall! We thank the York Region Public and Secondary School Boards, their schools, volunteers, the Chess’n Math Association, the York Region Optimists Clubs, The Chess Academy of Canada, and the York Region Sports Association for all their work in the region.

We again thank Sid and Alicia Belzberg for their sponsorship of the 2006 Canadian Closed, which was a fantastic quality event with good prizes, great competition, and a great celebration banquet. Special thanks to International Arbitor, Mark Dutton, for his capable tournament direction, and to Eric Malmsten, for the special commemorative event book which was given to all contestants. The players were very competitive, and thanks to Monroi technologies, the all games were broadcast live on the internet, and with 32 million hits, www.monroi.com, became one of the top 3% of the World’s Websites, during this event. And finally special praise to all the players, they are all champions, and particularly to our new Canadian Chess Champion, IM Igor Zugic!

The OCA has expanded its support of youth chess across the province, and has assisted or provided chess equipment and/or clocks for the Canadian University Chess Championships which were held in Ottawa, to the Toronto District School Board Regional Championships, to the St. Catherines School Board Regional Championships, and to the Association of Christian Schools International. A special mention is made to highlight the great success of Denis Nadeau, who has spearheaded a program of chess instruction in the regular program of 29 schools in Northern Ontario. The youth are the future of chess and we are proud of the growth of active youth chess across the province.

Although this last year has had great success, there were many challenges and growing pains. Two of our major chess tournaments, the York Region (formerly Guelph) Pro-Am, and the Macedonian Open, both had guaranteed prize funds and had significant losses. We must learn from these mistakes and only offer guaranteed prizes where sponsorships cover the prizes. This was probably a result of too many events scheduled in the summer. Similarly we had so many chess events in York Region that the York Region City Championships had poor registrations and were rescheduled. Learning from this, the OCA cancelled its planned 2007 Canadian Zonal and suggested the either the Canadian Open Organizers or the Kitchener Chess Festival Organizers, consider holding the Zonal and Womens Championships. I am pleased that Hal Bond and Patrick McDonald successfully arranged sponsorships and are including these events as part of the Kitchener Chess Festival on August 3-6, 2007.

The OCA reorganization has proven successful, and restructuring is further being initiated to allow better management and more input and involvement of OCA members across the province. We are planning to move to central OCA AGMs (Annual General Meetings) as full business meetings, independent of chess tournaments, and scheduled every June. This will allow internet conferencing for participation of members without even worrying about travel. Furthermore we are expanding the roles of Leagues and their voting rights and changing OCA Governors to becoming Chess Ambassadors who visit/communicate with chess clubs and schools and chess organizations in their areas to promote OCA and to communicate and facilitate our support. By quarterly reports the OCA can maintain better feedback and communications.

I am very proud of our last years results, and want to extend particular thanks to the many chess players who answered our OCA Emergency Player Fund request and donated to contribute towards treatment expenses for our fellow chess player, Viktar Chuprys, who was playing in July’s Canadian Open, when he learned he had terminal Lymphatic Cancer. Special treatment was arranged in China with world renown, Dr. Gu Juan, and Viktar has travelled to China four times for continuing treatment. He has responded well, but continues to battle a very serious disease. Please continue to pray for his continued success in this very difficult battle. It is heartwarming to see so many chess players banding together to help a fellow chess player.

The OCA is growing stronger with increasing chess activity, greatly expanding youth chess throughout the province, and needs your continued support. Please volunteer to assist events in your own area, help your chess clubs and organizations to create better and more frequent activities. Your help is needed and will be appreciated.

Barry Thorvardson

President, OCA