0176 - Gentlemen, I thank you all for your help with this upcoming SC Open.  I have a feeling this will be a strong tournament, and perhaps one that will help us to really get things going in South Carolina.  We already have participation confirmed for one GM and one FM, and yet another GM has inquired about the event.  In addition, we have a fairly good size pre-registered list.  However, I think we can take steps to make this an even bigger event within the next few days.  I encourage each and every one of you to talk up the tournament to any chess player you know, and do your best to encourage them to participate.  Here are a few reasons that may convince them to join: 1) Strong pre-registered competition 2) Inexpensive hotel rates 3) (For Greenville Players) A strong local supporting of this tournament will help to ensure it remains in Greenville for years to come. President Leland, if you could do your best to drum up support from Charlotte, where as we all know a good number of USCF players reside, it could go a long way in making this one of the largest SC Open tournaments ever.  I am aware and appreciative of your continued support in publicizing our events.  I am also very grateful for your recent efforts to organize an event in South Carolina.  Simply due to the fact that you are dealing with the largest organized group of active USCF players in the area, your assistance in this is vital to our efforts. Soon-to-be-President Wheeless, if there are any other clubs, club presidents, or any active USCF groups (including any scholastic organizations) from your state that could help support our cause, I would greatly appreciate you contacting them in an effort to drum up as much support as possible. Mr. Henry White, if you could post the pre-registered list (found below) on the website, it might be a good way to encourage more to sign up. Gentlemen, I strongly believe with a strong turn-out and professionally run atmosphere, this event can go a long way to improving the status of the SCCA and help us gain ground with turn-out to future events.  Now its crunch time.  Let's pull together, make some phone calls, send some e-mails, tell some friends, and make this work. Thanks again to each of you for all your hard work in making our events successful. Regards, James MacDougall, SCCA President David Causey <causey6@bellsouth.net> wrote: Bob and Mick,et al I'll start a new email and give all the status of the S.C. Open as of this date. Answers to Bob's questions in his latest email will be included herewith. As of 6/20/06, the following pre-entries have either been received or confirmed by email or phone: Open/Unr Section Matthew Fouts 2064 Kevin Hyde 1229 Chris Mabe 2161 Randal Ferguson 2246 Matthew Noble 2226 Klaus Pohl 2201 Charles Reeve 2067 Boris Xu 1934 James MacDougall 1930 Keith Eubanks 2092 GM Lubomir Ftacnik U2000 Section David Causey 1930 Joshua Mu 1804 Mark Bogart 1800 U1800 Section Kevin Huang 1624 Joseph Quinlan 1611 Michael Lauria 1517 U1600 Section Josh Cook 1593 Frederick Olmsted 1548 U1400 Section Kevin Dunn 1103 Chris Lipp 584 Kenzie Moore 1044 Norm Pruitt 1217 Jonathan Sarasua 947 Timothy Staley 974 Zachary Templeton 1230 Paul Miller 1087 James Hyde 1362 Reid Motter 978 David Spencer 1028 Joe Stearns 812 Now for the status questions from Bob: I have been the primary organizer for the tournament and have been receiving the pre-entries. I have recorded them both on log sheets and into the WinTD program which I'll bring with me with all the USCF database info thru the June supplement. If my new laptop uploads the info from my office computer without any problems, it will be ready to go when I arrive. I'll bring my HP printer, too. I'll help register and input before the first rounds begin. I'll also have the SCCA database to check memberships and membership applications and cards to hand out. I don't require out-of-state players to become SCCA members, so we should only have to worry about S.C. players. Since I'm the treasurer, I'll have the checkbook, too, for prizes and room fees. When we are finished with registration, I'll turn it over to Bob and Mick to run. As for the tournament room, that is where I have total ignorance. Michael Smith found the site and we secured it from afar. Can you or Mick go by there this week and check it out, just in case there is some glitch that Michael didn't catch? We may need room for up to 60 players. You can check for WiFi or Ethernet access at that time, also. There are supposed to be two rooms available and we need room for Sig's Chess to set up somewhere near the tournament room with his chess wares. Theresa is the contact person at Consort Inn. I'll have tournament supplies with me, but if you have any score sheets available, bring them, just in case. I already have board numbers from the last S.C. Open, so we can reuse them. We'll address any special rules on Friday afternoon. I hope to arrive before 5:00pm, so I'll see you there. If anyone thinks of something else, let me know. As for the GM simul, I'll ask David Grimaud about it when I see him in Charleston on Wednesday night and report accordingly. Thanks to all for your contribution and lets make this one of the best S.C. Open's ever! Regards, David Causey