It is finally time to announce:

[Michael Sherwin]

I think it sounds great. A $120K prize fund is so enormous that it will rightly cause skepticism until there's more information available, but even without a prize fund I think this would be a nice event.

I understand about the skepticism. So, that begs the question--why so much money. It is simple really. I know how much effort most authors put into writing a chess (or chess type) engine. They can and do spend decades learning, planning and then finally producing a working engine. They are determined to finish no matter what the cost. People all over the world have enjoyed the results of their hard work and some have gotten nothing for it. Sometimes, not even a 'thank you'. And even the ones that have gotten a 'thank you' have also been besieged with bug fixing request and feature request. They then sacrifice more of their precious life energy to accommodate those request as they are people that care about other people and do not begrudge the additional sacrifice that they are asked to make. I think that they deserve something special and I am in a position to give it to them! Five years ago I was flat broke when I wrote RomiChess, but now, because, I started dabbling in the stock market about three years ago and got really good at it about a year and a half ago I am a multi millionaire. The money is a big deal, but, not a huge deal and I want to do this.

[Michael Sherwin]

I will be holding the first annual, World Atomic Computer Chess Championships, in the spring of 2012. It will be held in or around the area of Youngstown, Ohio. Hopefully at the Youngstown State University's Computer Center. There will be a $120,000.00 prise fund put up and guarantied, by me.

There will be open sections and also 'open source' only sections. Everyone will be required to compete using only an onsite single core Intel Atom processor. Also some prize money will be set aside for variants and Shogi if there is enough interest.

I will need to assemble a team of qualified volunteers to man a rules and oversee committee. All the work and planning needs to be done. This announcement is the first step that has been taken, except the accumulation of the prize fund, which has already been accomplished!

Further details will be announced as they are confirmed.

Great stuff Michael. I hope that your event is a raging success and the first of many.

Thanks,

It could be a spectacular event in so many ways. There are also local attractions that people can partake of. The Crevellie (spelling?) Center of the Performing Arts for example. The Butler Wick Museum of Art is another. For those that arrive a couple days early I plan to charter a buss to Niagara Falls. No one that has never seen them in person that gets this close should not want to miss the opportunity. The Falls are spectacular!

[Michael Sherwin]

Well, I hope it goes ahead. Sounds like a fun event. Uniform platform is cool, too.

If the field is wide enough (i.e. its not just a small bunch of mega-engines), and other programmers are going to be there, I might be tempted to enter. I've done a few of the WMCCC events, and they were a blast!

Hey Tom,

If I can pull you and other famous warriors of the past out of (semi) retirement then that will be another huge plus as far as I am concerned!

[Michael Sherwin]

Maybe including 10x8 chess (CRC or something else) could be interesting.

There is a need to specify, which protocols have to be supported then, and whether engine programmers also have to be present during the event.

I like Gothic. But, it all depends on what the variant authors want the most. Like I said earlier, a committee needs to be formed that will handle defining the rules. I am not qualified to make most decisions and I do not want to be a dictator. I am hoping that the ACCA will decide to run this very important event. They should consider this to be a formal request!

[Michael Sherwin]

I'm pretty sure that Thinker will show up, because it is a held in the US (a rarity these days) and the hardware is uniform across the participants.

I might even show-up to cheer for Thinker.

I hope so!

In general I think that the engine authors should attend as that is the focus of my intent. However, I do not want to exclude engines if it is too much of a hardship for the author to be there.

[Michael Sherwin]

Partly out of frustration and partly to give people time to decide whether they want this or not, I am going to refrain from checking back until Friday. I will decide whether to withdraw this offer or to go through with it, based upon what I read here then.

I can see that when the spring of 2012 gets closer, that demonstrated interest should grow. I guess that it is just a little far away at the moment for most to get excited about. I will go on faith that the turnout will warrant such a large prize fund, for now. However, if the turnout does not materialize then I reserve the right to adjust the prize fund to match the turnout. I do not think that it will be necessary though. At least I hope not!

For those that are still skeptical about the prize fund though, I will open a separate account and start populating it with cash as it becomes available from the stock positions that I close. I will then send the original monthly statements to a well known and trusted person for verification.

[Michael Sherwin]

... oh, forgot to ask,

any prizes for last?

Maybe a lottery for non prize winners!

[Ron Murawski]

Five years ago I was flat broke when I wrote RomiChess, but now, because, I started dabbling in the stock market about three years ago and got really good at it about a year and a half ago I am a multi millionaire. The money is a big deal, but, not a huge deal and I want to do this.

It couldn't have happened to a nicer and more deserving guy!

If I finish my re-write by spring 2012, then I will enter your contest.

Best regards,
Ron

[Steve B]

Partly out of frustration and partly to give people time to decide whether they want this or not, I am going to refrain from checking back until Friday. I will decide whether to withdraw this offer or to go through with it, based upon what I read here then.

I can see that when the spring of 2012 gets closer, that demonstrated interest should grow. I guess that it is just a little far away at the moment for most to get excited about. I will go on faith that the turnout will warrant such a large prize fund, for now. However, if the turnout does not materialize then I reserve the right to adjust the prize fund to match the turnout. I do not think that it will be necessary though. At least I hope not!

For those that are still skeptical about the prize fund though, I will open a separate account and start populating it with cash as it becomes available from the stock positions that I close. I will then send the original monthly statements to a well known and trusted person for verification.

i am fairly well known here i guess
If your serious about the prize fund then i will volunteer to verify and monitor the account

i am a CPA and managing partner in an accounting firm in NYC
PM me if you are interested in my participation
i will give you my office phone number and we can talk on the phone

Regards
Steve

[Michael Sherwin]

Five years ago I was flat broke when I wrote RomiChess, but now, because, I started dabbling in the stock market about three years ago and got really good at it about a year and a half ago I am a multi millionaire. The money is a big deal, but, not a huge deal and I want to do this.

It couldn't have happened to a nicer and more deserving guy!

If I finish my re-write by spring 2012, then I will enter your contest.

Best regards,
Ron

Hi Ron,

It's looking better all the time!