letter from and to ChessTV

From: Frank Walls

To: Chess TV (chesstv@gmail.com)

Cc: --deleted--

Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2007 8:33 AM

Subject: Re: Blitz Chess!! the TV Pilot to be filmed in Cincinnati!

Hello Mr. Hempel,

I'm glad you contacted us about this. I think you have somewhat of the start of a good idea.

In my opinion:

1) I would NOT encourage any trash talk during the production - it MAY be good for TV - but it is not good for the outsider perception of anyone that has devoted their lives and play to chess.

2) To gain comments about an opponent would be nearly impossible in just a 5-min game (you don't get to know them) - I guess it is good for TV though.... hmmm.

3) You should not open this event to people that do not know the game (maybe they can learn ahead of time).

4) If you think want proof that the game of chess is not geeky - please see www.kosteniuk.com

There are others are working on chess on TV ideas - you could contact Jennifer Shahade at www.uschess.org about this.

Regards,

Frank Walls

----- Original Message -----

From: Chess TV

To: --deleted--

Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2007 3:54 AM

Subject: Blitz Chess!! the TV Pilot to be filmed in Cincinnati!

Calling all Chess Clubs and Players!

A groundbreaking event is about to occur in Cincinnati that could turn the world of Chess upside down and storm the masses!

Sometime during the month of April or May (the date will be determined just a bit later) I will be filming a pilot episode of Blitz Chess!!

With a 'one and done' style of tournament with random pairings and a very fast 5 minute time control emotions will run high, and you must play to win because there are NO DRAWS!! If there are two kings on the board or insufficient mating material, the person with the most time left on the clock will be declared the winner! So play fast, and play smart!

You do not need to be a member of the USCF to play, and the entree fee is a nominal $10 with 70% of the entry going to the sole survivor of the tournament, the rest being absorbed into production cost.

This will be filmed in a WPT / Reality Show style so bring your charisma, your competitive spirit and your best trash talk to the table. The top 16-32 players (depending on the head count) will be spotlighted with interviews and thoughts of the game and the opponent, as well as being taped one match at a time so others can gather around and watch and give that "big time" feeling.

This will be a one day blitz tournament that will air for 4 weeks (if picked up by a station) with the last week being the championship game.

Please pass this along to all you know! And PLEASE e-mail me back with ANY questions you may have, this is in it's pre-production stages and things can change from here forward. A location for this has yet to be determined, so any suggestions on that are definitely welcome!

I truly believe that chess could be much much more than it is now, and I think that this is one way to promote the game. No longer will people think of chess and imagine "geeks with pocket protectors". They will see the diverse nature that we know this game has, and the excitement and heartbreak that goes along with it.

If you don't really know how to play, but want to try for a spot on TV, then come on down and join the fun!! We want people new to the game to take part in this, it's open to all ages and skill levels!

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope that you will participate in this event.

Again, please e-mail me with any questions you may have! I will be sending more details shortly.

Sincerely,
Joe Hempel
Focal Point Productions
Blitz Chess!!: Who Said Chess was Boring!