not true for 全国赛 in the last 10 years .......
since 1997, the total number of players for 全国赛 keep on dropping and the trying of combined system in 2005 and 2006 could not revert the trend.
In fact, the number of players in 2008 was the highest since 2005 ......
I do not think we are able to change back to the old days before 1997 due to the pace of living now ....
Does all people know about 全国赛? Is publicity is enough.
In the past(late 1980s and early 1990s), SIXGA used to advertised in newspapers, send letters and forms to every team to make registration easy. I remembered SIXGA secretary calling all rated players to inform about the event. For the past 10 years, I don't remember myself any of my chess friends being informed of 全国赛 unless they happened to visits SIXGA before the competitions. Take this year for example, there is no advertisement on the newspaper and many of my chess friends only knew about 全国赛 when the competition is 50% through. Publicity was not done enough for the recent years, that explains the drops in number participants. If International chess association can do it so well, why can't the chinese chess association? We have more people playing chinese chess then international chess I believe.
Huasing Association 1999 - 2013