This is simply a report as it was sent to us. This blog takes no position regarding the claim of Mr. Kleinmuntz.
Post by Robbie Kleinmuntz on ICA
Yesterday I was in a game that went past 40 moves, giving both my opponent and I about an hour and a half to play an endgame. I was down material and probably lost.
So I made a move, my opponent looked at it and walked away from the board. He was gone for at least 20 minutes – after 20 mins of waiting I left to go to the lobby to get lunch. I ate in the lobby (which was right outside the playing room) and was away from the board for 30 mins. I then returned to the playing room to see that my board was gone.
Some lady named Carol had apparently adjudicated my game as a loss and told my opponent he could wrap up his board and claim a win. She then directed me to Goichberg who told me he was not going to overrule one of his directors. I told him everything that had happened and he told me that there is a rule saying I am not allowed to leave the playing room for more than 15 minutes without telling a tournament director, so my game was indeed a forfeit. The lady told Goichberg that I was away from the board for 55 minutes, which is not true, and that they looked all over for me, which is also not true… because if they had looked for me they would have found me right outside the room. Nevertheless, I am pretty sure you have to wait at least an hour to claim a forfeit, not 55 minutes (if we are assuming she is right, which she isn’t).
When I told Goichberg that I had waited for my opponent for at least 20 minutes, he told me I should have complained… and since I didn’t complain, I withdrew all of my rights to make any argument.
This to me is outrageous. I had a score of 5.0/7 at the time and had a chance to win money. Sure I was down material and may have lost, but I also could have drawn or even won since I had mating material. It is unbelievable that at the World Open the tournament director would just end a game like that with all this money on the line, and not have any patience for me to come back. What is the big deal in my opponent waiting to win on time, why couldn’t he have just waited for me to flag?
It is also crazy to me that he would try and claim this win. Goichberg was unwilling to help, and simply walked away from me to end the conversation.
It was an arrogant move and absolutely disrespectful – especially when he’s advertising at every table that we should vote for him in the upcoming elections. I had GM’s coming up to me telling me that my game should obviously not be a forfeit. I also had Orrin Hudson try and settle for me down because Goichberg arrogance overcame everything that was happening around us and he and didn’t want to hear any of it from anyone.
He also told me he would be surprised if I found anyone who didn’t agree with him.
Please let me know if there is anything that can still be done, considering I lost rating points and a chance to win a lot of money due to an unjust forfeit.
Do not vote for a director who brags that he is better than other corrupt candidates, when he himself is one of the problems.
– Robbie Kleinmuntz
I’ll never play in his event again. He was very rude to me when I asked him a question. All he wanted to talk about was his plan to destroy GM Polgar. He didn’t care about my complaint when I paid a lot of money to play in his tournament. The playing condition in his tournaments is also the worst of all big events.
My comment here has nothing to do with my private opinions (as yet undivulged) about all the law suits and general bad behaviors involved. My comment derives only from general principle.
This evening on UsChess.org I see that the most prominent link on Chess Life Online is to a page wherein Bill Goichberg lobbies for his viewpoint against Polgar and Truong, and for his own election along with the additional candidates that he wants elected.
** This link is a misappropriation of CLOnline for Goichberg’s personal gain. The link should be removed immediately.
On the linked-to Web page, the presence of additional chess information unrelated to the election does nothing to excuse this.
– – – –
Here is Goichberg’s campaign advertising, linked to by CLOnline, per the article “Najer and Nakamura Win the 2009 World Open!”, said title being only half right:
“Najer and Nakamura Win the 2009 World Open!”
Here is Goichberg’s campaign advertising that CLOnline is taking UsChess.org visitors to:
URGENT! USCF EXECUTIVE BOARD ELECTION
by Bill Goichberg
Please vote in this crucial election for four members of the seven person USCF Executive Board. Ballots are in the June issue of Chess Life and the TLA Newsletter, and any member age 16 or over, who was also a member on April 30, may vote. Members who do not receive a ballot may request one from the USCF office.
Original comment by Gene M.
What event is Mr. Indiana talking about?
Did the USCF investigate the bribery charges related to USCF President Bill Goichberg and his gang?
Why didn’t the USCF turn over all the bribery evidence to the authority? How come the USCF is hiding the facts from its members?
Could you please explain this? Isn’t bribery illegal? And now Goichberg is endorsing Ruth Haring, Jim Berry, and Mike Atkins so the corruption can continue?
I voted for IM Blas Lugo, Dr. Eric Hecht, and Dr. Mikhail Korenman.
The evidence was filed in court. The USCF has all the evidence in their hand but Bill Hall is hiding it from the members to protect Goichberg.
It’s time to end the corruption. A vote for Goichberg, Haring, Atkins and Berry = a vote to destroy and bankrupt the USCF.
All you have to do is read the filings in San Francisco by Mr. Whitney Leigh and you can see the devastating evidence against Bill Goichberg and his corrupt buddies.
He should be reported to the proper authority. What does it say about the USCF when its President is corrupt?
2 years ago, many top players endorsed Jim Berry for the election. They all stopped after seeing how Berry helped Goichberg destroy the USCF. Everyone can see the incompetence of Goichberg and his team.
Dear Bill Goichberg,
I just got my subpoena to produce documents for your case against Susan and Paul.
Not a problem – I have absolutely nothing to hide.
But I am appalled at who is requesting this information.
IT IS CONTINENTAL CHESS!!!!!!
Not the USCF. Not Sam Sloan. Nope, it’s you, Bill Goichberg.
Why the vendetta? When I found out that you and Jerry Hanken arranged, by paying for rooms and free entries, to have Jessica and her husband Hero, vote to expel Susan and Paul from the board and your lawyer accusing them of doing things that are still in question – I decided I really don’t want to associate with an organization run like this.
After your failed attempt Jerry Hanken sent me a ” drop dead – get lost” email.
Hanken and you are the reasons I am getting out of chess.
And now you are personally pursuing this. You should be ashamed!!
Fred Gruenberg
(There are a total 9 emails between USCF President Bill Goichberg, USCF EB Secretary Randy Hough, Journalist of America President Jerry Hanken and the individual who was bribed. These two individuals were certified as delegates from Southern California delegate and NY Downstate by Bill Goichberg. These emails are now part of the evidence.)
Note that the legal fees for Continental Chess is paid for by the USCF instead of Bill Goichberg personally while Goichberg and the USCF denied Polgar and Truong of indemnification.
Also note that Fred Gruenberg is at least the 4th person who has corroborated with the bribery charges against Goichberg, Hough and Hanken.
How come the USCF attorneys are not investigating this issue? How come the USCF attorney are not reporting this illegal conduct to the authority as they have done with others, especially when the proof is in black and white? How come the members are not informed of this illegal conduct instead of the BS that is being put in Chess Life and CLO by Bill Hall?
How come honest Randy Bauer and Jim Berry are not talking out about this? How come honest Bauer and Jim Berry are not demanding an investigation?
How come Goichberg’s candidates Ruth Haring, Mike Atkins and people who are on his camp like Brian Mottershead and Brian Lafferty are not demanding for Goichberg and Hough be removed from the Executive Board for their illegal conduct?
How come all these guys are not demanding to have Jerry Hanken removed as President of Chess Journalist of America? And these are pretending to demand for transparency and honesty?
Come one, be real. What do you want them to do? Prosecuting Goichberg, Jim Berry, Hough and Hanken isn’t on their agenda. This was never about the welfare of the USCF or finding out the truth. This was always about Goichberg trying to knock off people who opposed him, his friends, and his political agenda. This is what he has done for 30-40 years. Why would it be different now? The only difference is all others walked away while Polgar fought back on behalf of the members. She said that’s what she would do and she kept her word. That’s the one thing they didn’t expect. They clearly expect Polgar and Truong to walk away. Now we can clearly see this Goichberg and Jim Berry scheme to be reelected and keep their power for another 4 years. I hope Polgar won’t ever back down. She’s the only one who can fight the USCF Mafia.
Example 1: (Hanken to Goichberg)
Come on Bill, I will go half on the airfare. There are so many good reasons to do this. Give it some thought. Just think what going half means to me and what it means to you. If we lose a critical vote, you will think of this. All the money you have given the USFCF will be in the toilet if we ultimately lose this fight.
Jerry
Example 2: (Hanken to the person who they bribed)
If Bill says “yes”, you wouldn’t owe anything to him. I asked for a sponsorship gift, not a loan. At the Open, you could still spend lots of time with … Also you may have some pay for the blog you will do for Jennifer.
…Notice that I am willing to provide some food for you and …. I will have a fridge which will help. As to changeing, aren’t you on Southwest? They .don’t charge to change or cancel a trip.
Example 3: (Hanken to the persons who they bribed)
Dear …. and ….,
If …. is willing to serve as a Delegate, it is important that you go on line today (when it is still July) and purchase a six month membership in USCF. It is $25 and I will personally reimburse you this money. I hope to talk with you later today, ….
Jerry
Note that both persons were certified by S. CA and NY (by Goichbrg himself), states of Hough, Hanken, and Goichberg!!! And look up when one person became a USCF member, days before the vote. There are plenty more. It can also be backed up with phone records among all parties. You can do your own research for the rest.
Bribery is illegal. This one involved the USCF President Bill Goichberg, USCF Secretary Randy Hough and Chess Journalist of America President Jerry Hanken. USCF VP of Finance Randy Bauer, USCF VP Jim Berry and USCF ED Bill Hall are hiding this very serious illegal conduct from ALL USCF members. When will honest Randy Bauer, Jim Berry and Bill Hall launch an investigation against Goichberg, Hough and Hanken? Hmmm? When will you demand for Goichberg, Hough, Bauer, Hall and Berry to resign? How come I don’t hear the bogus moral outrage scream from Harry Payne, Ruth Haring, Mike Atkins, Brian Lafferty, Brian Mottershead, and the rest of the gang? Where’s the phone call from Lafferty to the authority to report this illegal conduct? How pathetic!
It’s pathetic that the USCF and the board majority (Randy Bauer and Jim Berry) chose to cover up corruption and illegal conduct by the USCF President Bill Goichberg and others.
Now it’s clear why Goichber are so anxious to go after Polgar. He doesn’t want anyone who can expose his long time pattern of despicable behavior on the board. Bauer is screaming about fiduciary duty all the time and yet he and Jim Berry chose to do NOTHING! What a hypocrite!
Defendants Hanken, Hough and Goichberg wanted so badly to see Truong removed from the Board that they even went as far as bribing a USCF member, Jessica Lauser, and her husband, Hero Smith, with free hotel accommodations, airline tickets, tournament entry fees, meals and future writing opportunities in exchange for them to come to Dallas for the Delegates Meeting and vote to remove Truong. Lauser was never a Delegate, and Smith was not even a member of the USCF until days before the USCF Delegates’ Meeting, when Hanken, Hough and Goichberg paid Smith’s membership fees. Hough and Goichberg then certified both Lauser and Smith as Delegates so they could vote against Truong in the motions to remove Truong from the Executive Board. After the “USCF trial” against Truong, Lauser and Smith voted against removing Truong from the Executive Board. Despite attending the meeting with the purpose of voting for Truong’s removal, they changed their votes after hearing facts Truong presented in his defense and which facts were suppressed by Defendants Kronenberger, Goichberg, Hall, Hough, Hanken, and Berry.
The event is the Chicago Open.
Is the first part also a writing of Robbie Kleinmuntz? If not, please mark it clearly.
Please everybody, We need Bill Goichberg! He is the Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley of chess. Our future must be in these great hands of his. I plan on spending thousands to keep Bill Goichberg in office. If he were younger, he could be President of the United States of America.
Just kidding! ROFL
Regarding Robbie Kleinmuntz’s story, I believe he left out a couple of very pertinent facts:
When Robbie left the table he took his scoresheet with him, which is not a common occurence and something that is usually a sign that the game has ended.
Also, I believe the position was a king and rook versus king, knight, bishop and a bunch of pawns (5 or 6), which was clearly lost.
It would not have been the first time that a player had shown bad sportsmanship by walking away from a game that was clearly lost and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
Abandoned games happen more often than you think and quite often are adjudicated by the TD, usually with further penalties for the offending player.
I will not comment regarding Mr. Goichberg’s behavior but wanted to clarify the reason for the TD ruling the way she did.
Thank you for deleting Sloan’s post. Until he apologizes to all USCF members for supporting and helping Goichberg ruin the USCF, he should be banned from posting.
USCF rule 20H applies: players should not be absent from the game for more than 15 minutes without permission of the director. A first offense usually does not warrant a forfiet unless there is additional evidence that other rules were violated during the absence.
I voted for Korenman, Hecht, Lugo. Those 3 and no more.
This is the end of the line for USCF. If Goichberg wins then USCF is dead. I can not stand Goichberg’s corruption. He cheated me in a tournament over 10 years ago and I refuse to ever play in one of his tournaments ever again.
He makes a profit on each player and I refuse to allow him to make a profit on me.
Goichberg is not a nice person and I do not want to associate with people like him. So I don’t.
Susan is one of the very nicest people in chess. And of course one of the very nicest people in the world. I totally support her in this brutal and disgusting fight with Goichberg.
I have observed Goichberg for the past couple of years fighting so dirty and full of lies that I do not know if I can even remain a USCF member if Goichberg wins this election. I may go play Bridge or Poker or some other game. I just can not stand the man and he destroys chess as a fun game.
Just my take and observations.
But then again there are other dictators I do not like. For example, Stalin, Hitler, all the Communist Russian leaders and more.
Rex Senquefield is a good guy. He has great ideas for making chess better. He has 500 chess members in St Louis. How come Goichberg has ZERO members. Because Goichberg does not give a hoot about members. He cares about personal control. A little despotic dictator. Da Führer Goichberg.