This is my personal assessment. The USCF has many problems and things cannot be changed overnight. However, the following 4 areas are what the USCF sorely needs NOW. The candidates in the upcoming election have to be able to fill these weaknesses. It is my goal to reach out to people who can help in these areas, and especially people who WILL stay OUT of chess politics.
* Restoring respectability and credibility to the USCF. The recent level of unprofessionalism caused the USCF to lose a lot of credibility and respectability.
* Restoring the balanced budget. This federation cannot afford to continue operating in the red year after year.
* Restoring a strong cooperation and support between Adult, Collegiate, Military, Internet, Youth and Scholastic Chess, etc. The USCF needs to support and promote all categories and not just one.
* Adding serious emphasis in Professional Marketing and PR for the first time. There has been virtually no promotion of the USCF whatsoever.
What do you think? 
great.
Now, lets breakout the professionals from the amateaurs into USPCF – US Professional Chess Federation
and get rid of myopic rating systems in favour of:
* Designated events
* Single-elimination events
* Consolation events
* Compass draw events
* Round-robin events
The best thing the USCF can do is to get rid of people like Sam Sloan & Beatriz Marinello. They’re no good for this federation.
I no longer get too upset at the USCF anymore. The organization continues to lose its relevance, and most progressive things happening in chess today depend minimally on the USCF. All we need and expect from them is to run an efficient and accurate rating system. Internet play, Chess Leagues, Scholastic tournaments, Chess in schools, etc. are all prospering in spite of USCF incompetence. Even the US Championship is run by an external organization!
Beatriz Marinello has got to go!!
Hit the nail on the head…….that’s what I think Susan. well explained!
They can not even sell books any more. They gave that function away to Chess Cafe. com to do it for them.
The USCF has collapsed in what it does while its budget has gone up.
I like what Chess Mom said.
My vote is ready. When do we all vote?
Now dont get Mr. Anon started about that horrible USCF online shopping and their customer support. I ended up ccing everyone on the board to resolve an attitude w one of their sales persons who hung up on me. Long story
I say abolish it altogether and start over. The existing infrastructure is nothing but an liability in every way.
All we need is
1) our FIDE representation
2) the existing USCF ratings
Everything else can be completely rebuilt from scratch.
I think that my friend Beatriz herself would tell you that she made several major mistakes as USCF President. I know that my friend Susan agrees 😉 and I suspect that Randy and Mikhail would, too.
IMO, USCF would have made an appearance in bankruptcy court had it not been for Beatriz. Whatever her faults, she should be credited for saving USCF from financial ruin (for the time being…)
To mention her in the same breath as the convicted felon on the board is not so nice.
By all means, vote for someone else if you so choose…but let’s maintain perspective.
Elections have winners and losers. This is good.
Demonizing non-demons is not good.
Bill Brock
Chicago
Also, improve the quality of the magazine. The magazine is awful. Chess Life for kids was 30 pages, 20 of which were the chess life catalog, and the front and back covers are numbered “pages” also.
Here’s some of the typical content:
Dear Larry Evans, has anything happened in chess since 1959?
Answer: no.
Its good that they have GM Joel at chess life online and I’d love to see more of his column, but the others are not that good.
How about hiring Nigel Short? =)
I agree with Jolly, the USCF is a useless bureaucracy. It could not lose credibility (from the last board election) because it had none to start with. It screws up everything it touches. Its power structure is fundamentally incapable of promoting chess, since it exists for the purpose of sucking chessplayers’ money to itself, an inherently conflicting interest.
The “explosive” revelation from yesterday is apparently that Susan might run for president of FIDE. With all due respect to Susan I think FIDE might do some good for top players but is useless for general chess promotion and the average player. (The average USCF MEMBER is rated around 1500, I think).
I’d like to see the USCF completely shut down, replaced by a new organization, with Susan in charge if she’s willing.
If we start over definitely do not hook up with FIDE. I would go with the new World Chess Federation. We will be the first one to join.
I am not so sure it would be easy to start over. USCF has certain legal obligations. I am not so sure it would be good to try to walk away from those obligations.
If I could talk Susan into a short tournament like Kramnik has been doing with Fritz I guarantee it would be more exciting. We could iron out all the financial stuff before we get started. If you are interested Susan my name is Robert. Leave me a message here on your blog and I will give you my contact info. Look forward to hearing from you.
If I could talk Susan into a short tournament like Kramnik has been doing with Fritz I guarantee it would be more exciting. We could iron out all the financial stuff before we get started. If you are interested Susan my name is Robert. Leave me a message here on your blog and I will give you my contact info. Look forward to hearing from you.
My email address is always opened to the public. It is SusanPolgar@aol.com. Feel free to make suggestions.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
I definitely support trying to change the USCF from within. There are many former, and even current, USCF leaders that have made a positive mark upon the chess scene in America. I would hate to lose the contributions of those who have worked hard to promote chess and discard their efforts by abandoning the USCF. The USCF is fundamentally a democratic organization. It is up to us to make sure that our voice is heard in the election in order to promote positive change. It is up to us to determine the direction of the USCF.
Just my take,
Gregory Alexander
Susan,
Somebody here made a reference to Sam Sloan. He does have a show on BCAT (N.Y.) Any chance you can do a Chess TV Show?
Re: USCF I just don’t know enough to comment intelligently about the best
way to go, but it sounds like with your interest; eventually it will get on the “right track.”
One thing I do know: The world would be a better place with the benefit of Chess. Simply consider this.
What if everyone (in the world) raised their thinking to…let’s say two levels higher than where we are now. Now, if we were to double that..wouldn’t you agree the world would be much better??? Less stupidity, less starvation, less war,…maybe more appreciation for others’ (…even though other people are different). Maybe we could all love each other more??? Perhaps there is more benefits to Chess than we realize…think about it.
The statistics don’t lie. A world with less evil…and more of the good things…that’s what I see.
Wouldn’t it be great to elevate this great game’s popularity to a higher level in the USA?
(Maybe we could do a Chess Rap/ Hip Hop Tune???)
If I could play a small part, it would be a happy day for me.
Thank all of you enthusiasts, teachers and champions for all you do?
_________________________________
Hopefully a “TV Show” could be a reality.
God Bless everyone this Joyous Holiday Season.
Share The Blessings and All That Is Honest And Good.
A big (((HUG)))) from Wisconsin to Judit and all she does!!! THANK YOU!
Love to All,
Mark/ Shuggy1110
My best email: merc1110@yahoo.com