I decided to dedicate the first official post of 2007 to you as an open thread! You can discuss anything you wish! What are you looking forward to in the New Year of 2007?
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I sincerely hope that Sam Sloan will be badly defeated in the next election and eventually be banned permanently! He’s a sick man.
I agree! Sam Sloan is unfit to serve on any chess board.
Susan,
The USCF Rule Book says that after checkmate, the winner does NOT need to press his clock.
(5th Ed., page 29, 13A* especially 13A1.)
The rule book does not say WHY relieving the checkmater of his usual duty to “complete” his move is a good idea.
The obvious problem with this rule is that it makes disputes possible as to whether the checkmater “determined” his move before or after his flag fell.
Indeed the rule book goes on with paragraphs recommending how to deal with these messy disputes (and of course there is no great answer or solution).
*** QUESTION: ***
Would it be better to get rid of this exception to the rule (rid of 13A1); meaning would it be better to require the checkmater to press his clock before his flag falls, just like on every other move?
Thank you.
Gene Milener
http://CastleLong.com/
I think that the biggest story that will dominate the news in 2007 will be the forthcoming Congressional hearings on the White House. The Democrats have announced that these hearings will be their major intiative for this year. According to the various chairs of the various committees they mean to investigate everything, Iraq, White House operations – simply everything. In lieu of impeachment, they really mean cut George W. Bush down to size by the hearings.
That alone will be enough to make this story the dominant one of 2007 but unintended consequences will push it into the news even more.
I think that there’s going to be a backlash. The Democrats’ problem is that there is a only a certain amount of this kind of thing that the public will stomach. Then the spotlight turns on “overzealous witch hunters”. This is what happened to past Congressional hearings. The Democrats overplayed their hand in the Iran-Contra Hearings in 1986 while the Republicans overplayed theirs in the Clinton Impeachment Hearings in 1998.
The trick to the Democrats’s strategy for 2007 is to not go over that line. With all their pent up rage against George W., together with all the momentum that the hearings will give them initially, together with the egos of the various Congress critters, I just don’t think they will stop before they cross that line.
So that’s the story for 2007: first hearings, then backlash.
Sam Sloan must go at all costs!
Elképesztően jól nézel ki. 🙂
I thought I’d like to reply to Gene’s question as to why it’s not necessary to press the clock upon checkmate.
This is a logic problem that requires the inclusion of another rule: In order to win a game on time, one must have mating material. Thus in order to win the game one has to look at the position to determine the viability of the claim.
This doesn’t stop players from recording results incorrectly because they can’t interpret the rule at that moment.
This situation at hand is discussed with students regularly: you must win the game efficiently with checkmate, or play for a draw by taking all mating material before the flag falls. Upon checkmating it is only necessary if you are running short on time to politely (neither too loud or soft) announce the mate. If you don’t announce the mate, you run the risk of the opponent more loudly announcing ‘flag!’ may tip the newly acquired observer’s opinion against you if you then try to announce that it is mate.
Thus if a flag falls so be it. If no hands are moving and you have a spectator handy, the opponent will have to prove that he is not mated, in order to win on time.
This doesn’t stop players from incorrectly reporting the result here either.
The tournament director should not coach the players into seeing the correct result either as that itself is against the rules.
Last example of this: A game of a student who lost to the 3-move checkmate as follows, 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Qxf7# Both players knew and understood that this indeed infallibly checkmate despite the TD’s double inquisition, ‘Do you both believe that it is mate?’ and he did ask twice, whether he was allowed to or not. Thus it was mate.
Even the presence of a TD under USCF rules cannot prevent the incorrect reporting of a result!?
I don’t see why requiring the push of the clocks button to enforce a checkmate will help. This will not save anyone, with a need to know one more rule, from incorrectly reporting a result.
My last non-favorite is a checkmate that occurs when both kings are in check and the players agree to mate. 🙂 arrrgh!
You have the best site on chess that I have seen. And you have a touch of class like no one else.
Thanks Susan
Let us try to not focus on Sam Sloan. Let us try to focus on Putting Susan and her slate into office. I look forward to a new era at USCF with Susan Polgar able to help US Chess out.
I am not voting to get rid of Sam Sloan. I am voting to put Susan onto the Executive Board.
At the last election, I did not vote for Sam Sloan. When I talked to friends we all talked about not voting for Sam but we did not have a positive role model to vote for. So all of us split our votes everywhere. This election we have Susan to vote for. Let us all concentrate our votes on Susan and the outcome will be better.
I hope Susan puts up some fliers on the internet so we can print them out and pass them out at the chess clubs. I want to visit all the local chess clubs and encourage everyone to make sure they vote and vote for Susan and her entire slate.
Something should be done about the ridiculous requirement of writing down the move AFTER one makes it on the board. The problem here is the opponent can immediately reply…forcing the other person to look at the board to see the move…and write down THAT move before making a move of one’s own. This takes valuable time off of the clock.
Chess players should be allowed to write down the move before making it. And…that person should be allowed to CHANGE the move before making it officially on the chessboard. Doing this alleviates the problem I described above.
The game ends with checkmate immediately and in that instant. However, it is obviously a good idea to hit the clock after checkmate anyway.
if you have checkmate and hit your clock, then its technicly a stalemate because the other player is to move and cannot make a legal move. its only mate while still your move.
I’m repeating here a post I made on the USCF forums because it contains important information about the rules for auditing finances that everyone should know – especially because of the controversies at the USCF.
Background: Sam Sloan in particular (but some others as well) are making a lot of accusations against Susan involving finances. The particular issue to which the below post responds to is an accusation that she stole a computer out of the USCF office because it had important information that she needed to cover up.
Jack,
I will not bother to respond to liars and demented people. The laptop belong to Mr. Niro, not the USCF. He began his tenure of ED as a volunteer. As part of the agreement with that board, he received a laptop but no pay. He later became a paid ED but the laptop was already his.
When the new board took over in August 2003, they were not aware of the situation. I even offered to pay for it if they refused to honor the agreement of the previous board with Mr. Niro. However, that was not neeeded as they agreed to give him back his laptop.
I took the laptop to Mr. Niro who was recovering from a heart attack in Connecticut. It was the right thing to do.
In regards to personal info on the laptop, Mr. Niro had pictures of his children in it as well as the book that he is writing to his son.
It does not matter how many times I answer, more lies will surface.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
Susan,
your lips are so kissable …
(and I am not Sam Sloan)
Thank you for the response, Susan but as you indicated, it was unnecessary. No matter how many attacks you answer, they will come up with more.
That is why I made my post. I am distressed that nobody is factoring the auditors and their role in their comments. The proper way for addressing concerns for financial misconduct is to address them to the auditors. Only if (1) the auditors had failed to perform their duties or (2) if they had found dirt but covered it up, only then should this stuff have been made public.
The failure of your accusers to do so only substantiates the falsity of their attacks.
This is the point everyone should keep in mind for all the rest of the attacks and, indeed, for all future accusations in the financial area.
I look forward to winning the Nevada State Scholastic Chess Championships and going the the Denker Tournament of HS Champions. I’ll be busy, but I plan on winning it this time- not just finishing with 4/5 as I did the previous 2 state tournaments. Thanks for your advice on opening lines.
artichoke, artichoke —
If you are the same artichoke that has been posting all of those anti-Susan things on the USCF forums, then I congratulate you. You came here and – at last! – posted something that makes sense. If you suspect someone of foul play, you go to the relevant parties and ASK them. You should NOT just go out and make public accusations against people. Whether it be in the USCF or in the other areas of our lives, that’s how we should conduct ourselves.
And if you have independent, professional auditors that have examined the areas of concern, so much the better!
So encourage your friend Sam Sloan to do the right thing next time.
Finally, you are coming around to my point of view.
Susan,
Don’t worry about Sloan, he will get what is coming to him…the door! He ain’t no gentleman. My parents raised me better, than to drag my personal stuff into any arena- to make myself look better. Sloan doesn’t play fair, and we don’t believe him. Every time he says negative stuff, he just looks bad. Only a fool would stoop to such vulgar and unfortunate tactics.
His anger is misdirected. The only one he needs to be upset with is himself. Sloan is transparent as the day is long.
Susan, don’t be expecting an apology from him any time soon.
Stay strong and focused- like you always do.
I am sure that once again, “good” will triumph over “evil” (…or should I say stupid?)
Happy New Year!!!
Susan, what I would like the most in 2007, would be to have lunch with you and Paul. Your team rocks!!!
God Bless you for all you do for the kids!
We need more people like you (and Paul) in this world.
Warmest Regards from Wisconsin…
Shuggy1110