This is an open thread about the USCF. You can discuss the positive, negative or even things you would like to see change. Please remember to keep it clean.
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I’m very nervous about the USCF finances. It seems that these people have no clue of what they’re doing.
On December 7, 2006 (interesting date choice, don’t you think – Pearl Harbor Day) – GM Susan Polgar officially announced at her blog that she would be running for the Executive Board of the USCF. But prior to that date fans of her blog had been encouraging her to run in the upcoming election (June, 2007), I’d say, going back at least to October, 2006.
So, when I read this last night in the May, 2007 issue of Chess Life magazine (official magazine of the USCF), I had a good laugh:
“Across the Board” page 9:
by Bill Goichberg, USCF President
USCF Membership Surges…
The seven months since my last report in the October 2006 Chess Life have seen an almost unprecendeted gain in USCF membership. Total members for the period 9/1/06 through 3/31/07 are up by 6,016, the second largest gain for any seven-month period in the history of the federation. Our current membership total of 84,495 is also the highest in almost three years.
The “due sales” offering adult membership…
During the seven months 9/06 through 3/07, USCF gained 494 adult members, the largest increase for any period of seven consecutive months in 12 years. …”
Bill Goichberg, bless his heart, attributes the increase in adult memberships (they are the only ones who can vote, as I understand current USCF policy – all the rest of the membership increase is, I assume, from scholastic members and they can’t vote and so, in the eyes of some chess politicans, they really “don’t count”) – to a “dues sale!” That increase couldn’t possibly have – nah – it couldn’t possibly have anything to do with Susan Polgar and her slate of candidates running for the USCF Executive Board and the fact that in order to vote in the election next month, you have to be a member in good standing – nah. LOL!
Mr. Goichberg goes on to say that he is aware that “one of the factors that has held back USCF growth in recent years is unwarranted negativism, especially popular on Internet discussion groups.” Yeah, all right. So in the face of all this negativism, why the sudden surge in membership – voting membership? Wouldn’t all the unwarranted and (it is implied, unrelenting and continuing) negativism lead, instead, to a further decline in membership?
As much as Mr. Goichberg tries to put a positive spin on the things that he cites as improvements since the near bankruptcy of the USCF in 2003, the USCF is actually just recently slowly and painfully attempting to rectify a gross decline in service that used to be provided to paying (and voting) members – adult members. I do not fault Mr. Goichberg for the prior failings of the USCF – he wasn’t an officer or Executive Board member when so many of the really bad decisions were made. Since he has come on board as President things have improved – but not enough. Certainly not enough for the long-suffering members of USCF.
My bet is that Mr. Goichberg has already read the handwriting on the proverbial wall and he’s now being the consummate chess politician that he has always been – and because he’s the President of USCF he gets a free in-print forum to do it. But no matter what spin Mr. Goichberg puts on it, there is only one reason for the increase of adult, i.e., voting membership in the USCF – Susan Polgar and her slate of candidates. People have joined (or rejoined) the USCF with the sole intent of voting in Susan Polgar and her slate of candidates to the USCF Executive Board next month.
Mr. Goichberg, will you embrace the four new Board members – Polgar, Bauer, Truong and Korenman – when they are elected in June?
http://goddesschess.blogspot.com
I think it’s time for a change in direction. This same group of people can’t do the job. Things have been bad for a long time. The issue with the employee pension will haunt them. Time to bring in the professionals before it’s too late.
Re: adult memberships (they are the only ones who can vote, as I understand current USCF policy …
The USCF web-site relates the following: “Ballots will be available to USCF members whose memberships are current as of midnight on June 1, 2007, who are also U.S. residents, and who will be 16 by June 30th.”
One can be 16 and have a “young adult” membership.
The K-6 Nationals has more than 2000! registrered already.
The final number wilol probably be obout 2250
This has to be a record
Why can’t some group form another competing federation? What are the pros and cons to this?
There’s little more to be said before the election: I made my decision to support Susan and her colleagues the moment the slate was announced. This organization needs a massive housecleaning, and I think they’re the ones to do it.
Regarding a competing federation, if the same-old people get reelected (and, God forbid, Sloan gets reelected), we might just see that happen. I think this election represents a last chance to save a dying federation.
I think the USCF is doing a great job! Why all the negativity?!?
Who thinks running something that huge is easy?
They do a good job!
So losing money 9 times in the past 11 years is good? So losing money again this year is good? What planet are you living in? When was the last time the USCF did any positive chess promotion outside of the chess world? The President of the USCF is also the President of CCA. Nothing wrong with that either, right?
I’d like your opinion on the USCF election process — it seems the largest population in the USCF (scholastics), has precisely ZERO voice when it comes to election time. Would you consider a re-vamp of the election system that would allow parents to vote by proxy for scholastic members under 16, as some states currently allow?
I don’t know if I’d support proxy voting for those underage. Maybe the age should change, but it should be a vote by a member. I don’t agree that scholastics get zero voice. Look into the family memberships if you want to be involved in USCF. The problem in my mind is the membership apathy. So few have voted in the past and so few bother to look into what the candidate are really about. Those ‘statements’ in Chess Life don’t paint a realistic picture.
I do believe that there needs to be an alternative to the USCF for scholastic chess. The USCF can’t continue to say it has representation for scholastics and yet not allow scholastics to vote. I believe a federation should have distinct organizations ruling themselves sharing some common utilities, like the rating system. It is just not right for scholastic chess to continue to pay for a poorly run federation that has been selling life memberships for pennies on the dollar. If the scholastics have their own organization, all of their money will be useful to promote scholastic chess instead of pay for magazines for a bunch of life members.
Susan, this was posted on re.games.chess.politics
Polgar Slimes Joe Lux
She sends an email to some of the USCF honchos with an “anonymous” email she
says she received claiming that Joe Lux did something terrible at a youth
chess tournament more than 30 years ago. USCF politics hits an all time
low. How much lower will Susan go to get elected?
I don’t read rec.games and there is no need to respond to garbage everytime. These politicians have tried every trick in the book to smear their opponents for 30 years.
They were asked repeatedly what they can bring to the board and silence! I met Joe Lux once and I know nothing about him.
Thanks for letting me know. The position is clear. I want to change the USCF for the better and they are desperately trying to keep the status quo.
In 4-5 weeks, the members will have a chance to decide. There is no need for me to get to their levels.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
I agree with Susan. So which head honcho said this? Guys like Bogner, Lafferty, Quinn, Sloan and Lux are the same. If they have the proof, show it! Who did she send it to and what did it say? And what did Joe Lux do wrong? Otherwise, she’ll be wasting her time with the same garbage year after year. The more I hear things like this, the more I want Susan and her team to win.
OK….
We heard Susan say 25 billion times by now that she wants to make USCF better and healthy again.
OK, i believe her she really wants to achieve those goals!
But will she really be better than the other chess politicians in the end? How will she be able to work together with people she hates?
Susan, did you or did you not send such an email to the people at USCF management regarding Joe Lux?. A straight answer please.
I am a long time supporter of yours and if you did this……well, yes or no, please
If Mr. Lux would like to know, he can send me an email. It would be unethical and irresponsible for me to respond to any kind of rumor. This is not how a leader of the chess community should behave.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
Susan, what i meant with ‘people you hate’ is:
People such as Sam Sloan who did throw all kinds of mud your way and tried all kinds of dirty tricks to kill your image!!!
You won’t be able to work side by side with those, would you?
Now please don’t tell us you like those people!! LOL 😉
I do not hate Mr. Sloan. I just believe that he is unfit to serve on the board of an organization with 40,000 young members.
Asking me that question is like asking me what would I do if I lose to a 1200 in a tournament game.
Why worry about something that will not happen? 🙂
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
OK Susan 🙂 I get your point now!! (you won’t EVER lose against a 1200, that is for sure!!!) haha 😉
But excuse me for not understanding the structure of this organisation (USCF)
So is it a whole team then that gets elected, and they alone are in the chairs?!?
So the possibility doesn’t exist that for example you AND mr. Sloan are in the board?!?!
There are 7 members on the board. 4 seats are up in this election. The chances of Mr. Sloan finishing in the top 4 is like any of us winning the lottery.
In 2 years, there will be another election for 3 seats.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
It’s amazing that after Susan and Paul left the USCF forum, the rumors and attacks now go to rec.games. These stooges must really be so afraid to lose big. This is why Susan needs to take over this federation. Until then, nothing will change. I renewed my membership just to vote all of them out and put Susan and her team in.
I specifically said that if Joe Lux has a question for me, he can email me. I am not going to allow this typical disgusting political speculation on my blog, especially from an anonymous. This policy has not changed.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
How brave of the anon to come and try to smear Susan. I would like to see this letter that he claims he has. So if the anon wants to show his credibility, post it. If not, stop whining.
I support Susan and her team for election to the USCF board. I have had the opportunity to get to talk to most of the people running or currently on the board. It is apparent through these discussions who the obvious selections should be to lead the USCF back to a level of honor. All one needs to do is read the level of filthy garbage coming from some of those in power. Until the USCF recognizes that its future and financial viability reside in a significant way with its scholastic contingent the situation will not improve for the USCF. Yes I like to read about GMs and IMs but the vast majority of us are wood pushers who love chess. If the scholastic community was given a true voice in the election the current board would be sent packing. Without the scholastic voice the USCF does not have a viable future. Vote for Susan, Paul, etc. and you make a vote for the future of the USCF.
I also support Susan and her team. The current group of politicians have been power for decades and they’ve accomplished very little.
I’m disappointed that Mr. Goichberg still doesn’t get it. Sam Sloan was elected because of his feud with Leroy Dubeck. It’s also a big conflict of interest to run CCA and the USCF.
Susan is the best thing that happens to the USCF since 1972. She’ll have my full support.
A.L.
I have no relationship to susan or pauln fact we met only once 15 years ago. I can state if she is involved I will provide at least 20,000 for at least the next few years to support chess and tournaments for developing prodogies, I would prefer the events in the florida area but its not that important. Also I strongly suggest having a independent board member from the bussiness sector call it a moniotor so to speak. I am a political and feel after reading the blogs, and being frustrated having had the uscf turn down in excess of 200000 for us championship support from me in the past that a competant board that can act together without personnel gain is called for. best of luck to susan.
I am a new member of the USCF, and while I’m planning on voting for Polgar and the other three she recommends, the reason I signed up for the USCF was the dues sale, with the prospect of it ending (I’m happy to see that it’s only gone up to $41 now). I’ve had a casual interest in chess for several years, but $39 was about the top end I was willing to pay to play in tournaments and get a rating, as there are so many other options for the casual chess player. Hopefully it’ll be worth more to me as I improve and play more, but the sale was what it took to get me in.
I realize Susan has created a lot of excitement about her candidacy, but to attribute increased sales to a big price drop seems to me the most natural thing in the world.
FYI, Here’s a graph of USCF Membership Numbers http://yyacb.blogspot.com/2007/05/uscf-membership-numbers.html