It is Saturday Open Forum!
The Chinese team is leading the UK team by 4 points. Is China among the top 3 chess countries in the world now? The World Chess Championship in Mexico City is starting in 3 days. US Chess just lost Duncan Oxley, one of the most dedicated volunteers.
What would you like to discuss? The forum is yours.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Hi Susan and Paul,
I love your chess puzzles.
Where are the real answers??
All I can find is other players ideas.
Thanks!
I do not give the answers unless no one gets it right. So far, all puzzles have correct solutions by at least one poster. This is designed to force to players to really analyze and compare ideas. Otherwise, it will just be like all the other books people buy and do not read or work through.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
How do you stop a few trouble makers on the USCF forums from attacking, insulting and threatening other members or staff?
Susan, what is the idea behind these matches between China and other top chess-playing countries? Who is paying for them?
What do you know about the Chinese chess federation?
There is nothing I can do unless the majority of the board members care about this issue. They do not at this moment. I do not like the current system. It is not working and it is taking a toll on too many volunteers as moderators and FOC members.
We have about 5-6 people who constantly violate the AUG but not much are done about it. When they are sanctioned or do not get their ways, they make vile threats including legal ones. They should have been severely sanctioned and banned long ago.
The saddest part is we are catering to a few who have done nothing to help chess or the USCF instead of reaching out to the other 99% of the membership.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Chinese players are gaining a lot of valuable experience through these matches. I think it is a great idea.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Actually, no one should answer or acknowledge those negative people on forums. Those 5 can post answers to each other and be isolated by others. USCF should focus on positive aspects which can bring new members and new sources of revenues.
When did the Chinese start to play chess? That’s my question!
chinease like the indians and persians were of the first to know the game of chess;they started to polay “european´” chess when they were forced to became occidental!!
i thought the three leading countries in chess were russia, germany and spain; will china be climbing its way through?
i think thats one of the best answers susan has given so far; of course i dont think i can find the solution to most of the puzzles but yet my name is not tommy polgar; hows the little chapdoing these days? is liem coping weell wit the new changes at Txs!
well keep the good blog up its great and better each day, who do u think personlally susan, will win the mexican crown? are u disappointed your sister aint among the top 8? whatever that jmeans!!!??”$!!
bye, jb.
Hi Susan
Thank you very much for your help and your generous way. Your true love of the game is inspiring. I am very excited about the task I undertook this year to be a chess teacher. It is something I wanted to do for a long time and I am very motivated.
Thanks for all you do to empower us, the people who share your love of the game.
Best wishes
Abie Weiler
Kfar Saba, Israel.
Hi Susan,
How does one improve at king safety? Many times I find myself winning a game until my opponent starts throwing everything at my king. Unfortunately, this strategy often works. I just can’t seem to keep the old man safe.
Thanks,
Jacob
Hello Susan,
How do I obtain The Official SPF Chess Curriculum? I have sent several
emails over the past six months.
Thanks and keep up your good works!
Dave Crutcher
Michigan Chess Dad
Dave,
Please send me an email at SusanPolgar@aol.com and I will send it to you by tonight. Due to the volume of email requesting the curriculum, AOL sometimes send stuff to the SPAM folder and I do not know how to change the settings.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Abie, you are most welcome and good luck!
Jacob, set up the positions you are most uncomfortable with against your computer and play against it. Practice, practice, practice is the only solution 🙂
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Well done on the blog Susan – it is very well laid out and easy to read/follow.
Have only recently started playing chess again having not played since I was a kid (since my rugby career came to an end – am I getting smaller or are young fellas getting bigger these days?)
I have started lwarning some tactics and endgames and got a copy of your dvd on the Colle which is quite instructive (although some nerds on the net keep playing 3…Bf5 against it GGrrrr!)
Is there any chance of doing something similar for the Black side?
SusanPolgar said…
“There is nothing I can do unless the majority of the board members care about this issue. They do not at this moment. I do not like the current system. It is not working and it is taking a toll on too many volunteers as moderators and FOC members.
We have about 5-6 people who constantly violate the AUG but not much are done about it. When they are sanctioned or do not get their ways, they make vile threats including legal ones. They should have been severely sanctioned and banned long ago.”
I agree with you to a point on this issue, Susan. I don’t think it’s correct to say that the Board members don’t care however. I think they are trying to do a difficult job of balancing the forum moderation with the need of the members to be able to express disagreement or contradict the “powers that be”.
I think there are real steps the EB could be taking, however, and I wish the Moderators and FOC members could get a little more support.
It’s frustrating for me when I see the same people breaking the rules over and over again and then see those people defended when it comes to handing out penalties.
When Texas Tech refers to you as Dr. Polgar, what does the Dr. stand for? Is it your honorary degree?
Hi Susan,
I to have sent a few emails about trying to obtain the Official SPF Chess Curriculum. I just sent another to you a few moments ago.
thanks!
cheers – Warren
Big question:
How did China being a super power in chess?
How do they develop and support their chess players?
Do you use chess software when you analyse games and if so, why?
One list (THES QS) gives the top ten universities in the world as:
Harvard, Cambridge (UK), Oxford (UK), M.I.T., Yale, Stanford, California Inst. Tech., U. of California (Berkeley), Imperial College London (UK) and Princeton.
If the majority of students going to these Universities do not have an ELO rating, does it mean that that academic excellence correlates with not playing chess.
My chess mom says that is wrong but I say that is right.
Susan
Your response on the USCF Forums is 100% correct. I hope the other members of the EB will change their mind.
The forum is a total disgrace. It’s disappointing for me to vote for Bauer and Berry. They’re not doing their job in protecting the image, reputation and interest of the USCF. This is a big joke. I’ll never vote for them again.
I wish the Mexico championships were being held at night. Chess needs to take a page out of the US Open tennis: night matches! This would dramatically increase the audience. Do i get creadit for this suggestion? Or will the chess world continue sleeping and ignoring anonymous comments? 😉
Rgds M.
Well I did not vote for Berry and will never vote again for Bauer.
I am sure susan will come up with some better candidates in the next election in 2 years. Until then there is nothing we can do except wait to throw them out.
Dont worry Susan we will get you the votes you need in the next election. Just make sure next time to pick loyal candidates.
I have nothing bad to say about anyone. I simply will vote for the good guys next time. You will have the opportunity to pick 4 candidates for next election. Good Luck. I know you can do it.
I think you should pick them soon. Then work for 2 years to help everyone get to know them better. It will greatly help in the campaign. Do not say they are candidates now. But simply have them picked out or close to picked out fairly soon.