Do you have questions for the candidates? Do you have any concern about the current state of the USCF? Do you have suggestions on how to improve this federation? This thread is yours!
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
USCF Election Open Thread
More accountability with our EB members please. Some current board members are quite reckless.
This was posted by Eric Moskow:
In medicine we have this great thing called the autopsy, tell me bill how many norms would of been lost by my participation. How many are being gotten at this point. And was it worth complete alienation, intimidation and distortion of facts.
Let me say if the uscf gets susan in charge I will work with the organizer of their choice to raise a prize fund and annuity that would be sustaining. Lets get the gms some respect, real conditions and move chess forward.
It must be done minus Bill goichberg and a board that has zero regard for the professional players. As for the event , monroi and michael should be commended for their actions. Berry never even contacted me. Then again wheres oklahoma? Let’s bring it back to new york, vegas or florida where it will get some attention and put a sustained site in place.
Dr. Eric Moskow
Less politics and better management.
1. What have you done and are going to do to help our GM’s with professional sponsorship from major corporations?
2. What are you going to do and have done to further popularizing woman’s chess?
3. What are you going to do and have done to further American chess with average tournament player?
Lies and distortion by FOC member David Quinn:
“The Denker is USCF’s tournament, we like it, and we’re not planning to give it to Susan Polgar.”
How would you handle blatant lie by people like this?
MK, before anything can be done with sponsorship, we need to fix the reputation of the USCF. It is an organization with a horrible reputation right now. Nothing will change if we keep on electing the same people.
There are a number of major companies which are willing to sponsor if the USCF cleans up its act. It will not happen with the current board makeup.
I will let other candidates a chance to answer your questions first. I will follow up on it after them.
Anon,
You are correct. It is an outrageous lie if that is what that was said. I have nothing to do with the Denker people wanting to move from the US Open.
There were a number of issues that the USCF could not provide that caused them to seek different sponsorships and different venues:
1. UTD withdrew their scholarships – Reason? The USCF did not do what it promised UTD. This was one of the biggest reasons for the withdrawal.
2. The USCF refused to commit to start the US Open in late July every year. Many schools start in the beginning of August. The kids have problems with missing the start of schools. The Denker people repeatedly asked the USCF to change and it was refused.
3. Costs. The costs for the kids to attend the Polgar and Denker are WAY too much. They receive no financial assistance from the USCF. Therefore, the Denker people were looking for sponsors who would cover a lot of the expenses for the kids.
Here are some of the facts:
When it was known that UTD withdrew their scholarships, the Denker chair called Paul who is the Polgar chair. He asked if Paul can help find another University that would agree to sponsor. It is very short notice since the event is taking place in late July.
Paul said fine and he contacted Texas Tech. The Denker chair never asked me. In addition, the Denker chair also asked Paul to ask TT if they are willing to host the event and pay for the meals and lodging.
Paul and I never once approached the Denker people about this. I have no interest in taking over the Denker. Mitchell Denker, son of the late GM Arnold Denker, co-founder of this event, gave his consent for the event to move. He said that it is the wish of his father and him that the kids’ best interest are placed first.
The rumors that have been floating around are a complete fabrication by board members for political reasons. The worst part is after they were told of the facts; no one issued an apology to Texas Tech, the sponsor of 2 full scholarships for the Denker and Polgar this year.
In addition, board members even fabricated the part where the Denker and Polgar would move to Texas Tech this July. This is 100% wrong. This year is out of the question.
I cannot help it when people decide to lie for political reasons while hurting our young players. I find their actions very appalling.
The costs for the rooms are about $115 + tax x 6-7 nights + meals = approximately $1,000 per player x approximately 100 Polgar and Denker players = approximately $90,000 – $100,000. The USCF is willing to play politics instead of saving the parents of these players somewhere around $90,000-$100,000 each year.
This is why the USCF lost one sponsor after another. Instead of doing the best for our members, especially the young players, self interests shine too many times. Many of the parents are outraged when they found out that the USCF is willing to make them pay $1,000 for their children when it could be free.
Another fabrication from board members is the Denker and Polgar would conflict with the US Open if they are held at the same time. This was never in discussion. It was always meant to be at separate times. Therefore, with the money that these kids save, they can use it to go to the US Open if they want to. That was what Mr. Mitchell Denker said.
These are just some of the stunning and irresponsible fabrications by chess politicians at the expense of our young players and their parents.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
I said it before and I’ll say it again. It’s a conflict of interest to have Goichberg in charge of CCA and the USCF. He clearly has bias on many decisions to protect his company. This is why I’ll never play in another CCA event again.
I’m a chess dad and my son qualified for the Denker last year. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it this year. We’re an average family. I had to put $2,500 of expenses on my credit card so that I can escort my son to Oakbrook, IL. I would have welcome the free accomodation and meal. This would have been a big help to our family. I hope that the board won’t continue to use people like me to finance their tournaments. It’s frustrating to see that the USCF members aren’t doing what’s right for us parents.
Susan, thank you for fighting for small people like us.
Sincerely,
Chess Dad
This board has gone too far in using the USCF forums to allow their helpers to attack other candidates. It’s a big conflict of interest when Schultz and Sloan are voting to allow the attacks when they’re running for reelection on failed records.
So many people are sick of it. Here are some quotes from the FOC chair:
Mr. Lafferty, I want to know what the #### business it is of yours to demand that we provide you with records. This forum is not owned by you or any of the other members. It’s a service provided by the USCF, and the FOC does not consider that we HAVE to provide you with a #### thing. Stop all the stupid crap about how the forums are run and stick to USCF business as relates to NORMAL member matters.
_________________
Terry Winchester
FOC Chairman
I don’t believe I have ever, apart from my early days on the FOC, requested that post be pulled. My requests have been for Moderator Review. If a moderator agrees that a post is bad, the moderator pulls it. If he does not agree, he does not pull it. I don’t demand that moderators pull posts. Furthermore, Sam, you have lied. DID YOU SEE THAT WORD, Sam? You LIED. I have NEVER asked Gregory Alexander to pull a post. You are making up assertions.
_________________
Terry Winchester
FOC Chairman
The board voted everytime to protect the trouble makers and liars so they can damage other candidates. I hope that you can stop this if you’re elected.
It is a given that the USCF must have improved leadership and teamwork at the EB level, be made financially sound, and regain a reputation as a reponsible and businesslike organization. But after this is achieved, my questions are:
What is your vision of the USCF and chess in the USA 5 years from now?
What are your goals to achieve this vision?
I’m particularly interested in increasing the popularity of and respect for Chess in the USA to a level enjoyed by Europe, Asia and most of the World.
Rich in Phoenix
Great team: Lafferty, Mottorshead, Suarez, Payne, Sloan, Alarie and Quinn. They should be on the board running the USCF.
Susan, I wish you the best. But I don’t know what you can do to stop a bunch of serial liars and wackos from destroying the USCF, especially when the board is giving them the power to destroy any member, volunteer or sponsor they wish. Good luck! JK
The context of my comment was that Susan Polgar would indeed be gaining control of the Denker if it leaves the US Open for Texas Tech. Was that not the plan?
I hadn’t noticed this comment in the thread until right now. In the future if I’m quoted, would the person doing it please send me a PM on the USCF Forums? My handle there is “artichoke”.
— David Quinn
David,
It is absolutely false. It is a complete fabrication by Mr. Sloan and the board for political purpose.
I have never asked to move the Denker. I have never approached the Denker Committee about offering them a scholarship.
The Denker Chair approached Paul to ask if Paul can help his committee find a scholarship. Paul said yes and he got it.
Then the Denker Chair asked Paul to ask Texas Tech if they are willing to host the event, give a full scholarship, provide housing and meals for the players. They are interest in something like a 5-year deal so they do not have to find new scholarships each year. Paul again went back to Texas Tech to ask for it.
Paul did a favor for the Denker Committee and the kids. This was not his or my idea. Instead of thanking Paul for deliversing what was asked of him, our board members decided to mislead the USCF members and attack the potential sponsors.
It is unfortunate that the President of the USCF and other board members involved in such unethical behavior and conducts. This is inexcusable.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Susan,
According to what I’m told, the Committee chairman doesn’t have the power to bind the USCF to these arrangements. I don’t know what representations he made in his discussions with Paul.
David
The Chairman does not but the founder and sponsor of the event does. Mr. Goichberg clearly stated that I can move the Polgar event to anywhere I wish because I fund the event and I founded the event, even though it is an officially sanctioned event by the USCF.
Mitchell Denker, son of the late GM Arnold Denker consented for Dewain Barber, chair of the Denker committee to seek scholarship and a possible new home for his father’s event. Mitchell Denker also funds the event. The USCF does not provide any financial funding for either event.
Unfortunately, board members decided to make this into a political issue instead of putting the best interest of the children. 26 parents from the Denker and Polgar were asked and 100% of them said that they support the move.
100% of the Denker Committee, its co-founder Dewain Barber and 100% of the Polgar Committee support the move. Both sponsors fully support the move.
The move would save the young players and their parents around $500,000 according to the would be length of the contract. In addition, the young players could have used a possible $500,000 in scholarships.
This is another of many reasons why the USCF cannot secure serious sponsors due to total incompetence and unprofessionalism.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
The board doesn’t see anything wrong with having folks like Lafferty, Mottorshead, Payne, Sloan and others to fool the USCF members daily. After Goichberg knew that he made a mistake by responding to Sloan’s lies publicly, he refused to state the truth because of politics.
It’s a complete conflict of interest for Bill to run CCA and the USCF. Bill should step down as President for this unethical conduct but of course he won’t. He has too much to lose financially and he’ll do everything in his power to keep it.
It’s publicly known that Don Schultz has been trying to make a deal so the USCF would buy CCA. That would put a big chunk of cash in Goichberg’s pocket. This idea has been publicly discussed by Don since 2004.
Lifer, you might as well add me to your list. They’re not trying to fool anyone and neither am I
David
Lafferty, Bogner et. al. are making it impossible to have civil discourse in the USCF forums. They have noting at all to contribute to US Chess but attack and complain, attack and complain. They won’t get their way. The forums demand civility and that’s what they will eventually have to live with or leave.
Good luck to you and Paul, Susan, in the elections.