The AF4C has announced a while ago about the dates for the 2006 US Championship. The dates had to be changed to accommodate players who also want to play for big money in Mexico right before that. This decision is understandable. It is not too often that our professional players have a chance to play for that kind of money. Unfortunately, the 2006 FIDE Women’s World Championship starts at the end of the US Championship. That means that those US Women Players who qualified for the US Championship and Women’s World Championship cannot take part in both due to schedule conflict. This is tragic!
What to do? Now many women are speaking out about it and they are fighting to get the organizer of the US Championship to modify the schedule. What should the organizer do? The contracts have been signed and many players have already made their travel arrangements. It would be unfair for them to have to change. It is also costly and incredibly inconvenient for some of the players. On the other hand, it is also unfair for others to have to make a decision on which tournament they have to drop out. I hope everyone can work things out.
I have decided not to take part in either event. There is not enough time to properly prepare because no specific format has been determined. I don’t think any player should have to make a choice. It is not fair to affect even a single player since everyone worked hard to earn a spot in the US Championship. Serious players need to have adequate time to train if they want to win.
One of my concerns is how can one effectively fight any issue when one has to make decisions based on personal finances. If one feels that a decision is unfairly made, stand up and fight against it. However, don’t grab the money and protest at the same time. It reminds me of players who protest against Kirsan Ilyumzhinov but have no problem accepting his money at the same time.
What do you think is the fair resolution?
If they have a problem with the organizers then don’t play. Can’t have it both ways.
IMHO the U.S.Women should play in the tournament that had first set and announced it’s schedule. The tournament that set the schedule last should have paid attention and not created an overlap of dates.
It’s a disgrace on the USCF that they are not supporting the only U.S. Women’s team to have ever won a medal in the Chess Olympiad! What a group of bufoons !!
Like your other readers, I like and respect your high minded feminism. I sympathize very much with your comment about players who accept money from the dictator who has degraded FIDE. I’m only an A player, but am reluctant to join the USCF since it contributes to FIDE.
But the reality is that chess politics is a dirty world. If one plays the game at your level, dealing with venality and the egotistic power plays of chess bureaucrats is regretably part of the game. Fans and US women lost by the flap around the Olympiad.
Thus I don’t think that total withdrawal is a solution, even for one who may be weary after a lifetime of fighting sexism.
It would seem sufficiently principled to skip FIDE’s WC, as FIDE should have respected the American tournament. There is not enough coordination at the international level, but this should be a FIDE responsibility.
You clearly love chess, and share your enthusiasm wonderfully well in this blog. It is a great pity that bureaucrats have not provided a more principled environment, so that people like you, Anand, and Kasparov, and Ponomariov, and others could focus primarily on the art and sport of chess.
Anonymous Frank
(BTW I’m writing a film script about a 19th century feminist)
That’s a tough choice but I would probably decline the invitations as well if I’m faced with this situation.
FIDE is 100% wrong for deliberately causing a conflict that could have been simply averted. The rest of the world should boycott FIDE in support of the US.
USCF has nothing to explain in their Championship since they already made concessions and set their schedule first.
USCF should be ashamed for not highlighting the best women’s team in US Olympiad history. THey are losing their best chance since Bobby F to promote chess in this conuntry
You are right to criticize the organizers for creating this mess. On the other hand, I think you are too harsh on players who protest yet play anyway. They probably need the money. You can’t dine on principles!
It never ceases to amaze me how poorly chess is organized, with all these really stupid scheduling conflicts. Why is it the organizers, who are likely all chess players, cannot behave in a logical manner away from the board?
I’m glad you’re still blogging, Susan. I hope they nail that butthead that hacked your site.
I think it is a mistake for you to miss out on playing in the US Championship. So far it looks like the US women will not be represented by the strongest players in that tournament. Especially when 1600-2000 rated players are playing…its somewhat of a joke. Nevertheless, I respect your decision and I am sure you have your reasons. Will you play at USATE this year?
Susan I disagree with you.
Maybe I dont understand the situation correctly in which case I will admit less than full understanding.
I was under the impression that the AF4C was working to allow women to participate in both.
I think a simple solution is to change the womens US Championship for this year and hold a separate womens championship at a different time for this year only. I also understood they were considering allowing the women to leave the US Championship early.
Susan You are my number one supporter of chess in the usa and the world. I really believe no one is doing such a good job of supporting chess as you are. but supporting chess means that you need to play. I need the opportunaity to cheer for you and all the women in either or both of the US Championship and the Fide Championships.
If the women are not playing then there is no women’s chess in America in a certain sense.
Please Susan I ask you on my hands and knees. Please play in at least one of the formats if not in both. we want and need you playing chess.
I would love to see you play in the US Championships and see you win the title. That will be good for chess in the usa. that will be great for womens chess.
I remember reading a few months ago you said that women in chess should not be using sex. they should be using performance at the chess board. well now is the time for you to support chess with your performance at the chess board.
I am asking you and all women to play chess at the chess boards and win.
I am personally very disappointed in reading this blog. Please Play Chess dont Play Politics.
My mother used to always tell me that 2 wrongs dont make a right.
Fide was wrong. but it is also wrong to not play.
Susan said: “I don’t think any player should have to make a choice. It is not fair to affect even a single player.”
Susan who said Life is fair.
I go to a kindergarden and the kids say ” It is not fair “
1st grade they say ” It is not fair “
2nd grade they say ” It is not fair “
3rd grade they say ” It is not fair “
.
.
.
.
.
adults say ” It is not fair. “
I say when are we going to grow up.
Susan please put your pride to the side and play chess. Show the world that you are bigger than them. Show them that they can not knock you out of the game. the way to fight is to fight on the chess board. running away solves nothing.
I understand the problem. I hope that no player will be hurt by this unfortunate situation. I would like to see Irina, Anna, Rusa, Tatev and everyone else do well in both events.
This is where I am coming from. When I made my decision to come out of retirement to play in the 2004 Olympiad, I spent 18 months training. That is why I came home with 4 medals (2 gold and 2 silver), including the best overall performance of the Women’s Olympiad. This is the kind of dedication and sacrifice I need to make to be the best in what I do. This is why we came home with first ever medals in US history.
I was fully committed to play in the 2006 Olympiad until dirty politics took over. The 2006 Olympiad will be in May 2006. We are approaching February and not even one training session has taken place. This is not professional especially after the successful program I have created for the 2004 Olympiad. I am sorry but I cannot be a part of something like this.
In regard to the US Championship, I was in direct contact with the organizer for many months. I proposed a deadline of December 31, 2005 to clear up all issues for me to make a decision to play or not. If I was going to play, I need to know where everything stands and I need to spend at least 2-3 months training. When Garry did not properly prepare against Kramnik, he lost. It even happens to the best. Therefore, I am not going to play in any even unless I am properly and professionally prepared.
If I compete in the US Championship, my goal is to go after the overall title and not just the women’s title. There are too many wonderful players in this event and I must be at my best to even have a small chance. I don’t believe in luck. I believe in hard work and diligence.
We are about a month away from the US Championship and issues are still not resolved. It is not the fault of the AF4C. I support them and I admire what they have done for chess. I have two children to care fore as a single Mom. If I take off for 2-3 weeks for an event, I may have to deal with legal consequences. Therefore, careful planning and proper arrangements have to be made way in advance, not to mention adequate full time training.
Therefore, I hope you will understand my decision. I stand on my integrity and professionalism and I am not going to compromise that for any amount of money. It is best if I give up my spot for another young female player.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
http://www.PolgarChess.com
http://www.SusanPolgar.com
The women just have to play with the cards they are dealt with. Either go for the US title or World title. There’s no sense in whining about it.
Frankie
I love Susan when she plays chess, but here it honestly looks like she’s found an excuse for not playing or for asking for an enormous amount of money. Very sad, chess politics and greed.
It takes courage to turn down a lot of money. I think she made the right decision. AF4C still hasn’t announced the format yet. There was talk about one section, 2 sections, split in the middle.
AF4C is a most wonderful organization which has done so very much for chess. they are not a profit organization. they are a giving organization. they give all they can to chess. they are a wonderful ray of light for chess.
I support AF4C and hope they will continue their wonderful work for chess.
Susan you know I support you. You have also been a super good light of hope and giving to chess in this country. we need you. and we need the AF4C.
I also hope that all the women of the US who can, will support AF4C and play in the US Championships.
I will miss Susan in the US Championships. but I support Susan in her decision. She must do what she thinks is right for her to do. and I admire Susan’s courage to say what she has said at this time. I grieve with Susan that she is not able to participate. I know she wanted to participate. Maybe next year she will be able to play.
I want to see the headlines.
Susan Polgar US Champion.
someday soon I hope.
If any other woman has to make this difficult decision then I support each and everyone in whatever decision they have to make. I hope that this problem never happens again.
For me as a chess fan. I will miss you Susan at the championships but I will see you here on the blog. I really have been very hopeful that you would win the entire tournament. And all of the other fine women I love to see you all play. but I will understand and wish you well.
sometimes life has bumps along the way. but we can ride through them.
Tommy
Actually I am completely behind the women in the US chess scene that decided to stand up for their beliefs and not participate in the USC and instead to participate in the WCC.
FIDE had set the dates for the WWCC at least 6 months ago. Well before AF4C had finalized a date. AF4C finalized the original dates which were NOT in conflict but when a major event (major in their eyes) came along they chose to change it without a second thought.
A lot of you are critizing Susan and the women for their decisions saying they found a way out, yada yada, yada. Why should they be forced to make a decision? If this happened to the male chess players do you think there would be an issue here? Of course not! The dates would be changed.
This is typical here in the US – not working together to make chess better but instead to prove who is the king of the hill. Why don’t the organizers of Corus, Linares, Dortmund, the European Championships, etc. ever have a conflict with the men’s or women’s WCC? Because they work together to make things happen for the chess players and public.
It’s well beyond a disgrace what AF4C and USCF are doing here. The women should play in the WCC. I believe AF4C is above this type of disgraceful action so I hope they change their dates slightly in order to accomodate the women players. This type of action though I don’t put past the USCF. The majority of the board are a combination of disfunctional, unorganized, unethical, and spineless cowards looking out for their own best interests. Only a couple of the board members don’t fit into this description.
IMHO all women that qualified for the USCF should boycott the USC event in protest.
I’m sorry to be so harsh here but this type of garbage will continue to happen, continue to escalate until we are totally isolated from the rest of the chess playing world.
–Sevan
Susan, you are 100% correct. If you were to cave in and play – despite the horrendous organizational snafus – you would, in effect, be saying that it is ok to not handle things properly and then expect everyone to suck it up.
Until the USCF (and the CFC for that matter) gets professional organizational skills they are doomed to mediocrity.
You are classier than that; tell them to look elsewhere.
I do not see why FIDE should work around every national championship in terms of setting dates for the WWC. US women are not at present central to the outcome of a WC event.
Each player should choose one event and play it as hard as they can.
Why struggle to change dates a day or two then struggle to play two close events and do babdly in both.
I take what I said about FIDE back since I now realize that in this instance they had their schedule set first
USCF seems to be wrong in every way
Mr. Sevan,
The AF4C is a good organization. The problem is the folks in charge of the organization hire incompetent people to run the show.
Zack
This blog is a bit too long to read, I can only say this:
Whatever Susan’s reasons are, they must be valid by default. None of us can even imagine the power of a World Chess Champion, nor the understanding of chess and high-level chess-related thoughts a World Champion has, compared to us, chess mortals.
It is beyond any logic to even assume that reasoning of a WCH, former or current, can be disputed.
I’ll catch up on the reading now.
I LOVE CHESS…THE ROYAL GAME. ONE OF MY TEACHERS TAUGHT ME THAT BEING GOOD AT CHESS DOES NOT MEAN THAT ONE IS GOOD FOR CHESS. SUSAN, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE GOOD FOR CHESS. YOUR CHARISMA IS THE BEST THING FOR U.S. CHESS BY FAR. I THINK IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT YOU EVEN HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION LIKE THIS LET ALONE HAVING TO DEFEND YOURSELF. YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES ARE IN MY PRAYERS FOR HEALTH, PEACE AND HAPPINESS! NAMASTE…