Once again, I would like to THANK everyone who supported me and my team in this very difficult election. There have been times when I asked myself if it is worth it to face the daily attacks, insults and threats, especially from people who have never met me or know nothing about me. No one should have to face that and unfortunately, it has become a fixture in USCF politics for too long. This is one of the major reasons why the USCF lost so many members, volunteers, supporters and sponsors. This has to be changed.
Every time I was down, all I had to do was read your countless supporting posts and emails. You are the ones who energized me and you constantly reminded me that I was doing the right things. This is your election and we are in it together. I hope that our energy and enthusiasm will rub off on other federations as well. We must unite to succeed.
One of the first things that must be changed is the attitude. There should be no “It can’t be done”. There should be plenty of “How can we make it work?”
We have no time for personal vendetta. A lot of things have to be done to ensure that the USCF will improve and prosper. This federation should not be losing money year after year. We must be fiscally responsible and we must seek new revenue sources.
I am looking forward to meeting my colleagues in Cherry Hill. And for the big question that many of you have asked, would I accept the position of President if I have the support of my colleagues? Yes. I think that I can bring a lot to this federation within the US as well as Internationally. But this is the decision that my colleagues have to make.
Once again, here is my vision to a better USCF. Thank you again and I am looking forward to meeting, talking and working with many of you in the future. I apologize if I cannot respond to each of your congratulatory email timely as the number is so overwhelming. But please be assured that I appreciate all of your support. And for those who did not vote for me, I will work harder to win your trust and support in the future.
Congratulations! We supported you and your team.
Felicitations!
I am so happy I played a small part but I feel there were many more like me and it all added up to herald a new era in USCF. American Chess now has a future and this may very well be your greatest triumph and accomplish in your long illustrious career.
Please let us know what we may do to assist you in making USCF a professional organization.
Now I have hope we will within the next decade produce World Champion candidate players as China and India have accomplished this past decade.
Who is the President at the moment? Do they continue or is their a new Board Vote to come on that?
I did not understand: did Susan win the USCF election afterall?
where can I see the results?
As a Life Member of USCF I am happy for your election, and of the group in whole!
Now maybe the fiscal responsibilies that ordinary citizens have, will be inacted by the new USCF board. For we cannot support our families with fiscal losses year in, year out.
A bright new hope, for current and future members of the USCF.
Susan
Your message is wonderful. I have supported you from the beginning and I feel so good to hear that maybe I helped you just a little bit to persever through the tough times.
I have complete confidence in you. I hope all the other members vote for you as President. You are a most wonderful person for chess. All of us common ordinary chess players have great faith and hope in you. You vision for the USCF is the same vision that we all have.
We have never met Susan but there are many like me who support you. We have met through your Blog. I feel like I know you very well. I remember many years ago reading about a little girl in Hungary who was a great chess player. It has been wonderful watching your career. I have been a fan of yours since I first heard about you as a little girl. If you were my little girl I would give you a big hug every day and tell you I love you. Your mom and dad must be very proud of you. I have never met you and I am proud of you. I know you are loved by chess players all over the world.
Congrats, GM Polgar!
My one and only wish:
Make provisions for USCF sanctioned ratings for ICC/online Chess games!
This would be great!!!
–cyberpatzer (ICC)
Congratulations Susan. I am glad to see that even after being elected, you are sticking to your principles, such as stating you “have no time for personal vendetta”. Be careful, however, do not be too soft, otherwise the positive changes you promised would not be possible. Although there is no need for any vendetta regarding the past, there should be no tolerance for the same unethical behavior in the future.
thanx for ur kindness thank u u kno a smile of happiness tears of joy n a simple thank u is priceless u have shown tht no other past board members bothered to even say thank xcept in uscf life u r truly a chess ambassador to all thanx goodluck
As I expected
Congrats to Susan and the rest. I’m looking forward to seeing brighter days for U.S., and particularly scholastic chess…Rich
You may be more effective serving as a regular member of the board for a couple of years before becoming president.
Being president will just put an even bigger bullseye on you. You’ll be blamed for everything that goes wrong.
I think she’s the ONLY choice to be President. She also won by the largest margin ever, around 700 votes. She’s the one who can energize the membership and federation. Susan Polgar for USCF President!!
Winning by 700 votes is a big margin with a total of only around 3000 votes for Polgar. That’s basically a mandate. Anyone who doesn’t vote for Polgar to be President is shooting himself in their political foot.
I fully support Susan for USCF President! We need her!
Congratulations, Ms. Polgar. Your campaign is a validation of the maxim that in volunteer politics, a builder can build faster than a destroyer can destroy.
Congratulations Susan! I supported your entire team. But I do agree with you, that Berry will be a good addition to the board. And frankly, I even like Goichberg being on the board. He has contributed a tremendous amount of value to the development of chess in the US, albeit focused on a narrow area .. OTB play. The new EB has all the skills needed to take the USCF in a bold new positive direction.
Does anyone know when the election of the new President will take place.
I wish I could vote. I would vote for Susan. Everyone down at the chess club knows that. haha.
Really when you look at the EB members Susan is definitely the best choice.
Hearty congratulations Susan. A great victory! I wish I could have voted for you, but could not as I am not an American citizen, nor do I live in America.
I very much hope you will be elected USCF President.
It is good to see the Federation of such an important country finally in capable and ethical hands.
I am very glad to see Schultz out; I was afraid he might get in. This is the guy who played such a big part in the despicable decision to raise all women’s except yourself FIDE ratings 100 points in 1986. Schultz has been in the USCF the 20 years (plus) since. These have been the 20 worst years of USCF history. What has Schultz ever done?
Clearly you are very popular. I am wondering… If you find the time and energy down the track, is it possible you could stand for the FIDE Presidency? You would be about the only hope to get rid of Ilyumzhinov. As FIDE President, you could do 100 times more for chess than you can as USCF President.
Just a thought to keep in the back of your mind. What do you think?
What can Susan do as president that she cannot do as a regular board member?
Great news Susan. In your post, you mention personal attacks and threats. This is America and threats like those you outlined can and should be prosecuted. Very disturbing indeed.
Again, congratulations. I’m certain your contribution to American chess will be substantial.
Well, I did vote for Susan as an Executive Board member and I am very happy she got elected.
I do think that she needs some experience on the board before taking the presidency though. There is a lot to learn.
I like Randy Bauer as the next president and hope the Executive Board sees this too.
Congratulations Mrs Susan ! 🙂
Dario P.
Congratulations & All the very best with your term in USCF. As a person who voted for you & your team, I am happy and look forward to many more positive changes at USCF.
Congratulations Susan! I hope this begins a new era in chess in the US. While at one time Goichberg may have had a positive impact on chess it is apparent that recently he has been side-tracked by his own ambitions. If chess is to succeed in the US it needs someone fresh like you and your team. Good luck!
Congratulations! Glad to see you were elected.
Please continue to be open and forthright.
Please keep up the scholastics.
Finally pick a small number of goals for the next 4 years (ex: put US championships on firm footing, encourage college chess) but don’t try to do everything – just 4-5 projects.
And please hang in there!
darn it. I voted for sloan, he seemed liked such a decent man who loves children.
Susan is elected for 4 years as an EB member. The 7 members sometime after the US Open in August will meet and decide to make one of them President, Vice President, couple of other positions. I think a VP of finance etc.
These positions are good for only 2 years to the next election when 4 seats will be open on the EB. Jim Berry is elected for 2 years to replace another person and his position will be up next election in 2 years.
The delegates from the states hold an annual meeting during the US Open each year. Every second year they oversee the change in EB members. But the new EB members do not take office until after the meeting.
We should know who is elected President in about 2 weeks plus a few days.
Bill Goichberg is presently the President. He will remain President during the Delegates Meeting held during the US Open this year in Cherry Hill NJ. It starts in about a week.
I think it covers 2 weekends. so it probably ends on a Sunday. The vote for President might come the following Monday or Tuesday. Might even come late Sunday since everyone will be there in Cherry Hill.
Regarding Randy Bauer. He has stated strongly on the USCF Forums today that he does not want to be President and that if he is elected President he will refuse to serve. He was very strong in his statement. I hope he takes the Financial Position.
There is a lot of speculation on the Forums discussion. Randy Bauer refuses to vote for Susan Polgar. Some find that shocking. It looks like it might be a choice between Bill Goichberg and Susan for the President position.
Some are claiming the voters do not want Goichberg but Randy Bauer might be the swing vote and he refuses to vote for Susan so far.
Many of the people who opposed Susan are in favor of Susan being President claiming she will fail. This is the opinion of Sam Sloan and Brenan. Others favor Susan by claiming she will be successful.
With two weeks to the election of the President there will be more discussion on this important topic.
Some claim it does not matter what the voters want. That the EB members have total control and they will decide however they feel like it.
Apparently Jim Berry is too busy with the bank to take the Presidency job. Although he has not officially responded on the forums. This is probably true that he is too busy with the bank to dedicate the time necessary to the Presidency.
Congratulations, and best of luck working for the betterment of the USCF. I’m really hoping that we will see positive changes in the coming years.