Herb Healy Rating Delayed...

The Herb Healy New Years Day Tournament was a resounding success, the details of which will appear later.

However, it was important to let you folks know that the rating of the Herb Healy may well be delayed until Tuesday afternoon. Why? 1 January was a changeover date for a lot of things, some of which happened within the USCF. Rules changes, such as new rules on time limits and delays were put into effect. New memberships were put into effect. But more to the point of this posting, a new tournament web submission system was put into effect.

As with anything like this the USCF is proceeding cautiously. With a little bit of extra effort, Bernardo and I were able to successfully submit the Herb Healy tournament to the USCF Offices. However, they have, for New Years, apparently turned off the submission processing queue, probably intending to hand hold it for the 1 January tournaments when people get back to the office.

So, the Herb Healy tournament has been successfully verified and submitted, but please do not be surprised if its not actually processed and available to be looked at on the web until Tuesday afternoon. It may happen before that, but due to vacation schedules, it won't surprise me if it doesn't make it online until Tuesday afternoon or evening.

Everything went well and has been done from our end. Now we wait on the USCF to complete its end of the deal.

Thanks to everyone who participated today with the Herb Healy. It was a wonderful time!

USCF Executive Board to ask Truong to resign

• New York Times article

• Some additional information at ChessUSA

It seems that the time is fast approaching when it will be appropriate to write the epitaph on the Polgar era of the USCF. Let me suggest a few lines from this little ditty by The Who:

The change, it had to come
We knew it all along
We were liberated from the foe, that' all
And the world looks just the same
And history ain't changed
'Cause the banners, they all flown in the last war....

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss....

We don't get fooled again

UPDATE (1/16) - Susan Polgar responds to the New York Times article:

This is a blatant misrepresentation of the facts. Answers and evidence were submitted to the USCF attorney. I was on the phone with the USCF attorney for a considerable length of time to discuss this matter and to answer his questions. If additional information was needed, we should have been asked. No one asked. I have an email from the USCF attorney confirming that he received the evidence. We were under the impression that everything was fine until last night after the statement has already been submitted to the NY Times....

Channeling Nixon

Ever wonder what actually goes on at a USCF Executive Board Meeting?

Sam Sloan has posted several snippets of audio from their recent meeting on November 3rd in Crossville, Tennessee. Of course, everyone knows that Sam is pursuing a political (and legal) agenda against the Federation, so there is no need to accept his interpretations of the events on the tapes. However, since you can listen to the raw material, feel free to generate your own opinions. By the way, in a couple of the clips you can hear the voice of blogger Jack Lemoine.

Clip 1 - Clip 2 - Clip 3

For those who are closely following Sloan's lawsuit against Polgar/Truong et. al., you might also be interested in this additional piece of audio of USCF Board Members being served summonses in the case.

At least they're having fun

At ChessUSA, Jack Lemoine reports on his participation at the recent USCF Executive Board meeting. While it sounds like everybody had a good time eating and drinking together, I didn't read much that suggested that the Board had any new ideas on how to promote chess in the United States. Instead, the creative thinking seems focused on "inside baseball" topics, like how to change the way EB members are elected.

Why am I not surprised?

Let no one say I threw the first rock

I've had a post about Susan Polgar and Sam Sloan in draft for about a month but haven't posted it because I've been busy with other topics and because I thought it might just be a gratuitous attempt to create controversy out the fact that the two simply see the world very differently (not that I have any problem with gratuitous controversy, mind you). However, now with the blogosphere and mainstream media all in flames over Sloan's lawsuit against Polgar, I figure I can slip it by without much notice.

Before that, though, here's a roundup of the lawsuit coverage (links in no particular order):

• Chess Group Officials Accused of Using Internet to Hurt Rivals - New York Times (also reprinted at The Independent)
• Polgar/Truong caught red handed - Braden Bournival
• Polgar, Truong and Others Sued by Sloan - Chess, Goddess and Everything
• Slime Spillover - The Daily Dirt Chess Blog
• NY Times and Lawsuits - US Chess Discussion
• Lawsuits at the USCF - Bionic Lime Thoughts
• Latest Chess PR Nightmare - the pHtest
• Arguing on the Internet - USCL news and gossip
• Frivolous lawsuit and other items - Susan Polgar Chess Blog
• Dirty Chess Politics - chessexpress
• The Lawsuit Against Polgar and Truong, et al - Gambit
• Dark Knights - CapitalistImperialistPig
• Caroline, Sammy, Paul and Ubaldo - We're Watching - As Good As News
• University named as defendant in identity-theft lawsuit - The Daily Toreador

I'm reminded of the time that Dennis Monokroussos' blog got spammed with pro-Polgar comments. All of this makes one wonder who might have been the culprit in that case.

**********

OK, without further ado, here is my original post (which now seems rather mild in comparison):

The Light of Day!?

In her campaign for the USCF Executive Board, Susan Polgar promised a new spirit of openness and transparency. Now she has delivered by describing the backroom dealing that resulted in her being elected to the new position of USCF Chairman:

How did the USCF Chairman position come about? What is your opinion about these new titles?

After the new board was elected, there were two candidates for the position of President, current President Bill Goichberg and myself. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. Bill and I discussed this situation at length to come up with the most efficient way to maximize our talents to best help the USCF.

In addition, we have a very unique board with exceptional talents and expertise in various areas that can greatly help the USCF.

So the idea of creating different positions arose. Bill, with decades of experience, knows the ins and outs and the structure of the USCF quite well. I am best in my own environment, which is to be the public face and voice of the USCF to positively promote chess and deal with potential supporters and sponsors.

The USCF by-laws committee and Mr. Harold Winston were consulted about the legality of this idea. They came to the conclusion that there is nothing in the USCF by-laws that would prevent it. Therefore, in the first meeting of the new board, this idea was proposed and we had unanimous votes for every position. This was a triumphant first step to unite the board, especially after a very bitter election.

Of course, all this fluff about unique expertise and maximizing individual talents is just spin. Nevertheless, it seems like a clear blue sky compared to how things used to work.

Or is it? Consider this perspective from Sam Sloan in an interview with Chess USA:

Polgar and Truong ran for election with the obvious plan and intention to [sic] taking control of the USCF through their four-person slate. They must be deeply disappointed now that things did not turn out the way they had hoped. They must be especially disappointed in Bauer for voting against them on several key votes. Susan wanted to be president but Bauer voted against her, so she could not get enough votes. She took the honorary title of Chairman, which is an unofficial title with no powers or duties and is not recognized in the by-laws.

What they will do I will not know but they are certainly not happy.

Now, I certainly wouldn't hold up Sam Sloan as any paragon of truth and virtue. Nevertheless, it makes one wonder if team Polgar is being as upfront as they claim to be.

It's probably nothing...

...but I found this line in one of Susan Polgar's many posts intriguing:

I will be there to represent Texas Tech University, the Susan Polgar Foundation as well as the USCF.

Is the new Chairman saying that the USCF is third on her priority list of chess institutions to promote? Maybe I'm just reading too much into sentence structure.

Here and There

• For those of you who were amused by the fact that the BCC players who answered Blue Devil's questionnaire were reluctant to share their opening repertoires, consider Chess Tyro's recent experience at a local club tournament.
  
  
• Atomic Patzer wraps up a remarkable US Open - 4.5/9 and tied for first for the Class D prize. Here's hoping this doesn't turn out to be the pinnacle of his tournament career.
  
  
• The Chess Goddess already seems ready to declare Susan Polgar's USCF revolution a failure. Wow, that was fast!
  
  
• The Goddess also has some fun reviewing the 2007 USCF Annual Awards.
  
  
• Patzer's Corner compares Michael De La Maza to Dr. Atkins. Atkins is a hero of mine, since I lost 50 lbs following his diet. Perhaps proportional chess improvement results are achievable through intensive tactical training.
  
  
• I know y'all like rules disputes, so here's one from Chessbuff. Had the same thing happened to Rihel, I'm sure it would have been good for 40 or so comments here.
  
  
• Gila Chess Patzer points us to some music for chess computers.
  
  
• Meanwhile, Montse channels Pink Floyd; apparently, he is giving up the fight.... In a related note, Knights Errant Mousetrapper, Abend, and Pawn Sensei have all been quiet since June.
  

Politics and Promotion

Jack Lemoine has been posting some interesting chess-related information on his blog:

• A piece from current USCF President Bill Goichberg which argues that the current USCF political situation pales in comparison to the period 1996-2001.


• An interview with Paul Truong regarding local chess promotion.

The Robert Tanner chess improvement program

Maybe I missed it, but I don't remember anyone writing about this bit of US Chess politics:

A chess coach at 10 schools in the Phoenix metro area has resigned from the U.S. Chess Federation executive board under accusations he manipulated tournament results to gain his title as a chess master....

[Current USCF Executive Board Member Sam] Sloan's complaint alleges that [Robert] Tanner achieved the titles of master and "original life master" by playing repeated games in 1991 and 1992 within a closed group of friends that moved together among remote places such as Teton, Wyo., Wendover, Nev., and Ceres, Calif....

Sloan said the players in the group shared Tanner's home address, and none of the nine men except Tanner ever competed outside the group.

"They are quite clearly fake people," Sloan said. "They don't exist."

Tanner maintains he did nothing illegal. He said the matches actually occurred, and the ethics committee supported his claim that the opponents were real people.

However, Tanner acknowledges in his Sept. 15 response to the committee that he circumvented the "spirit of the regulations" in the early 1990s while working to regain the master title he held in the 1980s. None of the opponents, he said, were legitimate masters or even expert-level players.

As distasteful as it is to agree with an convicted alleged pedophile, it does seem that Mr. Tanner got caught with his hand in the "ratings" cookie jar. Here's another more detailed article.

Play chess with the President at Christmas time

I just received the following e-mail from the US Chess Federation:

Dear USCF Member,

Due to a Chess Life error, the following Grand Prix Tournament Life Announcement was omitted from the November issue of Chess Life. We are sending this announcement to USCF members to make sure you are aware of this major event.

Chess Life regrets the error.

Regards,

Daniel Lucas
Editor, Chess Life
USCF Director of Publications

-----

December 27 - 30 GPP 100
District of Columbia

33rd Annual Eastern Open. 8-SS. $14,000 Guaranteed Prizes. No 'based on' prizes! Wyndham Washington Hotel, 1400 M St. NW, Washington, DC. TC: 40/2, SD/1. Rds: Wed: 1 - 7:30, Thur: 11 - 5:30, Fri: 11 - 5:30, Sat: 10 - 4:30. EF: $98 if by 12/11, $110 at site. Reg: Wed, 12/27, 10 - 12 noon. 3-Day schedule for OPEN Section only with advance EF of $99: Reg. Thursday until 6:30. Rds 1 - 4: TC: G/30, 7 - 8:10 - 9:20 - 10:30. Join 4-Day at Round 5.

$$G Open Section: 1,500-1,100-750-500-300, Under 2400/Unr. $750. Under 2300 $725. Under 2200 Section $1,000-500-250. U2000 $300-150. Under 1900 Section $1,000-500-250. U1700 $300-150. Under 1600 Section $1,000-500-250. U1400 $300-150. Under 1300 Section $750-375-200. U1100 $300-150. Note that U2000, U1700, U1400 & U1100 are prizes but not separate sections. No unrated player may win more than $800 in Under 2200, $400 in Under 1900, $200 in Under 1600 or $100 in Under 1300 Section. No credit cards accepted. GMs free, $80 deducted from prize.

Special EF: $40 less to juniors (under 20) in Open Section or playing up. $50 less to unrateds in 4 lower sections. Re-entry: $80. Byes available any round but rds. 6-8 must commit before rd. 3. Limit 2 byes for class prizes. HR: Only $73! Call 202/429-1700 by 12/3 for this very low rate. Ent: Make checks payable to Eastern Open. Mail to U.S. Chess Center, 1501 M St. NW, Washington, DC 20005. Info (no entries) 202/857-4922. W, FIDE