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Chessville Guest Editorial The Dirty Hidden Truth
How
could a national organization, an organization which claims that it has no
money to do many things for the benefit of chess and it members, afford to
spend $500,000, $600,000, $700,000 or perhaps even more than $1,000,000 in
legal fees for political purposes? How could a national organization,
an organization which at one time had annual revenues over $6 million, sink
this low? Finally, how can we fix the problems, to make things better,
when the problems are being hidden and kept secret from the membership at
large? One of the key problems is the structure of the organization itself. It is very difficult to implement sound changes when the leadership is so far behind understanding the rapidly changing business world. If we do not understand our customers and do not offer what they want, we are doomed to fail. So many chess politicians have hung around for decades doing everything imaginable to grab and hold on to their power. Some have done this for three, four or even five decades. Why? For some, it is very lucrative. For others, they are addicted to power. Many care more about their personal, financial and political agenda than the welfare of chess, the USCF and its members.
... My experience on the USCF Executive Board in the past two years is like a mirror image of what GM Alburt said, except a lot worse. I am not a chess politician and I have no desire to get involve in the filthy disgusting world of chess politics. I did not want the failed status quo to continue. My sole intention was and is to help chess and the USCF. In
the past two years, instead of working with me and helping me promote chess
to benefit our entire sport, some of these chess politicians have spread the
most outrageous and vicious rumors and lies, trying to destroy my
reputation, my employment at
Knowing that I am a one of the biggest advocates for scholastic chess in this country, especially for girls, some of these people spewed out the disgustingly offensive rumor that my husband and I were child abusers. They claimed that we abused my children and we even forced them to consume hot sauce.
This sort of despicable thing made its way to the internet and even made its
way to my employer
There were countless remarks and postings telling my husband and me to go “back to where we came from.” Some said this is the United States Chess Federation and not the United Nations Chess Federation, and a foreigner had no business running the USCF, while others were openly discussed ways to deport me back to my native Hungary although I have been an American citizen for a number of years and both my children were born in the U.S. Ironically, the USCF and some board members have continued to deny that they have had anything to do with this despicable conduct, but their own attorney made sure to demand that I show proof that I am in the U.S. legally and if I “hot-sauced” my children in the past!? Outrageous, but true! Coincidence? You decide. Some called me a “whore,” “bitch” and worse, with words that are not appropriate to print. They even created a public website about this. I informed the USCF and its board members, but they chose to ignore this and do nothing. Instead of investigating such vile and despicable conduct, the USCF and the board majority spent hundreds of thousands of dollars investigating us! To support their agenda, misleading and one-sided information was published in Chess Life, the USCF website, in mailings and to the email list so I would have no opportunity to respond or correct the record.
Here
is the full 8-page article. It is a tough battle fighting "the system". But it is a fight that all USCF members must take on to save what's left of this federation. Some of the same people have chased away so many good sponsors, volunteers and even members for years by attacking and destroying them so they can keep control of this federation. If they can do this to me and my family, they will not spare anyone standing in their way. The USCF will not survive financially much longer if this trend of destruction continues. They have damaged the USCF enough. It is time to bring in professionals to fix and rebuild this federation. Please help me get the word out. Thank you! Here is another website giving excellent details: http://uscf.fiorechess.org/.
Very important facts about the disastrous state of the USCF.
If there is no new course to be implemented soon, the USCF will not survive.
Many people have asked who I will be voting for in the upcoming USCF Executive Board election. At this time, I will vote for the following individuals and I will explain why.
I strongly believe that these three highly qualified people (Dr. Hecht, Dr. Korenman and IM Lugo) will be able to greatly help fix the many problems of the USCF and end the long-time pattern of corruption and abuse of power which is bankrupting this federation. They are “no nonsense” individuals and they will set this federation on the right course for years to come. They are all independent candidates and they do are not affiliated with any corrupt political parties. They will examine every issue and vote their conscience.
I will not vote for
a fourth candidate. I will not vote for anyone who will
irresponsibly advocate more legal battles which without a doubt will
destroy and bankrupt this federation. I will also not vote for
anyone who will advocate alienating and dividing various membership
groups instead of uniting everyone, as well as putting their personal
and political interest before chess and the USCF. They are desperately trying to hide many important facts about their actions (which have resulted in devastating consequences for this federation) from USCF members, while using Chess Life and the USCF website for their political propaganda.
Do you want a different direction for the USCF or do you want the USCF to continue down the same path with the same cast of characters? The USCF CANNOT afford to lose a few more hundred thousand dollars while doing very little for its members. We cannot afford to have our leaders spend our money like it is their own. Let your voice be heard and vote for the most qualified candidates and NOT individuals who have personal, financial and political interests. Make sure you have an official ballot to vote. Your ballot should be outside of your June 2009 Chess Life and it should have your name and USCF ID number imprinted on it.
Check the names of the
candidates you are voting for, fold the ballot into three and
mail it
back to Taylor, Bilyeu & Company at
The United States Chess Federation belongs to its members. We can take back control of the USCF by voting in the candidates who will serve the membership and not their own interests. I am counting on you to make a difference. Every vote counts.
Chess fends for itself
-- Pratik Chaudhuri Here is my take: The problem is not with the general media alone. The bigger problem is with the actual chess media, especially the ones which are controlled by chess politicians. This is not just an American problem. This is a problem with the chess media worldwide.
During the closing ceremony, we awarded over $190,000 in chess scholarships and prizes in 3 separate events (SPWO Puzzle Solving, SPWO Blitz, WS World Open for Boys and Girls). More than 400 players entered in these 3 separate competitions. Not one word was mentioned in the USCF website before, during or after the tournaments.
I am not the only one who complains vigorously about this. Tons of USCF rated events are not being discussed, promoted, posted, or published while the same events from the preferred “politically correct” organizers are getting free publicity and promotion over and over again. On the other hand, USCF ED Bill Hall had no problem posting false, misleading, and defamatory information about me on the USCF website right before the SP World Open for Boys and Girls started, and kept it as the permanent feature on the main page of the website for more than a week for ALL USCF members to see. This way, I have no way of disputing the trash that was published or defending myself. This is not the first time this sort of things happen during my major chess events even though ALL my events are only aimed to benefit all chess players, especially the younger players, and I do not make money from them. I do this because I care about chess, chess players, and the growth of our game. It is one thing to play chess politics. It is another thing to put the whole federation in further legal problems while ignoring the interest of USCF members, especially young players. We are supposed to encourage young players to play and stay in chess. Doesn’t anyone care about chess, chess players, or members of the USCF? The USCF and its management completely disrespected hundreds of players, parents, and coaches who did their part to support chess by spending a lot of money to play in USCF rated tournaments. Don't you think those innocent kids who have nothing to do with the USCF dirty political games want to see their names published in Chess Life or Chess Life Online for their exceptional results? Of course they do. Unbelievable! Now we are punishing kids because of chess politics? And one wonders why the membership continues to decline. Just weeks earlier, I placed a full page ad in Chess Life to promote my new Online Chess Training program (www.PolgarChessUniversity.com).
After my ad was accepted by the USCF, I provided the person in charge of ads my payment information. I was told that my ad would appear in the June 2009 Chess Life. Mr. Bill Hall decided to have my full page ad pulled a few weeks later without any logical or sound explanation. I was only notified AFTER the magazine was in print and there was no way for me to appeal his decision. All I could make of his email is because this blog is very critical of the way how the USCF operates (how it frivolously spends members’ money, how it is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars of USCF members' money, and the detrimental conduct of chess politicians, etc.), he has the right to censor it. On the other hand, the USCF provides FREE promotion for countless big for-profit Continental Chess Association chess tournaments which are financially benefited by USCF President Bill Goichberg. This kind of FREE promotion on the USCF website tournament after tournament is worth tens and thousands of dollars and perhaps even much more. Isn’t that a serious conflict of interest? For example, about a month ago, Mr. Goichberg ran the Chicago Open. Even though it is NOT a USCF national event, the USCF website placed numerous free articles about his event before, during and after the tournament with direct internet links to his tournament website. This website contains information (right on the main page) about the USCF Executive Board election which is taking place right now, of which he is one of the candidates, along with his political supporters Jim Berry, Ruth Haring, and Mike Atkins, etc. The USCF management is not supposed to take sides in any political election. The USCF management is not supposed to influence an election. This website contained full of USCF election campaign propaganda which trashed the other well qualified non-political candidates (such as Dr. Hecht, Dr. Korenman, and IM Blas Lugo) and me (even though I am not running in this election), while endorsing his own candidates who will vote for his agenda. Of course he doesn’t state that the USCF lost hundreds of thousands of dollars of USCF members' money under his leadership and USCF VP Jim Berry while engaging in multiple lawsuits in 7 different states. Of course he doesn't state that multiple violations of an exclusive contract with a USCF partner caused a major lawsuit against the USCF. This is being hidden from USCF members for election purpose. He wants USCF members to vote for him and his people such as Jim Berry, Ruth Haring, and Mike Atkins, the people who advocate for carrying out these lawsuits which will for sure bankrupt this federation. He wants to control the USCF for another 4 years when he and his supporters caused the USCF to be near the insolvency stage. The USCF will NOT survive another 4 years of political and financial destruction. I have no problem with candidates campaigning on their own. However, in my opinion, to use one’s official USCF position to influence an election which will affect nearly 80,000 members while using the official website and magazine of a not-for-profit organization is highly unethical. Doesn’t this also put the not-for-profit status of an entire organization in jeopardy? Is it illegal? I don’t know but is sure smells very bad. It is also unethical to use USCF tournament mailing list to send out letters / post cards with false and defamatory information about other people for personal and political gains. This is what he does every two years as far as I can remember instead of focusing on making chess more popular and the USCF stronger. This is not the first time when things like this happen. This is why the USCF is losing so much money and it is on the verge of collapse. This is why the USCF’s revenue and membership are shrinking while chess is booming across the country. Too many people simply walk away because the USCF no longer offers them what they want or need. Many simply can't stand this kind of destructive chess politics. But the same people who fight to control the USCF for 30-40-50 years will continue to use every tactic to hold on to their political power instead of doing things to benefit chess, chess players, or young people. They simply don’t care about following the mission of our own federation. I sympathize with GM Ganguly and many others about the common problems in the chess world. I discussed these same issues with my fellow GMs Lajos Portisch and Vishy Anand yesterday when they asked me about this issue.
Please help me fix the long time pattern of destruction of the USCF. Please help me save this federation. Thank you! Here are some of the important links:
http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2009/05/i-am-voting-for.html
The text of this editorial, along with most of the images, were previously posted on the Susan Polgar Blog. They represent the opinions of the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Chessville, it's Publisher or advertisers.
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Many
of my friends, including 
Bill
Goichberg has been involved with the USCF in various capacities for
over four decades. Memberships are down, revenues are down, and
expenditures are up. But he does not want to let go of his
personal and political power even at the expense of the USCF and its
members. He has his hands on nearly every election as far as I
can remember. He keeps on recruiting people who will vote with
him and for his agenda which has caused so much damage to the USCF.
Last weekend, the SP World Open for Boys and Girls was held
at the South Point Resort in Las Vegas. This is a part of the Las Vegas
International Chess Festival, which includes the National Open, a USCF
national event. In addition, the SP World Open for Girls is one of the
official qualifying events for the SP National Invitational for Girls, the
most prestigious all-girls USCF national championship.
The most ironic part is the USCF Executive Director Bill
Hall, and others within the USCF, were at the Las Vegas International Chess
Festival. But not one word was mentioned even though many young USCF
members won countless chess prizes and college scholarships. Isn't the
purpose of Chess Life and the USCF website to promote chess and inform the
members about various chess events? Since when does it become
political and only events of the "politically correct" crowd get published?
