USCF Delegate Election

The election for USCF Delegate is underway and I am a candidate for one of the two spots from Georgia. A chess coach asked me for my platform. Here's what I replied:

I believe that the USCF leaders ought to spend more time promoting the game of chess and servicing the chess players. Unfortunately, they spend too much time politicking. This year there are a host of proposed changes to the bylaws. These have to do too much with the latter than with the former. For example, one by-law will increase the size of the Executive Board from 7 to 14. I’ve read the reasons for this one and they are not so bad. It is just that this not what the USCF leaders ought to be fussing with. I want to encourage them to spend more time on issues like how we can encourage more children to play chess. – Or how can we encourage more young people to keep playing chess after their Elementary School years? - Or how about adults who drop out of chess?

Another problem with the USCF that I would like to address is the “Not Invented Here” syndrome at the USCF. They are too slow to help with things being done by other people and other organizations. For example, one of the positive developments of the past few years has been the explosion of chess blogs on the internet. This year I had started a site where these blogs could showcase their best work. The USCF could have helped with this. Indeed, they could have done this on their own web site. But letters brought no response and nothing was done.


I should say that I appreciate the efforts made by USCF leaders like Bill Goichberg, Don Schultz, Susan Polgar, and Paul Truong to help me with my chess blog. I am proud to be selected by Paul and Susan to be their moderator on Chess Discussion.com. But this was individual efforts. My problem is not with individuals; it is that I wish the leaders could come together as an organization. I’d like to help.
Some may say that all of this sounds like Susan Polgar and what she has been saying. Yes, that would be right. To make a long story short, I support Susan and what she has been trying to do. For more information about myself and Susan’s positions on the issues, you can check out the USCF Section on chessdiscussion.com.