CFC Presidency - Sign off

[Robert Hamilton]

Vlad,

This is my concluding note about what transpired on Chess talk regarding your presidency.

I was being pressured to run against you... but win or lose have absolutely no interest in the assignment.

Instead I tried to engage you in a discussion that you quickly became evasive in and relied heavily on Hal Bond to answer questions about international chess in. There's no way in the world you are in tune with International chess well enough to even know there was something such as the "Prague Agreement", which Yasser Seirawan negotiated, so it was very obvious which comments were yours and which were Hal's. I don't hold this against Hal... but the CFC ought not to pretend he was being neutral.

I tried to discuss the topic of revenue generation for the CFC with you...but that also degenerated. I did so based on my experience of having raised well over $10,000,000 for chess activities in Canada... a little more than you and all the governors combined. Instead of looking for the positive and asking how I did so you chose to use lines like "blah, blah, blah"... or "the dogs are still barking" which is in very poor taste.

You may have captured the vote, but in the process you've alienated several of Canada's top players (I'll not share my inbox with you), top organizers, and patrons. Congratulations.

I note that you state your chess experience includes running scholastic events.... and coming back to chess a few years ago after an absence. In my case I've played in 13 Canadian Closed Championships, organized over 250 national and international events and will, this year, raise far more money for chess than the CFC....once again.

It's not meaningless that a few of the best players from our generation such as Brian Hartman and Ian Findlay have taken offence to your stance on matters and noted your disrespect for members of the Canadian chess establishment. Aside from being a great player and ambassador for chess, Brian alone has raised far more money to support chess than you likely every will.

I hope things go well for the CFC and I hope that the combined wisdom of governors and executive can turn the tide of the precipitous membership slide that has been occurring under their/your watch.

You need new and effective programs and shouldn't just boldly run for re-election a year from now after another 10% membership slide. I wish you the best.

Regards,


Robert

[Andy Shaw]

Re: CFC Presidency - Sign off

If you want to see change, run for president yourself. At the moment, empty threats are trending on chesstalk.

[Sid Belzberg]

Re: CFC Presidency - Sign off

If you want to see change, run for president yourself. At the moment, empty threats are trending on chesstalk.

Like that would help. The voting members seem to like the status quo above all else. Perhaps if the structure was more along the lines that CFC members could vote would someone new have a chance.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: CFC Presidency - Sign off

Like that would help. The voting members seem to like the status quo above all else. Perhaps if the structure was more along the lines that CFC members could vote would someone new have a chance.

Judging from the comments I am getting at CYCC from players and parents I don't think your results would be any better than they were with the governors and executive. HTH.

[Sid Belzberg]

Re: CFC Presidency - Sign off

Judging from the comments I am getting at CYCC from players and parents I don't think your results would be any better than they were with the governors and executive. HTH.

Well good then you got the whole thing beat! Let the CFC members vote in the next election. Your poll you did here on chesstalk seemed very much at odds with your actions.

[Kerry Liles]

Re: CFC Presidency - Sign off

Well good then you got the whole thing beat! Let the CFC members vote in the next election. Your poll you did here on chesstalk seemed very much at odds with your actions.

I would not confuse the occupants of Chess Talk with the chess-playing public at large (many active chess players and/or 'governors' most likely avoid Chess Talk).

Since I don't have any chess-playing children and therefore not directly involved in the children's development aspect, I am usually quite surprised when I talk to parents of aspiring chess players. Their take on matters is often quite different than I would have thought at first (and I might add, despite having a lot of investment in the process, they usually are logical and reasonable in their approach to most issues).

[Gary Ruben]

Re: CFC Presidency - Sign off

I would not confuse the occupants of Chess Talk with the chess-playing public at large (many active chess players and/or 'governors' most likely avoid Chess Talk).

After a Globe and Mail article didn't work, the government doesn't seem to be interested, the incumbent CFC president was re-elected, what's left?

The Globe and Mail sent me a bill for $502.87 to renew my subscription when it come due next month. I called them and declined citing that chess article. Lots of other newspapers in the GTA.

[Sid Belzberg]

Re: CFC Presidency - Sign off

"After a Globe and Mail article didn't work"
We do not control what newspapers publish

"the government doesn't seem to be interested"
They are not interested in the CFC

what's left?
Sadly, not much and at the rate the CFC is going down even less.

[Sid Belzberg]

Re: CFC Presidency - Sign off

I would not confuse the occupants of Chess Talk with the chess-playing public at large (many active chess players and/or 'governors' most likely avoid Chess Talk).

Since I don't have any chess-playing children and therefore not directly involved in the children's development aspect, I am usually quite surprised when I talk to parents of aspiring chess players. Their take on matters is often quite different than I would have thought at first (and I might add, despite having a lot of investment in the process, they usually are logical and reasonable in their approach to most issues).

Yep, that's it the polls on chesstalk have no statistical significance unless it supports what the CFC executive wants to read.

[Gary Ruben]

Re: CFC Presidency - Sign off

"After a Globe and Mail article didn't work"
We do not control what newspapers publish

"the government doesn't seem to be interested"
They are not interested in the CFC

what's left?
Sadly, not much and at the rate the CFC is going down even less.

Of course what the newspapers print isn't controlled. If they want to publish that kind of article while the CBC shows little kids playing in national and international events, let them.

If the government wants to ban FIDE or put them on some list they should do it before the next election. I figure the majority will be gone and wouldn't be surprised to see a liberal minority or majority federal government. I'd expect that to be run the way Justin's father did it.

Regarding the CFC, it doesn't seem to be that much different than in the 1950's. Not a lot of members but lots of pockets of players who aren't involved. I seem to recall the first Canadian Open was played in the 1950's but that's going from memory. The Canadian Junior Champion was the junior who had the best score in the Canadian Open and that part I do remember. We've come a long way since then. Also, the CFC has a lot of money for a rainy day. Probably a chess server for members would help the membership numbers. It would provide some "infrastructure" where members from anywhere could play, but it's only my opinion.