Kasparov was in Toronto this week...

[Paul Bonham]

Re: Kasparov was in Toronto this week...

FIDE didn't attach the strings. We did when we asked for help with gm norm events.

This is a very revealing statement. It is not only saying you asked for help with GM norm events, but also implies that you did so as compensation for the CFC's endorsement / vote for Kirsan in the FIDE election.

In the threads here on ChessTalk in the runup to the FIDE election, someone made mention of there being a bribe, and this was vehemently denied by (of all people) the ChessTalk moderator, who if memory serves wrote that he personally would edit the word 'bribe' from any further postings (or maybe even remove the entire posting). Now we get an admission from the CFC President that in fact the CFC did ask for help with GM norm events, presumably in exchange for the CFC's endorsement. The above admission actually makes it look like bribery was committed shortly before the FIDE election.

So Vlad, in the above statement you have publicly made, you need to explain to us who exactly 'we' is and when and how was this request made to FIDE?

Was there a vote taken in either the Executive or among the voting members as to what exactly the 'request' should consist of? In other words, a vote to the effect of "What should the CFC ask from Kirsan as FIDE President in exchange for CFC's endorsement and vote?" with perhaps multiple options provided, one of which was "partial sponsorship of GM norm events."

Vlad, I would take care to answer these questions with full disclosure. I understand that the CFC is under somewhat tight regulations as a non-profit. I imagine someone could easily start a process via political channels that would cause a formal investigation to be undertaken of the CFC's adherence to those regulations. I can think of one person who would not hesitate to start that process.

The CFC's problems don't come down to lack of money. We have plenty of money. The problems come down to a lack of volunteers.

Vlad, do you understand the concept of money? Money is legal tender, can be spent on anything at all because the entity receiving the money believes on pure faith that they can turn around and spend the money as THEY see fit. Without money you have instead a barter system.

You admit that one of the CFC's problems is that the web site is not getting updated. Then you say money is not a problem, you have plenty of money. Then you say you have a lack of volunteers to update the web site.

Has the 4 watt light bulb in your head turned on yet? MONEY CAN BE SPENT TO UPDATE THE WEB SITE! OMG, what a concept!

This money you refer to: you are limited to spending that money on GM norm events, and ONLY on GM norm events. You didn't get money. You bartered. What you need to explain now is: what happens if the CFC takes that money that is now in its bank accounts and spends it on updating the web site? Are the FIDE police going to arrest you? Will FIDE appoint a new Executive to replace the current one? Will FIDE suspend any further payments to CFC?

You didn't get money. You got a GM norm gift card, which says if you hold two GM norm events, the gift card can be 'swiped' to reimburse part of the cost of the events. If you actually have money in the CFC account, but you can't spend it on anything else except two GM norm events, and trying to spend it on something else would result in severe penalties, then the truth of the matter is, you don't have money, you have a GM norm gift card.

Furthermore, the question as to whether more GM norm events is a CFC need GREATER THAN the need to update the CFC web site is a question that, as far as we know, has never been voted on by the Executive or the voting members. It looks like a bribe was both offered and accepted and that this was done unilaterally, without input from the membership of the CFC.

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Kasparov was in Toronto this week...

Good for you, stop misrepresenting that it was the will of the Governors to endorse Kirsan.

Eight voted to endorse Kirsan. Nine if you include the will of one of the executive who didn't vote in that straw poll but did vote in the executive's vote. Four voted for a vote for Kirsan without an endorsement. Seven voted for an endorsement of Kasparov. One voted for a vote for Kasparov without an endorsement. The vote always belonged to the executive but the results of the governors vote certainly did not preclude the executive from voting for an endorsement of Kirsan.

So is this the demonic whirlwind that you promised as a consequence of defying your will? Seems more like a small dust devil or annoying fly buzzing around on a summer day.

Thats reflected in the thriving increase in members and outstanding web site right? Kevin Spraggett who you quoted so much has avery different opinion. Here is what he said recently,

[B]"No Canadians participated. Originally IM Raja Panjwani had intended to participate (I myself toyed with the idea of playing, also, but I could not get out of my prior committments) but time restrictions at university forced him to decline at the last moment. Eric Hansen apparently had contacted the CFC many months ago to see if he could play, but there was some confusion about the qualification process and failing to resolve this issue Eric chose to play elsewhere.

I looked through my emails and didn't see any contact from Eric on the subject though it is possible he contacted Hal Bond or the office and I was not informed of his interest. Its also possible that he used a different email and I didn't find it in a search. Some days I get fifty or a hundred emails and it is possible for some to fall through the cracks. I did talk to Kevin in email and did encourage him to play in the continental but as he said he was unable. To be more precise Raja petitioned to be the representative and was accepted by the CFC and was nominated as the official representative and then had to pull out due to school obligations after it was too late to change our player.

Sid, you really need to stop living in the past. The FIDE election is over and done with. Let it go.

[Sid Belzberg]

Re: Kasparov was in Toronto this week...

The vote always belonged to the executive but the results of the governors vote certainly did not preclude the executive from voting for an endorsement of Kirsan.

Yes exactly, the vote belonged to the executive and it is clear that the executive intended to endorse Kirsan no matter what the governors wishes were. So basically the discussion with the governors was a smokescreen as it did not matter that the majority did not prefer an actual endorsement of anyone. Why bother constructing an elaborate poll that in particular distinguishes between casting votes anonymously and actual endorsement when the executive already had made a decision?

Despite the CFC receiving consideration in return for an endorsement the majority of governors still diid not want any endorsement of any candidate. Your whole process was a fraud as your claim that you wanted input from the Governors did not figure into it. The poll with the governors was done purely for optics. The same is true of your chesstalk poll where you claim it was to draw in debate and what CFC members actually wanted did not figure into it.
So if you want to play the game that the executive does what it sees fit regardless of governors or members poll input here is where the executive legally stepped over the line. Undisclosed/denied personal conflicts of interest in the process. Not good news when running an NFP.

You complained that a member of Kasparov's team allegedly offered Hal Bond assurances that he would keep his job with FIDE and would even get more work which by the way is based on a claim of a supposed conversation (Hal Bond) had. Hal has conflicts as he would have no reason to even consider this alleged offer knowing that a rigged system in all likelihood would ensure Kirsan stays on and that Hal keeps his job at FIDE.

You see Hal already had a job with FIDE so you had no business allowing him to be the main part of this process. Hal by his own admission at the 2010 AGM publicly stated he was conflicted out of FIDE Candidate discussions according to your friend Mr Spraggett. Hal was very motivated to make claims against the Kasparov team as this helped his continued employment prospects with FIDE as he was correctly convinced that Kirsan would win with the rigged and corrupt system FIDE has in place.
You want me to let it go? Knock it off when it comes to trashing my name and Garry's to cover up/rationalize your fraudulent process and I would consider it. You want more then just a "dust devil" then keep up what you are doing. History is not over yet friend.

[Peter McKillop]

Re: Kasparov was in Toronto this week...

... I would also suggest that almost all of the tournaments are run with volunteer (or slave) TD's and assistants etc.

One notable exception in recent years has been the CYCC in which the various organizers have apparently made so much money that they've felt compelled (by the chess player's natural affinity for generosity I suppose) to donate it all to the nearby Canadian Open (which - surprise!! - was organized by the same people) to beef up prize money, pay fees to GMs, etc. Remarkably, no one at the CFC seems concerned that this is a blatant screwing of parents who enter their kids in the CYCC. Why should they be forced to help fund the Canadian Open?

The flaw in the logic is clear when, as a thought experiment, you reverse the process; i.e. what do you think would happen if the CFC made an announcement along the following lines?:

In fairness to the parents of CYCC entrants, entry fees for this year's Canadian Open will be increased by $75. These extra monies will be used to reduce CYCC entry fees and/or fund other junior chess activities in Canada.

I'm guessing that one wouldn't be able to think clearly because of the coast to coast complaining and that attendance at that year's Canadian Open would drop...dramatically.

I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen to the Canadian Open in 2015 because, at the moment, it appears that the CYCC and Canadian Open may be organized by different people in different locations.

P.S. I seem to recall Felix Dumont saying that the 2014 Montreal organizers would NOT be using the cross-funding strategem. Wonder how they made out?

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Kasparov was in Toronto this week...

P.S. I seem to recall Felix Dumont saying that the 2014 Montreal organizers would NOT be using the cross-funding strategem. Wonder how they made out?

They had 317 kids at CYCC and something like 416 at the Canadian Open. A good time was had by all.

[Felix Dumont]

Re: Kasparov was in Toronto this week...

P.S. I seem to recall Felix Dumont saying that the 2014 Montreal organizers would NOT be using the cross-funding strategem. Wonder how they made out?

There wasn't. Obviously both tournaments from being organized at the same time (shared costs for arbiters and rooms), but the money was not used for the CO.

The CYCC profits were used to offer free entries for the Canadian Open, hire 12 masters for the simuls, offer free game analysis, give a participation plaque to every player...

Thanks to the sponsors and the incredible participation, the Canadian Open had pretty much no deficit (even with registrations starting at $50).

[Vlad Drkulec]

Re: Kasparov was in Toronto this week...

Yes exactly, the vote belonged to the executive

I feel your pain. I am bored by it but I feel it.