AF4C and Bill Goichberg are ruining chess

2007 US CHAMPIONSHIP DETAILS ANNOUNCED

The 2007 US Championship, organized by America's Foundation for Chess
in cooperation with the US Chess Federation, will consist of 32 players
who will play knockout matches. To maximize spectator interest, each
match will be broadcast live on the internet and only one or two
matches will be held per day. It is expected that most matches will be
held in the home area of one of the players, though some may be held
elsewhere, such as at major tournaments. Matches may be played online.
The final match will be held in Las Vegas.

The first three rounds of KO matches will commence in March, and each
will match will consist of two games. Each match will be conducted over
two days; one game per day. Tie-breaks, if necessary, will also take
place on day two.

The fourth and final preliminary round will involve four game matches,
possibly played at the US Open. This final round will reduce the field
to two players. These two finalists will play a match in Las Vegas in
November for the US Championship title.

Twelve players have qualified so far from qualifying tournaments.

They will be joined by the following:

The Western States Open, American Open, National Chess Congress and
North American Open will each qualify two players.

The following will be seeded: the 2006 US Champion, 2006 Grand Prix
winner, the top 3 by rating on the December 2006 list, and the 2006 US
Junior, US Senior, and US Women's champion.

Two more women will be seeded based on Dec 2006 rating, and another
woman's spot will be offered to the winner of an online women's
tournament for players rated 2100 or above. Note that the 2007 US
Championship will not determine the US Women's Champion, however four
women are being invited in order to provide experience and publicity
for our top women.

The usual online tournament of state champions will again be held and
will qualify one player.

Further details are expected to be available soon.

Bill Goichberg

...............


Bill Goichberg posted this on his own without consulting the board. I
am a member of the board and I was not informed of this until it was
posted on the USCF website. I do not understand how Bill had the right
to announce this without any vote having been taken by the board.

I am strongly opposed to the provision that some of the matches may
take place online.

I doubt that the players will agree to this format. Do any of our
grandmasters really want to play a two-game match for only $200?

Bill has been acting strangely lately. He seems to spend all his time
attacking me, neglecting the serious business of the federation.

Has something gone wrong with him?

I will vote no on this one, if a vote is ever taken. It seems that Bill
plans to go forward with this plan without even asking for approval by
the board.

Also, it appears that all but one of the qualifying tournaments is a
Bill Goichberg tournament.

The AF4C stated some months ago that they definitely will NOT be
holding the US Woman's Championship. Bill and the rest of the board has
known this all along, but does not want you to know this.

Sam Sloan

Sam

Why are they KO matches? How far up FIDE ass do you want to sniff?

Don't you think Bill Goichber is lining his pockets, as I wrote in the
1994 issue of Chess Life?

How much money is Goicberg going to make using his executive committee
seat for himself?

Marcus Roberts

Sam Sloan wrote:
> 2007 US CHAMPIONSHIP DETAILS ANNOUNCED
>
> The 2007 US Championship, organized by America's Foundation for Chess
> in cooperation with the US Chess Federation, will consist of 32 players
> who will play knockout matches. To maximize spectator interest, each
> match will be broadcast live on the internet and only one or two
> matches will be held per day. It is expected that most matches will be
> held in the home area of one of the players, though some may be held
> elsewhere, such as at major tournaments. Matches may be played online.
> The final match will be held in Las Vegas.
>
> The first three rounds of KO matches will commence in March, and each
> will match will consist of two games. Each match will be conducted over
> two days; one game per day. Tie-breaks, if necessary, will also take
> place on day two.
>
> The fourth and final preliminary round will involve four game matches,
> possibly played at the US Open. This final round will reduce the field
> to two players. These two finalists will play a match in Las Vegas in
> November for the US Championship title.
>
> Twelve players have qualified so far from qualifying tournaments.
>
> They will be joined by the following:
>
> The Western States Open, American Open, National Chess Congress and
> North American Open will each qualify two players.
>
> The following will be seeded: the 2006 US Champion, 2006 Grand Prix
> winner, the top 3 by rating on the December 2006 list, and the 2006 US
> Junior, US Senior, and US Women's champion.
>
> Two more women will be seeded based on Dec 2006 rating, and another
> woman's spot will be offered to the winner of an online women's
> tournament for players rated 2100 or above. Note that the 2007 US
> Championship will not determine the US Women's Champion, however four
> women are being invited in order to provide experience and publicity
> for our top women.
>
> The usual online tournament of state champions will again be held and
> will qualify one player.
>
> Further details are expected to be available soon.
>
> Bill Goichberg
>
> ..............
>
>
> Bill Goichberg posted this on his own without consulting the board. I
> am a member of the board and I was not informed of this until it was
> posted on the USCF website. I do not understand how Bill had the right
> to announce this without any vote having been taken by the board.
>
> I am strongly opposed to the provision that some of the matches may
> take place online.
>
> I doubt that the players will agree to this format. Do any of our
> grandmasters really want to play a two-game match for only $200?
>
> Bill has been acting strangely lately. He seems to spend all his time
> attacking me, neglecting the serious business of the federation.
>
> Has something gone wrong with him?
>
> I will vote no on this one, if a vote is ever taken. It seems that Bill
> plans to go forward with this plan without even asking for approval by
> the board.
>
> Also, it appears that all but one of the qualifying tournaments is a
> Bill Goichberg tournament.
>
> The AF4C stated some months ago that they definitely will NOT be
> holding the US Woman's Championship. Bill and the rest of the board has
> known this all along, but does not want you to know this.
>
> Sam Sloan