| 11-12-13 NC Class Poorly Designed; Bad Location Forces Players to Renew? Prize Fund Neglects Lower Half of Each Section? No Section Lower than 1400? Goofy Rules Allow Playing Up? Unrateds...? By NM Leland Fuerstman Oh, I so strongly had my heart set on participating in the 2013 NC Class Championship, but unfortunately, because of a "personal grudge," NCCA President Rudolph Abate is ILLEGALLY attempting to prevent me from playing? Apparently he didn't get the memo... because Newsom tried to do the same thing a few years ago but was overruled by the USCF! Regardless, in the case of this years event, I'm not sure if I would play even if I were given an engraved invitation?! After all, there is no Under 2100 prize to play for?! Otherwise, being one of the lowest rated players in the "Open"? section might make it difficult for me to win anything at all?! 1. First of all, this event, when it did take place, was generally contested in the late summer, not December? It is my understanding that this year's version was hastily planned after a "misunderstanding" between Abate and a successful team of major NC tournament promoters who had planned to conduct the event in Charlotte. For reasons unknown, the Dictator, again, decided to act as the organizer himself and conduct the tournament in his own home town of Henderson? (No conflict of interest there?!) But, with so many other "major" events already planned, it may have been a better idea to use a non-conflicting date in 2014. 2. From my recollection, the old constitution made reference to holding major annual events "in cities which were more centrally located" so as to relieve the burden of members having to drive so far... Requiring everyone to drive all of the way to the Virginia line could prevent some players from as far away as Charlotte or Asheville or Fayetteville or Wilmington from participating. Some consider it to be an obvious act of selfishness on the part of the Dictator to conduct the event in his own "remote" hometown? 3. When this event was first advertised, it would have yielded the winners a pitiful 58% payback against the stated "based on" entries? The stingy QCCA gives back more than that! The CCC returns 75%! The Asheboro CC returns 90%!! Furthermore, from my recollection, when I was NCCA President in 1984, we paid back 100%!!! Why does the current administration need to keep so much profit when I am told they have over $15,000+ in the bank??! (would someone be kind enough to verify that?) Question: When was their last comprehensive financial report published? 4. And suddenly, "extra, extra, read all about it!" As a result of a "sponsor" commitment, the tournament will be "unconditionally guarenteed," whoops, I mean "guaranteed!" The problem is, the sponsor only offered $750 and the difference in the increased prize fund is $2,200!? Some find that dubious formula to be a risky proposition. I wonder, did the Board actually discuss this issue and vote on it? Heaven forbid, but a poor turnout might cost the NCCA treasury a considerable amount of money. 5. Furthermore, most curious is the Dictator's "tricky" design to include membership renewal to the NCCA in everyone's entry fee??! (Dude, I've been a member of the USCF since 1970 and I have never seen any other state do this?) Most all NCCA memberships will be valid until January 2014! Why are members being forced to renew their memberships ahead of time? Couldn't they just say, "my membership expires in January... I would prefer NOT to pay the extra $8 at this time!?" In fairness, shouldn't they be able to do that? 6. According to their own rules, scholastic players under the age of 18 are not required to pay for membership to the NCCA! So, wouldn't they naturally subtract the $8 from their entry fee?!! Of course, nothing about that is mentioned in their flyer. In addition, the cutoff date to pay the "early entry fee" is Nov 14? (As of 11-12-13, they have 6 pre-entries) After that date, each player will pay an additional penalty of $15 making his EF at the site $85?? So, exactly what incentive would anyone have after that cutoff date to send money instead of paying at the site? (OMG!? Imagine the hoards of people who will be crowding the directors table to pay their EF's on the morning of the event!?! ...yeah, right...) 7. But, the worst part of the design of this event is the sheer neglect of half of the players in each section? For example, the Class C Section is reserved for players with rating between 1400 and 1599. However, the design of the prize fund neglects players below 1500? A player with a rating of 1409 can only win the top 3 prizes offered for his section? And in doing so, he must defeat the toughest 1500 players?! If he were to score, say, 3-2, he probably wouldn't win a dime? But, if the organizer had considered the concerns of all of the players, he would have reserved the "3rd prize" for the Under 1500 player, and the Under 1700 player and the Under 1900 player, etc. for each section! That way, a player could proclaim himself the Under 1300, 1500, 1700, 1900, 2100 Champion of North Carolina and win a little cash! (Somebody just ain't thinking... or, just doesn't give a damn) The current design completely ignores the interests of approximately half of the players who enter. After all, what incentive do the lower rated players of each section really have to play? All they are doing is bolstering the prize fund for players who out rate them by almost 200 points? Any poker player would consider that to be bad odds... 8. And, even more disconcerting is the fact that there are no sections lower than the Under 1400 Section?? That is extremely difficult to understand and completely unfair to many NCCA members since most of the players ratings in North Carolina fall far below that range? There should surely have been an Under 1200 Section and maybe even an Under 1000 Section! Completely neglecting all of those players doesn't make sense? 9. My question is, what "nincompoop" designed this event? Because, the stipulations regarding participation are ridiculous?! First of all, this is a "CLASS" Tournament! There is no OPEN SECTION in a Class Tournament??? The top section should be referred to as the Expert/Master Section or the Championship Section. And, only players with ratings over 1999 should be allowed to play, period! Furthermore, normally, a "Class Tournament" requires a player to enter the class that his rating reflects. In this case, the December 2013 rating supplement should be used. However, for some strange reason, this organizer is using the November 2013 supplement?? (Hmmm, I wonder why? - Imagine the confusion when the computer uses the December "default" ratings for the pairings?!) -- In Europe they refer to this as a "category tournament." A player may never advance to the next category until he defeats his peers and achieves the required rating. The ridiculous idea of allowing players to "play up" completely defeats the purpose of the design of a "class" event?! Furthermore, UNRATED players should only be allowed to participate in the Top Section; and probably shouldn't be allowed to play at all. 10. Finally, show me a "major" state event that doesn't allow players to pay their Entry Fee with a credit card or PayPal and I will show you the 2013 North Carolina Class Championship?... (Hey, the "golf deal" seems like a pretty cool idea!) By the way, who will the Chief Tournament Director/Player be for this event? If it's Rudy Abate, I assume that he will play in all 5 rounds of this tournament, as usual?? After all, he is registered as a player? According to USCF guidelines, "...a Director should not participate as a player in major events..." What if the Director/Player himself is in a time scramble, and a dispute occurs on another board(s)?? ...that's a selfishly designed recipe for disaster?!? The USCF rules have been written to prevent such confusion... (however, thus far, Abate seems to have gotten away with ignoring that particular rule!?) Once upon a time, the NCCA was a democratic organization run by competent people who "voluntarily" performed the tasks of their elected office for the good of all North Carolina chess players. Unfortunately, those days are history... Because of the lack of oversight of the past few administrations, the current one seems to have morphed into a "private company" controlled by a few "good old boys" who freely operate without the acknowledgement of the members nor the control of any authority? Though they sail the flag of a "non-profit," the system they are currently using is generally referred to as a dictatorship?! The recent resignation of NCCA Vice President of Scholastics Brad Dill had nothing to do with personal issues and only to do with his indifference to the reckless and deceptive manner in which Dictator Rudy Abate went about doing his business?! According to a reliable report, Abate had made an agreement with a group of scholastic promoters last year to allow them to sponsor and conduct a 2014 event in Charlotte, but "at the last minute, reneged and decided to have the event in Wilson, NC, not far from his own home town of Henderson??" Apparently, he believes that the moderate success of one scholastic girls tournament is evidence enough to elevate Henderson to the level of "central mecca of chess" in North Carolina? For those of you who are not keen on the geography, Henderson, NC, population 15,320, is located approximately 20 miles south of the Virginia state line?? Yet, it is my understanding that the Dictator already wants to stage the event in his home town again next year??! (Wouldn't you sorta' want to wait to see if this one is successful, first? I'm just sayin'...) I thought they were supposed to use some sophisticated bidding process?! The current NCCA Articles of Incorporation (which have never been ratified by the members; nor should they be) forbid individual members from voting on anything other than elections? And, forget about trying to "speak" at the annual meeting? According to their draconian set or rules, a member who submits an idea or proposal at the annual meeting must yield to the wise decision of the members of the Board of Directors? - Oh, so you're thinking about impeaching them!!!? Sorry, they must agree?! That renders them unimpeachable?!? But, more disconcerting than their ridiculous set of rules is the absolute lack of transparency of the activities and self serving agreements made by NCCA Dictator Rudy Abate and his refusal to disclose any accounting. Other than a vague report at their annual meeting, apparently no one other than the Dictator has the right to decide how the money will be generated or spent?? This non-profit organization's refusal to ever publish any accounting of events sanctioned by the NCCA for the members to observe violates the democratic process. Furthermore, it has caused some past members to think twice about rejoining... or worse, playing in events sanctioned by the NCCA. Good luck to all CCC members who choose to play in this event. And, Happy Holidays to All! I remain, NM Leland Fuerstman Charlotte Chess Club |