by NM Leland Fuerstman
The Charlotte Chess Club, the cornerstone of activity in the Charlotte area for almost 40 years, continues to provide an important service to the local "adult" chess community. Founded in 1975, the CCC has aided in the progress
and celebrated
the achievement of no less than 20 Master's
and above! The Skyland Family Restaurant,
with it's clean rest rooms, well lighted
"direct" parking, private playing area, extensive
"competitively priced" menu, friendly management,
attentive waitress, giant flat screen TV turned down, "Wi-Fi,"demo
board, litany of strong Experts and Masters and the
world's greatest "baklava" has served as our home
for the past 3 and a
half years! The atmosphere at the CCC is always
warm and inviting. Everyone who arrives to
dine promptly finds himself involved in friendly conversation
prior to our 7:45
starting time. And, after the tournament game,
the furniture in our private room is
comfortable enough to stay for hours and analyze or play
speed chess! Adult beverages available; Skyland stays open
24 hours! Our always "immediately
updated" CCC website
continues to provide the latest results
of our weekly (and
weekend) tournaments to
include images, annotated games, realtime ratings,
databases, interesting anecdotes and other informative
articles for your reading pleasure. In addition, unlike
the QCCA which pays back 55%
at the Reverse Angle, the CCC's Reserve
Angel pays back 75%!Considering the abuse to which I have been subjected over the past 4 years by past NCCA President Gary Newsom, who, on at least one occasion used the NCCA website to insist that members not participate at the Charlotte Chess Club, and on another, gleaned the CCC Roster for E-mail addresses in order to send "hate mail" to each CCC member, I believe I have a right to state my case. Though I had violated no rule of chess, I was being ostracized for the unforgivable crime of exercising my 1st Amendment Right to the Freedom of Speech?! As Editor of the CCC website, I published a number of well documented, extremely informative articles criticizing the lack of oversight and absence of accounting for the 2009 NC Scholastic Championship. It seems as though the previous administrators were incapable of enduring any constructive criticism nor occasional charientism. Failing to provide truthful answers, the "good old boys" proceeded to involve themselves in a coverup that made Watergate look like a garden club meeting! (Unfortunately, there are no chess police?!) Furthermore, their cabal had a way of sidestepping all of the pertinent questions and instead, responded with personal slurs and intentional diversions? Unfortunately, since then, no audit has been made nor has any specific accounting of previous events been revealed. So, little has changed. I was hoping that the new administration would be more transparent. Now, I'm beginning to have my doubts.
This may seem harsh, and I generally defer from characterizing people, but
rather than dwell on the rumor
that another local Director
generally appears as if he has
been "sleeping in the back seat of his car?!"
I can safely state that NM Leland
"Ennui" Fuerstman
is always one of the first to arrive at the Skyland
Family Restaurant, always properly bathed and
shaven, well dressed, wide awake, smelling good and ready
to challenge all comers! And, my tournament game is
promptly published the following morning; win, lose or draw! ...as are the
games of any other member who submits one! It is again "statistically" obvious that the Charlotte Chess Club has returned to the status as the most popular "adult" chess club in the 2 Carolinas! We currently have 64 paid members and our numbers are growing each week! (The Columbia (SC) Chess Club has 55 current members!) New players willingly pay $25 per year for the privilege of being added to the CCC Roster! Each week, the $4 EF guarantees they will be able to enjoy all of the amenities, which includes a $100! cash prize in the Top Section and the surety that they will be paired against another "adult!" Oh, not to worry, we also have a couple of the strongest "scholastic" players in town on our roster; regardless, everyone at the CCC is required to conduct himself in a mature and mutually respectful manner.
Recently, the QCCA website had not been updated for more than 3 weeks? But, even when results are reported, it never includes images or games and most of their lists are out of date? Furthermore, the posting of a crosstable such as the one the CCC uses would expose the very few players who actually participate?! It is my understanding that the QCCA has "no membership fee" and only charges $2, but no cash is paid out. -- Well, you get what you pay for... as I have previously suggested, "Newsom would do best to divert the "few" remaining adult players to the CCC and concentrate his efforts on scholastic players only!" He does seem to be doing a pretty good job of that!
Though it is obvious that past president Gary Newsom and I have expressed our bitter differences in articles and messages posted on the internet through the years, I can truthfully state that he has always been friendly and respectful to me when we have met in public as I have always been to him. He also participated at the CCC for 15 years before branching off. --- This is a new day!! --- We avoid the discussion of political issues of any nature at the Charlotte Chess Club. Nor do we chastise members who may have a difference of opinion. We only congregate to dine, socialize, play chess and have fun! I, hereby, invite all of the players who once participated at the QCCA to join us at the CCC! Yes, even Gary Newsom is welcome to return and participate with us.
I remain,
NM Leland Fuerstman
Long Live the Charlotte Chess Club