Has the 2015 N.C. Invitational Been Cancelled??
Oh, who cares about some stupid old Invitational, anyway?!
By NM Leland Fuerstman
During a recent friendly visit to the Charlotte Chess Center & Scholastic
Academy where I was
cordially greeted by proprietor NM Peter Giannatos,
I found myself engaged in a long conversation with
another of the highest rated and most celebrated chess
champions in North Carolina. That Life
Master expressed his profound dissatisfaction
with the NCCA's decision not to conduct
the N.C. Invitational this year?! According to
him, after inquiring, VP Jeff
"Pig" Jones
indicated something to effect of "...because the prize fund had "arbitrarily" been
reduced last year," a couple of prominent players
indicated that 'they could make more money from
students on that weekend!?' So, since there is so
little interest by the top players, we're probably
not going to have it this year?!" --
Yeah, after waiting until the last minute because they
forgot, they hastily invited people to
participate less than one week prior the event? No
wonder they were unable to get players? The candidates
all had schedules... unlike the people who simply
expect them to show up at the drop of a hat?
Increasing the 1st Prize to $1,000 and providing
lodging and a reasonable appearance fee would hardly
wipe out the NCCA coffers. Furthermore, the
games of the finest players in the state should be
broadcast; not those of Class "D"
players?? And, images and anecdotes need to be
recorded for the posterity of the organization. (When I was president in 1985,
everything we did was done by hand and submitted
by the US mail. Now, with every electronic
advantage at their disposal, these bums can't
lift a finger to do anything? Hence, our "paper"
records will survive forever... on the other
hand, over the past 10 years, very little has
been documented at all which might be of
interest to our progeny). What an utterly disrespectful and illegal decision they have made!? The officers of the non-functioning NCCA seem to have forgotten that the NCCA has a Constitution (or Articles of Incorporation?) which requires them to conduct the Invitational each year! (I certainly do not recall a meeting where that constitutional requirement was changed). Furthermore, an official committee should have been created to decide upon the criteria for participation and who the candidates might be, (ie. number of NCCA sponsored events played in over the year, total games played, rating, titles, etc. - all of which should be stated in the NCCA Bylaws, which don't exist) From a certified list of candidates, the participants would be chosen. Unfortunately, no such committee was formed. And, the whim of a minor officer has now become NCCA policy, to the detriment of the highest rated and most creative chess artists in the state?
One of the porcine puppet's arguing points is that "the NCCA will be directly responsible for conducting 2 other major events this year - which are designed to pay for themselves... But, the Invitational is a complete money loser?" Hold the phone, "Pig!?" Though the exact amount seems to have become "Top Secret," it was admitted at last year's so called meeting, that the NCCA had approximately $20,000 in the til! That should be more than enough money to fund the Invitational and pay the winner a handsome prize! Yet, over the past few years, the trend has been that the "Girl's Scholastic Invitational" (which features young girls with ratings ranging from 1200 to 1600...) has received far more publicity and double the funding?! There are already a dozen scholastic organizations fighting among themselves for the chess dollar in North Carolina!? Regardless, the NCCA was originally designed to be an "adult" organization. How times have changed... and certainly not for the better. I call it negligence and incompetence.
Besides, considering the fact that the current NCCA Board of Directors has neither fulfilled their own individual duties and existing responsibilities such as upgrading their pitiful website and collecting dues nor have they initiated any new programs, they should still have most of that $20,000 remaining in their bank account. So, exactly what good does that money do for our most celebrated and successful chess players in the state of North Carolina? Absolutely, nothing... how disrespectful and utterly negligent. Their motto seems to be, "ignore expertise and reward mediocrity!?"
I played in my first USCF rated event in 1970. (In fact, I defeated a Class "B" player in the 1st Rd! - Chauncy Harmon). As the years went by, in spite of raising my 3 young sons alone, I made a decision to become a Master chess player. I accumulated hundreds of chess books, studied every day, played thousands of games of speed chess with my friends and participated in every chess tournament around for many years in succession! Finally, around 1980, my rating eclipsed the 2000 mark! But, there were still many obstacles in my way on the road to Mastery. Those obstacles included the very best players in the state at that time: SM Greg Samsa, SM Miles Ardaman, SM Randy Kolvick, NM David Steele, NM LeRoy Taylor, NM Neal Harris, NM Charles Alden, NM Dana "Nance" McKenzie and other strong Experts who resented the idea of my defeating them! Furthermore, in order to face these giants over the board, it was necessary for me to travel to Chapel Hill or Raleigh or Greensboro! But, as fate would have it, after posting a 2150+ rating for over 2 years, I finally achieved the Title of National Master in November of 1984 at the age of 37! And, even of more significance was the honor of being invited to the 1986 NC Invitational!! At that time, it was the most coveted honor that a player could receive! The "best" 6 chess players in the state would compete for the Title!! In fact, I was 2.5-.5 after the first day but was upset on day two by none other than NM Neal Harris in a see-saw battle which literally went down to seconds remaining on each clock, and then, "Flag!" I will never forget that extraordinary weekend! I was not there only to win their friendship; I was there to win their respect...
The current NCCA officers are doing a great dis-service to the entire North Carolina chess community by neglecting their responsibility to conduct the Invitational this year. Jones seems to have become the spokesman for the organization since not one officer, including President Kevin Hyde, has published a single report of any nature on the front page of their website? At first, Jones (who was outvoted by Sara Walsh at the meeting but presented non-certified "proxies" to override the deficit) claimed that he would "update the website every week!... Then, every 2 weeks, then every month?" Now, rarely, if ever... In fact, not until last week had the website even been updated since an article about a tournament which took place in March?? Otherwise, other than a few comments made on their "Forum" (which prevents "undesirables" from voicing their opinion) not one single report from any officer has been posted since their election? What a bunch of "do nothings"... Oh, that's right! They did create their coveted Council of Regional Representatives!? The problem is, Hyde, Giannatos, Astrov, Newsom, McInnis and Roop are not even listed as members of the NCCA?? It is utterly ridiculous that someone would bestow such lofty titles upon players who have not even been verified as members by Secretary Treasurer Tom Kabasakalian? How ludicrous! You can thank Ex-Dictator Rudy Abate for that. He is the one who decided that all dues must be paid on January 1 of each year? He took the membership level from 220 when he took over, to 40+ current regular members??? Apparently, the current officers couldn't care less... since they have taken absolutely no action to correct it?
You don't need a giant hotel to conduct the Invitational. They still have time to elicit the assistance of some "well off" chess player who might share his spacious home and allow 5 rounds to be contested over 2 days! Let's show the due consideration that the best chess players in our state deserve! Give the players a few weeks advance notice, increase the 1st Prize to $1,000 and the appearance fee to $200 and I believe the list will promptly be filled! And, they will still have $18,000 remaining, with which to do nothing...
"Either lead, follow, or get out of the way." Lee Iacocca
I remain,
NM Leland Fuerstman