The World Senior Team Championship is in progress. There are 500+ players in 108 teams registered for the tournament: 57 teams in section 50+ (including four women’s teams) and 51 teams in section 65+. (chessdom.com/world-senior-chess-2016-live/)
Conspicuous by absence is a team, any team, from the USA. This is a sad indictment of the USCF, and anyone and everyone involved with Chess in the US.
The homepage of the Championships:
schachfestival.de/world-team-cha … 65-2016-en
It seems to be largely a club event, and almost entirely European. I don’t think it is a big loss. Team chess is very small over here, especially at the adult level.
Does the USATE give a senior prize? It would be nice to send the prize winners, but there are far more important events, and very little money.
Alex Relyea
i inquired about this awhile back. was told if i wanted to get a team together we could play! anyone interested next year? the caveat is we would have to pay our own way.
cheers, …scot…
Scot L Henderson
You get a team together and pay your own expenses and you are welcome to go.
There are a whole bunch of FIDE events. They keep adding more. Cost is an issue. We take heat from some for funding even the most basic international events. We have funded small stipends for a few events in addition to the major (Olympiad, World Team, World Youth, etc). Any additional events need to be (IMO) decided as part of a comprehensive plan.
We have certainly been willing to allow teams who want to register and go to do so - and to be designated the “official” team if that matters for the event.
So why didn’t you put together a team and go?
Please note that not only is there a World Senior Team Championship [WSTC] event, but that there is also a European Senior Team Championship event. The winning team from the European Senior Team gets free entry into the WSTC. Here in the US (and I believe Canada) there is not a specific Senior Team tournament that is run. There may be awards/prizes at the USAT events for top Senior team, but no Senior only team event. I do not know if FIDE would authorize a North American [i.e. US, Canada, Mexico, etc] Senior Team event with a prize of entry into the WSTC. It might be interesting to find out.
Larry S. Cohen
I did not, Allen, because I am a floored Expert and have never entertained the idea of being strong enough to represent the USA in any event. This thinking prodded me to check you out, whereupon I learned you are currently rated 701; that you have only played 45 rated games in your entire “career,” none the last year, and none since 2014.
Since you are full of questions, I respectfully ask you allow me to ask you a question: Why are you involved in Chess?
Michael Bacon
1974-1976 Atlanta, Georgia, Champion
Member of the Atlanta Kings
Michael, your research is a little lacking… Even a cursory view would establish why and how Allen got involved in chess and of course why he is still VERY involved!
tom
I’ve explained this more than once here in the forums.
And at more than one delegates’ meeting.
And in my commentary when I was elected to the executive board - both times.
And I when I have met with parents at any of the 20+ national championships where I have served as a tournament director.
Thanks for asking. You can pretty easily find the whole story.
I’m curious. Just how good a player does one have to be in order to be involved in chess? As I said above, this seems to be a club competition, and half the teams are German. I don’t think the team(s) would be representing the U.S.
Alex Relyea
There certainly is a school of thought that one can only be actively involved in the US Chess Federation if they have reached a certain level of play or activity. While divorcing some from this point of view is likely a hopeless cause, the overall advancement of the organization is likely to be stifled if this sort of litmus test is accepted.
US Chess no longer exists solely for the benefit of tournament chess players (if it ever did). In fact, the organization’s mission focuses on empowering people through chess - and this should be broadly construed to include more than just floored experts and above and/or active tournament players. In fact, as a 501(c)(3) organization, US Chess is required to think and act for the more broad public interest - and make no mistake, chess in the broad public interest relies on far more than the small cohort of active tournament players with top ratings.
In Allen’s case, he came to chess through his kids - and rather than just sit/stand and watch, he got involved in tournament directing - to the point that he is a widely respected national tournament director, particularly active in national scholastic events. That seems like a pretty important role to play, and one that is supremely necessary for the advancement of US Chess. Rather than questioning Allen’s involvement, it would be far better to thank him for it.
Rating should definitely not come into it. If you check out all the teams at the Chess Olympiad you will find teams with no player rated over 1800 FIDE! So, if a bunch of X,A, & B players want to form up a team to play next April [last day is April 7] in Greece, then more power to them. I would have been willing to join such a squad, except that I am committed for April 7 when the All Girls starts.
What is really interesting is that there is a 50+ section, a 65+ section, and a Women’s section. Technically there are 2 women’s sections [50+ & 65+], but usually there are not enough teams and the sections are merged. Are there 4 or more women players over the age of 50 that could be interested in playing in Greece next year??
Larry S. Cohen
ps: I would be willing to make a small contribution towards a women’s US senior team for next year. Anyone want to start a fund?
I was skeptical at first, as there are only 80 players who fit the requirements above, but looking a little closer, I realize that I know a disproportionately large number of them, from 1/4 to 1/3. At least two, for example, frequent these fora. I’m sure, for example, Ruth Haring would be interested. I’d imagine for not a few it could come down to finances.
Alex Relyea