Boyd, Alex, and Everyone,
Boyd, You and I have been at loggerheads ever since I mistakenly posted an
invitation to blind US players for an online national championship tournament
to be sanctioned by the USCF. I have apologized for that error and owned that I
failed to check out the validity of the report which led me to post said
invitation. However, I must take exception to your calling me a liar. You told
the USBCA unequivocally that if we wanted a national championship tournament,
it would have to be an OTB event, that it belonged to Alex Relya, and that you
would in no way consider an online event for 2020. If there is a contentual
difference between what I wrote in my last post and what you told us, I fail to
see it. I made a mistake when I posted the initial invitation; I didn't verify
details. I owned that and apologized for it. To say now that it is your policy
not to interfere, to say, as you do in item 6 below, that you did not express
an opinion "one way or the other..." wel, I'm sorry, it just isn't true. You
didn't tell us that you wouldn't work with Alex, you didn't tell us that you
couldn't work with Alex, you didn't tell us that we could try to negotiate with
Alex. In fact, what you told us was that there could not be an online event for
2020. Period. Perhaps we could consider it for 2021, but it absolutely could
not be done this year. That's what you told us. If that somehow conveys to no
opinion, one way or the other, well, again, I fail to see it.
Look, I'm just as tired of this discourse as you are and as, I have no doubt,
everyone else is, too. If we need to have a zoom meeting with whomever to calm
the waters, whatever we need to do, let's do it. I have no desire to fight with
the USCF, nor does the USBCA--if I may speak for the organization. I believe
we've said more than once that we want to work with US Chess. And that is
especially true in this especially difficult time.
Thank you,
Jim Thoune
(971) 242-9991 Cell.
-----Original Message-----
From: Boyd Reed [mailto:boyd.reed@xxxxxxxxxxx] ;
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2020 2:48 PM
To: JT <hazelnutt2001@xxxxxxxxx>; usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: 'Alex Relyea' <relyea@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: 2020 U.S. championship for blind players
I apologize to all recipients in advance for the tone of what I'm about to say.
I do not apologize in the least for the content.
The only portion of Mr. Thoune's missive to which I will deign to reply is
quoted below.
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it defies my understanding why Mr.
Reed and Mr. Relya have refused to give up their efforts to put on this year's
OTB tournament."
For those of you joining this discussion in medias res, any attempt to portray
that either I or US Chess has expressed any preference on whether/how this
event is held is an absolute lie. I do not know why he continues to repeat
this lie about me personally, but I'm well past tired of it. And as long as he
continues to spread this lie, I will continue to plainly call it out as such.
There have been numerous emails between myself, Mr. Thoune, Ms. Alverson, and
Mr. Relyea on this subject, as well as a lengthy phone call with Ms. Alverson a
few months ago. I have conveyed the US Chess position with complete
consistency to all parties. That position is outlined below.
(1) US Chess awarded the bid for the 2020 US Blind to Relyea Chess, of which
Mr. Relyea is the proprietor.
(2) This bid was awarded pre-pandemic.
(3) Every organizer has different needs and pressures. Some may have
hotel/meeting contracts that, based on the state/local authorities in their
event location, may not let them cancel without significant penalty. Given the
wide variety of differences around the country as to how this pandemic is being
handled, US Chess has not dictated to any organizer how they should handle
their affairs.
(4) Some bid events have been canceled this year. Many have been changed to an
online format, with the blessing of the Executive Board. A few have been, or
will be, held in person. (The US Armed Forces Championship was held in person
this past weekend. The US Class Championship will be held in person later this
month.)
(5) US Chess has, in every single case, left it entirely to the organizer's
discretion whether to hold the event - and, if they choose to hold it, whether
to do it over-the-board or online.
(6) Mr. Relyea is solely responsible for what direction the event takes.
Neither I, nor anyone else at US Chess, have taken any role in that decision.
I do know that he has consistently stated he wants to have the event in person.
I have not expressed an opinion on that, either in favor or against - because
that’s entirely his decision. I will not express such an opinion here. What I
will tell anyone reading this is what I've told both Mr. Thoune and Ms.
Alverson - if you want changes in the format of this event, you need to talk
with Mr. Relyea, because he has earned the right to be the organizer of record.
If anyone has questions, feel free to email me. Thank you for your time.
--
-bmr-
Boyd M Reed | Director of Events
boyd.reed@xxxxxxxxxxx | 931.787.2244
-----Original Message-----
From: JT <hazelnutt2001@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2020 2:28 PM
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: Boyd Reed <boyd.reed@xxxxxxxxxxx>; 'Alex Relyea' <relyea@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: 2020 U.S. championship for blind players
Hi David, and Everybody,
I'm sorry to hear that Indiana has suspended its requirements for the use of
masks. I've heard other states have done so, as well. It seems that many are
choosing to follow the ludicrous behavior being modelled by our so-called
leaders in Washington. And as a totally predictable and expected result, more
than 20 states are reporting significant increases in COVID cases. Just
yesterday I took a two-hour trip from Bowling Green down to Murfreesboro,
Tennessee, to make my second donation of Convalescent plasma. I mention that
because it is about the only reason that motivates me to travel outside Bowling
Green. Frankly, if I had my way, charges of criminal negligence and reckless
endangerment would be brought against all those, from the top down, who choose
to show their indifference toward their fellow human beings by disregarding any
of the guidelines which might help to eventually eliminate this blasted virus.
Meanwhile, no, I'm afraid I won't be in attendance in New Hampshire. I've said
it before, and I'll say it again, it defies my understanding why Mr. Reed and
Mr. Relya have refused to give up their efforts to put on this year's OTB
tournament. For any who do choose to attend, please, take it from one who
knows, COVID is nothing to mess with. Even if you don't wind up in the
hhospital, it can make you unhappy for weeks, even months. Be aware that, even
if you hold fastidiously to the recommended safeguards, it can still get you,
Especially now, with the numbers of people who are ignoring the guidelines. And
we still don't know why many people can carry the virus, even to the point of
developing the antibodies, without showing symptoms. And they can blithely pass
those symptoms along to others and not have a clue what they've done nor even
when they did it. It got me, and I still don't know, will probably never know,
where I picked up the virus. Theresa never did show symptoms, but she has the
antibodies. We assume she developed them in her body's fight against what she
was getting from me, but that's only conjecture. And we were as careful as we
could be, right from the start of this whole mess.
Ok, enough. Sorry, folks, but I feel rather strongly about COVID and what
people are doing and not doing. If you do choose to attend the tournament in
New Hampshire, be careful, be as safe, and also as considerate toward others,
as you can be. I hope you have some good chess! And I hope that neither you,
nor those around you, experience any fallout thereafter from your adventure.
Jim T
-----Original Message-----
From: David Rosenkoetter [mailto:davidrosenkoetter260@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2020 8:35 PM
To: J Thoune <hazelnutt2001@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: 2020 U.S. championship for blind players, Attention, Ginny
Hi, Jim.
I just saw your question on list about the OTB tournament. Just curious. Have
you recovered enough to consider going ? I'd still be interested in playing if
there are enough players to hold four full rounds of chess. With a week and a
half to go, the cost of the room seems to be a financial reality check and may
be the deciding factor in whether to withdraw my participation if there's not
going to be a good turn-out.
Here's to you being in good health. Amy and I have been laying pretty low as
far as taking all the COVID precautions even though Indiana is no longer
requiring folks to wear masks in public. Allen County, where Fort Wayne is,
just had its highest case diagnosis count in one day this past week. With that
said, I am so itching to play OTB chess with blind folks, sighted folks, or
mixed company, it's not even funny. So, now onto scheduling my games for the
various Skype stuff we're all doing.
David
On 10/12/20, JT <hazelnutt2001@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Ginny, Has Alex said anything about how many people have signed up for
the tournament?
Jim T
-----Original Message-----
From: usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ginny Alverson
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2020 2:40 PM
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [usbca_chess] Hotel rate for the 2020 U.S. championship for
blind players
Hello all: Alex Relyea is still planning to hold the 2020 U.S.
championship
for blind players over the weekend of October 24 and 25 in Manchester,
N.H..
The hotel rate is $119 per night.
Ginny Alverson: President, USBCA
