Hi All,
Please allow me to suggest that the USBCA board, Alex, Boyd, and any
other necessary parties use the USBCA Zoom account to discuss this,
keeping in mind that it is the greatest game in the world that binds
us together and I am sure that we can come to an understanding and
mend this rift before it gets any wider and return from the meeting as
even stronger friends.
Jim H
On 10/15/20, JT <hazelnutt2001@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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
