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From: usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of JT
Sent: Tuesday, July 26, 2016 1:34 AM
To: Usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; skype_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
blind-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; ftp-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; 'Harrison'; 'Mike
Gieschen'; 'Chris Chaffin'; 'Curtis Cockayne'; ajpietrol@xxxxxxxxxxx; 'Jay
Leventhal'
Subject: [usbca_chess] Attention: All US Blind Chess Players!
To all List Moderators, I am trying to reach all US blind chessplayers.
Please assist by giving this widest circulation. And if any of you reading
this knows of a blind chessplayer who is not on any of these Lists, please
assist by passing this message along. To those receiving more than one copy
of this, I appologize for the redundancy.
The USBCA needs your help and support!
I'm not talking about contributing money, so please stay with me a moment,
US players. For non-US players, I'm going to be talking about our national
tournament, so you can blow this off if you like.
We have a dilemma, folks. What can we do to help encourage our members to
attend our national tournament. Your Presidnt, Al Pietrolungo, is working
hard to find ways to raise some money so we can help defray the costs of
travelling to and participating in our tournament. But how can we ask for
money to help defray costs when we have so few who show any interest at all
in participating. In 2014, we had eight players present at our national
tournament. In 2015, we had five. In that same time period, countries like
France, Belgium, Colombia, Turkey, Spain,seated anywhere from 30 to 150
players. So the question becomes, why is it that in so many other countries,
blind players flock to their respective national tournaments. But not in the
US.
"Oh, I don't have a chance of winning." is the most consistent reason I
hear, if I hear a reason at all. All I can say is, you cheat yourself out of
the experience and learning you could gain from participating. Any
tournameant player will tell you that the only way to improve your game is
to play it, and play it against people preferably stronger than yourself.
We have a number of people who participate in our Skype and Correspondence
play. If you can play on Skype, you can play face-to-face across a table.
The fact that you can play in the comfort of your own home and at your own
convenient schedule is significant. That is, however, at least to some
degree, balanced by the fact that when you check in to play an
over-the-board tournament, you are freed from the distractions of being at
home. And that can count for a good bit.
But the main question is: what will help get you out to the National
Tournament? Your USBCA dues enables you to play in our National Tournament.
And, since this event is sanctioned and sponsored by the U.S. Chess
Federation, you do need to be a USCF member. We, the officers you charged
with the responsibility to do so, are willing to work to find ways to defray
your costs of getting to the tournament. If you are someone who enjoys
playing the game, who enjoys talking to others about the game, who enjoys
learning about those little things you can do to strengthen your chances of
winning, then I guarantee there is no better place to hang out for a couple
days than at a chess tournament. So many of you whom I have met through
Skype and email play a respectable game of chess. So you're not a Master.
Neither am I. Neither is any one else who will show up to play. What can we
do to get you to take advantage of such an opportunity? There are yet two
months to rub the cobwebs off the chessboard if necessary. There are yet two
months for your officers to try to find ways to help defray your costs. Will
you help us spread the invitation? Will you join us in Pittsburgh?
Yours in chess,
Jim Thoune, Vice-President, USBCA
For information, write to
Hazelnutt2001@xxxxxxxxx
Or call
270-935-5015
