Ambassador wrote:
Not true in FIDE. The US can be divided in FIDE. The FIDE rules can be
changed by majority vote of the FIDE Delegates. So, if a few of my
colleagues decide to make an exception, it can be done. The US civil
war doesn't bound FIDE. All we are bound by is the International
Olympic Committee (drug tests, etc...).

A doubtful point of view. By the way, the word is "bind" -- "doesn't
bind FIDE."

My point is that the US constantly screams sour grapes because they
don't have enough power in FIDE. This is a reasonable way to get more
power, more titles (IGM, IM, I think), and not upset FIDE too much.

If the US fields two teams, then we are all the less likely to score
medals in the Olympiad. If you believe titles are conditioned on
power, rather than strength across the chess board, then you have an
erroneous view of what titles represent. Of course you would not be
alone in a fallacious belief.

Now, can this be done against the will of the United States? YES. FIDE
can do this by a membership application. The US can't block the vote,
with one supporter placing this on the 2007 agenda in Turkey.

And who, do you think, is going to implement the split if USCF doesn't
go for it? Piffle.

This has been propoed and discussed by good players in the early 1970's
(Joe Bradford) and the last I heard was that FIDE wouldn't allow it.
Today, the US FIDE Delegtate refuses to talk to me. All of my
communications with the USCF are second hand. None of the executive
committee will even send me an e-mail to discuss the idea.


I am glad to hear that.

Marcus Roberts

David Ames