On Jun 23, 9:58 am, "Chess One" wrote:
A cool million for girls, nothing for Denker boys?

announced this morning:

see:http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008...p-deal-by-texa...

I suspect people will readily state their own opinions on this news without
much prompting - but the immediate issue for me is if Bill Goichberg has a
better deal up his sleeve? If not, then is USCF's need to keep control of
the Denker more important than putting a million into what USCF was
established to do in the first place - to promote the game?

Phil Innes

What a joke! The "million dollars" involves NO MONEY. It only means
out-of-state tuition scholarships to Texas Tech University not usable
anywhere, plus two-in-a-room accommodation in the university
dormitories for the players only, the parents have to pay, plus meals
in the university cafeteria.

In short, this "million dollar offer" costs Texas Tech University
nothing and provides no money to the players. The players will still
have to pay their own transportation out to the Bad Lands of West
Texas where nothing else will be happening.

Also, the USCF did not "reject" the "offer" for the Denker. The Denker
Family wanted to keep the tournament the same way that Arnold Denker
had set it up. If the Denker Family had wanted to move the tournament
away from the US Open and place it permanently in Lubbock Texas, the
USCF would have had nothing to say about it.

Susan Polgar is welcome to establish her own tournament for boys in
Lubbock Texas. The USCF will have no objection. Meanwhile, I feel that
the USCF should reconsider my motion which I made while on the board
that the USCF establishes a tournament for girl high school champions
to be held at the same time and place as the US Open Chess
Championship. That what the tournament was before the USCF agreed to
Susan's request that the event be re-named "The Polgar".

Sam Sloan

"samsloan" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 9:58 am, "Chess One" wrote:
A cool million for girls, nothing for Denker boys?

announced this morning:

see:http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008...p-deal-by-texa...

I suspect people will readily state their own opinions on this news
without
much prompting - but the immediate issue for me is if Bill Goichberg has
a
better deal up his sleeve? If not, then is USCF's need to keep control of
the Denker more important than putting a million into what USCF was
established to do in the first place - to promote the game?

Phil Innes

What a joke! The "million dollars" involves NO MONEY. It only means
out-of-state tuition scholarships to Texas Tech University not usable
anywhere, plus two-in-a-room accommodation in the university
dormitories for the players only, the parents have to pay, plus meals
in the university cafeteria.

I think Sam Sloan hasn't quite caught up with things. Perhaps in a couple of
days he'll get it. But maybe I am not rich like him? since $800,000 in
tuition is 'not nuthin'.

In short, this "million dollar offer" costs Texas Tech University
nothing and provides no money to the players.

I suppose I must pass trying to understand sentences like that. Where I come
from, and being a father of 5, tuitions do actually cost someone something.
In terms of 'money to the players' it surely offsets other expenses, so
students [or their parents] don't have to part with money - therefore
//thunderbolt// the get to have their own money, not pay it!

The players will still
have to pay their own transportation out to the Bad Lands of West
Texas where nothing else will be happening.

Also, the USCF did not "reject" the "offer" for the Denker. The Denker
Family wanted to keep the tournament the same way that Arnold Denker
had set it up. If the Denker Family had wanted to move the tournament
away from the US Open and place it permanently in Lubbock Texas, the
USCF would have had nothing to say about it.

About what? Where the Denker is held? What does it want to say about it? It
favors some motel in Jersey City?

Susan Polgar is welcome to establish her own tournament for boys in
Lubbock Texas. The USCF will have no objection.

Since there is a very serious prospect of USCF's staff being decimated this
winter and its consequential inability to choose Jersey motels - and since
the idea is finding competitive advantages for the Denker - not the typical
USCF destructive attitude of control or death - then I msut suppose Sam
Sloan would actually prefer competition, which would actually water down the
effect of either, rather than provide the best for the participants?

Meanwhile, I feel that
the USCF should reconsider my motion which I made while on the board
that the USCF establishes a tournament for girl high school champions
to be held at the same time and place as the US Open Chess
Championship. That what the tournament was before the USCF agreed to
Susan's request that the event be re-named "The Polgar".

How are they going to pay for that, genius? They are in a chronic financial
state, and probably shouldn't engage in additional monkey business.

Phil Innes

---
Sam Sloan

It seems that Phil Innes is not aware of the history of these events.

The Denker Tournament of High School Champions was established by
Arnold Denker, who funded the event. The tournament is held at the
same time and place as the US Open, expect that games in the Denker
take place in the morning and games of the US Open take place in the
evening.

The vast majority of players in the Denker also play in the US Open.

About five years ago the USCF Delegates voted to establish a parallel
tournament for girls, also to be held in connection with the US Open.

When Susan Polgar heard about this, she asked that it be named the
Polgar. I think the Polgar has only been held about four times.

Many state chess associations provide money to help their state high
school champion attend the Denker. This is what has made the Denker a
successful tournament.

When I was on the board at the board meeting in Stillwater, Oklahoma,
May 17-18, 2007 the board learned that Polgar wanted to take over both
the Polgar and the Denker tournaments and move them both to Lubbock,
Texas.

The board rejected the Polgar plan to move the Denker to Lubbock
especially since the Denker Family which continues to fund the event
did not want to make any changes.

This year will be the first year that the Polgar will be held in
Lubbock Texas. Most likely they are having trouble getting players to
play. For example, only four players completed in the US Junior
Championship this year and that event has far more prestige than does
the Polgar tournament.

Sam Sloan

Chess One wrote:

I think Sam Sloan hasn't quite caught up with things. Perhaps in a couple of
days he'll get it. But maybe I am not rich like him? since $800,000 in
tuition is 'not nuthin'.
Phil Innes


In the first place, the $800K in scholarships is over ten years. More
to the point, it is of no use to the winner unless she wants to attend
Texas Tech. That doesn't mean it's worthless, but neither is it the
bonanza that Fool, er, I mean Phil, seems to think. It's a good deal
for the girls. Whether it would also be a good deal for the Denker
players is an interesting question, requiring a reasoned analysis of
tradeoffs. Somehow I don't expect to see that here.

On Jun 23, 5:46 pm, wrote:

In the first place, the $800K in scholarships is over ten years. More
to the point, it is of no use to the winner unless she wants to attend
Texas Tech. That doesn't mean it's worthless, but neither is it the
bonanza

Then that explains it. If people want the USCF to do their advertising
for them, they'll have to pay the going rate.

John Savard

schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...


Chess One wrote:

I think Sam Sloan hasn't quite caught up with things. Perhaps in a couple
of
days he'll get it. But maybe I am not rich like him? since $800,000 in
tuition is 'not nuthin'.
Phil Innes


In the first place, the $800K in scholarships is over ten years. More
to the point, it is of no use to the winner unless she wants to attend
Texas Tech. That doesn't mean it's worthless, but neither is it the
bonanza that Fool, er, I mean Phil, seems to think. It's a good deal
for the girls. Whether it would also be a good deal for the Denker
players is an interesting question, requiring a reasoned analysis of
tradeoffs. Somehow I don't expect to see that here.

You mean somebody might not be thrilled at the idea of spending 4 yrs
at a second-rate school in - God help us - Lubbock, TX?

Of course, it is better than flunking out of a first-rate school, as Sloan
did.

On Jun 24, 12:04 am, Jürgen R. wrote:
schrieb im

You mean somebody might not be thrilled at the idea of spending 4 yrs
at a second-rate school in - God help us - Lubbock, TX?

Wasn't that the town that was buzzed by migratory birds from outer
space?

John Savard

wrote in message
...


Chess One wrote:

I think Sam Sloan hasn't quite caught up with things. Perhaps in a couple
of
days he'll get it. But maybe I am not rich like him? since $800,000 in
tuition is 'not nuthin'.
Phil Innes


In the first place, the $800K in scholarships is over ten years.

Sure. But no less for that?

More
to the point, it is of no use to the winner unless she wants to attend
Texas Tech.

Sure.

That doesn't mean it's worthless, but neither is it the
bonanza that Fool, er, I mean Phil,

Whoops! Characterizations have entered in, quaotations have stopped. Indeed
I never called it a 'Bonanza', but its easier to mock me /as if/ I had,
rather than what I said, no? Besides, you can get off on being ****y about a
million bucks, which is the main point for us journalists.

seems to think.

Oh! only 'seems'? That's weak. Especially since its John Hillery's term, and
I didn't use it - he is now in danger of seeming to mock himself or his own
invention of what others 'seem'.

It's a good deal
for the girls. Whether it would also be a good deal for the Denker
players is an interesting question, requiring a reasoned analysis of
tradeoffs. Somehow I don't expect to see that here.

True - here you get very reluctant praise, lots of ****ing contests midst
that, and instead of even bothering to have a conversation, various wags and
scoundrels anticipate what others 'seem' as if actual discussion would be
too wear-making for their poor little minds.

Phil Innes

"Quadibloc" wrote in message
...
On Jun 23, 5:46 pm, wrote:

In the first place, the $800K in scholarships is over ten years. More
to the point, it is of no use to the winner unless she wants to attend
Texas Tech. That doesn't mean it's worthless, but neither is it the
bonanza

Then that explains it. If people want the USCF to do their advertising
for them, they'll have to pay the going rate.

The going rate for advertising what benefits especially young chess players
at Chessville is $0. We don't charge for that, we exist to promote that.

USCF do too - but they only say so - they would charge you if you wanted to
say you wanted to donate money to kids in chess. Do I have it right?

Phil Innes

John Savard

"Jürgen R." wrote in message ...


schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...


Chess One wrote:

I think Sam Sloan hasn't quite caught up with things. Perhaps in a
couple of
days he'll get it. But maybe I am not rich like him? since $800,000 in
tuition is 'not nuthin'.
Phil Innes


In the first place, the $800K in scholarships is over ten years. More
to the point, it is of no use to the winner unless she wants to attend
Texas Tech. That doesn't mean it's worthless, but neither is it the
bonanza that Fool, er, I mean Phil, seems to think. It's a good deal
for the girls. Whether it would also be a good deal for the Denker
players is an interesting question, requiring a reasoned analysis of
tradeoffs. Somehow I don't expect to see that here.

You mean somebody might not be thrilled at the idea of spending 4 yrs
at a second-rate school in - God help us - Lubbock, TX?

Yeah - it takes a bit of research about what they are up to in TX, and
suspicions are justified. Chessville's senior editor went there to
investigate, and was photographed with a couple of chess fans, one was the
had of the school which has the largest campus in the USA [if you exclude
ones with airfileds on them] and the chess fan was key in the discovery of
water on Mars.

Of course, it is better than flunking out of a first-rate school, as Sloan
did.

I don't think undergraduate education is worth fighting over in this country
Jurgen. My daughter attended 2 good east coast schools, but switched for her
last 2 years to a Californian one, since she could get all the courses she
wanted to there. Must have paid off, since at 26 she has just qualified for
a fully funded and then some PhD where they only take 20 a year, saving her
or me about a $100k.

Its not just availability of good courses, its much to do with student
attitudes, and although she thought Californians pretty dumb after the East
Coast prep schools and Univs, she managed to work directly with professors
since she clearly wanted to take advantage of what opportunities there were,
and they didn't. So she got the attention, the courses and the
recommendations necessary in US to make more things happen.

Times have changed in this respect. Someone also wanted to sponsor me for a
PhD in physics because of my UK high-school knowledge [!] plus a little
application of my own to electro-optics. But I already have a good degree, I
said!

Maybe it is still different in Europe - though I don't think so. Taimanov
was actually interesting on this; he said that for many bright students in
Russia their 'only way out' was to either excel academically or sometimes at
chess. He meant 'out' of regional Russian cities.

The danger, he said, was that for many, their bit of excellence was often
proved too brittle in the world - he meant this of chess players in
particular, those who had massive promise, but who really could not live
adult lives in their own culture since their orientation was too narrow.

If this 'failure' happened to the Sloan, then better the Sloan than our
Western example of 'brittle', the Fischer.

Phil Innes