TV cameras don`t distract majority of players. Only idiots claim that
cameras disturb them.

And these idiots are the most vocal in complaining to the TD about
noises. Chessplayers are not ready for the excitement of the game like
poker. In poker, we can shout out loud, maybe even dance, when showing
our emotions especially when we hit the one outer.

Chessplayers who became poker players, are some of the most successful
players in the sport because they can apply the mental dexterity part.
Chess is more complex, but the tactics are almost the same mentally.

Poker is much simpler than chess and noise is part of the game. Only strong
ones can survive hostile conditions and win. Nerves are not so visible
during a chess game and cameras don`t make noise and only idiots can
complain about them.

Jerzy wrote:
TV cameras don`t distract majority of players. Only idiots claim that
cameras disturb them.

And these idiots are the most vocal in complaining to the TD about
noises. Chessplayers are not ready for the excitement of the game like
poker. In poker, we can shout out loud, maybe even dance, when showing
our emotions especially when we hit the one outer.

Chessplayers who became poker players, are some of the most successful
players in the sport because they can apply the mental dexterity part.
Chess is more complex, but the tactics are almost the same mentally.

Poker is much simpler than chess and noise is part of the game. Only strong
ones can survive hostile conditions and win. Nerves are not so visible
during a chess game and cameras don`t make noise and only idiots can
complain about them.

And this is the reason why chess cannot be advertised on TV.

Statement by Greg Shahade on his resignation from the USCF Executive
Board

It is with regret that I find myself forced to resign from the
Executive Board. According to the USCF bylaws it is impossible for an
immediate family member of a EB member to have a paid position within
the USCF. In the midst of the Chess Life interviews and hiring decision
made by the EB (of which I wasn't a part of due to a conflict of
interest), it was decided that Dan Lucas would be the best choice for
editor, but that the USCF should also utilize the skills of my sister,
Jennifer Shahade, as a website content editor. Once it was made clear
to me that the USCF was prepared to consider her for a job, yet could
only do so if I resigned from the board, I felt there was no choice but
to do so.

Our website has been lacking for a long time and often has very
uninteresting news stories and fails to properly cover many of our
major events. I ran on a platform of improving Chess Life and the
website, and I believe that my sister is the perfect person to help
bring our website into the 21st century, and make it the top source for
American chess news. I feel that her having this position is more
important than my position on the Executive Board, and to make this
happen, I feel that my resignation is the best thing for the USCF.

It has been an eye opening experience being part of the USCF Executive
Board and I have high hopes for the future. The current Board has a
good rapport with one another and every one of them are very dedicated
to improving American Chess. I am also very impressed with the job that
Bill Goichberg is doing as President of the Board. When I first was
elected I was not so sure that he was the right person for the
Presidency but during my time on the board I feel that he is by far the
best candidate for the position and as long as he is the president I
have optimism that the USCF will make responsible and well thought out
decisions.

Greg Shahade

You get elected. You get your sister a good paying job without any web
experience. You resign. Everyone wins. This is why chess is ****.

Statement by Greg Shahade on his resignation from the USCF Executive
Board


It is with regret that I find myself forced to resign from the
Executive Board. According to the USCF bylaws it is impossible for an
immediate family member of a EB member to have a paid position within
the USCF. In the midst of the Chess Life interviews and hiring decision

made by the EB (of which I wasn't a part of due to a conflict of
interest), it was decided that Dan Lucas would be the best choice for
editor, but that the USCF should also utilize the skills of my sister,
Jennifer Shahade, as a website content editor. Once it was made clear
to me that the USCF was prepared to consider her for a job, yet could
only do so if I resigned from the board, I felt there was no choice but

to do so.


Our website has been lacking for a long time and often has very
uninteresting news stories and fails to properly cover many of our
major events. I ran on a platform of improving Chess Life and the
website, and I believe that my sister is the perfect person to help
bring our website into the 21st century, and make it the top source for

American chess news. I feel that her having this position is more
important than my position on the Executive Board, and to make this
happen, I feel that my resignation is the best thing for the USCF.


It has been an eye opening experience being part of the USCF Executive
Board and I have high hopes for the future. The current Board has a
good rapport with one another and every one of them are very dedicated
to improving American Chess. I am also very impressed with the job that

Bill Goichberg is doing as President of the Board. When I first was
elected I was not so sure that he was the right person for the
Presidency but during my time on the board I feel that he is by far the

best candidate for the position and as long as he is the president I
have optimism that the USCF will make responsible and well thought out
decisions.


Greg Shahade


You get elected. You get your sister a good paying job without any web
experience. You resign. Everyone wins. This is why chess is ****.

Poker is much simpler than chess and noise is part of the game. Only
strong
ones can survive hostile conditions and win. Nerves are not so visible
during a chess game and cameras don`t make noise and only idiots can
complain about them.

And this is the reason why chess cannot be advertised on TV.

TV should be used for popularization of chess including broadcasts from
chess events. Only idiots claim the opposite.

Paul Rubin wrote:
...There's tension in that kind of poker position because until the "move"
(revealing the cards) is actually played, the players don't know what
the position is. Other than that unknown factor, it's pure simplicity.

To imply that competitive Texas Hold'Em Poker is "pure simplicity" is
to greatly underestimate this game. Consider that today, there are
computer programs that rank among the best in the world at chess. But
in poker, despite the efforts of the team at the University of Alberta
and the many thesis and PhD dissertations on this topic, the world's
leading experimental poker program (Poki) is still greatly outmatched
by good human players, even though it can play a solid game.

By the way, if anyone still thinks that poker, because of its
relatively simple rules, is a simple game to play, I suggest
downloading the commercial version of UofAlberta's Poki
(http://www.poker-academy.com/), and giving it a go yourself. I'd be
surprised if you don't change your mind. Poker can be as mentally
challenging and, these days, can be a lot more lucrative to play, than
chess.

Tyrone Slothrop wrote:
Paul Rubin wrote:
...There's tension in that kind of poker position because until the "move"
(revealing the cards) is actually played, the players don't know what
the position is. Other than that unknown factor, it's pure simplicity.

To imply that competitive Texas Hold'Em Poker is "pure simplicity" is
to greatly underestimate this game. Consider that today, there are
computer programs that rank among the best in the world at chess. But
in poker, despite the efforts of the team at the University of Alberta
and the many thesis and PhD dissertations on this topic, the world's
leading experimental poker program (Poki) is still greatly outmatched
by good human players, even though it can play a solid game.

By the way, if anyone still thinks that poker, because of its
relatively simple rules, is a simple game to play, I suggest
downloading the commercial version of UofAlberta's Poki
(http://www.poker-academy.com/), and giving it a go yourself. I'd be
surprised if you don't change your mind. Poker can be as mentally
challenging and, these days, can be a lot more lucrative to play, than
chess.

A very good chessplayer can master chess in less than 5 years.

Nobody can master poker, even the greatest poker champions, in a
lifetime.

Tyrone Slothrop wrote:
Paul Rubin wrote:
...There's tension in that kind of poker position because until the "move"
(revealing the cards) is actually played, the players don't know what
the position is. Other than that unknown factor, it's pure simplicity.

To imply that competitive Texas Hold'Em Poker is "pure simplicity" is
to greatly underestimate this game. Consider that today, there are
computer programs that rank among the best in the world at chess. But
in poker, despite the efforts of the team at the University of Alberta
and the many thesis and PhD dissertations on this topic, the world's
leading experimental poker program (Poki) is still greatly outmatched
by good human players, even though it can play a solid game.

By the way, if anyone still thinks that poker, because of its
relatively simple rules, is a simple game to play, I suggest
downloading the commercial version of UofAlberta's Poki
(http://www.poker-academy.com/), and giving it a go yourself. I'd be
surprised if you don't change your mind. Poker can be as mentally
challenging and, these days, can be a lot more lucrative to play, than
chess.

Poker's rules take 5 minutes to learn, but for the game itself, it
takes a lifetime to master.

In chess, it takes maybe a week to learn the rules. For the game
itself, it'll only take 5 years or less for a very good chessplayer to
master.

"Tyrone Slothrop" writes:
...There's tension in that kind of poker position because until the "move"
(revealing the cards) is actually played, the players don't know what
the position is. Other than that unknown factor, it's pure simplicity.

To imply that competitive Texas Hold'Em Poker is "pure simplicity" is
to greatly underestimate this game.

I mean it's pure simplicity if you can see all the cards.

Jerzy wrote:
Poker is like one of those
brainwashing TV competitions when one wins visible money.

I don't think that matters much. There's no visible money in
football, for example.

We are comparing mind games like poker and chess. Football involves mostly
muscles and of course it gives no intellectual entertainment like chess or
even poker.

And Football works very well with TV because of the excitement
involved. There are cheerleaders, shouting, laughing, and having fun.