My Candidate Statement

I love chess and it pains me to see so many problems with the USCF in recent years. I would like to change that.

The current state of our federation is not healthy! Sponsors do not want to deal with us. Supporters are tired of our internal political destruction. Some board members have violated the USCF code of ethics as well as the members' trust.

Here are some of my areas of focus for the USCF:

- Restore respectability, integrity, credibility and professionalism to the USCF.
- Re-establish a sound and balanced budget.
- Develop strong cooperation and support for adult, scholastic, collegiate, correspondence and military chess.
- Establish a strong professional marketing and PR system.
- End the petty and destructive politics.

In the upcoming months, I will discuss many important issues at www.susanpolgar.blogspot.com. Please join me in this mission to reform the USCF.

Thanks for your support!

Candidate Statement by FM Paul Truong

FM Paul Truong

I have twenty years of experience in senior management, marketing and PR, specializing in branding, customer retention, advertising and innovative promotion.

I’ve been in chess for 37 years. I’m a Life Master and FIDE Master with numerous national championship titles. My other chess experiences include co-authoring best-selling chess books, coaching national scholastic and Olympiad champions, organizing many high profile chess events, being an award-winning chess journalist and photographer. I was also the captain / business manager of our historic 2004 Silver Medalist U.S. Women’s Olympiad Team.

In electing me, you’re choosing a uniquely qualified business professional with a passion for chess, who will relentlessly restore credibility, integrity, efficiency and professionalism to the USCF. I'll work diligently with other board members to achieve sound and balanced budgets, create innovative and effective marketing programs, increase revenues, promote memberships in all categories and build a positive chess image.

Thank you for your support!

Candidate Statement by Dr. Korenman

Dr. Mikhail Korenman

Born in Russia. Received Ph.D. in Education from Kansas State University. Currently living in Chicago and teaching high school science.

I have immeasurable experience working in non-profit organizations (http://www.intecsus.org/) with success in grant writing (received $261,000 to operate Karpov School of Chess in Kansas). Organized many successful events, including U.S. Junior Open and Invitational, Pan-American, and Final Four Intercollegiate, as well as FIDE tournaments. Member of the USCF Scholastic Council.

Initiated the Chess for Peace program that featured former Soviet President Gorbachev which was covered in the National Geographic magazine (05/06), New York Times (12/24/05), NPR, NBC, PBS, any countless print media across the US and abroad.

Some of my goals are to work with the Scholastic Committee in promoting coaches certification/training program; stabilize the USCF budget; conduct chess research; create more international events in the US; promote college chess as well as other membership categories.

The dirty and disgusting truth about USCF politics

This is how chess politicians play chess

Some of you may misconstrue this as an attack. However, I think it is time to bring up some facts. Lies and deceits must be stopped for the sake of the USCF!

As I repeatedly mentioned before, I have no interest to be involved in chess politics. Unfortunately, something incredible happened in the last election that forced me to try to save the USCF.

During the last election, Mr. Sam Sloan, a person who spent time in jail, a person who have no respect for the laws, got elected to the USCF Executive Board. How? Here are just three of the many reasons:

1. He LIED about his past to the USCF members. He misled the USCF members by stating that he was never convicted for any crime. He lied before, during and after the election about this and many other very important issues.

2. There is a feud between various chess political groups dating back to many decades. One of the groups is currently in power. The opposing group decided to get even by campaigning and supporting Mr. Sloan to destroy the other side. They succeeded.

3. The current voting system does not give the USCF members too much information by any candidate and there is no way to dispute the lies. Therefore, even if someone wanted to point out the lies and deceits by a candidate, they cannot effectively do it in a large scale. Most USCF members do not know what kind of a monster this person is.

This kind of dirty and destructive chess politics have been going on for a long time. It is not going to change by itself. The level of hatred and animosity is way too much. That is why I decided to do something to fix it. I know people from all political parties and some truly have the best interest of the USCF at heart. Unfortunately, not all of them do.

My goal is to reach out and unite all sides for the common good of our sport. But it is not easy. As I just mentioned, Mr. Sloan is one of those individuals who does not play by the rules. He is also someone with no morals or integrity. He will lie and distort the facts for his own benefits and he does this day after day. His supporters will do the same.

No one in their right mind and no one who has the best interest of chess and the USCF would ever endorse or protect an individual like this. This is a man who proudly bragged on his website about countless sexual relationships with young people and he even had their pictures on his website. And his supporters defend this. Need I say more?

That is why I refused to do business with any individual or any company that support the unethical and illegal conducts of Mr. Sloan. They do not deserve my support and I am sending them a strong message. If they want my support then they need to learn to stop destroying the USCF.

The latest disgusting and illegal deed from Mr. Sloan is he released confidential USCF information to the public as well as releasing confidential personnel information to attack his opponents. Not only that, he even falsified information about other candidates to discredit them. As I stated earlier, Mr. Sloan has no respect for the laws. He has no respect for anyone.

What are the options?

If various people sue Mr. Sloan, they will get no where. He has no money so what do you win? Nothing and you have to pay big bucks to take legal actions.

If various people sue the USCF for allowing and providing Mr. Sloan a forum to lie and deceive USCF members then people say that you do not care about this federation.

If various people do nothing then they will continue to lie and deceive USCF members.

The only solution is by showing people like Mr. Sloan the permanent door in the next election and all elections to come. People like Mr. Sloan do not belong on any Executive Board. People like Mr. Sloan have no comprehension of honesty, integrity or strong morals. People like Mr. Sloan have no business representing the USCF, an organization with more than 40,000 young people.

If elected, my team and I will do our best to end the destructive chess politics and concentrate on making improvement in many critical areas. We have to fight hard to take back our federation. This federation can no longer endure and tolerate people like Mr. Sloan.

Thank you for your support!