tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.comments2024-02-22T13:53:00.516-05:00Elizabeth Spiegel's blogElizabeth Vicaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04880561980096775673noreply@blogger.comBlogger6695125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-65211830843479037932024-01-12T01:28:03.857-05:002024-01-12T01:28:03.857-05:00The Girls Clubs at scholastic nationals offer a va...The Girls Clubs at scholastic nationals offer a variety of things, and the one at the 2023 Grades was no exception. Boards are always set up and available for use, and game review is offered throughout the weekend. Having run these now at 4 events annually for 8 years, the Women’s Committee knows that girls begin flowing in 45 minutes to an hour after each round starts, attendance peaks 2 hours later, and the room empties out 15-30 minutes before the next round. The schedule of activities is planned accordingly. It sounds as if you ducked into the Girls’ Club only briefly and just as a round was starting, Elizabeth. (That’s understandable since you’re usually in your team room to work with your students as they are finishing their tournament games.) Of course, when a round is just starting, the players—including the girls—are at their boards in the tournament hall. <br />At Grades this time, GM Irina Krush was the “special guest,” and was a huge draw. She reviewed games, offered lectures, and did fun stuff with the girls. (Who’d have guessed she’d be into hip-hop dance!) WIM & orthodontist Carolina Blanco was also on hand to analyze, visit, and play, as she has been frequently since the very first Girls Club in 2016; so were the coaches from Tampa’s Alton Academy 4 Chess. Besides simuls, lectures & game analysis, the Club offered snacks, a nail salon, 2 human chess games, puzzles, trivia, a teen pizza party, a town hall meeting, crafts, books, and info about future girls & women’s events. <br />Constructive suggestions are always welcomed and appreciated (having period products on hand is a GREAT idea!), but please don’t assume that just because some particular activity wasn’t underway when you briefly popped in on your harried search for a tampon that means it never happened at all. Leila D’Aquinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-14764630711562768022023-12-29T17:09:27.299-05:002023-12-29T17:09:27.299-05:00When I was 14, I'd have valued an in-depth ana...When I was 14, I'd have valued an in-depth analysis of my game by an expert far more than I would have valued playing in a simul against an IM or GM. When I was 18, I did play in simuls against <br />Walter Browne and an IM. They were great fun. I would have enjoyed an analysis of one of my games better. Even when I held a draw once against the IM during a local shopping mall simul, I probably would have preferred to have a 2100 analyze one of my routine Swiss tourney games. So your position on that makes perfect sense to me. <br /><br />In addition to regional meet-up times, perhaps a bughouse schedule would be fun.<br /><br /><br /><br /> Gurdonarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14808311825546186934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-19075111162403916072019-09-25T15:54:49.687-04:002019-09-25T15:54:49.687-04:00Indeed. And the "red-shirted" private s...Indeed. And the "red-shirted" private school first grader who is doing well at K-1 tournaments playing against kids 1.5-2.5 years younger will feel good about chess while his younger poorer opponents may decides they are not good at it and quit. Meanwhile, all that may demonstrate is extra cognitive development.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05134625553218046091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-53308415479881339202019-09-14T14:34:17.859-04:002019-09-14T14:34:17.859-04:00Age, date of birth, is the most equitable measure ...Age, date of birth, is the most equitable measure for avoiding the unfair competitions. True, it would break up some school teams into different categories or classes, but that would be proper. There is no way to eliminate the advantage that wealthy children and better schools may have, but why should they be allowed additional fudging benefits?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-87191609777566004742019-09-11T12:27:11.445-04:002019-09-11T12:27:11.445-04:00I think the greatest irony about the Scholastic Co...I think the greatest irony about the Scholastic Council are in two main areas:<br /><br />The Council is heavily represented by NYC private schools and schools for the gifted and talented. In fact, both co-chairs of the Council represent the uber elite of NYC. They do not have the interests of your average scholastic chess player. Why does the USCF allow its deliberative bodies to be dominated by the interests of billionaire parents and their children.<br /><br />Secondly, the USCF can make all of the rules about notation devices, notation sheets, cell phones, transfers etc responding to the paranoid fears of Council members but they do not address the irony of the folks writing the rules governing these events have grossly violated the rules themselves.<br /><br />One revealing example occurred at the National HS Championship in 2018. At that event, the team from Bronxville NY entered the U1900 section as the "Bronxville School". The team consisted of two players who were in the eighth grade and players in tenth and eleventh grade.<br /><br />In fact there no reason these students should have been allowed to compete with one another.<br /><br />The Bronxville website clearly lists three separate schools with three separate Principals for the three schools that comprise the District.<br /><br />https://www.bronxvilleschool.org/district/administration<br /><br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronxville_Union_Free_School_District<br /><br /><br />Clearly, despite being located in the same building, there are separate middle school and high schools in the Bronxville School District.<br /><br />Here is the press coverage the school received where the coach, who also happens to be co-chair of the Scholastic Council who gets to write the rules about the eligibility for all other members, celebrates the victory despite combining his middle school and high school students on the same team.<br /><br />https://dailyvoice.com/new-york/bronxville/lifestyle/bronxville-chess-team-takes-second-in-national-championship/736975/<br /><br />https://myhometownbronxville.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11504:bronxville-high-school-team-finishes-second-at-chess-nationals&catid=19:schools-and-camps&Itemid=17<br /><br />THe team also did the same thing in a previous k-6 national Championship by combining their ELEM students with their MIDDLE school students!<br /><br />http://www.uschess.org/results/2016/elem/?page=STANDINGS&xsection=K6<br /><br />So how ironic, that the Co-Chair of the USCF's governing scholastic council feels he can write the rules dictating the eligibility for every one else while repeatedly violating the clearest of rules by COMBINING his students who go to separate schools on the SAME team.<br /><br />It's widespread knowledge in the scholastic community that this occurred.<br /><br />Why is everyone so afraid of this bully?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-11954712469057171902019-09-10T11:09:00.108-04:002019-09-10T11:09:00.108-04:00In many youth competitions, including chess, birth...In many youth competitions, including chess, birth date is the criterion. As a parent of an NYC chess player with a late in the year birthday, I've taken note of the birth date advantage you note above. Whatever advantage it is in middle school is greatly amplified in elementary school. An NYC public school child with a December birth date might face a private school kids who are 16 months older--and that without the "holding back" which as you note is common. That's an enormous advantage if you've only lived 71 months, as would be the case for such a first grader at grade nationals.<br /><br />What would it take to switch to age-nationals (i.e. u7, u8, u9...)?MarquisSmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11804553360449713422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-25352173598093463782019-09-10T11:03:40.350-04:002019-09-10T11:03:40.350-04:00This does seem ridiculous. However, don't des...This does seem ridiculous. However, don't despair. Kentucky does not win the NCAA every year. Golden State lost with Durant on their team twice. <br /><br />About Weeramantry--I was shocked that given a platform in the September Chess Life he chose to dig at IS 318:<br />"The list of titles that students in Sunil’s program at Hunter have won<br />include three consecutive national high school championships from<br />2010 to 2012—a fact that Sunil laments is sometimes obscured by the<br />fanfare around I.S. 318, the championship-winning school that was the<br />subject of the 2012 documentary Brooklyn Castle. Hunter and I.S. 318<br />were actually co-champions in 2012, Sunil points out." <br /><br />In addition to those sour grapes, he also mentioned that<br /><br />"Hunter Elementary first gained national acclaim in 1985. Or at least<br />that’s when the school won its first national elementary championship.<br />It’s interesting to consider that back then the school was doing what<br />Brooklyn Castle did in 2012 and what is still considered groundbreaking<br />today—that is, shattering stereotypes about who excels at chess."<br /><br />When a school that admits only students with IQs over 140 wins in chess, just what stereotype does that shatter? Nowhere does the article mention the cohort of Hunter students. They do imply their privilege with an ironically phrased: "parental buy-in is evidenced by the fact that the PTA helps finance Sunil’s program with $50,000 from its $500,000 budget." I guess parents with kids in Title I schools don't really "buy-in" to their kids' success.<br /><br />Here's a question: what can be done about this. Could petitions from chess parents have an effect? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-62665782893410287062019-09-09T13:52:52.681-04:002019-09-09T13:52:52.681-04:00This Sunil chap does sound like a cheater.Is there...This Sunil chap does sound like a cheater.Is there any way to investigate him and have him kicked off the committee?Steve Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05930513219020091268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-13253452047319442252019-07-25T04:13:15.373-04:002019-07-25T04:13:15.373-04:00Excellent information, I like your blog.
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Find Tutors and Start Learning</a></b><br /><b><a href="https://www.acakid.com/profiles/?zip_code=&sex=&lesson=&distance=15&min_age=17&max_age=65&min_budget=15&max_budget=250&hour_rate=15a250&linkedin=&_subject=Chemistry" rel="nofollow"> Chemistry</a></b><br /><b><a href="https://www.acakid.com/profiles/?zip_code=&sex=&lesson=&distance=15&min_age=17&max_age=65&min_budget=15&max_budget=250&hour_rate=15a250&linkedin=&_subject=SAT%20Math" rel="nofollow"> SAT Math</a></b>Acakidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18333838982429772128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-58748117254052392992019-05-24T18:00:15.305-04:002019-05-24T18:00:15.305-04:00Wow! Ms. Spiegel, you must be quaking in your shoe...Wow! Ms. Spiegel, you must be quaking in your shoes after reading "Be careful while insulting many powerful people; Nakamura's dad, a CEO, and 5 other very successful coaches." posted by Anonymous.<br /><br />The kids are the losers here in my opinion, through no fault of their own. The real "losers" are the adults on the Scholastic Committee.Steve Hewlettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-46823785335645187542019-05-19T21:36:15.091-04:002019-05-19T21:36:15.091-04:00Right, “both sides”Right, “both sides”Elizabeth Vicaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04880561980096775673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-30260488349100931052019-05-18T18:15:48.586-04:002019-05-18T18:15:48.586-04:00Weird that Anonymous thinks the child (and the sch...Weird that Anonymous thinks the child (and the school) are not entitled to basic due process. It's fundamental to our way of life that no action be taken against someone except after they are informed, and have been given an opportunity to respond. Plus action must be based on the rules as then written, and announced ahead of time. If the rules don't cover the situation, write new rules, to be applied next time, not ex post facto.<br />Seen from the viewpoint of schools and competition and championships, it is possible to think the action is a small potato, but that doesn't justify high-handed decisions. Seen from the viewpoint of the individual player, disqualification was outrageous and extremely hurtful. It will only teach her that grown-ups make up the rules as they go, and do what they want. Combined with her unfortunate experience at the private school, it suggests you just can't be treated fairly. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13039826521215412971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-9546240189758549712019-05-18T09:57:47.064-04:002019-05-18T09:57:47.064-04:00May I clarify in this conversation that Nura was n...May I clarify in this conversation that Nura was not at all recruited by IS 318 ? I know this for a true fact because I am her mother....<br />My daughter ended up being psychologically distressed by how extreme the disciplinary impositions had become at SA. My daughter was being destroyed psychologically and emotionally. <br />I looked at IS 318 for a transfer simply because I wanted a school that had a very involved chess coaching program. My daughter simply LOVES chess. Her passion for is intense and has true meaning in her life.<br />It is quite insulting that you would even mention my husband as a person to influence my daughter's recruitment to this school. I have never allowed influence to surround the decisions made for my daughter. Nura has worked very hard to become the chess player that she is. Her stepdad might be a step-dad, for if you would know truly who he is, then you would be aware he is a very humble man who, even if he was Nura's coach for her earlier years, doesn't use influence to better our family. He is decent and would not engage in creating a fantasy world for my daughter's advancement.<br />I understand that the situation might look suspicious, but to make such statement when in reality there was no recruitment at all, is not nice, it's simply vile.<br />Maybe you should know the truth of what motivated SA to try to have my daughter disqualified: they were vindictive. When I first spoke with the people in charge of the chess program explaining Nura was suffering at SA and I might consider transferring her, they immediately begged for me to reconsider and informed me that they were planning to financially invest on Nura's chess career during the 8th grade. In addition, you should know that Nura was already qualified to receive a $39,000 scholarship from SA once she graduated from her high school. So, do you think we would renounce such a scholarship just to help another chess team win? I think not.<br />We really needed that scholarship for my daughter's university future. My husband might be a chess coach and chess master, and I might have a stable job, but we are not people of means. We live very modestly. Especially now that my husband is dying of ALS and medical expenses are high, we don't have the luxury of limiting my daughter's financial opportunities through chess. So, you can imagine how extreme the psychological bullying was at SA, that in spite of our delicate situation, I had to remove my daughter from their school urgently.<br />Again, Anonymous, please be mindful next time you suggest my husband uses his name and chess level to cheat my daughter into opportunities. In our home, that is simply NOT DONE.Ketty Senanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-19641564843236062302019-05-18T08:58:19.320-04:002019-05-18T08:58:19.320-04:00Henry Kissinger once quipped that the reason depar...Henry Kissinger once quipped that the reason department politics in universities are so vicious is because the stakes are so small. That seems to be the case here as well. Come on, everybody - we're talking about a section in a scholastic tournament devoted to a board game. Let's keep our eye on the ball, here, which is still being educators and using chess to advance education. Somewhere in all this, we're losing sight of the proper roles (and role models) for teachers, coaches and administrators. We can ALL do better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-83407167324050450022019-05-17T19:55:50.277-04:002019-05-17T19:55:50.277-04:00I think you might be confused about how the NYC pu...I think you might be confused about how the NYC public school system works. Every elementary school student applies to a ranked list of middle schools. Often public school kids who live a reasonable distance and love chess choose to apply because they get the team experience, lots of free chess instruction, chaperoned trips to tournaments, as well as a great general education. We don't recruit anyone. We offer tours, like all schools, and I try to be warm to prospective parents, but that's it. Elizabeth Vicaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04880561980096775673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-20656946047833730532019-05-17T17:10:09.650-04:002019-05-17T17:10:09.650-04:00#FreeNura she's too talented to not be allowed...#FreeNura she's too talented to not be allowed to compete for a team.JJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02691650724660673403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-16308060731611843862019-05-17T15:30:38.216-04:002019-05-17T15:30:38.216-04:00Are you kidding? 318 couldn't even win with Nu...Are you kidding? 318 couldn't even win with Nura, and 318 is very well known for practically recruiting many players from local elementary schools. Many people, the most prominent example being Justus Williams back when the program was successful, commute to 318 from across the city. Your players are notorious for behaving badly, and even received attention when a student of 318 (now a graduate) was caught cheating using an engine. It looks very suspicious when a 1900 rated 7th grader joins a school right before a major tournament; did you not except to receive some criticism? It is also worth pointing out that recruiting Nura would be very easy as her father is a chessmaster himself. IMO, you're lucky there was even a vote because anyone, with no prior knowledge and just a story of what happened, would think that this was a clear cut case of recruitment. You were kicked off the board because you don't have the ability to assess that this situation looks very bad from the outside. Be careful while insulting many powerful people; Nakamura's dad, a CEO, and 5 other very successful coaches. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-55910987053453168822019-05-17T14:52:38.358-04:002019-05-17T14:52:38.358-04:00I lack any first-hand knowledge regarding the fact...I lack any first-hand knowledge regarding the facts set forth in the post. So I will not address the individual student's and school's situation.<br /><br />But the question of alleged recruiting or transfer for purposes of changing teams is one that comes up often in Texas in the sports context, and in particular in the high school football context. It interested me to look at how the Texas school-sports-governing body deals with allegations that a student should not be allowed to play as a transfer. Though chess is not football, it interests me to compare the rules and standards applied.<br /><br />I found language in the Constitution. Subchapter M of the University Inter-Scholastic League (UIL) which deals with this topic. The pertinent parts can be found here:<br />https://www.uiltexas.org/files/constitution/uil-ccr-subchapter-m.pdf<br /><br />Subchapter M, Section 400 provides that a student should not be "recruited".<br />Subchapter M, Section 440(d) requires that an eligible transfer student "(d)did not change schools for athletic purposes (see Sections 5 and 443]"<br />Subchapter M, Section 443 contains a detailed set of criteria to apply to the issue of "transfer for athletic purposes", and also provides a clearance process for students who played on one sports team and then transferred to file a disclosure of the fact with the UIL and get (or fail to get) clearance for play.<br /><br />The point I am making is that while rules forbidding transfers for chess team purposes may be a positive good, the ideal rules would set out detailed criteria to ensure that everyone knows the standards applicable before an issue arises. My review of the USCF scholastic rules suggests to me that they are less detailed in describing the rules of the road on this point.<br /><br />So without having a "dog in the hunt" of this particular post, the issue sounds like one that may require in part a more detailed set of rules to address the issue, as opposed to a disqualification ruling that one can argue was without a foundation in the rules (as you advise that you did in a successful appeal) <br /><br />If I read your post correctly, the concern is that the rules on the books were not violated or circumvented. Though I would never state that Texas football should be an example for NY chess, I think it is meaningful to point out that spelling out the rules before the school year begins is probably a better practice than (speaking hypothetically, without reference to this situation) trying to fill any perceived gaps in the rules after a tournament has ended.<br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />gurdonarkhttp://www.gurdonark.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-28942611683021667842019-05-17T11:47:26.400-04:002019-05-17T11:47:26.400-04:00Crazy stuff... not to mention private school kids ...Crazy stuff... not to mention private school kids have an age advantage being older than public school kids. Speyer has recruited players from public schools and in at least one case had them play in the same grade again at grade nationals...<br /><br />With all that money, you would think they shouldn't have to cheat... (but then again, maybe that's how they got the money in the first place!) Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-87127333962918859462019-05-10T18:30:52.614-04:002019-05-10T18:30:52.614-04:00I have fallen in love with you four times now.
In ...I have fallen in love with you four times now.<br />In the mid-1980's it was the barefoot teenage girl in a sundress hopping and skipping around the Robert Singletary tournaments at NC State, looking like a wood nymph.<br />Sometime in the 1990's I saw you again at the World Open in Philadelphia, while you were a student at Columbia. You were looking for someone to share a room -- not me, I was with my family -- and we chatted in the hallway. I told you how good you looked.<br />Then a few years ago I saw Brooklyn Castle, and was thrilled to see in some detail how you teach and relate to your students. You were a movie star.<br />Now I just watched this video, and found out the depth of your thinking and learning from your teaching experiences, and your rare ability to communicate ideas. <br />You are still beautiful, and you are a fascinating, engaging woman. Keep it up.<br />I hope motherhood has been good to you. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-32766763681007804382019-04-06T10:28:34.261-04:002019-04-06T10:28:34.261-04:00Good day !!
We are Christian Organization formed t...Good day !!<br />We are Christian Organization formed to help people in need of help,such as <br />financial assistance, Do you need a loan to pay your bills? Do you need <br />Personal Business Car or Student loans? Need a loan for various other <br />purposes? If yes contact us today.<br />Please these is for serious minded and God fearing People.<br />Email: (jacksonwaltonloancompany@gmail.com)<br />Text or call: +1-586-331-5557.<br />Address is 68 Fremont Ave Penrose CO, 81240.<br />Freemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14779779532205114383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-68973997860364845192019-03-11T01:30:57.216-04:002019-03-11T01:30:57.216-04:00I watched through all the 59.42 @ Chessbase. It...I watched through all the 59.42 @ Chessbase. It's great. Thanks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02236741367461670667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-25966102684376676382019-03-03T17:25:04.552-05:002019-03-03T17:25:04.552-05:00Congratulations! So far I've knocked out the f...Congratulations! So far I've knocked out the first 1/4 of the talk. I found it interesting to compare how much time an IS 318 kid can spend on skill-building chess events in a week with the kind of time available for chess skill acquisition in my own small town Arkansas 60s/70s childhood. Then I realized that your experience learning chess must also have been different from your kids' experience. I am not much for "what if" but given that you got to expert level without an IS 318 experience, perhaps your trajectory might have been different had you had an older you to teach in middle school. When I began tournament play in high school in 1977, there were only ~2 2200+ players in my state,and a handful of 2000+ players. The world has changed a bit since then.Gurdonarkhttp://www.gurdonark.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8556305125957341024.post-77887588554146890812019-02-27T11:05:33.162-05:002019-02-27T11:05:33.162-05:00Sometimes justice prevails. Good work. Chapeau!Sometimes justice prevails. Good work. Chapeau!Brian Laffertyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07729963757834654649noreply@blogger.com