I recently received a telephone call inquiring about a chess club in Villa Park, Illinois. Apparently the reason I received this call was because my affiliate, which is NOT a chess club, is listed on the USCF web site when you look on the “Chess Clubs” page for Illinois.
I am sure that I am not the only individual or organization that is affiliated with the USCF, but is not an actual chess club. The USCF needs to recognize that not all affiliates are chess clubs, and correctly update the records listed on the “Club” page(s) on the web site. Also, there could be a problem with defunct clubs still being listed as I know has happened in the past. Usually a defunct club lets the affiliate membership run out and does not renew, but that may not be 100% of the time. Furthermore, a defunct club does need to notify the USCF that it will no longer be meeting. The information flow needs to go both ways in order to best serve the entire chess populace in the US.
Larry S. Cohen
All Americas Chess
Former President of the Park Forest Chess Club [now defunct, but not to be confused with the Village of Park Forest affiliate, which as far as I know does not have a club meeting either]