The New American Golden Age?

[ChessSpawn]

@relyea

@ChessSpawn

A few years ago, there was some discussion on the member’s forum about having a non-rated player membership at a reduced rate–an associate membership if you will. That might be useful in keeping members within the organizational framework when they no longer want to compete in rated play.

Are you suggesting a membership discount for someone who has never played (rated) chess before like the New Hampshire Chess Association does, or a membership which would not allow play?

Alex Relyea

Likely the latter, but I’m open to considering the former, too.

[Allen]

@relyea

@ChessSpawn

A few years ago, there was some discussion on the member’s forum about having a non-rated player membership at a reduced rate–an associate membership if you will. That might be useful in keeping members within the organizational framework when they no longer want to compete in rated play.

Are you suggesting a membership discount for someone who has never played (rated) chess before like the New Hampshire Chess Association does, or a membership which would not allow play?

Alex Relyea

About half our members don’t play any rated chess in any one membership year now. And a significant percentage play once.

[Antonin]

@tmagchesspgh

…The third “Golden Age” was the Fischer boom from the '60’s to the mid-'70’s. Whether you think of him as hero or anti-hero, the emergence of the kid from Brooklyn to become the strongest player in the world was inspiring to many in that era, evidenced by the growth of the USCF from 2700 to almost 70,000 members. While many dropped out, many others stayed to become the leaders of local, state, and national chess organizations. Some present TDs cut their teeth on the Swiss System events of those times when only the Harkness Blue Book and the Official Chess Handbook were the guides. When Fischer left, it was a body blow, but those who stuck it out continued to play and work in chess. Ultimately the talented young American players who left during the Fischer Bust were replaced by new players and emigrants who brought chess to a wider audience…

…I can understand and sympathize with Antonin’s belief that the article focused too much on the top players and spent little time on the little guys who love and play the game online or in their chess clubs. The latter are the guys that most players see and play with in tournaments or over a coffee or a brew. They are the heart of chess that most good chess administrators are concerned with. They did not complain about the immigrants, but welcomed them, maybe even helped them to get settled in. Most amateurs do not aspire to norms or measure their success by rating or cash prizes. They love the game and the players in it. If this is a “Golden Age” it is because so many amateurs are involved in helping kids to play, playing the game themselves, and seeking to spread the game to others, either because of or in spite of the United States Chess Federation.

Exactly.

Anyway, I don’t expect anyone here to agree with what I wrote. When I read the article and the sidebars I just shook my head. To me, American chess is and should be much, much more than the elite. I do enjoy playing out those old games in my copy of “Great Brilliancy Prize Games” [with that lovely, logical descriptive notation], but some of the most fun, exciting and instructive games for me have been some of the sloppy, mistake-filled games that have appeared in “The Check is in the Mail.”

As the young people say, “whatever.” I’m still in “returning to chess after being absent for 30 years” mode, trying to find the same degree of joy in the game that I experienced way back when Richard Nixon was in the White House. In October my USCF membership expires, so I guess that will be that.

[ChessSpawn]

@Allen

@relyea

@ChessSpawn

A few years ago, there was some discussion on the member’s forum about having a non-rated player membership at a reduced rate–an associate membership if you will. That might be useful in keeping members within the organizational framework when they no longer want to compete in rated play.

Are you suggesting a membership discount for someone who has never played (rated) chess before like the New Hampshire Chess Association does, or a membership which would not allow play?

Alex Relyea

About half our members don’t play any rated chess in any one membership year now. And a significant percentage play once.

The point I’m trying to make is that there are many more out there than our present membership who regularly play over the board chess, who love chess, may well not want to play rated chess, but may still consider supporting the mission of the USCF to grow chess in the US by supporting the USCF in some sort of associate way, particularly if they see the USCF giving real support to the club they regularly play at.

[lblair]

@ChessSpawn

… there are many more out there than our present membership who regularly play over the board chess, who love chess, may well not want to play rated chess, but may still consider supporting the mission of the USCF to grow chess in the US by supporting the USCF in some sort of associate way, …

At one time, I think it was possible to subscribe to Chess Life without being a USCF member. I don’t know if I am remembering correctly or whether or not such a thing is still possible, but would that come close to the sort of thing that you have in mind?

[jwiewel]

@lblair

@ChessSpawn

… there are many more out there than our present membership who regularly play over the board chess, who love chess, may well not want to play rated chess, but may still consider supporting the mission of the USCF to grow chess in the US by supporting the USCF in some sort of associate way, …

At one time, I think it was possible to subscribe to Chess Life without being a USCF member. I don’t know if I am remembering correctly or whether or not such a thing is still possible, but would that come close to the sort of thing that you have in mind?

It was possible at least as recently as about three years ago. If such a player is used as a house player then office intervention is needed to rate the event.

[lblair]

@Antonin

… I do enjoy playing out those old games in my copy of “Great Brilliancy Prize Games” [with that lovely, logical descriptive notation], but some of the most fun, exciting and instructive games for me have been some of the sloppy, mistake-filled games that have appeared in “The Check is in the Mail.” …

Have your tried the current regular Lev Alburt column, Back to Basics? Perhaps you would also enjoy one or more of these descriptive notation books:
Chess for Amateurs by Fred Reinfeld uscfsales.com/chess-for-amateurs.html
The Great Chess Masters and Their Games by Fred Reinfeld uscfsales.com/great-chess-ma … games.html
The World’s Great Chess Games by Reuben Fine uscfsales.com/the-world-s-gr … games.html
Kings of Chess by William Winter uscfsales.com/chess-books/ki … chess.html
Grandmasters of Chess by Harold C. Schonberg uscfsales.com/grandmasters-o … nberg.html
British Chess Masters by Fred Reinfeld uscfsales.com/british-chess-masters.html
Chess World Championship 1972 - Fischer vs. Spassky by Larry Evans uscfsales.com/chess-world-ch … assky.html
The Delights of Chess by Assiac uscfsales.com/the-delights-o … ssiac.html
The Fireside Book of Chess by Irving Chernev & Fred Reinfeld uscfsales.com/the-fireside-b … chess.html
The Bright Side of Chess by Irving Chernev uscfsales.com/the-bright-side-of-chess.html
The Personality of Chess by I.A. Horowitz uscfsales.com/the-personality-of-chess.html
Curious Chess Facts by Irving Chernev uscfsales.com/curious-chess-facts.html
Golden Treasury of Chess by Francis J. Wellmuth uscfsales.com/chess-books/go … chess.html

@Antonin

When I read the article and the sidebars I just shook my head. To me, American chess is and should be much, much more than the elite. …

As the young people say, “whatever.” I’m still in “returning to chess after being absent for 30 years” mode, trying to find the same degree of joy in the game that I experienced way back when Richard Nixon was in the White House. In October my USCF membership expires, so I guess that will be that.

I am nowhere near the elite, and my primary chess interest is more around my low level, but (perhaps like your enjoyment of brilliancy prize games) I also like news about chess at the top, and I enjoyed the article about US progress in that area. There are, after all, other articles like the Lev Alburt column and the one about the National High School Championship.

[Allen]

@lblair

@ChessSpawn

… there are many more out there than our present membership who regularly play over the board chess, who love chess, may well not want to play rated chess, but may still consider supporting the mission of the USCF to grow chess in the US by supporting the USCF in some sort of associate way, …

At one time, I think it was possible to subscribe to Chess Life without being a USCF member. I don’t know if I am remembering correctly or whether or not such a thing is still possible, but would that come close to the sort of thing that you have in mind?

Yes one can subscribe to Chess Life directly.

[ILfish]

I don’t know about banners and the idea of the USCF supplying them. I do recall that back in the 80’s there was available from the USCF a (folder) club hand out. This included suggestions for starting and developing a local chess club. It also included a small poster [8x10] that could be filled in to promote a chess club. As I recall it essentially was: [Blank] Chess Club meets [Blank (time)] at [Blank]; and had chess piece on the poster.

Larry S. Cohen

[ChessSpawn]

@lblair

@ChessSpawn

… there are many more out there than our present membership who regularly play over the board chess, who love chess, may well not want to play rated chess, but may still consider supporting the mission of the USCF to grow chess in the US by supporting the USCF in some sort of associate way, …

At one time, I think it was possible to subscribe to Chess Life without being a USCF member. I don’t know if I am remembering correctly or whether or not such a thing is still possible, but would that come close to the sort of thing that you have in mind?

It might make more sense for the USCF to make available to public libraries complimentary subscriptions to Chess Life.
There are listings of libraries to be found online. For example, americanlibrarydirectory.com/

Making the digital edition available would be more cost effective, but I think from a promotional-visibility perspective it would make more sense to have a physical copy of Chess Life in a library magazine rack. The cost would depend on how many libraries in what markets are chosen. Non-membership subscription cards should be placed in all issues of CL, IMO.

[lblair]

@Antonin

…
What about people who play chess not to win trophies, but just for the fun of it? What about players who are happy enough with their low rating and quite content to play people similar in skill? It’s as if we don’t exist.
…

I think it was, at one time, possible for a USCF member to get Chess Life for Kids instead of Chess Life. Perhaps it is still possible. I wonder if the content of that magazine would be more to your taste. I pay extra in order to get both. CLFK is not in descriptive notation, but, if you want chess instruction in descriptive notation, there are plenty of opportunities to get some:
Chess from Morphy to Botvinnik by Imre Konig uscfsales.com/chess-books/ch … innik.html
Masters of the Chessboard by Richard Reti uscfsales.com/chess-books/ma … board.html
Chess the Easy Way by Reuben Fine uscfsales.com/chess-books/ch … y-way.html
Solitaire Chess by I.A. Horowitz uscfsales.com/chess-books/so … chess.html
Chess Fundamentals by Jose Raul Capablanca uscfsales.com/chess-books/ch … ntals.html
Judgement and Planning in Chess by Max Euwe uscfsales.com/chess-books/ju … chess.html
The Logical Approach to Chess by J.F.S. Rumble, M. Blaine and Max Euwe uscfsales.com/chess-books/th … chess.html
The Road to Chess Mastery by Max Euwe and Walter Meiden uscfsales.com/the-road-to-chess-mastery.html
A Guide To Chess Endings by David Hooper and Max Euwe uscfsales.com/a-guide-to-che … -1767.html
The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings by Reuben Fine uscfsales.com/the-ideas-behi … nings.html
A Complete Chess Course - How to Win at Chess by I.A. Horowitz uscfsales.com/a-complete-che … me-ii.html
Point Count Chess by I.A. Horowitz and Geoffrey Mott-Smith uscfsales.com/point-count-ch … chess.html
Strategy & Tactics in Chess by Max Euwe uscfsales.com/strategy-and-t … chess.html
Chess Quiz by Fred Reinfeld uscfsales.com/chess-quiz.html
The Middle Game in Chess by Reuben Fine uscfsales.com/the-middle-gam … -fine.html
Chess Mastery By Question and Answer by Fred Reinfeld uscfsales.com/chess-mastery- … nswer.html
Pachman’s Modern Chess Strategy by Ludek Pachman uscfsales.com/pachmans-moder … ategy.html

By the way, if you discover that you like the current regular Lev Alburt column, Back to Basics, in Chess Life, you might also want to consider these books as opportunities to try to get used to algebraic notation while reading about “Instructive Games … Played … by Players Like You!”:
A Fresh Look at Chess by Lev Alburt uscfsales.com/a-fresh-look-at-chess.html
World’s Most Instructive Amateur Game Book by Dan Heisman uscfsales.com/world-s-most-i … -book.html
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson uscfsales.com/simple-attacking-plans.html