When Can a Chief TD Be Removed?

[Hopechess]

@eastside

Any USCF member may initiate an ethics complaint, so that is not a barrier. If you wish to lodge a complaint about something that happened at a USCF tournament, contact the Ethics Committee. You may review the procedures for doing so in the USCF Code of Ethics. Of particular interest will be Section 7.

Of course, you’ve previously claimed that USCF does not want to hear complaints or get feedback. I gave you sources of information that contradict said claim. If you chose not to use those sources before, I am not sure you will choose to use them now. But I can always hope.

You are correct about lodging a complaint as I have known for many years and have been reminded by the TD’s here.
But in this case I was only a witness and therefore the messenger.
That is as far as it will go. It is up to the player. Possibly it didn’t bother him.
If I were the player involved, It would have been solved right then and there.
If not, I would have been all over the USCF.

And to quote myself per your link - I gave you sources of information that contradict said claim.

@Hopechess

"This was my way of feedback because organizations like the CCA and USCF don’t solicit for feedback.

And here is how you tried to paraphrase me:

@eastside

Of course, you’ve previously claimed that USCF does not want to hear complaints or get feedback…

I never mentioned complaints and used the word solicit.
(As in seek or ask for feedback, EG - surveys).
It is my hope that you see the difference.

The last time I attempted to provide feedback was to the Rules committee in 2008.
Tim Just:I will pass your e-mail along to the chair of the USCF Rules Committee.
David Kuhns: “We do not have time to consider this question for this year’s delegate meeting starting the end of the week, but I will bring it up to the Rules committee for inclusion next year.The ambiguity between 14D and 14E appears to need clarification”.
And that was the end of the story and emails!

So yes, I do know of and have used those sources.

[eastside]

@Hopechess

You are correct about lodging a complaint as I have known for many years and have been reminded by the TD’s here.
But in this case I was only a witness and therefore the messenger.
That is as far as it will go. It is up to the player. Possibly it didn’t bother him.
If I were the player involved, It would have been solved right then and there.
If not, I would have been all over the USCF.

You’ve spent a great deal of time on these forums, talking about this alleged incident. (Evidence of this contention is presented later in this post.) The responses you have received have generally encouraged you to file a complaint with the USCF. So, it’s time to fish or cut bait. You should either make a formal complaint, and be prepared to substantiate your (rather serious) claims, or let it go.

@Hopechess

And here is how you tried to paraphrase me:

@eastside

Of course, you’ve previously claimed that USCF does not want to hear complaints or get feedback…

I never mentioned complaints and used the word solicit.
(As in seek or ask for feedback, EG - surveys).
It is my hope that you see the difference.

When wording my reply, I recalled posts such as this, this, this, and this. I trust it is not difficult to see how the word “complaint” could be used to characterize this particular vein of feedback.

And the USCF asks for feedback all the time. Membership-wide surveys, though, are not necessarily the best or most cost-effective way to get said feedback. They’re not easy to construct properly, require time to compile and analyze the responses, and often don’t get enough response to statistically justify plotting a course of action based solely on their results.

@Hopechess

The last time I attempted to provide feedback was to the Rules committee in 2008.
Tim Just:I will pass your e-mail along to the chair of the USCF Rules Committee.
David Kuhns: “We do not have time to consider this question for this year’s delegate meeting starting the end of the week, but I will bring it up to the Rules committee for inclusion next year.The ambiguity between 14D and 14E appears to need clarification”.
And that was the end of the story and emails!

So yes, I do know of and have used those sources.

So…a member of the Rules Committee forwarded your suggestion to the chair of the Rules Committee, who then responded directly to you with a plan of action, a reason why it couldn’t be considered more quickly at the delegates meeting, and an affirmation that there was an unclear rules situation that arose from your suggestion which should be resolved.

If those sources worked before, for a small rules change, I submit they would work even better if you file a complaint documenting an NTD allegedly violating the USCF Code of Ethics. If you’re not willing to do that, though, you are likely in violation of the AUG of these forums for making unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct.

[Hopechess]

@eastside

You’ve spent a great deal of time on these forums, talking about this alleged incident. (Evidence of this contention is presented later in this post.) The responses you have received have generally encouraged you to file a complaint with the USCF. So, it’s time to fish or cut bait. You should either make a formal complaint, and be prepared to substantiate your (rather serious) claims, or let it go.

If those sources worked before, for a small rules change, I submit they would work even better if you file a complaint documenting an NTD allegedly violating the USCF Code of Ethics. If you’re not willing to do that, though, you are likely in violation of the AUG of these forums for making unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct.

In retrospect I should have filed a complaint. Not because I felt it was unfair to the player(that was up to the player) but because it personally affected me in my own game based upon my opponents next move. It was unforgettable.

It seems that you and other NTD’s have taken umbrage to what I have reported in both incidents. That is understandable.

I am beyond as what you call the “complaint” stage. But I would be glad to discuss this with a USCF official in person and gather the witnesses.
My preference would the President. And yes, I am prepared to substantiate.

I mean no ill-will toward you or any TD in these forums as it appears you have taken this very personally. I think you provide a great service to the tournament player. But I also believe players and directors are both subject to making errors. The idea is to get it right and do right!

I will take your suggestion and cut bait altogether.
This is based upon another topic that I thought was about chess.

[eastside]

@Hopechess

I mean no ill-will toward you or any TD in these forums as it appears you have taken this very personally. I think you provide a great service to the tournament player. But I also believe players and directors are both subject to making errors. The idea is to get it right and do right!

I don’t personally take umbrage to you or your claims at all. I won’t presume to speak for other directors who responded to you.

I admit, I do find it hard to believe that any director (regardless of certification) would behave in the manner you described. However, I’ve seen some pretty egregious behavior, even from very experienced directors. TDs are human, and are certainly capable of making mistakes under pressure. But even a bad mistake is better than outright deception…which is what I personally find so troubling about your story.

@Hopechess

I will take your suggestion and cut bait altogether.
This is based upon another topic that I thought was about chess.

Please consider that you are actually doing all of USCF a favor when you report poor behavior at tournaments - and this is even more true if the poor behavior comes from a TD. For an NTD to behave as you describe is unacceptable, IMO.