N WEST - Northwest Chess!

ll~~JṛUSCF Ethics CommitteeComes to a Decisionin WA Ratings Fraud CaseThe USCF Ethics Committee has considered the complaint by CarolMayer-Kleist(representingthe WashingtonChess Federation)againstRudy Vrana, Kirk Steinocher, Elston Cloy, and David Griffin.By a vote of 8-0, with one abstention, the Committee finds that RudyVrana has committed a serious violation of the Code of Ethics and recommendsthat he receivea censure..By a vote of 6-2, with one abstention, the Committee finds that theevidence presented does not establish that Kirk Steinocher has committeda violation of the Code of Ethics.By a vote of 7-1, with one abstention, the Committee finds that theevidence presented does not establish that Elston Cloy has committed aviolation of the Code of Ethics.By a vote of 8-0, with one abstention, the Committee finds that DavidGriffin has not committed a violation of the Code of Ethics.By a vote of 8-0, with one abstention, the Committee agrees that thisletter represents its opinion in this case.Sincerely,Ha{fJ'errie(2003-2004 Ethics Committee Chair). Censure carries a probation of at least one year.-Ed.NOWthis matter can finallybe put to rest. At the mandate ofthe Washington Chess Federation, I sent a report of irregularities involvingthe persons named above almost a year ago. Hearing nothing for severalmonths, I inquired and found the USCFEthics Committee had never receivedthe rather bulkypacket Ihad sent bymail. Ire-submitted the material bye-mail.My initialimpression had been that the committee would then investigate thereport offalsifieddates, unplayedmatches. etc. No.the committee did not takeon an investigative role, rather they asked me to name specific individualsto beaccused and to present evidence. Andthe committee solicited statements fromthose named, givingeveryone a chance for a rebuttal.The conclusion reached is printed above. It was an easy decision in thecase ofVrana, for he alone admitted his guiltinwriting. One ofthe others namedalso came forward in a meeting with WCF officers and admitted to submittingan unplayed match, but he maintained Rudy's transgression was much moreserious, because Rudyhad falsifiedmatch results without consent.Itis the concensusof the WCF Board that we wish to take no further actioninthis matter. We wis!1to welcome all named as fullpartners in the endeavorto make chess in the Northwest positive and the best we possibly can. Hopefully,thishas been a learning experience for all involved,on all sides and in allparts of the State of Washington.Finally.Iwould liketo add that the onlyperson sanctioned was also the onlyjuvenile.Thisyoung person, RudyVrana. who felt misled, has courageously apolergized and asked the Chess Community for forgiveness. He has been barredfrom HighSchool chess competition and has voluntarilyrefrained from participatingin any open events this past year. Ifeel sure Ispeak for the entire chesscommunity when I say: "Youhave that forgiveness. young Rudy,please comeback and playchess'" We want to see you at the upcoming chess tournaments!Caro('l(feist, WCF Tournament CoordinatorOctober 2004NorthwestChess50 Years AgoWashington ChessLetterOctober 1954by Russell "Rusty" MillerJohn DeWitt continues as Editor. R.R.Merk was the circulation head with KenMulford as Publisher. Contributors: JohnNourse ("Nourse AdNauseam"), Fred Weaver("From ChessLife"), Stephen Falk ("ChessBits"), Dan Wade (feature writer), OllieLaFreniere (feature writer).1954-55 Puget Sound League results werecoming in. Olympia beat McNeil Island 7.5-2.5, the Latvian Club topped Tacoma 7-3, theSeattle YMCAflattened Kitsap 7.5-2.5 and theU of W topped the Seattle CC 6-3. JimMcCormick was playing third board for Tacomaand Viktors Pupols was 2ndboard for LatvianClub.1955 Washington Championship was wonby William A. Bills. The event was a HollandSystem12 players starting out in two 6 playersections with top 3 advancing. 2nd place wasOlaf Ulvestad. Bills scored 3-2 in the preliminariesand 4.5-5 in finals. Ulvestad was 5-0and 3-2 (one loss was a forfeit).Ollie laFreniere wrote a long article abouthoping to set up an Eastern Washington ChessLeague with Spokane, Yakima, Tri-Cities andMilton- Freewater.In information from Chess Life we learnthat the Soviet Union won the InternatidnalTeam Tournament over Argentina. The playingsite was switched from Argentina to Hollandand the USA did not take part. 96 playerstook part in the Great Lakes Open won byA. Pomar and R. Steinmeyer. An 8-1 score byL. Dreibergs won the Michigan State event.Massachusetts attracted only 24 players.Harry Lyman and John Curdo tied for first at4.5-0.5. Here is that Midwest Open nameagain, won by Alex Liepnieks at 5-1 over 19others. Our Washington State Champion WilliamA. Bills tied for first in the 67-playerSouthwestern Open with Blake Stevens, bothat 6-1.An article by Samuel Reshevsky from theNew York 1YmesofSunday, June 13, 1954 wasreprinted by WCL. The title was "Chess is anotherSoviet gambit." This was on the eve ofthe USA-USSR match. An interesting articleabout Russian Chess and Russian chess players.Charles Joachim took a trip to Californiaand took part in the California Open where hescored 4-3. Two of his games are given, a drawwith Larry Remlinger and a win over VanGelder.The Nouse AdNauseam column is aboutBenjamin Franklin's writingson chess. .15