Leland, Since I was personally addressed in your message board entry on charlottechess.com, I deserve the opportunity for a reply, which should be posted exactly as I write it. Please post this message on your board in its entirety.  I do not approve of any editing of this message. I am copying a couple of people to ensure that nothing I state here is turned around. (Dude, that's almost offensive)   I'll go with the usual method I have used when I have rebutted your statements in our personal correspondence let's go down the message you wrote one item at a time, and I will interject my response. First, you start with a major statement This is in no way an attempt to prevent anyone from participating in your (QCCA) event.  Well, then what is the purpose of your message? All I read is a badmouthing of our location, concept, and judgment. I dont see how any reasonable person reading this message could come to any other conclusion. Your invitation reads as being a very shallow method of getting attention to deliver the real purpose of your message in addition to an attempt of one-upsmanship. If you didn't want to attempt to prevent anyone from participating, then why was it a public message? You could have accomplished any objective you had in mind EXCEPT that with a private message. Do you see the difference between the sincere private invitation I sent you and the transparent, insincere one you sent me via your message board? (Wrong; Your defensive interpretation of my statement is skewed. I was speaking specifically about "my" own personal circumstances. I sustained a back injury which still continues to bother me. Sitting on a small "metal folding chair" for a long period of time would be impossible for me and according to Expert Keith Eubanks, "made it very difficult for 'him' to concentrate on his game!?" Furthermore, as for my opinion, I do have some 30+ years of experience as a chess leader in Charlotte; I call things as I see them and some people actually value my opinion! I strongly disagree with your conjecture. If I intended to prevent someone from participating in your event, why didn't I post my message days or weeks ahead of time instead of at 4:30pm that day? And, Gary, now that you are the new self ordained chess guru of Charlotte, you have become a public figure; so get used to it). Next statement by you: Some have suggested that it may be difficult to play chess two evenings in a row. By some I can only assume you mean "me". With these first two statements you are showing familiarity with (although not referencing directly) my recent report on the state of the QCCA, which you can find here http://www.queencitychess.com/5%20month%20update.htm.  I don't think it's a stretch to assume that some people will have trouble competing on both nights. In my opinion, it's not out of line for me to make sure that our club members know how hard we have worked to get to this point, that the Tuesday Night Grand Prix is a major event for us, and we would like their support for this event over any other local events. In fact, I invite those of you reading this message to compare what Leland has written to what I wrote to our club members here is the appropriate statement in my report: Of course, it seems you have a choice again. Nothing wrong with that. No one has a monopoly on chess activity. If you are an avid enough player with time to compete on consecutive nights, then by all means I encourage you to do so. But I ask you this..if you can only commit one weeknight to serious chess, consider all that we are doing, what we stand for and our track record and please support our Tuesday night event. The future activity of the club will pay you back in spades. Thank you Gary. I leave the reader to his own judgment as to who did a better job in promoting his cause without intending to inflict abuse on the other. (So, what's your point? Actually, I never read your statement. The CCC has used Wednesday evening for 30 years. The QCCA has used Tuesday evening for 2 months?! It is obvious to any reader that the previous paragraph was meant to be an attempt to promote your club over the CCC. I have never denied your right, or that of anyone else over the past 30 years who has made the attempt to organize and run a chess club. In fact, I have always been friendly to any "new" organization, including yours. What most folks don't know is that I have attempted to work with you by suspending the CCC's events and suggesting that your 3 round Saturday events be counted as official Titles for the CCC, which you vetoed. I also suggested that it would be in your best interest to trade links with the CCC, which every other organization that has survived has done, but you refused!?? So, who's not being friendly?) Next statement by you:  recall from a conversation with you a few months ago that the Oriental Library (by the way we call it the ASIAN Library, Leland) was only meant to be a temporary location for your club. And you go on to state that I (Gary) followed that with a candid admission which you (Leland) shall not repeat here. You have a habit of making mysterious statements that imply something negative though it's not clear what. The purpose of the statement is obviously to plant some doubt in the reader's mind about the credibility of the person being addressed. Leland, people with REAL debatable issues don't need to stoop to this level of trickery to try to influence others. And unfortunately it seems to be a major part of your arsenal. I invite the reader to look at past messages pertaining to the QCCA (and probably other subjects also, but I'll just stick with what I know) to find numerous examples of this. Leland, this type of rhetoric doesn't fool anyone that knows me (or you) personally. Enough said there. (Thank you, Dr. Newsom, PhD?!! Do I owe you anything for that analysis? The ultimate target of my "arsenal" is to make things better for chessplayers in Charlotte. Actually, I was attempting to protect you from embarassment. Your harsh criticism causes me to reveal what you stated to me on that day. In reference to your finding a location for your club, you stated, and I quote, "Frankly, I don't like the Asian Library myself as a chess venue." Therefore, I assumed that you were still attempting to find a better facility. Evidently, some people are more complacent with mediocrity than others). Next statement by you: I will not quote it in its entirety, but you describe visiting the Asian Library and finding many things unsatisfactory. Your description implies that you were there when the club was in operation, when in fact you have never been to a QCCA meeting. The chairs and tables are put away every night. You couldn't have seen the room set up for chess. Where are you getting your information? As far as water goes, we bring a cooler full of water for meetings. Bathrooms are adequate. I really don't see what food has to do with a chess club meeting. The neighborhood is good and improving all the time. (It was this progress in the neighborhood that drove Wendy's from their old location which was a bit seedy and run down. where the CCC thrived to a new bright, shiny well lighted and busy location. Then it became clear that the CCC would no longer work there. So in reality, when the neighborhood improved, the CCC left! Quite different from your version of events! (Come on, Gary! Now you're starting to sound like me!!? You are mis-leading the jury?!! Because, these low life chessplayers whom you are depicting happen to be the very same people who make up your own ranks!!   ---  Dude, at one point in time in my life, I would have played chess anywhere, any time, under any circumstances - I recall playing in a tournament in a cramped room in New York City while the toilets ran over and sewage covered the floor??! Most of the players didn't seem to be phased?! But why put up with it? - I did, in fact, visit the Asian Library last Tuesday evening. The place was open, but I did not see anyone there. I observed the 6' tables and chairs stacked to the side and the area where they were to be set up. The venue leaves much to be desired. You describe the Asian Library as "adequate." Well, so was Wendy's! But, since when is adequate O.K.? It is a good thing to have food available at the chess club to allow family and friends to participate as well. There is simply no comparison between the Asian Library and the Seafarer!) As for the Asian Library being permanent.it is true that I think we will eventually do better than the Asian Library. We are on the lookout for another fairly central location that will accommodate more people (although we can currently accommodate at least 40). It became a back-burner issue however, when after talking to members on many occasions, that the vast majority of our membership actually LIKES the current spot. That being said, I don't believe that the location is the main factor determining the success of our club (although it is a factor and the location IS a positive). I believe it is the total body of work that we are doing. You can't deny that we have brought a new energy to the adult chess community. We conduct our affairs in a low key and I believe totally credible manner. There is no pompous grandstanding or ego trips. We deliver exactly what we promise and are consistently widening our scope and improving the service the QCCA provides to Charlotte area adult chess players. (At the risk of being considered a "pompous grandstander," I must respectfully challenge this "new energy" that you speak of!  Almost every participant at your event either is or has been a member of the Charlotte Chess Club! One would think that you would attempt to recruit more "new" players. What you provide is 4 walls; a cramped room with small tables and metal chairs and no food or refreshments nor  room to move around. You also conduct an occasional 3 rounder at UNCC which I strongly endorse. But, your website doesn't fit on my screen, is incomplete and is rarely up to date. The CCC website, which averages over 100 hits per day, is always immediately updated, with colorful results, games, wallcharts and photos of players ready to be observed by all on the following Thursday morning!!!) As to your invitation to play at your new site, of course I have no objection to it. I am, however, one of those who has difficulty finding the time to compete on multiple nights. Add to my regular work requirements the time that it takes to make sure the QCCA is going along properly, and I will have a hard time making it regularly, though I might find my way there from time to time, even though the location is a bit out of the way. I remember that the food is good there. only thing is, I don't necessarily want the Captain's Platter before going into a tournament chess game! I might fall asleep! I'd rather go there for dinner on a Saturday night! (Yeah, well, it would be the first "Captains Platter" you've ever turned down!?!lol  Look, we are both in this thing for the same reasons. I applaud you for the good work you have done for chess.  But, if you would just visit the CCC at the Seafarer one time, you would be quickly motivated to find a better location for your club. As far as I'm concerned, everyone should play in both! Aren't Charlotte players lucky to have so much chess activity available!!?) I am sorry for your opinion of our location. I think I can confidently state that you are in the minority. I hope you reconsider and come to the club in the near future. Don't forget that in addition to our new tourney being FIDE rated, it is also a USCF Grand Prix with $600 in UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED prizes. And we have a great cross section of chess players showing up every week. The chess community needs players of your ability competing in this type of event. Don't let us down! Best Wishes, Gary (What "great cross section of players?" There are over 300 USCF members in the Charlotte area!? So far, other than my CCC guys, you have only tapped into a very small percentage of them. I think you are tooting your own horn a bit too quickly. The CCC now provides it's members with an excellent venue which far surpasses the QCCA's in almost every category. If another organization had as good a venue, I would be happy to participate. But, so far, that simply has not happened. I encourage everyone to participate on July 16, at the Seafarer! The Charlotte Chess Club is not Leland Fuerstman; it is the entire body of friendly members who socially participate in tournament competition. You are all my friends, and I respect you all simply because you are chessplayers. Free entry for you, Gary. Hope to see you there! Have a nice day, NM Leland Fuerstman)