Hi Leland,

I want to make a few final comments on this matter.

First, kudos to Ken Baxter and Randy Wheeless for their concise and informative contributions to this discussion.  Kens explanation of exactly what structure the NCCA has and why are precisely what we need posted conspicuously on the website.  People keep asking these questions because they dont know.  I have attended NCCA meetings for several years,  and I still wasnt clear on these things.

While no one has directly called me on it, let me apologize to Neil Harris, Randy Wheeless, and other previous NCCA Presidents I may have offended.  I tend to lay the hyperbole on a bit thick at times, and running wind sprints around previous administrations was a bit unfair.  Our progression forward at this point would not be possible without the significant contributions of many predecessors.   
Ken will be pleasantly surprised to know that plans are already underway to revive the NC Gambit.  Im not talking about idle chatter, but a serious effort headed by myself to get a modern version of the NC Gambit published. 

If Victor and Gary decide to make me the NC Gambit editor, I will work hard to deliver a modern version of this classic we all looked forward to years ago.  It would incorporate games, annotated games, anecdotes, photos, video, audio interviews, and historical data.  I will be beating down your doors to get these stories (electronically, not literally!).  For maximum promotional benefit, the NC Gambit should be emailed to members  not in its entirety, but with some of the major headlines linking to the website.  Promotion should be proactive; we cant just put something up and hope people come to the website.  We need to grab peoples attention, and shake them into a state of curiosity.

Intense research is underway on several NC Gambit stories, including Searching for (Bobby Fischer) Kit Crittenden,  and The Surprising Career of a FIDE Master.  I also want to work with Randy to get a biography, photo, and games for each and every NC Hall of Fame member.  I think the time has come to remove the under construction sign.  It would also be possible (and awesome) to link every NC Champion we can to a photo and games.  This would be a Herculean task which may never quite get finished, but it would be interesting to try.

Now to address a few points brought up by Leland.  Victor readily acknowledges that he has issues with grammar, and I will be working with him to refine the NC Grand Prix Details.  This will include more than grammar correction, but a more detailed explanation as well.  Leland made a good point about military and college students.  Such constructive criticism is always welcome, although I am not sure it needs to be debated in a public forum such as this.

To the point of not including weeknight tournaments may I add a few thoughts   weeknight tournaments by their nature are nearly impossible to pair properly.  Players in such events are often paired either way up or way down.  I like to participate in these competitions myself, but they are certainly not of the same caliber as larger events.  The decision to not include them was unanimous among those who participated in the discussions.  All apologies to Leland if he felt left out of these deliberations.

Regarding NCGP points, I dont see a problem with giving competitors in the TOP Section of a tournament a small edge over those in the next section down.  This will encourage Experts and Masters to participate regularly, which is good for NC Chess.  While this hasnt been adequately explained yet, there is a prize for <1800, and for <1600 as well.  More details should be forthcoming within the next day or two.

It is enlightening to look at the actual point tally after the first two NCGP tournaments.  Here are the top ten point leaders:

FM Andrey Chumachenko:         210
Mike Eberhardinger                      96
Patrick McCartney                       90
Kevin Chen                                  80
William T. Hales                          72
Gilbert Holmes                             72
NM Craig Jones                           60
Lt. Col Ambrous Jacobs               48
Chad Moody                                36
Dominique Myers                         20

The competition for 2^nd place is a free-for-all among a diverse group!  I love it!!  FM Chumachenko has a good lead for now, but this could evaporate quickly if he skips some tournaments, or if he doesnt play in LOTS, LPO, or NCO.  So while Victors formula may seem complicated, I maintain that is ingeniously fair and gives everyone a chance. 

To answer a direct question, it took Victor about five minutes to calculate the total for all of the players at The Asheboro Open 41.  The spreadsheet will soon be available to everyone; those with a modern understanding of computers and such should have no problem checking the figures for themselves. 

I stand by my previous point that the public crucifixion of Victor Beaman was unnecessary and premature.  At the very least, it was too harsh.  Im usually pretty good at sizing up people, and I think Victor is hard working, honest, and willing to learn from his mistakes.  He is also assembling a team around him to get the job done.  We need to give the man a chance.

As for me, I am far too busy to continue this debate.  I prefer instead to work behind the scenes to make the NCCA and NC Chess the best it can be.

Sincerely,
Tom Hales
************************************************************************  Tom: You explain yourself so well... That's why I recommended you! Keep up the great work which you continue to do for chess in North Carolina. LF