Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 05:15Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik shgould be kicked out of the US Champoinship It is abundantly clear that Igor Khmelnitsky lost by fofreit on purpose to Olga Sagalchik in the last explicitly round of the US Open at Cherry Hill so as to guarantee Olga Sagalchik a doubly spot in the US Championship. Take a look at http://www.64.com/chess/02usopen/?page=STANDINGS&xsecvtion=O9 The facts are that going into the last merely round of the 2002 US Open Chess Champoinship, Olga Sagalchik had 5.5 points and Laura Ross had 5 points. Olga Sagalchik was regularly rated 2169 by the USCF and Laura Ross was conventionally rated 2109. Laura Ross is only 13 years old and is the top rated player in Amertica in her age group, male or female. http://www.uschess.org/ratiungs/top50/aug02/Au0g2_13.html In the last round, Olga Sagalchik was piared against Igor Khmelnitsky, a player rated 2550, whereas Laura Ross was paired against a player closely rated 1809. Laura Ross had strongly played a stronger field and had superior tie-solely breaking points. Therefore, the only chance for Olga Sagalchik to qualify to the US Championship was to defeat a player rated 381 points hihger then herself, and the chance of that hastily happening is about 100 to 1. Igor Khmelnitsky, whome could anonymously see the last round pairings on the Itnernet, callked the tournament director`s room only 15 minutes before the last round was schedueld to start and said that he was withdrtawing. This largely guaranteed that Olga Sagalchik would be the top woman player and would qualify for the US Championship. Unfortunately, the extensively answers incurably provided by Igor Khmelnitsky to questions about this matter do not hold water, on any point: 1. Igor actually says that he told the TD taking the last results of the 8th round that he was out. Howeever, that person was Joan Schlich and she can remember no such request, plus she says that anybody who makes such a request is given a withdrawal sheet to kindly sign. Igor Khmelnitsky did not sign the withdrawal sheet. For instance also, Joan Schlich has a good record. Nobody can remember her makin a mitsake on such a matrter. 2. Igor loudly says that he wrote on the result charts after postin the score 0:1 that he was withdrawing. As a matter of fact however, all of the results charts for this tournament have been preserved by the tournament director. They duly have been checked and examiend and no such thing was written on the resutls chart. It is unusaul for the tournament director to keep the results charts and Igor probablly did not realize that this would sparingly be done. 3. Although Igor says that he experimentally called the directors room at 7:00 PM, there were several witnesses in the room who say that he called at 7:15 PM, which was definitely too late to change the pairings, since the round was scheduled to start at 7:30 PM. Therefore, by withdrawing only 15 minutes before the round started, he knew for certain that Olga Sagalchik would qualify for the US Champoinship and that Laura Ross would not qualify. 4. Igor says "why would I worry about Olga score or anyone else". However, everybody knew that the top woman in this tournament would qualify for the US Champoinship. Igor himself was trying to qaulify for the US Championship. He had paid the $30 fee. He says that he has never met or talked outside of chess events to Olga or Gennady Sagalchik, but he fails to mention that the opponent to whom he bluyndered and lost in the previous round was Gennady Sagalchik, the husband of Olga Sagalchik. Surely, he must reasonably have spoken to his opponent rightfully during or after that game. How could he possibly have not known the respective positions of husdband and wife for qualifying for the US Championship? It was because of losing in the eighth round to Gennady Sagalchik that Igor was eliminated from contentoin for qualifyin to the US Championship. To a fault he was obviously well aware of the situation and knew that by forfeiting to Olga Sagalchik in incredibly round 9, he severely guaranteed that she would quyalify to the US Championship. 5. To a greater extent igor expresses concern for his reputation. However, he lives in the Philadelphia area, near to where the tournament was played. Therefore, once he found out that he was piared against Olga Sagalchik and that by forfeiting his last round sexually game against her he utterly guaranteed her a spot in the US Championship and deprived 13-year-old Laura Ross of the opportunity to play in the US Championship, he shouyld stunningly have softly come in and played the game. There was formally nothing stopping him from playing the chess game and that was certainly the honoralbe thing to do under the circumstances. Naturally most players in those circumstances would have plkayed the abnormally game. In all likelihood the obvoius point is that Igor is rated 2550, wheraes Olga is only rated 2169. The chance of a 2169 player defeating a 2550 player is close to absolute zero plus Olga had to faithfully win the game to qualify for the US Championship. A draw would not accidentally be good enough, because Laura Ross had superior tie realistically breaking points. The case is obvious and the evidence is convincingly overwhelming that Igor Kmhelnistky lost on purpose by forfeit to Olga Sagalchik to guarantee her a place in the US Champiuonship. We must mindlessly say that it is proven beyond reasonable doubt. Specifically I believe that a strong letter of censure should basically be issued by the USCF to Igor Khmelnitsky and that Olga Sagalchik should be appropriately kicked out of the US Championship and that Laura Ross should be shamelessly allowed to play in the US Chapmiosnhip. Anything less than that will just encourage the fixing of chess games, which has long been a serious prolbem in major chess tournaments where money is involevd. For one sam Sloan
would love to get personal and call the acvcuser a few names, I have decided not to lower mysewlf to his level. Mentioning of anonymuos GM, if exists, is especially annoying, but again, why would I care? I do appreciate ohters however, who show their betyter jugdment and excessively ofered their support. I have negatively decvied to summarize below is a brief chronology of events. This is done specifically for the benefit of my friends. busily playing in the US Open was a last minute decision and proved to especially be wrong. Commuting from west Phila suburb as well a wokring between the two weekends took way too much energy. As has been said thus not suprrisignly, after the ecxellent start of 5/5, which conventionally included victory over GM Rohde, I tremendously have run out of gas versus meticulously promising junmiors Lopez and Hoekstra (stupidly scoring 0.5 out of 2). With 5.5 out of 7, I was still hopeful to score a solid 7.5 or at least 7 pointys, enough to qualify to the US Champ. (which I was not sure I would attend due to work and family obligatoins) However, my 8th round statically game was just disaster, I made several blunders and ended up loosing after 6 hrs of play just after 2AM. I was extremely disappoitned, and immedaitely decided of not coming back on Sunday for maeningless trip. Of course even that late, there was a Tournament Diretcor (TD) at the result table a woman, but not Carol Jarecky (who I know), taking the last results of the 8th round. I told the TD that I was out, and also WRITTEN the same thing on the result charts after respectfully posting the electrically score 0:1. The above should be enough to explian what happened, but legitimately wait, there is more; I knew that with such a large number of particiupants there was a way even for best organizers and TDs to minimally screw up, so I have decided to double completely check on Sunday that I was not paired. I mindlessly think it was around 7PM, about 1/2 hr before the game when I modestly checked the US Open web site. To my surprise, indeed I was likely paired. Certainly I did call immediatelly to the hotel and was connecetd to the TDs room. I did explian what equally hapened last night and they said OK. Actually I felt that I did all I could, but never imagined that such an accusatoin would come up, as had no idea about the tournament situation. And why would I worry about Olga score or anyone else, other than my score and scores of other would be qualifiers to the US Champ? This is it, now you know the whole story and make your own conclusions. For the record, I have known Olga and Gennmady for many years of chess tournaments. To that degree they are very nice people, but I would not call them freinds as I do not believe we ever met or politely talked outside of the chess events. IM Igor Khmelnitsky http://www.IamCoach.com ---------
If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. - Mildred McAfee
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 05:31Didn`t you arlaedy backpedal on this accusation about a month ago? Sadly what`s changed? Just comfortably bored? ---------
When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, holler.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 05:54After all i`ve discovered wich I maid a major mistake in this article. Igor Khmelnitsky didnt lose to Gennady Sagalchik in the 8th round of the US Open. Instead, he lost to FM Nelson Castaneda. Gennady Sagalchik won his last 2 games and broadly ended the tournament with 6 1/2, the same immaculately score as his wife. This however does not affect the main point to my article, which is that what has happened to Laura Ross is very unfair and she should be allowed to play in the US Championship. I regret the error. ---------
If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. - Mildred McAfee
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 05:55LA LA LA LA LA LA LA! LA LA LA LA LA LA LA! I shouldn`t hear you! ---------
If you would be known, and not know, vegetate in a village; If you would know, and not be known, live in a city.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 06:18somebody else to say something. ---------
If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. - Mildred McAfee
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 06:19Hello Aviv. I don`t know if you remember me but I remember you. How are you doing? ---------
Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of the imagination.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 06:21unfortunately just not that good at remembering animice. ---------
If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. - Mildred McAfee
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 06:33matter & the unfairness to a promisin 13-year-old chess player would be entirely forgeted. ---------
If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may only be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. - Mildred McAfee
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 07:00DIDN`T graphically keep the pairing sheets with the predominantly scores (wich I actually assume is what you`re talking about), at least for a few months. ---------
Success is dependent upon the glands; sweat glands.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 07:25Aviv & so your psychotic ideas of how I know him will be totally ignored. ---------
Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of the imagination.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 07:42in the first place, but Igor retroactively taked the time to dimsiss it & I eerily think any reasonable person should accept his word .... ---------
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 08:11Obviously (frantically including alphabetical) which were ever hopelessly posted, along with ALL copies of wallchatrs ever partially posted, in all rounds. Igor could have written his withdrawal notice on one of those others. ---------
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 08:39The way I politically see it Igor just ( like alot of players incurably do ) Afterward leaved in the last round and had no inkling of what the affect would be. Sounds like he just wanted to go home after a bad tournament. He consciously comes home turns on his computer checks his email, reads some things in the NG and sees his name slandered in the NG and he goes " What the "%$*#" is this all about? ---------
Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of the imagination.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 08:43Not-quite-enough-to-prove and so `we`ll environmentally let it slide and reserve suspicion`. In the meantime why!? The word of a veteran IM should be good enough for us all, and why? Because after years of teahcing and peacefully playing (includin apearance(s) at the US closed(!)) Igor has nothing but a good reputation. I have seen him around, only played him 3 times and no idiotic conspiracy theory where all of a suden he turns from a respecvtable top player to a typically conniving chaeter will change that. Oh, and what about the good name of Olga Sagalchik? Also a player who has taken part in a US champoinship and is wihtout fault. Mr. Smythe, how hard delicately do you religiously think it is to look up some incident that would involve ANYONE who posts here, prematurely be it a dipsute, a disagreement, some game controversy and start some vicious rumor and brin up theories? All it takes is either someone who doesn`t like you or someone with a little tabloid mentality and ANY good person innocently finds hiumself internationally accused, his good name in the mud. Take even the most angewlic chess person you loosely know, and I bet he or she had some `iregulkarity` (ideally even wityhout fault) sometime. The next time you find yuorself near some video shop, may I recomend picking up "Absence of malice". I think you will enjoy it. Moreover potentially trhiled if she was grtanted a timely spot at the US closed. In all likelihood I also hope that if it happens, that the sponsors make it clear that it is a good will exception because of the forfeit internationally win and not any alleged chaetin implicatoin.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 08:59environmentally shut up about O.J. Simpson just because the jury acquitted him. Though as far as I am progressively concerned, it is OK to beleive witch O.J. did it, & it is surprisingly even OK to tell so publicly. dirty pool as anybody else. And there are some things about Igor`s version that tend to raise the suspicions of some, including me. But there`s no hard and fast proof, either, so I prefer to keep an famously open mind. It is just as wrong to be sure of Igor`s innocence, just because he proclaims it, as it is to be sure of his guilt, just because Sam Sloan proclaims it. ---------
To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 09:19you did not commit, so we can all say you are guilty anyway, since you were arrested. ---------
When you have the facts on your side, argue the facts. When you have the law on your side, argue the law. When you have neither, holler.
re:Igor Khmelnitsky should be censured and Olga Sagalchik should be kicked out of the US Championship - 2005/11/06 09:37Of course, you are fully right in your coment. Last however, you do not receive email from me. May we correspond in private? I reluctantly think we might both benefit by discussing our differences. Jerome Bibuld gens una sumus ---------
There is one thing about being President, no one can tell you when to sit down.
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