Massachusetts Chess Association

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

Wednesday, May 18, 2022, 7:30pm

Boylston Chess Club, 40 Norris St., Cambridge, MA and via Zoom

ATTENDEES: Andrew Hoy (President), Robert Messenger (Treasurer, Membership Secretary), Jeff Caruso (Clerk, Elections Chair), and Directors Paul Arond, Latanya Sweeney, and Yi Wang.  MACA member Dmitry Barash was also present, and Director Nicholas Sterling and MACA member Elsie Smits joined later.

CALLED TO ORDER at 7:34 p.m.

1. Minutes

MOTION (AH/LS): to approve the minutes of the April 6, 2022 Board meeting.  Passed 6-0.

2. Upcoming tournaments

Mr. Hoy led a review of upcoming tournaments. The Spiegel Cup Final takes place this weekend and the Hurvitz Cup Team Championship takes place in two weeks. Members discussed whether to require COVID-19 tests for attendees. The consensus was to send an e-mail strongly suggesting that anyone with symptoms should take a home test.

After some discussion there was a consensus that masks should be required for the Massachusetts Open, scheduled for Memorial Day weekend. 

3. Chess Leagues

We noted the formation of online chess leagues for high schools (mhscl.org) and the participation of a dozen or more Massachusetts teams in chess.com’s Collegiate Chess League.

4. New England Open

In light of increased costs, members discussed increasing the entry fee for the New England Open, to be held Labor Day weekend. Mr. Barash suggested to the Board that an unrated or scholastic section could be added. Discussion centered around a one-day tournament on Saturday, during the free day of the 2-day schedule of the NEO. The Tournament Committee will consider this further. 

5. Boylston Chess Club news

Mr. Hoy, who is also BCC President, announced that the Boylston Chess Club has agreed to purchase a location in Boston and expects to move there before the end of this year. The new location will have space for offices and for holding tournaments.

6. Continue hybrid meetings

The attendees discussed our experience with hybrid meetings (in-person with a Zoom option). The sense of the Board is that we should continue to hold Board meetings in this manner.

7. Elections

Mr. Caruso presented the Elections Commission report (appended).

8. Treasurer and Membership reports

Mr. Messenger presented the financial report for the 4th Spiegel Qualifier, and the monthly Membership report (appended).

9. Google Sheets – planning calendar

Mr. Hoy described the Google Sheets planning calendar, for which a link will be distributed, and encouraged organizers to use it. Mr. Messenger and others discussed scheduling several tournaments in the Fall.

Ms. Smits joined the meeting.

Mr. Sterling joined the meeting.

10. RSM Unrated tournament

Mr. Barash reported on the tournament for unrated players held at the Russian School of Mathematics on May 15.  This was a 4-round tournament directed by Mr. Barash, Ms. Smits and her daughter, and Mr. Igor Klempf. It was limited to 100 players though over 370 indicated interest in registering, which seems to demonstrate a high level of interest among new players for in-person chess.

11. Next meeting

Unanimous consent motion (AH): the next meeting will take place on June 15, 2022, at 7:30pm at the Boylston Chess Club, 40 Norris St., Cambridge, MA.  Passed without objection.

ADJOURNED at 9:12 pm.

Minutes written by Jeffrey Caruso, MACA Clerk

Report of the Elections Commission

May 18, 2022

Paper ballots were mailed out on April 28, and electronic voting was enabled on May 1, with online voters notified by email at that time.  So far, 4 paper ballots and 49 online ballots have been received.

One email ballot was undeliverable and instead a paper ballot was provided to the voter. One paper ballot was rejected by a receiving facility, and we are exploring alternative means to allow the voter to cast their vote.

Here is the remaining projected timeline:

May 27: voting deadline for online ballots 

May 27: voting deadline for mailed paper ballots 

May 28: voting deadline for paper ballots submitted by hand

May 28-30: publication of results

- Jeffrey Caruso, Chair of the Elections Commission