Weibel Chess

This sounds like good news for the Weibel Chess community, but sadly I do not think it will come to pass.  I just received an e-mail that Salman Azhar sent to the CalChess Board expressing his intent to resign from the Board and no longer run Bay Area Chess or work at scholastic tournaments.  Since there was nothing in the e-mail that said it was confidential, I am willing to share his words with you. He said: “i will be stepping down from my calchess board position in the thanksgiving meeting - I am also stepping down from Bayareachess as well and donating money to fund my replacement.” (sic – typos are his)

First, let me tell you that I did not receive the e-mail through any CalChess Board member.  Years back, during a period like this when I was not on the CalChess Board, the President of CalChess at that time cried about how I was getting copies of their “private” e-mails.  The President was convinced a Board member was leaking e-mails to me and was a traitor to the cause.  I received them, as I always have, because CalChess Board members pass them on to their friends and colleagues who do the same.  Well, sooner or later they get passed on to me.

Second, it sounds like good news because if I believed it were true it would mean that the Weibel parents’ vote to not attend any events Salman ran would be moot.

Third, if I were a  Texas Hold’em betting man I would place everything all in that Salman Azhar will not resign.  I guess he could resign and then rescind it because someone says he is needed.  Then there is another scenario that the Board could refuse his resignation.  He could then say he would accept the wisdom of their decision and stay on. Salman, in my sincere opinion, is the kind of individual who wants people to beg him to remain on so he can feel needed.  I have heard him make such empty promises to resign/quit/leave before and none of them have come to pass. Translation, do not get your hopes up. 

He wrote in his letter to the CalChess Board: “Please forgive me if there were any shortcomings in my work.”  I am sure the three Weibel families, who filed charges against his “any” short comings, are smiling.  I am also sure that they are wondering why he never had the courage to contact them to ask their forgiveness for his verbal attacks on their families and the whole Weibel team.  He continues: “I tried my best to run quality events with the highest integrity.”  Need I say anything about his integrity to those of you who attended the CalChess Grade Level last year?  For any of you who are new this year to the Weibel Team and want an account of what occurred you can read one at the bottom of the following linked page (post #235943): http://www.uschess.org/forums/viewtopic.php&f=24&t=17126

When Dr. Azhar finally leaves the scholastic chess scene, I will happily to write an epitaph detailing and praising his positive contributions to our community.  At the time, I will follow the old adage “to not speak ill of the dead.”