4. Reports (Executive members and Officers please post your reports here)

[Lyle Craver]

4. Reports (Executive members and Officers please post your reports here)

SPECIAL REQUEST to Exec and Officers posting here - please title your report 4A, 4B, 4C etc as per the agenda

[Vladimir Drkulec]

I am honored to stand before you today as the President of the Chess Federation of Canada to deliver the President's Report for this year's Annual General Meeting. It has been an eventful year for our organization, marked by significant achievements and milestones that I am eager to share with you all.

I am thrilled to report that the Chess Federation of Canada has achieved remarkable growth. Our membership numbers have witnessed an astounding 60 percent year-over-year increase, a testament to the unwavering dedication of our members, our volunteers, organizers, our provincial counterparts across Canada, our coaches, and chess clubs. It also underscores the growing fervor for chess across Canada. An illuminating example of this passion was the recent Canadian Youth Chess Championship held in Calgary. This event boasted an impressive turnout, with approximately 450 participants, including 32 from the Windsor area—a fact that fills me with immense pride. It is worth noting that our numbers were somewhat constrained by venue capacity, and had we had more room in the playing hall, we might have seen an even greater turnout.

Another exciting development is that, after three challenging years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have successfully returned to profitability. Our net income stands at $17,000, demonstrating our commitment to sound financial management. Furthermore, we have allocated $15,000 towards a reserve for next year's Olympiad team, ensuring that our competitive edge remains sharp on the international stage.

I have had the privilege of representing our Federation at several significant events throughout the year. In November, I attended the Sport Tourism Canada conferences in Edmonton and then in June in Vancouver. These gatherings provided valuable insights into the intersection of sports and tourism, and I am confident that the knowledge gained will contribute to our future initiatives.

Our Federation has also been in the spotlight on various occasions. I have engaged in multiple interviews with the press, discussing topics ranging from Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux's remarkable victory at the under 18 world youth championship to the ongoing controversy involving Magnus Carlsen and Hans Neiman. Recently, I have been fielding calls from prominent media outlets, including CBC, regarding the FIDE ban on transgender women in women's competitions. These discussions underscore our commitment to inclusivity and fairness within the world of chess.

In addition, I had the privilege of participating in a panel at the esteemed Marshall Chess Club, where I joined the President of the U.S. Chess Federation and renowned expert Dr. Ken Regan to address the critical issue of cheating in chess. Such collaborations with our international counterparts reinforce our dedication to maintaining the integrity of the game.

None of these achievements would have been possible without the unwavering dedication of my fellow board members. I want to express my sincere appreciation to each of them:

Christina Tao, our Youth Coordinator
Victor Plotkin, our FIDE Representative
Olga Mushtaler, our Vice President
Oksana Golubeva, our Women's Coordinator
Fred McKim, our Treasurer
Lyle Craver, our Secretary
Patricia Gamliel and Mark Dutton, our Directors at Large


Also Bob Gillanders who keeps the CFC running as Executive Director.

Don Parakin who has everything to do with our website and even helping me to deliver the bids for the 2024 Canadian Open to the voting members.

Chris Mallon who keeps these forums running and has made some tweaks so that we can post large pdf's to the meeting going forward.

Ian Findlay our rating auditor.

Paul Leblanc who oversees the investment accounts of the CFC popularly described as the Foundation along with Ian Findlay, Micah Hughey and Roger Langen.

The members of the Kalev Pugi Committee Christina Tao, Michael Lo and Felix Dumont.

Members of the National Appeals Committee: Ilia Bluvshtein, Pierre Dénommée, Mark Dutton, Aris Marghetis (chair) until he had to step down for health reasons, Stephen Wright

Their commitment, passion, and tireless efforts have played a crucial role in our Federation's success, and I am grateful for the privilege of working alongside such an exceptional team.


In conclusion, the Chess Federation of Canada has had a year filled with growth, financial stability, and meaningful contributions to the chess community. I look forward to the exciting opportunities and challenges that lie ahead, and I am confident that with your continued support, we will continue to thrive.

Thank you, and I now invite any questions or discussions from our esteemed members.

[Aris Marghetis]

President's report

Hi Vlad, this might have been intentional, but your post was only a title (so far).

[Vladimir Drkulec]

Hi Vlad, this might have been intentional, but your post was only a title (so far).

It was intentional. I am entertaining a full house of family at the moment but will populate the post with my report when everyone goes to sleep tonight.

[Aris Marghetis]

It was intentional. I am entertaining a full house of family at the moment but will populate the post with my report when everyone goes to sleep tonight.

Good stuff, I hear you.

Regrets I harried you.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

Good stuff, I hear you.

Regrets I harried you.

Not a problem. In the past, I have made the Opening Remarks my report but didn't do so this year.

[ian findlay]

4J Rating Auditor

Most of the day to day business was just checking that some rating calculations were correct and Bob Gillanders was always a great help in these matters. A more serious concern is rating deflation. This was brought to my attention by Paul Leblanc with helpful discussion from Don Parakin and Fred McKim. Due to Covid and many players playing online, the CFC ratings have been going down the last few years. After much analysis, Paul Leblanc suggested an increase in bonus points and I agreed and submitted my recommendation to Vlad Drkulec. Just a bit later, FIDE also noticed this problem and I believe the CFC is waiting to see what action FIDE takes.

CFC ratings are still a 'normal' (i.e. a bell curve) distribution, which is good. I recognize people like to have higher ratings, but we also have to keep our ratings in line with FIDE and USCF, so that players are not punished in trying to win class prizes in big US tournaments with inflated ratings. I will continue to monitor the situation and make recommendations with help from people who understand ratings much better than myself.

Ian Findlay Rating Auditor

[Paul Leblanc]

4K Chess Foundation of Canada
As I am travelling this week and only just received the final figures for life memberships I will submit an abbreviated report. The final report will go to the CFC when I return to BC.
As of the end of the last fiscal year (30 April, 2023) total assets were $461,789 minus annual income payable to the CFC.
Income from investments was $15,713. Of this total $14,340 is allocated to CFC general expenses, $923 is allocated to the Pugi Fund for non-gender specified players and $450 is allocated to the Pugi Fund for female players.
Revenue from life memberships was $24,930.
Please keep the Chess Foundation of Canada in mind when doing your estate planning.

[Vladimir Drkulec]

4K Chess Foundation of Canada
As I am travelling this week and only just received the final figures for life memberships I will submit an abbreviated report. The final report will go to the CFC when I return to BC.
As of the end of the last fiscal year (30 April, 2023) total assets were $461,789 minus annual income payable to the CFC.
Income from investments was $15,713. Of this total $14,340 is allocated to CFC general expenses, $923 is allocated to the Pugi Fund for non-gender specified players and $450 is allocated to the Pugi Fund for female players.
Revenue from life memberships was $24,930.
Please keep the Chess Foundation of Canada in mind when doing your estate planning.

Thanks, Paul. You were previously asking about keeping funds in the foundation for this year and I think we can safely do so as we seem to be back to having surpluses. The payments really came in handy during the pandemic when we weren't bringing money in.

[Paul Leblanc]

Thank you Vlad. I will discuss the details with Bob regarding the life membership income, the Pugi fund obligations etc.