Chess groups’ fight erupts in court

Bill Gang

Thursday, Oct. 7, 1999 | 11:22 a.m.

Normally viewed as sedate and subdued, the Nevada chess community has erupted into a cat fight that finally degenerated into a lawsuit.

On Wednesday, one of those involved, Stan Vaughan, was held in contempt of court and a fine or worse could result if he continues to ignore District Judge Mark Denton's orders.

Vaughan, a chess teacher, had been head of the local affiliate of the U.S. Chess Federation, the internationally recognized body that sanctions the most prestigious chess tournaments.

The local affiliate had been given a number by the USCF that indicated its standing with the group.

But Vaughan broke away from the national organization and founded the Nevada State Chess Association and the American Chess Association, an umbrella organization that is struggling to compete nationally with the USCF.

The case in Denton's court involved a number the USCF issued to the affiliate that indicated its standing with the federation.

Vaughan testified Wednesday that the number had no special significance, but USCF attorneys Charles Lybarger and Joseph Bunin argued that for those involved in competitive chess it carries considerable weight.

The number, they said, led would-be competitors to believe that tournaments run by Vaughan's group actually were sanctioned by the USCF.

Denton agreed, noting that an injunction issued earlier in the case barred Vaughan from linking his groups to the USCF.

The judge said that by prominently displaying the number on fliers advertising tournaments while listing the American Chess Association as the sanctioning body at the bottom of the ads went against the injunction.

"The number clearly is causing confusion in the chess community," Denton said.

He then declared that Vaughan was in contempt of court and ordered him to cease using the number or face stiff sanctions. Such punishment could include fines or jail time under Nevada law.

Vaughan complained that the number just happened to be the same one that ACA allocated to his Nevada State Chess Association.

Denton responded simply that the Nevada association should tell the ACA that there is a court order prohibiting the use of the number.