What to expect at the SPNI

2008 Annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls
July 27 - August 1 at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas

All games will be played at the beautiful Frazier Alumni Pavilion. Players who choose to stay on campus will be at Gordon Hall which is about 2-3 minutes (walking) to the playing hall. It is also right near (a few minutes walking) a major street (University) with many restaurants and shops. All players will have access to the Rec Center at Texas Tech University (swimming, tennis, basketball, etc.)

Click http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-to-expect-at-spni.html to see the pictures of Gordon Hall, Frazier Pavilion and the Rec Center.

Rules and conditions can be found here: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2008/06/rules-and-conditions-for-spni.html

Some available community amenities at Gordon Hall include: Kitchens, dining areas, ping pong tables, laundry facilities, plasma TV, wireless Internet (in community areas inside Gordon Hall or bring your own ethernet cables for room Internet access), etc. Each room has its own bathroom and living room area. Sheets, pillow cases, towels, soaps, etc. will be provided. Please feel free to bring your own additional personal items as you wish.

For parents who rent cars, the rate for parking on campus will be a little more than $5 for the entire tournament. Parking pass can be obtained at check in at Gordon Hall. Meal tickets (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) are available for parents, coaches and other family members at $22 per person per day (buffet style and include drinks). Please let Mr. Dewain Barber (amchesseq@aol.com) know in advance if you wish to take advantage of the meal discount tickets.

Revised Rules and Conditions for the SPNI

Rules and Conditions for the Annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls (June 2008)

July 27 - August 1 at Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock, Texas

The annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, will be held at the Frazier Pavilion at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Starting time of each round will be at 1:30 P.M., except for round 1 and 6. Round 1 will be at 3:00 PM and round 6 will be at 10 AM., and the time control is 90 minutes for the entire game with 30 seconds increment added per move. This is the approved FIDE time control. Pre-tournament registration is required.

The open ceremony will be at 1:30 PM on July 27. The closing ceremony will take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of the last game on August 1.

Each state is allowed one representative. Official representative alternates may be substituted no later than June 1. (If there are an odd number of entrants in the tournament, Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee Chairperson may allow the host state to enter an additional qualified player.) Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee Chairperson (Mr. Dewain Barber amchesseq@aol.com) may allow exceptions to the June 1 entry/alternate deadline. Should the state affiliate fail to respond to the notice for this tournament, Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee Chairperson and/or USCF may determine the candidate from that state.

Players must be under the age of 19 as of August 15th of the year in which the tournament is held. Players must have been enrolled in a school (up to 12th grade) located in the state they represent, also of the year in which the tournament is held. Home-schooled students who are under the age of 19 on August 15th of the year in which the tournament is held, students who have never attended college on a full time basis prior to June 1 of the year in which the tournament is held, are eligible to represent the state in which they reside. Proof of eligibility will be the responsibility of the players and of the state official certifying the representative and alternate.

Exception: If a player graduates from high school early and is already attending college, she may still represent her state if nominated. This is the decision of each state affiliate. Players attending college already may not win the scholarship. In such cases scholarship(s) go to the next tournament winner.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Unlike the Denker Tournament of High School Champions, the participants of the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls DO NOT have to be high school students. Any qualifier under the age of 19 (by August 15th of the year in which the tournament is held) is eligible!

Players are required to play in and complete all six rounds of the tournament. Failure to do so, without permission of the Tournament Director, results in a forfeiture of games and expense monies.

Players are required to furnish the Tournament Director with a legible and complete score sheet.

Players are required to furnish the Tournament Director an emergency phone number and the e-mail address of a parent/guardian.

Players are responsible for their own travel and hotel expenses.

If players choose to stay on TTU’s campus, players who complete the tournament will receive free accommodation (based on double occupancy; small, additional fees for single rooms or to share with family members may occur) on campus at Texas Tech University. In addition, all participants will receive free meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 6 days = 18 meals per player). Both are being provided by TTU Provost Office, SPICE and the Susan Polgar Foundation.

The prize fund, sponsored by the Susan Polgar Foundation and the U.S. Chess Trust, are $1,250 divided into four scholarship prizes: 1st ($500), 2nd ($300), 3rd ($250), and 4th ($200). These prizes are paid to the players directly by the U.S. Chess Trust and the Susan Polgar Foundation, but only upon receipt of proof of enrollment in a college, university, trade, community, or technical school.

In addition, a $500 Ursula Foster scholarship is also awarded to the highest finisher under the age of 14. The scholarship is divided in the case of a tie.

The winner of the tournament is crowned the Susan Polgar National Invitational Champion. Co-champions are recognized in the case of a tie, with each champion receiving a Champion’s Plaque or Trophy.

Texas Tech University agrees to award a four-year academic scholarship (to attend TTU) to the highest finishing player who has not graduated from high school by August. The scholarship must begin the following year. Tie-break calculations will be used in the case of a tie for the TTU scholarship, in the following order:

a. Modified Median
b. Solkoff
c. Cumulative
d. Cumulative of Opposition.

The Polgar Committee’s goal is to have all 50 states (including two representatives for California and two for Texas) and the District of Columbia represented. We strongly encourage each state and the District of Columbia affiliate to hold a scholastic championship tournament to determine each state’s champion and representative. Failing this, rating criteria may be acceptable.

A scholastic girls’ champion or the highest rated girls’ scholastic player in a state who has no state affiliate of the USCF should contact the Polgar Committee Chairman. The Chairman, currently, is Mr. Dewain Barber (amchesseq@aol.com).

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee Chairman (Mr. Dewain Barber amchesseq@aol.com) and its members may elect to award 2 or more wild cards each year for the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls.

Additional Optional Events:

a. Susan Polgar National Invitational Blitz Championship for Girls
b. Susan Polgar National Invitational Puzzle Solving Contest for Girls
c. Susan Polgar National Invitational Chess Training Program for Girls

These events are open to all participants and alumni of the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls.

The Polgar Committee will also award three automatic qualifying spots at the 2009 SuperNationals Chess Championship to the top finishing girl in the open division of the elementary (K-6), of the junior high (K-9), and of the high school (K-12) sections. Further, the Polgar Committee will award automatic qualifying spots to the reigning winners in each section of the annual Susan Polgar National Open Championship for Girls, the annual Susan Polgar World Open Championship for Girls, and all current qualifiers of the Susan Polgar All-Star Girl’s Chess Team (must meet age requirement).

Contact info: The Susan Polgar Foundation can be contacted at 806-742-7742 (phone) or through PolgarFoundation@aol.com (email).
NOTICE TO ALL STATE OFFICIALS: Please send the nomination from your state to Mr. Dewain Barber (amchesseq@aol.com), Chairperson of the Polgar Committee.

http://SusanPolgarFoundation.org - http://polgargirls.blogspot.com - http://SusanPolgar.blogspot.com

Huge sponsorship deal by Texas Tech University

Last year, Texas Tech University generously agreed to host the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, for the next 10 years and award a four-year academic scholarship for the winner each year to attend TTU. That is nearly an $800,000 sponsorship package.

After the announcement was made, Texas Tech made the sponsorship even better by offering free accommodation for players (based on double occupancy; small, additional fees for single rooms or to share with family members may occur) who choose to stay on TTU’s campus and complete the tournament.

This morning, the Provost Office announced an unprecedented offer to complete the incredible sponsorship package. All participants will receive free meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 6 days = 18 meals per player) on campus for the entire tournament! Parents, coaches, or siblings who want to join their players will only pay $22 per day for all three meals (buffet style).

This brings the total sponsorship for the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls for the next 10 years to over $1 million!

Big big big thanks to Provost Dr. William Marcy, Vice-Provost Dr. Jim Brink, Peggy Flores, and everyone else who made this possible! Other than Dr. Karlsson, Dr. Marcy and Dr. Brink is the biggest reason why my family and I chose to come to Texas Tech. They fully understand the importance of chess and education, research, and outreach and they are the men behind the creation of SPICE. This one of a kind world-class institute would not exist without their full commitment and support.

I was asked why SPICE and TTU do not offer the same support for the Denker event. The same generous sponsorship offer was made for the Denker Tournament of HS Champions. The USCF, lead by USCF President Bill Goichberg and his supporters, rejected the sponsorship offer by Texas Tech University.

Chess: It’s a GIRL thing!

CHESS Summer Camp
July 21-24, 2008 • For Girls K-12
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

Sign-up to learn chess from former women's world champion Susan Polgar and her team.

Beginner to advanced welcomed. Campers also learn writing and computer skills.

Residential plan includes additional activities.

Commuter Plan: $125

Check-in 7/21 6:30 PM. Camp is 7-9 PM 7/21, and 9 AM-3 PM daily 7/22-7/24. Ends 3 PM on 7/24.
Lunch included; all ages.

Residential Plan: $315

Arrive 7/21 from 1-4 PM. Lodging and all meals including dinner on 7/21 through lunch on 7/24.
Ends 3 PM on 7/24. Girls entering grades 5-12 only.

See http://www.SPICE.ttu.edu, e-mail SPICE@ttu.edu, or call (806) 742-7742.

Chess: It’s a GIRL thing!

I like to win

Fremont girl is a chess star at age 7
Carl Steward
Bay Area News Group columnist
Article Created: 06/18/2008 06:28:56 PM PDT

FREMONT — Alisha Chawla isn't much for dolls, but she loves the children's book, "A Little Princess," and adores the queen.

How fitting for Fremont's 7-year-old little princess of chess, the highest-rated female player for her age in Northern California, who is rapidly becoming one of the best in the country.

Alisha is adorable. She's sweet and petite. Like most 7-year-olds, she's precocious at times and shy at others. For her first newspaper interview, she pretty much stuck to one-word answers and required frequent eye-glance reassurance from her mother.

But on a chess board, particularly wielding her favorite piece — the queen — Little Miss Chawla quickly transforms into a tiger. She moves the pieces authoritatively and thumps them hard onto the board wherever she places them. It's intimidating, even for an adult sports columnist who challenged her to a game.

"I like to win," Alisha said with an innocent but confident smile.

A large shelf in her room proves that she's already won a lot. It's loaded with trophies, and she quickly removed her piano recital and softball trophies to display just the ones she's accumulated playing chess — 22 by her count. It looked like more.

One of the largest trophies in Alisha's growing collection came less than two weeks ago, when she tied for first in her age group at the Las Vegas International Chess Festival, winning four of five games.

Her achievement landed her a spot in the prestigious Susan Polgar National Invitational For Girls at Texas Tech in July, an event that will bring together the country's top young female players.

Click here to read the full article.