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Rules and Conditions for the Annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls (February 2009)
July 26 - 31 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 26. The closing ceremony will take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of the last game on July 31.
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.
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