World Champion Anand: I decided to go to college

In a recent interview, Vishy Anand said:

After winning the world junior, I decided to go to college anyway (studying commerce). It's like an insurance policy. In fact, some of the best results were when I was in college.

I agree with Anand. I believe that it is very important to go to college, even if one believes that he / she will be a chess professional. Many top chess professionals do it. I also went to college (in Minsk) even though I later became a chess professional. I am glad I did and I am a strong advocate for college chess.

Rules and Conditions for the 2010 SPGI

Rules and Conditions for the 2010 Susan Polgar Girl's Invitational (SPGI)

Mikhail Botvinnik, one of the great world champions, said the following: "Chess is the art of analysis.” He also added: "Chess mastery essentially consists of analyzing chess positions accurately."

He is correct. It is very hard to improve properly if one does not know what or how to study / self evaluate. I was fortunate enough to learn chess the right way early on. With hard work over the years, I was able to win 4 separate World Championships, 10 Olympiad medals including 5 Gold, and stay in the top 3 in the world for around 25 years.

Over the past decade, I have closely followed the transition and progress of chess among female. Chess is getting as popular as ever among girls. Women in chess have made big progress since I became the first woman to earn the Grandmaster title through traditional FIDE requirement. But there is still a long way to go.

Can girls play chess as well as boys? Can women play chess as well as men? The answer is yes. So how come there are not more female at the top of the overall rating chart? I strongly believe that it is possible but they need proper training. Male and female approach chess differently. We evaluate things differently. We have very different perspective about chess. Unfortunately, many young female chess players were not taught properly. There is no one size fits all in chess teaching method for boys and girls.

That is why I developed an exclusive system to teach girls based on my own experience and knowledge in chess. This is also why I believe that it is crucial for me to change the format of this event. After 5 days of intense training, a whole new chess perspective on the board will open up for you and it will help raise your understanding of chess by many folds, no matter if you are 1200 or 2200.

There are many chess tournaments year round but this will be the only opportunity for the qualifiers this year. This event will revolutionize women's chess in this country for years to come and I hope you will be a part of this chess revolution.

Below are the updated rules and regulations for the 2010 SPGI:

Rules and Conditions for the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational (SPGI)
July 25 – 30, 2010 at Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock, Texas

The annual Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, will be held at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

The opening ceremony will be at 1:00 PM on July 25. There will be a brand new format this year.

• Instead of a six day tournament, there will be a five day intense world class training program with Susan Polgar, followed by a 6 round G/30 championship tournament.
• The traditional Blitz, Puzzle Solving, Bughouse events will stay the same as previous years.
• There will be many prizes awarded, including scholarship(s) to Texas Tech University.

Each state is allowed one representative. Official representative alternates may be substituted no later than June 15. (Susan Polgar and/or the new Polgar Committee may allow the host state to enter an additional qualified player.) Susan Polgar and/or the new Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.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 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 event is held or 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 already enrolled in college are not eligible to receive the scholarship. In such cases scholarship(s) go to the next tournament winner.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The participants of the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational 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 furnish the organizer an emergency phone number and the e-mail address of a parent/guardian.

There is no fee to participate in the 2010 SPGI; however, players are responsible for their own travel, room and meal expenses. If players choose to stay and/or dine on TTU’s campus, inexpensive accommodations are available. Please note that all reservations and registrations MUST be made (and accommodation expenses prepaid) no later than June 15, 2010.

Trophies / plaques will be awarded to the winners of the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational Puzzle Solving Championship, Blitz Championship, and the Rapid Championship. The player with the highest combined score in the Puzzle Solving, Blitz and Rapid will be crowned the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational Grand Champion. Co-champions are recognized in the case of a tie, with each champion receiving a Grand Champion’s Plaque or Trophy. The Grand Champion (or Co-Champions) will automatically be invited to defend her/their title (must meet age requirement).

The player with the highest combined score in the Puzzle Solving, Blitz and Rapid will also receive a $1,000 scholarship to attend TTU (equivalent to $36,000 for an out of state student). The scholarship must begin the following year. A one game playoff (G/5) will be held in the case of a tie for the TTU scholarship.

The New 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 as soon as possible (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com).

Special Invitation: All past participants of the SPNI (Susan Polgar National Invitational 2004-2009) are invited to participate in the 2010 SPGI. The idea is to have the past participants learn my method of training so they can go back home and share their knowledge with the younger players. However, registration MUST be made no later than June 15, 2010 since space is limited.

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com) and its members may elect to award wild cards each year for the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational.

Special qualifying events: The Polgar Committee will award automatic qualifying spots to the reigning winners in each section of the annual Susan Polgar National Open for Girls (Arizona) and the annual Susan Polgar World Open for Girls (Las Vegas).

Contact info: The Susan Polgar Foundation can be contacted at 806-742-7742 (phone) or through SusanPolgar@aol.com (email).

NOTICE TO ALL STATE OFFICIALS: Please send the nomination from your state to the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com).

For information and rates to stay and/or dine on TTU’s campus, please send an email to SusanPolgar@aol.com.

Daily tentative schedule (All players will have a chance to work together as well as separately based on ratings):

Sunday, July 25

1:00 pm: Opening Ceremony

1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Start of training

Monday, July 26

9 am – 12 pm: Morning Training

1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Afternoon Training

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Puzzle Solving Championship and Bughouse

Tuesday, July 27

9 am – 12 pm: Morning Training

1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Afternoon Training

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Blitz Championship

Wednesday, July 28

9 am – 12 pm: Morning Training

1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Afternoon Training

6:00 pm: Special fun activities (TBA)

Thursday, July 29

9 am – 12 pm: Morning Training

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm: Tournament round 1

2:45 pm – 3:45 pm: Tournament round 2

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Tournament round 3

6:00 pm: Special fun activities (TBA)

Friday, July 30

9 am – 10 am: Tournament round 4

10:15 am – 11:15 am: Tournament round 5

11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Tournament round 6

1:30 pm: Closing ceremony

The all new Susan Polgar Girl's Invitational

New format for the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls (SPNI)

The U.S.C.F. has decided to cancel the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, the most prestigious and most successful all-girls national championship in U.S. history. They also cancelled the U.S.C.F. Polgar Committee. Unfortunately, no one officially informed me of these decisions (not even as of today!) and I did not find out about their decisions until many months later through third parties.

This event has gained enormous support among the scholastic community as well as thousands of chess parents. Many young female chess players have benefited greatly from the SPNI.

When I started the U.S. Women’s Olympiad program and the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls back in 2003, the idea was to elevate women’s chess in the United States. We have done exactly that. The U.S Women’s Olympiad Team captured the first ever Olympiad medal in the 2004 Olympiad (Silver) and again in 2008 (Bronze). In fact, members of the 2004 U.S. Women’s Olympiad Training Program have won every U.S. Women’s Championship since:

• 2004 WGM Jennifer Shahade
• 2005 IM Rusa Goletiani
• 2006 IM Anna Zatonskih
• 2007 IM Irina Krush
• 2008 IM Anna Zatonskih
• 2009 IM Anna Zatonskih



The Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls also had similar unprecedented success. In the past six years, the SPNI has transformed girl’s chess in America. Thousands of girls from across the country competed in their local, regional, state, and national events to earn a special invitation. The pinnacle was in 2009 when Abby Marshall, two-time winner of the SPNI, won the Denker Tournament of High School Champions. She was the first girl in U.S. history to dominate and win this very strong event ahead of over 45 top rated boys.

No one can control what the U.S.C.F or its lifelong chess politicians would do. The only thing I could do is to listen to the hundreds of parents and scholastic supporters around the country who either wrote or contacted me about saving this event. They clearly want this special event for girls to continue.

After consulting with board members of the Susan Polgar Foundation and members of former USCF Polgar Committee, we have reached the following:

• We will combine the SPNI and SP All-Star program into one and make it even better and much more beneficial for these talented young ladies.
• The new event will take place on July 25-30 at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas
• Instead of a six day tournament, there will be a five day intense training program with me and a G/30 Championship tournament on day six.
• The traditional blitz, puzzle solving, bughouse events will stay the same.

The reason for this change is I would like to help raise the playing level of all girls. After looking back at the detailed statistics in the past six years, we came to the conclusion that some of the top girls have elevated their playing levels at a faster pace while the rest at a much slower one.

This intense training will be personally conducted by me and some of the top chess coaches. I will share with all of them my training secrets to help them improve dramatically. I hope to open up a whole new chess perspective on the board for these young talented ladies and raise their understanding of chess by many folds.

Just as the past SPNI, the qualifying procedure will remain nearly the same. It will be posted in the next day or so.

I would like to thank everyone for being so passionate about this issue and I will do my best to help the young players in this country. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions.

Best wishes,
Susan Polgar

The decision about the SP Invitational has been reached

The decision about the Susan Polgar Invitational has been made by the members of the Susan Polgar Foundation and former USCF Polgar Committee. The annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls will have a new and exciting format in 2010. I hope that the new event will revolutionize girl's chess in America and bring it to a whole new level. The details will be posted shortly.

Susan Polgar

Top Notch Book: Chess Tactics for Champions

Chess Tactics for Champions: A step-by-step guide to using tactics and combinations the Polgar way (Paperback)

Top notch book ~~"Chess Tactics for Champions: A step-by-step guide to using tactics and combinations the Polgar way"

Susan Polgar
Random House Puzzles & Games

Top notch book

Susan Polgar is a Grandmaster, winner of 4 Women's World Championships, a gender barrier breaker, a Chess Ambassador, and World Record Simul holder. Her sisters Judit and Sofia were trained by their father and his methods produced the strongest women players in history. So how does this benefit you?

If you are a beginner to intermediate player [Remember, chess is 99% tactics], so practicing all the puzzles over and over will improve your ability to see tactics and not drop pieces to them. I cannot recommend this book enough for those wanting to get serious about their chess.

This review was cited from Amazon.com.

This item was also found at:

http://polgarchess.com/products/books.php
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.ca
Amazon.fr
Amazon.de
Amazon.co.jp
Google Books

Incredible growth in college chess

In just two short years, Texas Tech University SPICE (Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence) has grown leaps and bounds. In our first full recruiting year, we have about 20 students, including 3 over 2500 FIDE.

In our second full recruiting year (fall 2010), this number will double to around 40. Students from all over the U.S. and around the world (India, Holland, China, Hungary, Azerbaijan, Israel, Canada, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Argentina, Russia, Uzbekistan, Lithuania, Romania, etc.) have either applied to Texas Tech or seriously inquired about various chess scholarships.

Some of them include IM Istvan Sipos (Hungary - 2492 FIDE), GM Elshan Moradiabadi (Iran - 2558 FIDE), FM Eric Hansen (Canada - 2415), GM Andre Diamant (Brazil - 2486 FIDE), WGM Xiaobing "Vivian" Gu (China - 2356), and a many more strong players.

Inquiries and discussions for chess scholarships have also begun for the fall of 2011, which include a number of GMs with FIDE ratings between 2600 and nearly 2700! In addition to chess scholarships, there are also many other types of scholarships. The key is to apply as early as possible since scholarships (chess and non-chess) are limited.

But SPICE is not just for IMs, GMs, or top rated players. We have many students with ratings of 1500-1600 up to expert level who enjoy an excellent education at Texas Tech University while having the opportunity to learn, play, and improve their chess. Many of our students are either on the Dean’s list or in the Honors’ College.

At Texas Tech, we work hard, play hard, and having fun doing it. The camaraderie level among players is high. Everyone is helping each other. There are many tournaments and fun events year round. There are plenty of community outreach programs and we interact very well with local organizations, government, and media. Because of this, we receive a lot of support from the area.

Chess fever is growing high at Texas Tech University and in Lubbock, Texas. If a program like this can be created from the ground up in just two short years, it can be duplicated in other places. In the past, I have worked very hard to promote and support scholastic chess, women's chess, chess for girls, chess in education, military chess, correspondence chess, internet chess, etc. College chess is now another part of my chess promoting effort.

The school was established in 1923. Today, Texas Tech University has more than 39,000 students and 18,000 faculty / staff from over 100 countries. The main campus in Lubbock, Texas has 30,049 students.

Texas Tech University comprised a vast 1,850 acres, but elegant Spanish Renaissance-style buildings and attractively landscaped grounds give the campus an old-fashion collegial feel. Located in Lubbock, Texas Tech enjoys the area’s High Plains climate and four distinct seasons.

Texas Tech offers students a choice of more than 150 bachelor’s, 100 master’s, and 50 doctoral programs. Faculty members are nationally known for their work in a wide variety of fields. It is the ONLY institution in Texas with a graduate school, a law school, and a medical school in the same location as the main undergraduate campus. Overall, there are 14 colleges at Texas Tech University with 62 academics departments and 198 degree programs. No other chess program can compare to this.

More than 400 clubs and organizations provide enrichment outside of the classroom.

Texas Tech also many other locations such as San Angelo, El Paso, Spain, and Germany, etc. It is expected to be designated as a tier one university soon.

Why should a student / chess player come to Texas Tech?

Here are just a few of the many benefits:

1. To receive top notch education.
2. To receive world class intense chess training.
3. To have the opportunity to compete in multiple major SPICE chess tournaments (SPICE Cup, SPICE Spring Invitational, Get Smart! Play Chess!, Lubbock Open, and many more) every year.

SPICE is a premier center for chess education, research, technology, and outreach.

The goal of SPICE is to:

- Recruit outstanding undergraduate and graduate students to TTU and TTU-HSC

- Provide a substantial amount of scholarships to chess players

- Be a world leader in promoting women's chess

- Support the nation's most elite chess programs

- Promote chess as vehicle for enriching the education of children

- Serve as a center for chess education and research

- Support and promote competitive chess at the college level

www.spice.ttu.edu

Sunday morning chess simul

Sunday morning chess simul with Tiger (Black), Boogie (Gold), and Quincy (White). Tiger opened with 1.d4, Boogie with 1.e4, and Quincy with 1. c4.

Boogie displayed bad sportsmanship by sticking his tongue out and made fun of Tiger for not playing the more aggressive 1.e4. As a penalty, Boogie lost his treat for not conducting himself at the highest level of professionalism :)

Quincy, on the other hand, always has a problem staying focus.

The final numbers

Final crosstable from TWIC:

1.	Becerra Rivero, Julio	g	USA	2538	*	½	½	½	0	1	1	1	1	1	6½	2651
2.	Antal, Gergely	m	HUN	2511	½	*	½	1	1	½	½	0	½	1	5½	2568
3.	Finegold, Benjamin	g	USA	2534	½	½	*	½	½	½	1	½	½	1	5½	2565
4.	Ippolito, Dean	m	USA	2466	½	0	½	*	½	½	1	½	½	1	5	2536
5.	Kuljasevic, Davorin	m	CRO	2552	1	0	½	½	*	1	0	1	½	0	4½	2483
6.	Papp, Gabor	m	HUN	2542	0	½	½	½	0	*	½	1	1	½	4½	2484
7.	Yang, Darwin	f	USA	2378	0	½	0	0	1	½	*	0	1	1	4	2460
8.	Krush, Irina	m	USA	2461	0	1	½	½	0	0	1	*	½	0	3½	2413
9.	Kraai, Jesse	g	USA	2508	0	½	½	½	½	0	0	½	*	½	3	2363
10.	Hansen, Eric	f	CAN	2415	0	0	0	0	1	½	0	1	½	*	3	2373

Here is the link to more than 460 pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/SPICEChess/SPICESpringSelect

Here is the link to many videos during the SPICE Spring Invitational: http://www.youtube.com/user/chessmarketing#p/u

Games can be download here: http://chess.co.uk/twic/chessnews/events/spice-spring-international-2010

Special thanks to Texas Tech and the Susan Polgar Foundation for sponsoring this event; the Texas Tech English Department for hosting the tournament; Dr. Hal Karlssson, Dr. Rich Rice, and Bill Snead for TD'ing; Brett James for running the LIVE coverage; MonRoi for all the technical assistance; DGT North America and Jeff Smith for the equipment; Lucia Barbato, Peggy Flores, and Jerry Perez for their assistance; Visit Lubbock, FOX TV, CBS TV, Avalanche Journal, Lubbock Chess Club, the Knight Raiders, Dr. Juan Munoz, Dr. Tibor Nagy, Dr. Sheryl Santos, and Cory Chander for their support...

The hunt for the elusive chess norm

The hunt for the elusive international grandmaster chess norm
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Story last updated at 3/21/2010 - 12:26 am

This week, Dr. Rich Rice and Dr. Hal Karlsson, are contributing to this column. Both are associate professors at Texas Tech and they are also assistant tournament directors at the 2010 SPICE Spring International Invitational.

Thousands of years ago, Native Americans hunted buffalo and bison on the southern High Plains. Today, a different hunt is taking place in the same region.

Ten chess players have come to Texas Tech to compete in the 2010 SPICE Spring Invitational. They hail from four different countries (USA, Canada, Hungary, Croatia) and six different states (Texas, New York, New Jersey, Missouri, California, Florida). Seven of these players are aiming for their international master or grandmaster chess norms: three for a final norm, two for a second norm, and two for a first norm.

The battle for cerebral fitness is taking place in the English department at a university. These chess players compete for the love of the game, for bragging rights, and for personal satisfaction as they hunt for that elusive chess norm.

Chess is the most popular game on the planet, with more than 45 million people playing chess in America and more than 700 million players worldwide. Millions of kids who learn and play chess each year in the states develop life skills that benefit them the rest of their lives.

As the popular saying goes, chess is easy to learn, but hard to master. The 10 players who are in Lubbock this week are working to master the game. They are some of the best chess players in their respective countries with some of the top chess ratings according to the United States Chess Federation and the World Chess Federation (FIDE).

The average FIDE rating at this tournament is 2490.5, which is equivalent to a category 10 event. A Grandmaster norm at this tournament is 6 points (out of nine games) and an International Master norm is 4 points (out of nine games).

Many online spectators have tried to predict who will earn their norms at this tournament. There are so many variables that impact each player's final tournament score.

At the time of this article, 13-year-old Texan Darwin Yang just defeated grandmaster Jesse Kraai to earn his first international master norm. Four players, including Texas Tech's own international master Gergely Antal, are still in contention for various norms. This certainly will be an exciting finish.

Chess is a game that requires mental toughness, physical fitness, strong nerves, diligent preparation, strenuous calculation, superb memory, pinpoint intuition and some plain old luck. Each player faces ups and downs during each grueling round. This is why chess is so challenging.

During this tournament, simultaneously at another tournament, one of the world's best players opened with a3, which is moving a pawn located on the side of the board rather than in the middle. This move is typically considered a beginner's mistake. His game was still going on in France while the players in Lubbock loaded up on coffee and tea discussing it before their next round.

Who will win the 2010 SPICE Spring Invitational? No one knows. Chess is live, varied, and exciting. After each game is completed, I, and others, deconstruct the language and nuances of each game. It is fitting we are doing so in the English department lounge, where words and phrases and books surround them. Analysis has shown missed checkmates, missed wins, and miracle comebacks.

Source: Avalanche Journal

World's chess warriors descend on Lubbock in fight for titles

World's chess warriors descend on Lubbock in fight for titles

Battle of Wits: World's chess warriors descend on Lubbock in fight for titles
By Matthew Mcgowan AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Story last updated at 3/20/2010 - 12:31 am

It all came down to silent blows on miniature battlefields.

Some of the world's top chess minds convened in a second floor room of Texas Tech's English building this week.

The thick and heavy silence almost betrayed the scale of the showdown.

In the motionless minutes between moves, the 10 chess wizards at five tables tunnelled their vision into the board. Some waited for their opponents to move by pacing the room, pausing to watch or consider other games.

On the surface, there's not much action here.

But look a little closer.

Each move carries with it surgical precision and intellectual moxie. The players' eyes said it all: This is no insouciant day of board games.
It's war.

They came to the tournament, the SPICE Spring Invitational, from four countries and seven states only after receiving a special invitation from Tech's Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence.

Now in its second year, the tournament brings some of the world's brightest chess stars together to battle for a better title. Each move is broadcast via Internet in real time to many thousands of enthusiasts across the planet.

"(The tournament) gives us visibility and recognition worldwide," Polgar said after Friday's final round. "It gives us visibility not only for the program, but also for the university."

Paul Truong, the institute's spokesman, said the invitational tournament caters to some of the younger, less-experienced players by giving them a chance to duel grandmasters. It is only through doing so that they can bump their own titles up - for instance, from the World Chess Federation's FIDE master title to international master, the level just below the highest distinction of grandmaster.

"This is more like a launching pad for the younger hopefuls who want to be a top-tier player," said Truong. "It's not about the (approximately $1,500) prize. It's about getting their title. That, for them, is way more valuable than just a paycheck from here."

This plight of the younger players makes for less cautious chess, he added.

"They really have to fight," Truong said. "It's just the fighting spirit, every game, grinding it out."

Among those at this year's tournament were grandmasters Julio Becerra of Miami, Ben Finegold of St. Louis and Jesse Kraai of San Francisco.

Becerra won after the tournament's nine rounds of play. Finegold tied for second with SPICE's own Gergely Antal, originally from Hungary.

The youngest among the players, 13-year-old phenomenon Darwin Yang sat across from renowned chess titans many times his age, holding his own, calculating his next move.

Now in his fifth year of playing, the seventh-grader from Plano hopes to soon earn the distinction of international master. He spent more than a week at the SPICE tournament going head-to-head against opponents of all types.

Intimidating?

No, he said. Not anymore.

"Now, it's just life," Yang shrugged. "Just business as usual."

Yang finished seventh at this week's nine-round tournament. He could have done better, he said.

"I'm going to go home and spend lots of time working on those (mistakes) so next time I can win the tournament," he said.

International master and two-time U.S. women's champion Irina Krush finished eighth. She, like Yang, was disappointed in her overall performance.

"I won my first game. I won my last game," the New York City native smiled. "I try to forget everything in between."

Becerra, the tournament's winner, said the tournament's competitors all had similar ratings going into the competitions. He appreciated the high level of competition and plans to return to Lubbock this fall for the institute's next major invitational.

"If they invite me, I'll be here for sure," he said. "I love to be here."

Source: Avalanche Journal

Chess drawing by Tori Whatley

Tori Whatley, former representative to the SPNI from South Carolina, did this chess drawing. She is also very involved in her local community to promote chess and bring chess into the schools. Well done Tori!