It helps to know that you’re not alone

Whatley Wanes at Webster, Pulls Through at Purdue
Web posted August 6, 2012

MERRIWETHER – In a hard-fought midwestern series, S.C. Chess Champion, Tori Whatley, suffered a few setbacks in a Missouri tournament and then battled fiercely for a trophy finish in Indiana. As an official invitee to the 9th Annual Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational, Tori Whatley walked across the stage at the Loretto Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University in St. Louis to accept her medal from the Susan Polgar Foundation.

The invitational tournament was played from July 22nd through July 27th, and was one of the most competitive Polgar tournaments in recent years. The tournament featured a blitz match, in which, she won 3.5 out of 7 games. In the main event, she scored 2 out of 6 games, with a round 5 mistake costing her the opportunity to match her Polgar series best of 3 points. “We left one on the table in round 5”, reported Merriwether Mavericks chess coach, David Whatley. “Tori was firmly in control of the game, but a miscalculation swung it in favor of her opponent”, he said.

Missouri’s Zoe Lemon took round 1 in an exhausting King’s Indian Defense (E61) that lasted for 67 moves. Another Missourian, Kendra Fee, fell to Whatley on her 38th move in round 2. Jiaying Cai from Maine won round 3 in 50 moves. Arizona’s Bria Castro would win the round 4 Reti Opening (A04) in 32 moves. The round 5, Pirc Classical (Two Knights) System (B08) went to Yvonne Ward of Utah. Tori faced Gisele Delgado of Texas for the final 6th round. Gisele played a valiant Reti, but came up short against the Palmetto state champion. Whatley gave all of her opponents a Frisbee with the South Carolina state flag printed on them.

Tori commented on how much she enjoys the strong field of female competition. “Not enough girls play chess, but when you come to the Polgar, you can see that there are many strong female players. It helps to know that you’re not alone, and I want to thank Susan for giving us the opportunity to play and for showing us that we can achieve anything we put our minds to.”

Tori’s first opponent in her 2008 Polgar debut, Michelle Ferrell from Oklahoma, flew in from Washington, D.C. to root for her younger sister, Hannah, who is the current Oklahoma champion. Upon sight of one another, Tori and Michelle jumped up for quick hugs and some catch-up conversation. “Their reunion embodies the spirit of this competition. When these girls leave here, they are friends for life”, said Mr. Whatley.

Before leaving St. Louis, the Whatleys visited the City Museum, the Gateway Arch, the World Chess Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Chess Club & Scholastic Center, where Tori was photographed with International Grandmaster Ben Finegold.

After an evening drive, the Whatleys arrived in West Lafayette, Indiana where Tori played the following day in the “Summer Knight” chess tournament, a five-round scholastic event, on the campus of Purdue University. She “galvanized” during the drive, according to her father. The determination resulted in her going 3 out of 5 against a sturdy field and securing the fifth place trophy.

Swinging back over to Springfield, Illinois, father and daughter spent a little time visiting one of Mr. Whatley’s former shipmates who was kind enough to take them on a tour of Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb. They also visited Mr. Lincoln’s Presidential Museum and the village of New Salem, where the 16th president resided for several years.

Tori and her dad, David, are looking forward to coaching the Merriwether Mavericks Scholastic Chess Club, which will celebrate its 10th year this coming school year. Tori’s sister, Mandy, serves as club secretary and coordinator, making the club a real family affair. The club is open to all Merriwether elementary and middle school students. Mr. Whatley’s association with national chess author, John Herron, will result in this years club being the first in the country to use “Total Chess - Learn, Teach and Play the Easy 1-2-3 Way” as its curriculum.

For more information you can send an email to Mr. Whatley at whatleydavid@bellsouth.net, or visit their Facebook page at Merriwether Mavericks Scholastic Chess Club to see more about the program. Mr. Whatley can also be reached at his home phone, 803-442-9060.

Source: http://www.edgefielddaily.com

Video from 2012 SPF Girls' Invitational at Webster University

2012 SP Foundation Girls' Invitational (9th annual) at Webster University in St. Louis, MO.

48 qualified and invited players represented their respective states to compete for more than $150,000 in scholarships and chess prizes.

Over 640 photos and full results here: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2012/07/photos-from-2012-spf-girls-invitational.html

Photos from 2012 SPF Girls' Invitational at Webster University

Over 640+ pictures from the 2012 SPF Girls' Invitational have been uploaded at high resolution. Here is the link to all the pictures so far.

https://picasaweb.google.com/116302832360230031699/SPGI2012

SPGI Blitz Championship Results: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2012/07/3-way-tie-for-1st-at-spgi-blitz.html

SPGI Puzzle Solving Championship Results: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2012/07/2012-spf-girls-invitational-puzzle.html

SPGI Parents and Friends Results: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2012/07/spgi-friends-and-family-championship.html

Main Event Final Standings

1	Alice Dong	W26	W12	D8	W9	W6	W2	5.5
2-4	Michelle Chen	W27	W20	W11	W7	W3	L1	5.0
2-4	Annastasia Wyzywany	W31	W15	W4	W5	L2	W12	5.0
2-4	Katherine Davis (top u/13)	W19	W17	L3	W22	W20	W11	5.0
5	Zoe Lemon	W37	W42	W23	L3	W7	D9	4.5
6	Margaret Hua	W18	W14	D9	D8	L1	W16	4.0
7	Rachel Ulrich	W28	W22	W10	L2	L5	W20	4.0
8	Anupama Rajendra	W36	W24	D1	D6	L11	W22	4.0
9	Taylor McCreary	W29	W16	D6	L1	W14	D5	4.0
10	Carissa Yip (top u/10)	W32	W35	L7	W15	L12	W27	4.0
11	Miranda Liu	W33	W25	L2	W24	W8	L4	4.0
12	Vanita Young	W38	L1	W26	W35	W10	L3	4.0
13	Maraani Kamphorst	H---	H---	H---	H---	H---	W44	3.5
14	Shayna Provine	W41	L6	W27	W25	L9	D19	3.5
15	Rebecca DeLand	W30	L3	W29	L10	W25	D21	3.5
16	Carmen Pemsler	W39	L9	D32	W41	W18	L6	3.5
17	Cassie Parent	W48	L4	W40	L20	D21	W32	3.5
18	Michaela Abernathy	L6	D41	W34	W23	L16	W33	3.5
19	Haley DeLuca Lowell	L4	W39	L25	W40	W35	D14	3.5
20	Joy Chen	W34	L2	W31	W17	L4	L7	3.0
21	Aiya Cancio	L42	L23	W46	W32	D17	D15	3.0
22	Amelia Wyzywany	W45	L7	W36	L4	W26	L8	3.0
23	Soumya Kulkarni	D46	W21	L5	L18	W38	D28	3.0
24	Lucy Cai	W43	L8	W37	L11	L27	W36	3.0
25	Mina Takahashi	W40	L11	W19	L14	L15	W38	3.0
26	Bria Castro	L1	W46	L12	W37	L22	W40	3.0
27	Hannah Farell	L2	W38	L14	W45	W24	L10	3.0
28	Varenya Chilukuri	L7	D34	L41	W46	W42	D23	3.0
29	Anjana Murali	L9	W45	L15	L38	W43	W35	3.0
30	Skylar Hsu	L15	L31	W48	L36	W45	W42	3.0
31	Diamond Abdus-Shakoor	L3	W30	L20	D42	L33	W43	2.5
32	Anna Sun	L10	W47	D16	L21	W41	L17	2.5
33	Collette Wright	L11	L40	D43	W34	W31	L18	2.5
34	Anne Ulrich	L20	D28	L18	L33	W39	W41	2.5
35	Abbey Gillett	W47	L10	W42	L12	L19	L29	2.0
36	Helen Lou	L8	W43	L22	W30	U---	L24	2.0
37	Tori Whatley	L5	W48	L24	L26	L40	W45	2.0
38	Iris Zhou	L12	L27	W39	W29	L23	L25	2.0
39	Tatiana Hoppens	L16	L19	L38	W47	L34	W46	2.0
40	Yvonne Ward	L25	W33	L17	L19	W37	L26	2.0
41	Jenny Gu	L14	D18	W28	L16	L32	L34	1.5
42	Amy Sun	W21	L5	L35	D31	L28	L30	1.5
43	Ananya Murali	L24	L36	D33	W48	L29	L31	1.5
44	Susanna Ulrich	U---	U---	U---	U---	W46	L13	1.0
45	Gisele Delgado	L22	L29	W47	L27	L30	L37	1.0
46	Austen Janna Borg	D23	L26	L21	L28	L44	L39	0.5
47	Mallory Fee	L35	L32	L45	L39	D48	U---	0.5
48	Kendra Fee	L17	L37	L30	L43	D47	U---	0.5

9th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girl’s Invitational (FREE rooms and meals for official qualifiers)

Rules and Conditions for the 9th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls' Invitational (SPGI)
July 22 – 27, 2012 at Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri)

Over $100,000 in chess scholarships, chess prizes, netbook computers, etc.

The annual Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, will be held at Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri). The opening ceremony will be at 1:00 PM on July 22. The format this year is similar to 2011.

• There will be a two (2) day intense world class training sessions with Susan Polgar and her team, followed by a 6 round (g/90+30) championship tournament.
• The traditional Blitz, Puzzle Solving, Bughouse events will stay the same as in previous years.
• There will be many chess prizes awarded, including scholarship(s) to Webster University.

Each state is allowed one representative to be nominated by June 1, 2012. Official representative alternates may be substituted no later than June 15. (Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee may allow the host state to enter an additional qualified player.) Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee 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 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 July 27th 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.

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.

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 July 27th of the year in which the tournament is held) is eligible!

Special invitation for this year only: All past participants of the SPNI and SPGI (Susan Polgar National Invitational/Susan Polgar Foundation Girls’ Invitational 2004-2011) are invited to participate in the 2012 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 ASAP since space is limited. There will be mutual training sessions for all, however separate section & prizes for alumni participants over the age of 19.

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

There is no entry fee to participate in the 2012 SPGI; however, players are responsible for their own travel. For all state representatives, and qualifiers from the SPNO or SPWO, Webster University will provide complimentary room and meal accommodation on campus.

For alumni participants, wild card/special invites, coaches, parents, or other family members, inexpensive accommodations are available for housing and dining on Webster’s campus. Please note that all reservations and registrations MUST be made (and accommodation expenses prepaid) no later than June 25, 2012.

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

Champion: Webster University scholarship (approximately $13,000 per year x 4 years) + netbook computer + Champion's Plaque / Trophy
2nd place: Webster University scholarship (approximately $13,000 per year x 4 years)
Top under 13: netbook computer
Top under 10: netbook computer

The scholarship must be exercised no later than the Fall of 2015.

The New Polgar Committee’s goal is to have all 50 states (including two representatives for California, two for Texas, and two for Missouri) 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.

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee 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 Nationwide Open for Girls (New Orleans) and the Susan Polgar World Open for Girls (Chicago).

The new SPGI Chairperson is Martha Underwood (AZ).

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 and other logistics on Webster’s campus, please send an email to michellenelson30@webster.edu

Contact info: Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com)

Michelle at Webster University michellenelson30@webster.edu 314-968-7468

The Susan Polgar Foundation can be contacted at 806-281-7424 or through info@PolgarFoundation.org.

Webster University is located at 470 E. Lockwood Avenue Webster Groves, MO 63119

BIG THANKS to President Dr. Beth Stroble and Webster University for hosting and sponsoring this very prestigious event for girls!

8th Annual Susan Polgar Girl's Invitational

Rules and Conditions for the 8th Annual Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational (SPGI)
July 24 – 29, 2011 at Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock, Texas

Over $120,000 in chess scholarships, chess prizes, netbook computers, etc.

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommitte@gmail.com) and its members may elect to award wild cards each year for the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational. If you feel that you may qualify for a wild card, please contact Susan Polgar (SusanPolgar@aol.com) or the Polgar Committee immediately.

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 24. The format this year is similar to 2010.

• There will be a three (3) day intense world class training sessions with Susan Polgar and her team, followed by a 6 round (g/60) championship tournament.
• The traditional Blitz, Puzzle Solving, Bughouse events will stay the same as in previous years.
• There will be many chess 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 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 July 29th 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.

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.

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 July 29th 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 2011 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 25, 2010.

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

Champion: $1,000 TTU scholarship (equivalent to nearly $40,000 for an out of state student) + netbook computer + Champion's Plaque / Trophy

2nd place: $1,000 TTU scholarship (equivalent to nearly $40,000 for an out of state student) + additional prizes

3rd place: $1,000 TTU scholarship (equivalent to nearly $40,000 for an out of state student) + additional prizes

Top under 13: netbook computer
Top under 10: netbook computer

The scholarship must be exercised no later than the Fall of 2013.

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 (PolgarCommitte@gmail.com).

Special invitation for this year only: All past participants of the SPNI and SPGI (Susan Polgar National Invitational/Susan Polgar Girls’ Invitational 2004-2010) are invited to participate in the 2011 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 ASAP since space is limited. There will be separate prizes for participants over the age of 19.

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommitte@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).

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

The new SPGI Chairperson is Martha Underwood (AZ).

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 or Peggy.Flores@ttu.edu.

8th Annual Susan Polgar Girl's Invitational

Rules and Conditions for the 8th Annual Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational (SPGI)
July 24 – 29, 2011 at Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock, Texas

Over $120,000 in chess scholarships, chess prizes, netbook computers, etc.

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 24. The format this year is similar to 2010.

• There will be a three (3) day intense world class training sessions with Susan Polgar and her team, followed by a 6 round (g/60) championship tournament.
• The traditional Blitz, Puzzle Solving, Bughouse events will stay the same as in previous years.
• There will be many chess 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 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 July 29th 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.

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.

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 July 29th 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 2011 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 25, 2010.

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

Champion: TTU scholarship (equivalent to nearly $40,000 for an out of state student) + netbook computer + Champion's Plaque / Trophy

2nd place: TTU scholarship (equivalent to nearly $40,000 for an out of state student) + additional prizes

3rd place: TTU scholarship (equivalent to nearly $40,000 for an out of state student) + additional prizes

Top under 13: netbook computer
Top under 10: netbook computer

The scholarship must be exercised no later than the Fall of 2013.

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 (PolgarCommitte@gmail.com).

Special invitation for this year only: All past participants of the SPNI and SPGI (Susan Polgar National Invitational/Susan Polgar Girls’ Invitational 2004-2010) are invited to participate in the 2011 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 ASAP since space is limited. There will be separate prizes for participants over the age of 19.

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommitte@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).

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

The new SPGI Chairperson is Martha Underwood (AZ).

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 or Peggy.Flores@ttu.edu.

Spreading the love of chess

Annastasia and Amelia Wyzywany, participants of the SP Girl's Invitational last year, started a scholastic chess club. The club began in September 2010. They club has had a steady stream of children joining. Currently the club has 26 members of which 7 are girls. Annastasia conducts most of the lessons while Amelia checks to see if students are understanding and need help one on one. Here is what Annastasia and Amelia wrote:

Amelia and I teach a chess club for kids. We have been teaching our chess club for one school year. We have 26 kids and seven of them are girls. Most of my teaching materials I use I learned from the SPGI and your website. All the girls love hearing about the SPGI and hope that they earn an invite someday.

Our four year old sister Alexandra plays chess at the chess club. The kids love to play her because they think it is cool a four year old can play chess. The first time we had chess club we brought our trophies. The kids liked the trophies and asked how they could win them. We told them they have to play and beat other kids in a tournament.

The kids love to come to the chess club, one of the Moms said that it is her son's favorite activity. My little brother Francis teaches the new kids how the pieces move. It is always fun to go and see the kids smiling faces and to teach them to play.

The kids love to hear about the tournaments and can't wait to play in a tournament. We will have our first tournament in March, the kids are excited to play in their first rated tournament.

Our goal is to teach the kids as much as we can. When I am teaching and no one will answer I say things like "come on, its free today". When it is a puzzle and they win a piece I say "bye bye sweetie pie". Both sayings I learned from my coach Mr. Angelito Abella.

When we started playing chess there were no kids in the local chess club. In our first tournament we had only adults to play. We started a chess club for kids so when other kids play in tournaments they would have kids to play instead of just adults, and have people to play at their level too. We also started the chess club to grow chess in our town. We also teach chess to kids of all ages at the Volunteers of America.

Annastasia and Amelia Wyzywany

A SPGI article by Bethany Carson

2010 Susan Polgar Girls Invitational
By Bethany G. Carson

Hello everyone! I had a wonderful time at the Susan Polgar Girls Invitational at Texas Tech. We had four and a half days of training from Susan Polgar and Paul Truong, and one and a half days of tournament play. What impressed me most about Susan Polgar was the sincere care, love, and gentle strictness which she displayed toward her class.

We had a great educational trip (or was it a tour of the mid-west?). We left for Texas on July 20th. We took a jog north to visit the Ice Cream Capital of the World in Le Mars, Iowa. Then, since neither Daniel, nor Charity, nor I had ever been to South Dakota, we crossed the border into that state. After about 20 miles we reached Nebraska. We spent that night at a Lewis and Clark campground on the banks of the Missouri.

The next day, we headed west! Our itinerary stated that we should visit the Nebraska capitol building in Lincoln. It was very impressive, and we looked over the city of Lincoln from the 14th floor. It was quite an interesting structure to visit.

We continued south, and finally crossed into Kansas. We visited an original Pony Express Station, now a museum, before heading to Glen Elder State Park. After a refreshing time swimming and wading in Waconda Lake, we ate dinner, and slept. We left early the next morning and saw the largest ball of sisal twine (in Cawker City). Then we visited an oil well drilling company in Hays. Our entertainment director (Charity) did a great job. Pretty soon we were at the World's Largest Hand Dug Well, in Greenfield, KS.

Next, we stopped at Clark State Fishing Lake, ate dinner, took a walk, and then decided to explore! Papa started the pickup and we headed around the lake. We saw beautiful cliffs, drove up and down steep hills in the truck's lowest gear, saw a rattlesnake, and finally arrived at the other side of the lake. Clark Lake is very beautiful, and it was a wonderful place to spend my birthday. I am so thankful to Jesus Christ for his grace which has seen me through these years (and miles).

The next morning we visited St. Jacob's well, and saw the buffalo which roam around it. We reached Oklahoma and ate lunch at a cafe in Gate, Oklahoma. There we enjoyed 3 hamburgers, a grilled cheese sandwich, 3 soda pops, and glass of water for about $27! (These were the most expensive hamburgers we have ever eaten!) I was surprised at how quickly the panhandle of Oklahoma can be driven through. We soon saw the Texas state line.

We arrived in Lubbock the next morning, and after some wandering, found the English building (where the opening ceremony was to be held), the impressive Texas Tech library (where we spent much of our free time), and the dining hall (where we enjoyed excellent service and a very good selection of foods on the lunch buffet the whole time we were at the SPGI). We spent the night at a very pleasant campground in Littlefield, Texas.

On the morning of July 25th, we left Littlefield, and spent time at the Texas Tech library. I am almost tempted to say that the library has more computers than it does books, but that is because I only visited the 1st floor. Many students study there, but we were mainly interested in chatting with my youngest sister and Mama, who were at home. We also played chess online, scheduled and played team league games, emailed friends, and watched movies.

We arrived at the opening ceremony early, but soon the other 41 girls and Susan Polgar entered the room. All of us girls were called to the first four rows, while parents, siblings, and coaches were permitted to watch from the other rows. My family and I are very thankful that Charity, my sister, was permitted to join the class as a special guest. We enjoyed the lesson about 10 Critical Rules of Chess, taught by Susan Polgar and Paul Truong.

Monday, we were divided into two classes according to rating. Classes were from 9:00-12:00 and from 1:30-4:30. My sister and I were in Paul Truong's class. He is a very good teacher, and I took a lot of notes and enjoyed the class. We participated in the puzzle solving championships. Charity and I each got 6 out of 10 correct. At 6:00 we played bughouse. My sister and I chose to be partners, and our team was the Carson Sisters. There were 5 rounds, and we scored 3 points. We played more bughouse with friends. Soon I had to hurry back to the Texas Tech library for my team league game which was scheduled for 8:00 p.m. I tried to use the information I had learned, and I didn't lose. However, probably due to my insufficient endgame knowledge, I drew. The game lasted just short of 3 hours, and we finally reached our campground at about midnight.

The next morning we had classes with Susan Polgar from 9:00-12:00 and from 1:30-4:30. I enjoyed Susan Polgar's class (and yes, I took a lot of notes). IM Gergely Antal stopped by to say hello to everyone, as he just finished his last exam at Texas Tech.

Wednesday we had a very good class with Susan Polgar from 10:00-12:00, and then a class with Paul Truong from 1:30-4:30. Some of the girls in our class were determined that somehow they could beat NM Paul Truong. So, Mr. Truong gave each girl who wished to play him 5 minutes on her clock, and gave himself 1 minute. He beat each one. While I waited, I exchanged math problems with Tori Whatley of South Carolina, and Charity and Rebecca Deland of New Mexico studied a game they had just finished. I was delighted when the time came to return to studying. That evening, the blitz championships were held. It was fun and a great warm-up for the G-30 tourney; Charity and I both finished 3.5 out of a possible 6.

Thursday we had a question and answer class before going outside to have pictures taken with Susan Polgar and the Masked Rider of Texas Tech. After lunch and a short opening ceremony, round 1 of the tournament started. Just as in the blitz tournament, I found myself facing Rebecca Lelko on board 2. We had an interesting game which ended in a draw. I played Mandy Lu in round 2. Although I reached the endgame in a drawn position, insufficient endgame knowledge again became my nemesis and resulted in a loss. I won my round 3 match against Mina Wang. After each round, Paul Truong or Susan Polgar gave me advice, showing Rebecca Lelko and I the critical position in our game, and telling Papa and me that I must study endgames. (I'm now reading Silman's Complete Endgame Course which they recommended--the most interesting chess book I've ever read.)

Friday was the final day of the tournament. I won my first two games and lost my third. Charity, however, who had gained only one point the day before, scored several upsets, and won every game. She finished the tournament a half point ahead of me and gained nearly 300 rating points. After the tournament there was an hour of spare time before the closing ceremony. Upon encouragement from classmates and permission from Paul Truong, Charity and I tuned our guitars and her violin and played a few songs for our classmates, Susan Polgar, and Paul Truong. The closing ceremony came all too soon after this wonderful week. Congratulations to Anu Bayar who won the event (puzzle solving, blitz, and G-30), and to Rebecca Lelko who won the G-30 tournament. Charity finished in 13th place, and I finished in 16th place. We bade farewell to our new friends and left for Iowa, arriving home after a safe trip during the early hours of August 1st. "Amazing grace...shall lead me home."

Thank you very much to Susan Polgar and Paul Truong for holding this event. I hope this tradition will continue for many years to come.

2010 SPGI Participants

Ratings	Last name	First
2099	Bayar	Anu
1855	Lelko	Rebecca
1790	Bykovtsev	Agata
1746	Jones	Julia
1731	Foley	Sayaka
1729	Aberhalden	Katie
1729	Ballom	Stephanie
1724	Liu	Rebekah
1697	McCreary	Taylor
1629	Wiener	Alexandra
1595	Lu	Mandy
1583	Conley	Brianna
1577	Bian	Victoria
1561	Devagharan	Devina
1530	Abella	Clarisa
1523	Wyzywany	Annastasia
1513	Ulrich	Rachel
1502	Provine	Shayna
1478	Nguyen	Emily
1476	Feng	Maggie
1421	Sarna	Kristen
1410	Wyzywany	Amelia
1346	Qureshi	Sadia
1316	Carson	Bethany
1254	Deland	Rebecca
1209	Lou	Helen
1155	Morris	Sydney
1151	Timofte	Alexandra
1120	Cancio	Aiya
1108	Wang	Minna
1107	James	Isabel
1085	Perez	Bernadette
1016	Qian	Crystal
1004	Whatley	Tori
918	Carson	Charity
899	Ulrich	Susie
890	Wong	Selena
785	Hasch	Emily
720	Wong	Estella
485	Lee	Jacinda
468	Lee	Anna
234	Cheng	Hannah

The 2010 Annual Susan Polgar Girls Invitational starts today

The 2010 Annual Susan Polgar Girls Invitational starts today
Posted: July 25, 2010 - 12:37am
http://lubbockonline.com

The seventh annual Susan Polgar Girls Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls chess championship in the United States, will commence today in Lubbock. This prominent national championship will take place over six days, through Friday, on the Texas Tech campus.

Each state can nominate one talented young female chess player, the top 18-year-old or younger from the state. Thousands of girls compete annually in local, state, regional, national and world events to earn the esteemed invitations. This year more than 40 participants from all across the United States are coming to town to do battle on the 64 squares. In addition to the championship, these fierce competitors will compete for chess prizes and scholarships.

Rules and Conditions for the Susan Polgar Girls Invitational (SPGI)

The annual Susan Polgar Girls Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, will be held at Texas Tech. The opening ceremony will be at 1 p.m. today. 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 six-round G/30 championship tournament.
• The traditional Blitz, Puzzle Solving and Bughouse events will stay the same as previous years.
• There will be many prizes awarded, including scholarship(s) to Texas Tech.

Each state is allowed one representative. Official representative alternates could be substituted no later than June 25. (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 could 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 could determine the candidate from that state.

Players must be under the age of 19 as of Aug. 15. Players must have been enrolled in a school (up to 12th grade) located in the state they represent, in which the tournament is held. Home-schooled students who are under the age of 19 on Aug. 15 or students who have never attended college on a full-time basis prior to June 1 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 Girls Invitational do not have to be high school students. Any qualifier under the age of 19 by Aug. 15 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 have been made (and accommodation expenses prepaid) no later than June 25.

Trophies / plaques will be awarded to the winners of the Susan Polgar Girls 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 Girls 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 if she/they meet the 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 Texas Tech (equivalent to over $36,000 for an out-of-state student). The scholarship must begin the following year (fall 2011). 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.

Special invitation for this year only

All past participants of the SPNI (Susan Polgar National Invitational 2004-09) 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 have been made no later than June 25, since space is limited.

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee and its members may elect to award wild cards each year for the Susan Polgar Girls 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).

Champions of the past six years are:

• 2009: Yang Dai (Virginia)
• 2008: Courtney Jamison (Texas)
• 2007: Julia Kerr (New York) and Eunice Rodriguez (Florida)
• 2006: Abby Marshall (Virginia)
• 2005: Anya Corke (California), Alisa Melekhina (Pennsylvania), Abby Marshall (Ohio)
• 2004: Roza Eynullayeva (Massachusetts)

Daily updates of this championship will be available at www.ChessDailyNews.com and www.TexasTechChess.blogspot.com. Spectators are welcome to attend the championship at the Rawls College of Business Rotunda at Texas Tech on Thursday from 1:30 to 5 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The closing ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m.

Players arriving for 2010 SPGI

The 2010 SP Girl's Invitational will officially take place tomorrow on the beautiful campus of Texas Tech University. I have been picking up players and their families from the airport since early this morning. The last one for the day will arrive at around 11:30 pm. The rest will arrive tomorrow morning.

This is the 7th year of the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States. This year, nearly 45 participants from across the country are taking part in this very special event. It will be a memorable week for girl's chess in America. Here are the champions from past years:

• 2009: Yang Dai (Virginia)
• 2008: Courtney Jamison (Texas)
• 2007: Julia Kerr (New York) and Eunice Rodriguez (Florida)
• 2006: Abby Marshall (Virginia)
• 2005: Anya Corke (California), Alisa Melekhina (Pennsylvania), Abby Marshall (Ohio)
• 2004: Roza Eynullayeva (Massachusetts)

SPGI 2010

The 2010 SP Girl's Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, will once again be held on the beautiful campus of Texas Tech University. Approximately 40 qualified participants have already confirmed with more to come.

http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2010/04/rules-and-conditions-for-2010-spgi.html

Here is the tentative schedule:

Sunday, July 25
1:00 pm: Opening Ceremony
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Start of training
Leisure Pool Hours: 5:00pm-7:00pm

Monday, July 26
9:00am – 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
9:00am – 12 pm: Morning Training
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Afternoon Training
Leisure Pool Hours: 5:30pm-9:00pm

Wednesday, July 28
9:00am – 12 pm: Morning Training
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Afternoon Training
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Blitz Championship

Thursday, July 29
9:00 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
9:00 am – 10:00 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

Breakfast 8:00am-9:00am
Lunch 12:00-1:30pm
Dinner 5:00pm-6:30pm

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