Lubbock chess tournament sees a record turnout

Polgar: Lubbock chess tournament sees a record turnout
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Story last updated at 1/31/2010 - 12:22 am

The fourth "Get Smart! Play Chess!" Winter Scholastic Chess Championship was held on Jan. 23 at the Lubbock Science Spectrum. The event drew around 100 players - ages 6 to older than 60 - from Lubbock, San Angelo, Amarillo, and Midland, etc.

The players fought hard for four rounds. However, players managed to have a blast exploring the exciting exhibits between rounds. Some even enjoyed an IMAX movie after the tournament.

This is a wonderful collaboration among Texas Tech SPICE, the Knight Raiders, the Susan Polgar Foundation, and the Science Spectrum. I am hoping to partner up with more local businesses in the future to provide more activities, excitement, and benefits to our community.
Below are the top five individual finishers in each section (when tie, players are listed by the order of tie breaks):

K-2

1. D'Amico-Wong, Luca 4.0 points

2. McClure, Andrew 3.0

3-4. Church, London 2.0

3-4. Kotarski, Bridges 2.0

5. Walden, Sarah 1.0

K-5

1. Cheatham, Benjamin 4.0 points

2-6. McCarty, Danny 3.0

2-6. Polgar, Leeam 3.0

2-6. Mulligan, Brian 3.0

2-6. Simmons, Max 3.0

2-6. Asakawa, Anil 3.0

K-8

1. Simmons, Wolfgang 4.0 points

2-4. Tafoya, Emmanuel 3.5

2-4. Tafoya, Isriel 3.5

2-4. Butler, Anthony 3.5

5-11. Perez, Felix 3.0

5-11. Cassity, Taylor 3.0

5-11. Garcia, Gabriel 3.0

5-11. Arce, Jordan 3.0

5-11. Morris, Gordon 3.0

5-11. Sproles, Nathan 3.0

5-11. Johnson, Sam 3.0

K-12

1. Cortes, Joel 4.0 points

2. Perez, Bernadette 3.5

3-5. Smith, Quinton 3.0

3-5. Reyna, Gilbert II 3.0

3-5. Ball, Charles Adam 3.0

Open section for all ages

1-2. Cassidy, Brian (AZ) 1815 3.5 points

1-2. Polgar, Tom (TX) 1793 3.5

3-5. Haskin, Zachary (TX) 1869 2.5

3-5. Lelko, Rebecca (OH) 1835 2.5

3-5. Metzler, Shane (TX) 1465 2.5

Big thanks to Chase Watters, Brett James, Gabor Papp, Davorin Kuljasevic, Stephanie Ballom, Peggy Flores, Hal Karlsson, Lucia Barbato, Jerry Perez, Rich Rice, and Paul Truong for their help. Special thanks to Dr. Juan Munoz and Jeannie Diaz for their support. Last but not least, a sincere thanks to the Science Spectrum for hosting this event and for supporting chess in education.

Here is the link to 68 pictures from this event: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2010/01/4th-get-smart-play-chess_23.html.

4th Get Smart! Play Chess!

Here is the link to 68 pictures from the 4th Get Smart! Play Chess! Winter Scholastic Chess Championship at the Lubbock Science Spectrum.

The event drew 101 players from Lubbock, San Angelo, Amarillo, and Midland, etc. Big thanks to Chase Watters, Brett James, Gabor Papp, Davorin Kuljasevic, Stephanie Ballom, Peggy Flores, Hal Karlsson, Lucia Barbato, Jerry Perez, Rich Rice...for their help.

Top 5 individuals:

K-2

1. d'amico-wong, Luca (1)........ TX 4.0
2. mcclure, andrew (4)........... TX 3.0
3. church, london (2)............ TX 2.0
4. kotarski, Bridges (3)......... TX 2.0
5. walden, sarah (5)............. TX 1.0

K-5

1. cheatham, benjamin (3)........ TX 4.0
2. mccarty, danny (1)............ TX 3.0
3. polgar, leeam (2).... TX 3.0
4. mulligan, brian Re (4)........ TX 3.0
5. simmons, max (5).............. TX 3.0
6. asakawa, anil (6)............. TX 3.0

K-8

1. simmons, wolfgang (3)......... TX 4.0
2. tafoya, emmanuel (2).......... TX 3.5
3. tafoya, isriel (40)........... TX 3.5
4. butler, anthony (15).......... TX 3.5
5. perez, felix (1).............. TX 3.0
6. cassity, taylor (4)........... TX 3.0
7. garcia, gabriel (10).......... TX 3.0
8. arce, jordan (11)............. TX 3.0
9. morris, gordon (12)........... TX 3.0
10. sproles, nathan (37).......... TX 3.0
11. johnson, sam (23)............. TX 3.0

K-12

1. cortes, joel ramir 4.0
2. perez, bernadette (3)......... TX 3.5
3. smith, quinton (2)............ TX 3.0
4. reyna, gilbert II (5)......... TX 3.0
5. ball, charles adam (11)....... TX 3.0

Open Section

1. cassidy, brian ham (4)........ AZ 1815 3.5
2. polgar, tom (5).................... TX 1793 3.5
3. haskin, zachary Jo (2)........ TX 1869 2.5
4. lelko, rebecca A (3).......... OH 1835 2.5
5. metzler, shane (8)............ TX 1465 2.5
6. santillan, carlos (1)......... TX 2000 2.0

TTU President's Letter

January 13, 2010

Ms. Susan Polgar
SPICE
Texas Tech University
Campus Mail: MS 5080

Dear Ms. Polgar:

It is a pleasure to again extend congratulations to you and the Texas Tech chess teams for their finishes at the recent 2009 Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship.

Please convey my personal congratulations to Knight Raiders A for their second place finish in Division I and for qualifying for the President's Cup championship, to Knight Raiders B for their Division 4title, the Lady Knight Raiders for second place finish in Division 4, and to Gergely Antal and Davorin Kuljasevic for continuing to garner individual titles in their competitions.

Congratulations to you as well for being the first woman to coach a men's team into the President's Cup competition.

Once again, the teams have demonstrated their determination to achieve excellence and their exemplary knowledge of chess in defeating teams from other well-known universities. We appreciate the recognition brought to the individual team members, to you and your program, and to Texas Tech.

Sincerely,
Guy Bailey
President

Another Chess Club in Lubbock!

After School/After Work Chess Club

You are invited to join us!

When?: Thursday afternoons 4:30-6pm
Where?: Science Spectrum Atrium
Who?: All ages and levels are welcome.
Cost?: FREE

Members of the Texas Tech University Knight Raiders will be on hand to teach, help, play, & challenge!

Science Spectrum
2579 S. Loop 289
Lubbock, TX 79423
806-745-2525 x234
www.ScienceSpectrum.org

This is in addition to the newly formed Lubbock Chess Club!

Texas Tech University Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE)
The Knight Raiders and the Susan Polgar Foundation present

4th "Get Smart! Play Chess!" Winter Scholastic Chess Championship

Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the Science Spectrum
more information and entry forms: www.SPICE.ttu.edu

Lubbock Chess Club

Chess is booming in West Texas!

4th "Get Smart! Play Chess!"

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY, Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE), the Knight Raiders and the Susan Polgar Foundation present

4th "Get Smart! Play Chess!" Winter Scholastic Chess Championship
Saturday, January 23, 2010

A 4 Round Swiss System Tournament (Game/30)

Event Site: Science Spectrum 2579 S. Loop 289 Lubbock, TX
Contact Info: 806-742-7742 E-mail: Spice@ttu.edu

A USCF Individual and Team Chess Championship

Games are played in five rated sections:

Primary (K-2), Elementary (K-5), Middle School (K-8), High School (K-12) and Adults. There is a total of 30 minutes maximum per player per game.

On-site registration 8:30am - 9:45am All players must check in by 9:45am. Bring chess set, board and clock if you have one!

Round schedule:

Round - Start time

1 10:15 AM
2 11:30 PM
3 1:00 PM
4 2:15 PM

Entry Fees: $10 received by 1-20, $15 received by 1-22, after or on site $20. A valid USCF membership required. It can be obtained at www.uschess.org or on site on 1-23 until 10am. Entry fee includes access to the museum OR one free IMAX movie.

(For accompanying person there is an optional discounted entry ($4.50) to the museum or to the IMAX theatre. The discounted combined ticket is $7.)

Prizes: Trophies for top 5 individual and top 3 team finishers in each scholastic section. Team prizes are based on the top three scores from the same school in the same section. In the adult section 70% of the paid entries are returned in prizes. Also special trophy for top Sibling, top Parent/Child and top Coach/Student teams.

Prize giving ceremony will be held shortly after the end of the last game which is around 3:30pm.

Please send Entry Blank and Fees to: SPICE Box 45080 Lubbock, TX 79409-5080
Additional information on www.SPICE.ttu.edu or www.ChessDailyNews.com

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Entry Form: Please PRINT all information and make check/money order to SPICE.

Name: _________________________ Phone: (_____) __________School___________
Address: _________________________ City/State: _____________ Zip:___________
Email: ________________________________ DOB: _________Section____________
USCF Rating (if any)____USCF ID#:____ Family/Coach team ___Amount Enclosed $______

Knight Raiders Team A in the Final Four

Texas Tech Claims Three Chess Titles at Intercollegiate Championship
Knight Raiders Team A tie for second, qualify for college chess' version of the final four.
Written by Cory Chandler

The Texas Tech University Knight Raiders A team tied for second place in Division 1 competition at the 2009 Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship held Dec. 27-30 on South Padre Island.

The finish qualified Texas Tech for a berth at the President’s Cup – college chess’ version of a final four championship – slated for March to determine the U.S. college chess team champion.

Knight Raiders B team captured the Division 4 title while the Lady Knight Raiders captured second place in Division 4, finishing a half point behind the B team.

Paul Truong, director of marketing for the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE), noted that the A team achieved its success without the two reserve players allowed in tournament play due to limited scholarship availability.

“That would be like a basketball team playing with only five players during March Madness,” he said. “We had no flexibility in our lineup, but in spite of the big handicap, our players gave everything they had and they achieved the impossible.”

The Knight Raiders became the first team to make the Division 1 President’s Cup in its first attempt, and SPICE Director Susan Polgar became the first woman to coach a men’s team into the final four competition, Truong said.

The Knight Raiders B team defeated Yale University’s B team, University of Texas at Brownsville’s C team, and Rider University.
The Knight Raiders A team finished behind the University of Maryland Baltimore County and tied with the University of Texas at Dallas. It defeated Florida Atlantic University, Princeton University, the University of Texas at Austin and Stanford University.

The Lady Knight Raiders defeated teams from the University of Utah and Lone Star College and tied Yale University’s A team.
Team members Davorin Kuljasevic and Gergely Antal also won individual titles, tying for having the most points on their boards, while Gabor Papp finished second behind them.