SPICE in Texas gets U.S. out of chess backwater

SANDS: SPICE in Texas gets U.S. out of chess backwater
By David R. Sands
The Washington Times
Tuesday, November 1, 2011

We can claim the Super Bowl, the World Series and three of golf’s four “majors,” and we have played host to eight Olympics. But when it comes to staging big-time chess events, the U.S. is something of a backwater.

The 1995 Kasparov-Anand match at New York's World Trade Center was the first world championship played on American soil in 88 years. The most storied U.S. tournaments - Cambridge Springs 1904, New York 1924, New York 1927, Santa Monica 1966 - occurred decades ago. On the topographical chess atlas of the world, obscure burgs such as Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands; Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia; and Linares, Spain, tower over New York and Los Angeles.

So for patriotic reasons if nothing else, it’s nice to report on the fifth annual SPICE Cup, staged last month in Lubbock, Texas, by Texas Tech University and the Susan Polgar Foundation. The strongest of the three round-robin invitationals there had an average rating of 2656 and docked in as a Category 17 event.

In the hard-fought Group A event, rising Vietnamese star GM Le Quang Liem justified his 2710 top rating by eking out a victory over Cuban GM Leinier Dominguez Perez and German GM Georg Meier. Israeli GM Anatoly Bykhovsky and Italian IMRoberto Mogranzini shared top honors in Group B, and popular U.S. GM Ben Finegold finished alone in first in Group C.

Liem needed a last-round victory over Dominguez Perez, who beat him in the first half of the tournament, to secure first place. He pulled it off - just barely.

Full article here.

SPICE Cup 2011 in progress

SPICE Cup 2011 is in progress

Tuesday, 18 October 2011 16:20 www.FIDE.com

The 5th annual SPICE Cup, the highest rated international RR invitational tournament in U.S. history, is currently ongoing in Lubbock, Texas. The 2011 SPICE Cup A group takes place on October 15-25. The B and C groups take place on October 15-19. The FIDE Amateur Rated Open will take place on October 21-23. All sections are being held on the beautiful campus of Texas Tech University. Official website Live games with computer analysis Group A round 3 standings: 1. GM Le Quang Liem 2717 (VIE) - 2.5 2. GM L. Dominguez 2710 (CUB) - 2.0 3-4. GM Yury Shulman 2608 (USA) and GM Ray Robson 2583 (USA) -1.5 5. GM Georg Meier 2648 (GER) (Texas Tech Student) - 1.0 6. GM Sebastien Feller 2668 (FRA) - 0.5 Group B round 5 standings: 1. GM Anatoly Bykhovsky ISR 2521 - 4.0 2. IM Roberto Mogranzini 2439 ITA - 3.5 3-5. IM Mackenzie Molner 2453, IM Darwin Yang 2439 and IM Enrico Sevillano 2490 - 3.0 6. GM Denes Boros 2508 HUN (Texas Tech Student) - 2.5 7-8. IM Marc Arnold 2505 and GM Mesgen Amanov 2541 TKM - 2.0 9-10. IM Lev Milman 2452 and IM Dean Ippolito 2477 - 1.0 Group C round 5 standings: 1. GM Ben Finegold 2489 - 4.0 2. GM Joshua Friedel 2518 - 3.5 3. IM Levon Altounian 2429 - 3.0 4-7. GM Eugene Perelshteyn 2534, GM Andre Diamant 2505 BRA (Texas Tech Student), IM John Bartholomew 2440 and IM Vitaly Neimer 2373 ISR (Texas Tech Student) - 2.5 8-10. FM Kayden Troff 2306, SM Faik Aleskerov 2316 AZE (Texas Tech Student) and SM Matthew Herman 2414 - 1.5

Teach them Math, Science, and Chess

Maybe Teach Them Math, Science and Chess
By JAMES WARREN
New York Times
Published: October 15, 2011

The 120 elementary school children sat so quietly and intently that you might have assumed this was a mass detention period.

But it was chess, not confinement, in an Oak Brook hotel ballroom on Columbus Day. And the lessons learned might assist school leaders everywhere, including those attempting a systemwide resuscitation for Rahm Emanuel, Chicago’s very disciplined, if impatient, mayor.

“My dream is to get in front of education decision makers and convince them to make chess part of the curriculum for K through second grade,” said Susan Polgar, the star of the show. “That’s when thinking patterns and habits are formed. It should be mandatory, like physical education.”

Ms. Polgar, 42, was a Hungarian chess prodigy taught by her psychologist father after she stumbled on chess pieces in a closet at home. At age 4, she stunned Budapest by winning the 11-and-under category in the city championships, sitting on phone books and pillows to reach across the board.

She was the first woman to become a grandmaster and the first to qualify, in 1996, for what was still known as the Men’s World Championship. She was one of the three highest-ranked female players for more than two decades, traveling the world and winding up fluent in seven languages.

I’d made my way to the Susan Polgar Foundation’s World Open Championship for Boys and Girls with an ulterior motive: to explore why boys dominate every class or tournament to which chess-ignorant me has taken my 7-year-old son.

“It’s interesting,” said Ms. Polgar. “Socially, I think, they’re not supported enough, so in general girls drop out of chess by fourth and fifth grades,” she said as 5-to-9-year-olds competed nearby.

When she was a girl, “it was very much ingrained that women were not able to play,” Ms. Polgar said. “A lot of experts and elite players believed that we were not physically able to do it, our brain was not big enough or that we couldn’t keep quiet long enough.”

She became an advocate for girls, especially through the Susan Polgar Foundation, which she founded while living in New York. She’s now in Lubbock, Tex., with her husband and their two children, where she runs the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence at Texas Tech University.

The foundation supports chess for boys and girls, but especially girls, and sponsors events nationwide. The institute lures young players, with the university offering scholarships and excelling in college tournaments.

Ms. Polgar’s mantra is that chess teaches discipline, analytical thinking, time management, focus and patience — skills that can be useful throughout life. She cites countries, like Armenia, where chess is either a mandatory part of school curriculums, especially in the early elementary years, or strongly encouraged.

It cuts across socioeconomic divides, exemplified by impressive performances of high-poverty students in Brownsville, Tex., who have whipped privileged Manhattan rivals — “kids who get individual lessons from grandmasters,” she said — and shown how “a boost in self-confidence can change lives.”

Indeed, there is no shortage of hedge fund managers and corporate leaders who are chess players, some of whom link the habits of mind learned at chess with their success. As we fret about China’s economic success, we might note that it’s a growing chess force, including four female world champions in 20 years.

Last week’s tournament in Oak Brook brought children from all over the country; perhaps 70 percent were boys. Many of the children were Asian-Americans, including Ashley Ceohas, 6, of Wilmette, the child of a Chinese-American mother who smilingly swore to me that she was “not a Tiger mom!” as her daughter segued from a chess match to drawing a crowd as she played a nearby piano beautifully.

“She’s aware of there being more boy players,” said her mother, Yijia Ceohas. “But we tell her anything boys can do, girls can do better. And she knows that Susan Polgar’s dad said geniuses are not born but made through hard work.”

My investigation into the gender divide led me to Shiva Maharaj, a private investor who teaches the game throughout the Chicago area, including a free Saturday morning session that my son has attended at the Edgebrook Library on the Northwest Side.

Mr. Maharaj had students competing in Oak Brook and cited an American Girl mentality of parents, referring to the store that sells high-priced dolls and accessories. He sees the parents succumbing to cultural stereotypes of daughters being pretty rather than intellectually empowered.

I’ve watched him teach diverse groups of children, mostly boys, and effectively insist they sit up straight, concentrate, take time to assess problems critically and learn to deal with losing. He offers seemingly creative solutions to challenges faced on the board.

On the heels of the impressive inaugural Chicago Ideas Week, here’s a free idea for its energetic, ambitious promoters: a panel next year on “American Education: Should We Make a Move to Chess?”

Source: http://www.nytimes.com

Big National Chess Day Celebration on October 8th!

Big National Chess Day Celebration on October 8th! There will be many additional surprise events during the tournament!

The 2011 SP World Open for Boys and Girls has moved from Las Vegas (in June 2011) to Chicago (in October 2011) per the request of many parents and coaches. I expect this event will be bigger and better than ever! I would like to thank the organizer of the LV Chess Festival for hosting this event in previous years. The North American Chess Association will be the new host this year.

Susan Polgar World Open for Boys and Girls 2011
October 7 – 10, 2011
Doubletree Hotel – Oakbrook, IL

Over $100,000 in Chess Prizes and Scholarships

Register Online Now

7R Swiss System; 8 sections: (K-3), (4-5), (6-8), (9-12)

Time Controls:	(K-3) G/30 + 5/sec delay (4-5) G/45 + 5/sec delay (6-8) G/45 + 5/sec delay (9-12) G/60 + 5/sec delay
Round Times:	(K-3) Sat/Sun 11am, 1pm, 3pm; Mon 10am (4-5) Sat/Sun 11am, 1:30pm, 4pm; Mon 10am (6-8) Sat/Sun 11am, 1:30pm, 4pm; Mon 10am (9-12) Sat/Sun 11am, 2pm, 5pm; Mon 10am
Side Events:	Bughouse – Friday 7:30pm Puzzle Solving – Saturday 7:30pm Blitz – Sunday 7:30pm

Ongoing Side Event: Walk-in simul presented by the Chicago Blaze US Chess League team. Done with your game or waiting for your child to finish? Take on a member of the Chicago Blaze between the hours of 12pm and 6pm!

Additional side events to be listed closer to event date. Please check the tournament website for more details.

All equipment will be provided (boards, sets, clocks). Organizer provided equipment must be used. Equipment will be on discounted sale upon tournament completion for school clubs and parents to purchase.

Cajun Chess will be equipment vendor onsite.

All 4th – 12th grade participants who are not a current member of the US Chess Federation will receive a 1-year free membership (no magazine option) included with their tournament entry fee.

All (K-12) participants will receive a free 1-year membership to ChessKid.com (a $49.95 value!)

Prizes
(Boys and Girls – All sections)

All 4th – 12th grade participants who are not a current member of the US Chess Federation will receive a 1-year free membership (no magazine option) included with their tournament entry fee.

All (K-12) participants will receive a free 1-year membership to ChessKid.com (a $49.95 value!)

1st place: Netbook Computer
2nd place: $250 in Chess Prizes
3rd place: $175 in Chess Prizes
4th place: $100 in Chess Prizes

1st place in 9-12 to receive scholarship to Texas Tech University!

Trophies to top 15 individuals
Trophies to top 4 school teams*
Trophies to top 4 club teams*

Certificate of Participation for all players

Tournament Fees

$45 post-marked by 8/27/2011
$50 post-marked by 9/10/2011
$55 post-marked by 9/24/2011
$60 thereafter and onsite

Side events are each $15 mailed in with entry or $20 on-site

Register Online Now

Payments to be mailed to (payable):

North American Chess Association
4957 Oakton Street Suite 113
Skokie, IL 60077

Questions: sevan@nachess.org
or call 847.423.8626
Mention Polgar Tournament in your message

* Top 4 player scores count toward school team prizes; school team trophies awarded in each section; Top 4 player scores count towards club team prizes; club team trophies awarded overall (not based on sections).

Doubletree Hotel – 1909 Spring Road – Oakbrook, IL 60523 – 630.472.6000 $79 room rate; must call hotel directly and ask for North American Chess rate.

Checkmating Hardship

SPICE Checkmates Hardship
August 4, 2011

The Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence Invitational was a life-changing event for two young women.

Written by Melanie Hess

At Texas Tech, chess represents more than a challenging game and checkered board.

For two young women who visited Texas Tech last week to participate in the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE) Invitational, it was a life-changing event. Meet Dyhemia Young and Vanita Young.

Dyhemia, age 15, has spent most of her life in the California foster care system. She was selected as a wild-card invitee by Susan Polgar. The SPICE invitational was Dyhemia’s first officially rated tournament. Vanita, a 17-year-old who lost both of her parents by her early teens, currently lives in Pennsylvania with her grandparents. Vanita beat out 600 other young women in her state to win a spot at the Polgar invitational.

But there was one problem. In the few weeks leading up to the invitational, neither girl was in a position to pay for travel expenses.

SPICE and many other generous donors, namely Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith and Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, helped sponsor the two young ladies, and at the end of the competition, Dyhemia and Vanita were awarded out-of-state scholarships worth up to $40,000 to attend Texas Tech once they graduate high school.

Dyhemia and Vanita, who are not related, recently shared their experiences of their time at Texas Tech with Texas Tech Today.

Q & A:

How did you feel when you found out you had been invited?

Dyhemia: It’s been really exciting. I was just, wow. That’s all I could say. “Wow! For real? Really?”

Vanita: I was definitely more excited than nervous. Since I was top at state, I had a big head for a while. I thought I could beat anybody, but when weeks turned into days, I got nervous.

How did you feel about the support you received from so many people?

D: When they asked me that question before, I nearly started crying. When I started talking about Susan, I never, ever, ever thought I was going to meet her in person. And then I met her, and now I’m teary-eyed because I’ve been here all week, and now I’m fixing to leave. I have learned so much.

How was your time with Susan Polgar?

D: I’d always heard of her. People spoke very highly of her, and then when I met her when we got off the plane, we talked. She gave me a ride all the way to the dorm and showed me around. She gave me some gifts, and I got so emotional I nearly cried. Well, I did cry. I was so emotional today. I think I cried about four different times for just about ten minutes straight. I’ve really enjoyed my time being here.

Again, I’m speechless. Susan, I think you know I am very thankful and happy to have you in my life. Oh my gosh, I’m going to have tears again, but Susan has done a lot for me while I’ve been here, and I am most definitely going to keep in touch with her when I do leave. I think so highly of her.

V: You would not believe the first time I saw her. I was at middle school nationals in Fort Worth and I was in the elevator with her. I was running late, and I didn’t know who she was at the time. I was in eighth grade. Then later people were talking about her and I asked, “Who’s Susan Polgar?” and they said, “top female,” and they showed me her and I was like, “Wait, I was on the elevator with her!”

What kind of training did you receive last week?

D: My class was kind of like Vanita’s, but she’s a higher level. We mainly focused on puzzle solving and basically making sure you know the main key things when you open, making sure you know your openings and key pieces, making sure each move you do is either to attack, or you’re defending. Then we played against each other in class using the tactics and notations. I had to learn notations. I don’t use them well, but I do know how to notate now.

It was like a 180-degree turn around from when I got here. My first game, it was like I was playing blitz. For real, I got down to the end and had to resign because the girl didn’t want to draw, and I knew I was going to lose. Then my second game was way better. I was down a bishop. I could have won if I had a bishop, but it was a good game. I gave the girl a run for her money. The game I played after that, I won. And the one I just played, I lost. But I had the girl show me the moves that I made that I should have not done. Luckily, she was my friend, so she was able to show me.

V: We had a lot of training this week. They were three-hour classes each, four classes altogether. We did a lot of analyzing, deep analyzing, and imagining things in your head without looking at the board. It was fun.

What was your favorite experience about last week?

D: I finally won a game! Oh, and I have my face on my own chess board. It’s my face on the board, and it says Dyhemia Young Cinderella! It has a list of all the people that helped me get here.

V: Meeting female chess players and working with top chess players. Susan and her husband have been amazing this week. I’ve learned so much from them in thinking steps ahead in my game. You know, when he said the tactic of visualize the pawn? I’d never thought of looking at the board like that, so I definitely learned something new.

What are your plans after high school?

D: Oh yeah. I’m going to college, I am going to college!

At first I didn’t know anything about Texas Tech, so I couldn’t really give an answer of whether I wanted to come here or not, but now I’ve read the brochure and spent some time here. I will always keep Texas Tech in mind, especially since I know I’d be on the same campus as Susan. I know if I needed anything, I could just call her and be like, “Susan, can you please come to my dorm? I need help!”

V: I definitely plan on going to college. I wouldn’t mind going to Texas Tech because I want to be in computer science as a computer engineer, and I want to be part of Susan’s chess team.

Polgar on Dyhemia and Vanita

Polgar said both girls represent hope for many other young women in difficult situations.

Speaking specifically about Dyhemia’s story, Polgar said last week’s experience was not only life changing for Dyhemia, but for many others.

“I think Dyhemia is a very special girl. The way I look at it is that she’s just one of the many Cinderella potentials, and her story can inspire thousands of other girls in difficult situations that they are in. It can become hope and encouragement.”

Source: http://today.ttu.edu

Rules and Conditions for the 2010 SPGI

Rules and Conditions for the 2010 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

http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2010/04/all-new-susan-polgar-girls-invitational.html

2010 Lubbock Open

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

present

3rd Annual Lubbock Open Chess Championship

Saturday, March 27, 2010
A 4 Round Swiss System Tournament (Game/30)

Event Site: Monterey High School “New Box”, Lubbock, TX

Contact Info: 806-742-7742 E-mail: Spice@ttu.edu

Description of Tournament: A USCF rated Individual Championship

Games are played in one section. There is a total of 30 minutes maximum per player per game.

On-site registration and check in 9am-10:00am. All players must check in by 10:15am.

Round schedule:

1 10:30 AM
2 11:45 AM
3 1:15 PM
4 2:30 PM

Entry Fees: $15 received by 3/14; $20 received by 3/26, or on site $25. A valid USCF membership required. It can be obtained at www.uschess.org or onsite on 3/27 until 10am.

Prizes: Cash prizes: $100 (plus trophy)-$75-$40, Top U-1600, Top U-1200, Top Unrated $40 each. All cash prizes are based on a minimum of 20 paid entries. Prize giving ceremony will be held shortly after the end of the last game which is around 4:00pm.

Chess boards and sets will be provided. Bring a chess clock if you have one.

Please register send Entry Blank and Fees to Susan Polgar Foundation send to: 6923 Indiana Avenue #154 Lubbock, TX 79413
Additional information on www.SPICE.ttu.edu

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Entry Form: Please PRINT all information and make check/money order to Susan Polgar Foundation

Name: ________________________ Phone: (_____) _____________School___________
Address: ___________________________ City/State: _____________ Zip:___________
Email: ________________________________ DOB: ___________Section____________
USCF Rating (if any) ______USCF ID#:__________ Amount Enclosed (No cash, please) $____

2010 Annual Lubbock Scholastic Open

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

present

3rd Annual Lubbock Open Scholastic Chess Championship
Saturday, March 27, 2010
A 4 Round Swiss System Tournament (Game/30)
Event Site: Monterey High School “New Box”, Lubbock, TX
Contact Info: 806-742-7742 E-mail: Spice@ttu.edu

Description of Tournament: A USCF rated Individual and Team Scholastic Championship

Games are played in five sections: Primary (K-2), Elementary (K-5), Middle School (K-8), High School (K-12) and Novice section K-8 (no USCF membership required). There is a total of 30 minutes maximum per player per game.

On-site registration and check in 8:45am-10:00am. All players must check in by 10:15am, if arrives later will receive a ½ point bye for the first round.

Round schedule:

1 10:30 AM
2 11:45 AM
3 1:15 PM
4 2:30 PM

Entry Fees: $10 received by 3/14; $15 received by 3/26, or on site $20. A valid USCF membership required in all sections, except Novice K-8. It can be obtained at www.uschess.org or onsite on 3/27 until 10am.

Prizes: Trophies for top 6 finishers in each section. Trophies to top 3 school teams in each section. Team prizes are based on the top 3 individual scores from the same school or same club within the same section.

Also special trophy for top Sibling, top Parent/Child and top Coach/Student teams.

Special valuable chess prizes to the top overall finisher and top girl in each section sponsored by the Susan Polgar Foundation! Prize giving ceremony will be held shortly after the end of the last game which is around 4:00pm.

Chess boards and sets will be provided. Bring a chess clock if you have one.

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

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Entry Form: Please PRINT all information and make check/money order to TTU-SPICE.
Name: ________________________ Phone: (_____) _____________School_________
Address: ____________________ City/State: __________ Zip:___________________
Email: ______________________________ DOB: ___________Section____________
USCF Rating (if any) _____USCF ID#:_______ Amount Enclosed (No cash, please) $______

Over $100,000 in scholarships and prizes

The Susan Polgar Foundation, in conjunction with SPICE, successfully organized our largest event to date, the 3rd annual Susan Polgar National Open. Over 350 players from beginners to grandmaster competed in this event which was held in Brownsville, Texas on January 18-20, 2008.

Over $100,000 in scholarships, 9 state of the art laptop computers, cash and chess prizes were awarded.

Special thanks to Dan and Chris DeLeon, Victor Flores, Victor Bailey, Susan Breeding and everyone else who helped make this a fantastic event!