One man against the chess world

'Bobby Fischer Against the World' Premieres 6/6 on HBO
Tuesday, May 17, 2011; Posted: 07:05 PM - by BWW News Desk

In 1958, 14-year-old Robert James "Bobby" Fischer stunned the chess world by becoming the youngest grandmaster in history, launching a career that would make him a legend. Over the next decade and a half, his breathtaking rise to the top of the game riveted the world and inspired an international chess phenomenon. Then, at the apex of his success, Fischer disappeared from the public eye.

The revealing documentary BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD, debuting MONDAY, JUNE 6 (9:00-10:45 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, chronicles the chess master's meteoric rise, culminating in the historic 1972 match against Boris Spassky in Iceland, as well as his shocking withdrawal from competition and the paranoia that derailed his life. The film was a 2011 Sundance Film Festival selection.

Other HBO playdates: June 6 (4:25 a.m.), 9 (2:45 p.m.), 11 (12:30 p.m.), 14 (4:00 p.m., 12:30 a.m.) and 19 (2:45 p.m.)

HBO2 playdate: June 8 (9:00 p.m.)

Beginning with BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD, HBO Documentary Films presents another weekly series this summer, debuting a provocative new special every Monday through Aug. 15. Other June films include: "A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt" (June 13); "Sex Crimes Unit" (June 20); and "Hot Coffee" (June 27).

Directed by Liz Garbus (the Oscar(R)-nominated "The Farm: Angola, USA"; HBO's Emmy(R)-winning "Ghosts of Abu Ghraib"), BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD explores the complex life of the troubled genius whose charisma and talent spurred a worldwide fascination with the "game of kings." Fischer's evolution from childhood chess prodigy to global superstar, angry recluse and, finally, fugitive from the law is a spellbinding story of the making and unmaking of an American icon.

Raised in a modest Brooklyn apartment, he overcame an unconventional and difficult childhood, learning to play chess at age six. While his brilliant but distracted single mother, Regina, was pursuing her passion for Communist politics, the eight-year-old Fischer was regularly playing, and beating, more experienced adults.

"Chess is like my alter ego," Fischer once told a journalist. As he rose in the ranks of the game, his obsession with winning and lack of social finesse led others to call him a prima donna, eccentric, paranoid, even "the most arrogant man in the world," but no one could argue with his supremacy at the table.

Providing an unprecedented look at the man behind the headlines, the film weaves together news clips dating from the 1950s to the 2000s, photographs, letters - many never made public before - and exclusive interviews with friends, fans and colleagues. Interviewees include: chess champions Gary Kasparov, Susan Polgar, Larry Evans and Dr. Anthony Saidy; authors David Edmonds and Malcolm Gladwell; talk-show host Dick Cavett; Paul Marshall, Fischer's personal attorney; Harry Sneider, his trainer; and photojournalist Harry Benson, who was granted unfettered access to Fischer during his training for the 1972 championship, as well as during the competition. Garbus also draws on a wealth of archival footage, along with never-before-seen photographs by Benson, to create a searing portrait of a brilliant but elusive man whose life was shattered by obsession and mental instability.

BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD spotlights the thrilling 1972 world championship match between Fischer and Boris Spassky. Breaking down the historic tournament game by game, Garbus deftly highlights the parallels between the 21-game marathon and the tense geopolitics of the Cold War era, with the eccentric Brooklyn Boy facing the brilliant Soviet-sponsored grandmaster. Televised throughout the world, the competition was held in Reykjavik, Iceland and became a focal point of the U.S. and Soviet Cold War tensions, which at one point required the intervention of national security advisor Henry Kissinger. As Kissinger explains, "The Soviets had been winning these tournaments and I thought it would be good for America, for democracy, to have an American win."

Garbus also documents his later years, which were marked by disastrous choices and bizarre behavior. The reclusive Fischer's triumph over Spassky transformed him into the most famous man of his day, to his chagrin. In 1975, he refused to defend his championship against the young Anatoly Karpov, opting to forfeit rather than risk the public humiliation of a loss. He gave up competitive play at the height of his powers and withdrew from public life, occasionally appearing incognito at obscure chess clubs.

Fischer's laser-like focus, ability to anticipate multiple threats and drive to utterly dominate his opponents made him all but unbeatable. But the same qualities that made him a grandmaster poisoned his relationships, skewed his worldview and began to erase the fragile line between genius and madness. Unable to trust and unwilling to bend, Fischer became a fugitive from his own success.

Twenty years later, Fischer's return to professional chess for a rematch against Spassky in Sveti Stefan led to his indictment by the U.S. government for ignoring UN sanctions against Yugoslavia. After Sveti Stefan, he faced ten years in prison in his home country, and spent more than a decade evading arrest. The increasingly isolated, Jewish-born Fischer lashed out at perceived enemies in bizarre anti-Semitic and anti-American rants, driving away his few remaining friends. With his U.S. passport revoked, Iceland was the only country to offer sanctuary to the former superstar, now almost unrecognizable as the man whose early promise and dashing looks helped make chess the most popular board game in the world. In 2008, at age 64, Fischer died in Reykjavik, the site of his greatest triumph. But the legacy of his games remains today.

Two additional featurettes will be available on HBO On Demand.

"The Fight for Fischer's Estate" (seven minutes) tells the story of the many claims to Fischer's two-million-dollar estate, featuring exclusive interviews with Marilyn Young, his Filipino girlfriend, Jinky Young, her daughter, claimed to be Fischer's daughter by Marilyn Young, and Russell Targ, Fischer's American brother-in-law. Also included is archival interview footage of Miyoko Watai, the Japanese woman who claims to be Fischer's wife. Since Fischer's death in 2008, these parties have been fighting for control of the estate. Two years later, after battles in Icelandic courts, his exhumation and subsequent DNA tests finally laid the matter to rest.

"Chess History" (five minutes) explains the origins of the game, its infinite complexity and enduring popularity. The segment features a wealth of unusual archive footage, plus interviews with Garry Kasparov, a respected chess authority and one of the best players of all time; Susan Polgar, a four-time women's world champion and five-time Olympic champion, who provides a brief "lesson" on the various powers of the pieces and basic rules of the game; and noted chess authors David Shenk and David Edmonds.

BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD is directed by Liz Garbus; produced by Stanley Buchthal, Liz Garbus, Rory Kennedy, Matthew Justus; editors, Karen Schmeer & Michael Levine; director of photography, Robert Chappell; original score, Philip Sheppard; executive producers, Dan Cogan, Nick Fraser, Maja Hoffmann, Martin Pieper. For HBO: senior producer, Nancy Abraham; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.

http://tv.broadwayworld.com

SPICE Summer Chess Camp

Chess Summer Camp
July 11-15, 2011
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

Learn chess from world champion Susan Polgar and her team. Beginners to advanced K-12 players welcome.

Campers will practice writing and computer skills. Sports and other activities offered.

• Commuter Plan: $295/week

Check-in Monday 8am-9am. Camp hours are 9am-5:00pm daily Monday - Thursday. Camp ends at 3pm on Friday. Lunch and snacks included.

• Residential Plan: $595/week

Arrive Sunday 7/10 between 6pm - 9pm. Dorm lodging and all meals are included, including dinner on Sunday through lunch on Friday.

Camp ends at 3pm on Friday. Residential plan is based on double occupancy. Grades 5-12 only.

Very limited space!

Residential plan registration closes June 6, 2011.

See http://www.SPICE.ttu.edu, email SPICE@ttu.edu, or call (806) 742-7742.

Little Known Feminist

This article was actually published shortly before I moved to Texas to run Texas Tech SPICE

Susan Polgar: Little Known Feminist Icon
By ALICIA COLON

http://www.nysun.com

The woman I met two years ago at the Congress of Racial Equality's annual Martin Luther King gala certainly deserves to be a feminist icon. Yet when I checked the Web site of the National Organization for Women for anything on Susan Polgar, I found nothing. Instead, the Web site promptly spit back, "Do you mean Susan Pleasure?" Surely a woman who had broken the gender barrier time and time again and had developed a foundation for young girls that would improve their self-esteem and assuredness deserved some notice by this women's group. Alas, Ms. Polgar's achievements are in the male dominated world of chess — that great game of cerebral excellence and strategy — not politically correct issues.

On June 25 the city hosted the highest-rated round robin chess competition in America's history — the Mayor's Cup. In spite of Ms. Polgar's stellar record of four World Women's Championships, five Olympic gold medals, and Grandmaster status, the Hungarian-American mother from Queens went into this event under low expectations.

I asked her about the difficulty of the event. She said, "Before the event, I was unsure of my performance because it is incredibly hard to combine being the organizer of the event, a devoted chess mom, and being one of the players at the same time. This is a very big handicap. In addition, there was a lot of pressure being the only woman in the highest rated ever chess tournament in U.S. history. If I do well, it is a big boost for women's chess in America. However, there are many critics who were just waiting for me to fail so they can say that a woman has no business competing against top-level male players."

What little I know about the world of chess has been derived from headlines about the eccentricity of Bobby Fischer and feature films of other child prodigies. Historically, chess champions are also predominantly male Europeans. I also know that Ms. Polgar competed in other events playing simultaneous opponents and scored a spectacular win record (see www.susanpolgar.com). How did she do, I asked? She told me, "I was the lowest rated player in this tournament. Many people said the odds of me winning this tournament is like the odds of winning the lottery. Many believed that I would finish in last place by a significant margin. I gave it my best shot and I was one half point away from winning the strongest tournament in U.S. history."

Ms. Polgar competed against Grandmaster Ildar Ibragimov, Grandmaster Alexander Stri and the reigning U.S.Champion Grandmaster Alexander Onischuk for the first time. She finished ahead of them both. Gata Kamsky, now ranked no. 1 U.S. male, won the competition.

Raise your hand if you've never heard of Ms. Polgar but have heard of Annika Sorenstam's failed attempt to qualify for the PGA tournament. Yet Ms. Polgar's demolishment of gender barriers in the last 25 years has actually reduced the chauvinism in chess competition.

Speaking of her battles, she said, "One of the most painful experiences was in 1986. I was the first woman in history to qualify for the ‘Men's' World Chess Championship but I wasn't allowed to compete. The official reason was I am a woman and no woman is allowed. Luckily by the end of that same year, because of my case, the International Chess Federation changed the rule by deleting the word ‘Men's' from the name of the event. Since then women, if they qualify, can compete for the overall world title. I have stood up for the rights of women chess players around the world in the past three decades and I will not give up until we have the same rights and conditions as our male counterparts."

Ms. Polgar started playing when she was just 4 years old and soon won the championship of Budapest in her native Hungary with a perfect score (10–0). She was a hyperactive child who discovered that chess enabled her to focus for hours. Why not chess instead of Ritalin, I asked? Susan agreed that chess is certainly more fun than medication and added, "I strongly believe that chess can help all children educationally and chess will give them many incredible benefits throughout their lives. This is even more important for girls as it can help enhance their self-confidence and self-esteem."

The women I truly admire are those who face enormous wrath for telling the truth, as Phyllis Chesler did when she spoke of the feminist hypocrisy ignoring the plight of battered Islamic women; and women like Susan Polgar who break down gender barriers without demanding that they be altered or lowered.

http://www.nysun.com

Questions from parents and coaches

Questions from parents and coaches

May 19, 2011 - 3:56pm
Susan Polgar
Avalanche Journal

1. My son started learning chess about 6 months ago. He is still a novice player. What is the best way for him to improve at chess? (Mary from Atlanta, Ga.)

This is a very good question. One of the most important things to learn is middlegame tactics. Basic endgame is also very important. They are part of the foundation of chess.

What you can do is start with basic middlegame tactics such as: Checkmate in one, fork, pin, skewer, discovery, etc. Slowly increase the level of difficulties from one move to two moves, then three and so on.

In addition, what I recommend is to record the time it takes your son to solve each puzzle. Go back to the same puzzles 2-3 months later and see if he would be able to successfully solve the same puzzles faster than the first time. If he does, it shows that he is able to recognize the important positions and patterns.

The same thing can be done with endgames. Start with checkmate with King and Queen versus King, King and Rook versus King, King and two Rooks versus King, King and two Bishops versus King, etc. Be patient, work on one thing at the time. Don't expect him to be able to solve everything the first time. Make it fun and exciting. Reward him for job well done and give him the encouragement he needs if he makes mistakes. Good luck!

2. Is it good to allow young players to play a lot of Blitz? (Bill from Red Banks, N.J.)

Yes and no. Blitz is good but only with moderation. There are pluses and minuses when it comes to Blitz.

Some of the good things are they get to play more games and gain more experience. It also helps them to think and react quicker. Some of the bad things are they may follow the same bad habits in Blitz in regular games.

My recommendation is to keep blitz at around 25-30% of their chess activities.

3. What is the best age to teach children chess? (Jill from Chicago, Ill.)

This is a very commonly asked question. In my opinion, the best age is anywhere between 4-6 years old, depending on the child. Some kids are more mature faster and can start at 4. Some would be better off at 5 or 6. My children started to learn the rules of chess before they were 5. However, they were not really into chess until many months later.

No matter if it is 4, 5 or 6 years old, you have to make it fun, exciting and motivating for the children. That's the most important thing. If they do not enjoy it, they will not stay with chess.

4. My son is 7 years old. He is rated about 1,000. What is a good opening for him to learn? (Joaquin from Miami, Fla.)

I am not a big fan of spending too much time teaching openings to beginners and novices. In my opinion, one should not spend so much time learning openings until at least 1800 and above. I always try to focus more in middlegames and endgames. I would recommend choosing openings that do not require so much time memorizing the lines and new theories. Therefore, something like the King's Indian Attack or the Colle may be ideal.

5. Do you recommend Internet play? Which is a good Internet chess server? (Mike from Salt Lake City, Utah)

I do. I think the Internet can be very helpful. However, parents do need to make sure to monitor the environment. There are many good servers out there. Each has pluses and minuses. It comes down to personal preference.

Some of the well known servers include: ICC (www.ChessClub.com), Play Chess (www.PlayChess.com), FICS (www.freechess.org), Chess (www.Chess.com), Chess Cube (www.ChessCube.com), etc.

6. I have two chess playing children at home. My wife and I do not play chess very well. Can chess software help my children? (Vinay from Toronto, Canada)

Absolutely! This is a great thing about chess in the 21st century. There are many chess software out there that can play 2600-3100 level. It is like having a grandmaster at home 24/7.

However, there are things you should be aware of. Chess programs do not understand certain chess position very well even though they are nearly flawless in tactics and combinations. Therefore, you may want to find a local, qualified coach when your children reach a certain level in chess.

7. Which chess software do you recommend? Fritz, Junior, Shredder, Tiger, Chessmaster, Rybka, Stockfish, or Houdini? (B. Castilla from Tampa, Fla.)

To be honest, you can hardly find the difference between them, especially for amateur or hobby chess players. They are all very strong. I think it is just a matter of preference. Chessmaster is just a small notch lower in strength but it compensates with cooler graphics. The strongest would be Houdini, Stockfish, and Rybka. Any of them can be great playing partners.

8. Can you recommend good books on chess tactics? (Anonymous from Brooklyn, N.Y.)

It actually depends on the level of the players. For beginners, I recommend World Champion's Guide to Chess. It has all the most important tactical motifs. The next one up would be Chess Tactics for Champions. I wrote both of these books based on my personal learning and teaching experience of over 30 years. They are also very affordable at only $17.95 each.

9. Should I enter my 6 year old daughter in an all-girls chess tournament? (Judith from Sacramento, Calif.)

Sure. If your daughter is not intimidated playing against boys her age or a little older, let her play in both: mixed tournaments and all-girls. If she has a confidence problem, start her out in all-girls event so she can feel more comfortable with the environment.

10. How do I start a scholastic chess club in my area? (Javier from N.M.)

This is a very good question. You can contact your school to see if you can have an after-school scholastic chess club. This is what many parents have done. It can be done at the cafeteria or library after school. Some parents started a scholastic chess club at a local café, restaurant or book store. If you need further help, you can send me a private email. I may be able to give you a hand with more ideas.

Baseball, like chess, is a game of strategy, mental focus and concentration and physical stamina

College scholarship? Check: It's no surprise that Texas Tech recruiters love the way Charles Modlin III, aka Trey Modlin, plays the game and went after him hard, offering him lots of scholarship money to play for them.

The Shaker Heights High School senior, after all, led his baseball team last year in batting average, was voted varsity offensive player of the year and earned All Lake Erie honors. He was Channel 3 athlete of the week. He hits clean-up, plays just about any position and is tough to hit on the mound.

But baseball has nothing to do with the Red Raiders' interest.

Modlin was recruited by for his mastery at chess.

No kidding. International Chess Grandmaster Susan Polgar recruited Modlin to play chess as part of the Texas Tech University Chess Team and the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence there for his mastery at chess.

No kidding.

He's Bobby Bonds meets Bobby Fischer.

"They're serious about chess there," said Trey's dad, Dr. Charles Modlin, a Cleveland Clinic kidney transplant surgeon. His mom, Dr. Sheryl Modlin, is a pediatric anesthesiologist at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.

Trey's chess dominance all started as a 4-year-old playing checkers.

"Then he wanted me to teach him how to play chess," said his dad.

Then he got private lessons from Michael Joelson and later was mentored by International Grandmaster Maurice Ashley, a role model because he is the first black chess player to achieve that top ranking.

"He's a lot better than me," Trey's dad admitted. "I haven't beaten him in years."

Dad's not alone. Trey beats a lot of competitors, racking up two national titles and four state championships (in grades 2, 10, 11 and 12). He's also a great trumpet player in the marching band and jazz ensemble.

Said Trey: "Baseball, like chess, is a game of strategy, mental focus and concentration and physical stamina. Many chess matches are 3 or 4 days long, 12 hours a day and require the player to be physically and mentally strong. Chess and baseball both require more practice and preparation off the field before the player enters the field."

Source: http://www.cleveland.com

Interview with GM Kuljasevic

Interview with Knight Raider Captain GM Davorin Kuljasevic shortly before his graduation on May 13, 2011. He will receive an MBA in Finance from Texas Tech University tonight.

Knight Raiders celebration at Market Street in Lubbock

United Supermarket, the largest supermarket chain in West Texas, hosted a celebration with the Texas Tech Knight Raiders at their flagship Market Street store on 50th Street and Indiana.

Behind the A team members is Mr. Jodey Arrington, chief of staff for Chancellor Kent Hance.

Big win for the Knight Raiders and Dr. Karlsson

The Knight Raiders Chess Club just won the 2010-11 Texas Tech University Most Improved Student Organization and the Texas Tech Student Organization of the Year Awards!

In addition, Dr. Hal Karlsson also won the 2010-11 Texas Tech University Most Outstanding Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award!

Congratulations to the Knight Raiders and Dr. Hal Karlsson!

Meet the Texas Tech Knight Raiders

Meet the Texas Tech Knight Raiders, 2011 National Collegiate Chess Champions, at Market Street Supermarket on 50th & Indiana this Saturday (April 30th ) between 3 - 3:45pm!

This announcement is represented by a registered student organization.

Texas Tech Chess Ad

Inside Higher Ed April 25, 2011

http://www.insidehighered.com/newsletter/html

Special Final Four Interview

The golden coaches of the Knight Raiders about the Final Four success
Susan Polgar and Paul Truong in a large interview
Chessdom.com

The Knight Riders were successful at this year's Final Four. The team led by Susan Polgar and Paul Truong managed to win a title in what can be viewed as the Final Four with largest mass media coverage.

After the success, coaches Polgar and Truong gave an extensive interview to Dr. Hal Karlsson, Associate Professor of GeoSciences at Texas Tech University.

Dr. Hal Karlsson: Susan and Paul, first of all, congratulations! This Final Four victory is simply fantastic and quite unexpected. How did it happen?

Susan Polgar: Thank you. I think the team did great, and even though we were the lowest seed, as a team, we believed that we could win. I also think we were more unified and working together more as a team than our competitors. I’m very proud of our guys that they gave their all.

Paul Truong: It is a good feeling for the entire team because they’ve worked very, very hard to be able to accomplish this. As Susan said, they gave it their all and they deserve it.

SP: They were also fearless. They were not intimidated facing much stronger opponents, even ones they had bad records against in the past. In the first round, Grandmaster Timur Gareev of UTB, the highest rated player in Texas, offered our top board, Grandmaster Anatoly Bykhovsky, a draw in a very complicated position. Bykhovsky just lost to Gareev in an earlier encounter in Berkeley. Even with that in mind, Bykhovksy refused the draw offer against a much higher rated opponent and went all out for the win.

In the critical final round, a similar thing happened. Grandmaster Leonid Kritz of the defending champion UMBC, the highest rated player of the entire Final Four, offered our team captain Grandmaster Davorin Kuljasevic a draw with the white pieces. In the same matchup last year's Final Four, Kuljasevic lost to Kritz. Just as Bykhovsky, Kuljasevic refused the draw offer and went all out for the win. Both of them succeeded and they gave our team two vital points toward the national title. As their coach, I could not be more proud of this.

HK: Clearly all the teams must prepared very hard for the Final Four given what was at stake here. But what accounted for Texas Tech's success. What was the secret?

PT: I believe the secret is quite easy. We simply worked harder. We not only studied the games of our opponents just as everyone else, but we also study our opponents' demeanor, body language, movement, facial expression, pattern of thinking and decision making, etc. We dissected every inch of every possible aspect of the game. We put countless hours into the preparation. Even after our players were asleep, Susan spent hours double checking all the analysis to make sure there was no error. We were lucky to even get a few hours of sleep.

It does not mean that we will succeed every time. It just means that we will put our team in the best possible position to win. We had a similar approach when Susan and I ran the 2004 U.S. Women's Olympiad program which brought home the first four ever Chess Olympiad medals (2 gold and 2 silver) for the United States. If you want to win, you have to be willing to work harder than everyone else. No one will just hand the title to you. If you want it, you have to get it.

Another thing we did different than other teams is our approach before the start of the Final Four. The team arrived in Washington, D.C. very late Thursday night. We had Friday free until about 6 p.m. Other teams stayed in the hotel to do some last minute preparation. Being a world class competitor herself, Susan realized that the players were under tremendous pressure. So she decided to give them two choices:

1. To stay in the hotel like other teams to cramp in last minute preparation. 2. Go for a tour in Washington, D.C. to relax, stay fresh, and build further team chemistry.

The players voted to go to D.C. So we spent the day on the famous Double Decker bus tour to visit the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, the Capitol Building, and other landmarks. The players had plenty of good times and good laughs. It worked out great. But if it did not work as planned, I am sure others would be quick to criticize her decision. But as a coach, you need to make tough decisions.

HK: That is impressive. But Susan also accomplished something else in this Final Four.

PT: Yes. Last year, Susan became the first female head coach to take a men’s division I team to the Final Four. This year, she is the first female to take a men's division I team all the way. You cannot even imagine, let’s say, a female coaching a men’s basketball team or men’s football team to the national title, but in chess, she showed that it can happen.

And the success was not only in division I. In just in the past two years, the Knight Raiders also won the national division II, III, and IV titles, in additional to many other individual honors. This is simply another gender barrier that she was able to break. What is even more amazing is this is only our second year competing in division I.

UTD and UMBC have been ruling the collegiate chess world for the past decade. For us to catch up with them on this level, this fast, was pretty amazing. I am sure the competition will be a lot tougher next year as all the schools will try to improve their rosters.

Susan now has done it all. She won Olympiad gold, five of them. She won the Women's World Championship Triple-Crown (Rapid, Blitz, and Classical). Her students have won National Scholastic Championships and now Collegiate Championships. But don't worry, she'll find more barriers to break, I am sure.

HK: Was there any particular player who stood out for Texas Tech in this Final Four?

SP: No. It was total team work. They fought hard as a unit and a different player came through for us in each round. It was Bykhovsky in the first round, Sipos in the second, Kuljasevic in the final round. Diamant was solid all the way through. And Aleskerov, as a reserve player, was the biggest cheerleader for his teammates the whole time. Just like the famous song by Sister Sledge, "We Are Family", the Texas Tech Knight Raider family.

HK: I saw the Final Four chess boards the Knight Raiders were holding up. Those look unique. Did you make those and how can one get one of them?

SP: Those are very special Final Four commemorative boards. They are not for sale. Only twenty of them were done and they were made by our friends at GLOSgames.com. This is an American company out of Kansas City, Missouri. They have done a lot of good things to promote chess and bring kids into the game. When I told them about Final Four, they immediately designed and produced these twenty special boards to give out to each of the four teams and the sponsor, Booz Allen Hamilton. They also sponsored other scholastic events of mine in the past. It is a good company and good people and I am proud that they support chess and the Knight Raiders. You cannot buy these boards but you can design your own chess board with them or use one of their over 110,000 designs.

HK: That is pretty neat. So what is the next step? A long celebration or vacation? I understand the team is going to Vegas (not Disney World like football players). What was that all about?

SP: There is no time to rest. Winning it is hard. But defending it is even harder. We already started to prepare for next year with recruiting. We have a tradition of excellence at Texas Tech and we hope to win many more championship titles.

We are lucky to have strong support from Chancellor Hance, President Bailey, Provost Smith, our supervisor Vice President and Vice Provost Dr. Juan Munoz, our donors, and so many other people at Texas Tech and in Lubbock. To have people waiting to cheer the chess team on at the airport when they returned at midnight was pretty incredible. The media also prominently covered the team success. Everyone believes in us and we want to continue making all of them and this university proud. We will do everything in our power to help Texas Tech become a Tier One university. Through chess, we will attract some of the greatest minds to this university.

HK: What other goals does SPICE have in mind?

SP: As the chairwoman for the FIDE (World Chess Federation) Commission for Women's Chess, I am working with SPICE to promote women's chess and help raise the playing level of the next generation through various important initiatives. SPICE is also actively working to get chess in more schools. This is a very important part of our goal.

University Interscholastic League (UIL) of Texas, the largest inter-school organization of its kind in the world, has approved the proposal from SPICE to include chess puzzle solving as a statewide competition. This can potentially be the biggest scholastic chess initiatives in the United States as more than 2,000 schools in Texas are competing in a number of UIL competitions each year.

I am also hoping to work closer with FIDE to enhance various chess in the schools and chess in education projects in the United States. The future of chess is very bright.

HK: Thank you, Susan and Paul, for your time. Once again, congratulations and Go Tech! Check'em Knight Raiders!

SP and PT: Thank you, Hal.

Dr. Hal Karlsson is original from the chess loving country Iceland. He is an Associate Professor of GeoSciences at Texas Tech University. He is also the founder of SPICE as well as a student advisor for the Knight Raiders.

Bored with your board?

Highest Quality Vinyl Chess Boards (made in the USA)

* Made from high performance, marine grade vinyl for a long life and easy cleaning
* Designs are printed directly onto vinyl for long life and vibrant colors
* All boards have standard size 2.25” x 2.25” squares

Create your own customized Board

* Endless possibilities for creating chess boards with unique club, school or personal identities
* Upload your own logos and images to appear on the board squares
* Change border and square colors with fun and easy editor

www.GLOSgames.com

Here are a few custom designed GLOS boards which I have framed in my SPICE office at Texas Tech University:

Letter from Chancellor Hance

Cinderella brought home the glass slippers

Cinderella brought home the glass slippers

April 10, 2011 - 7:14pm

AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Heavy underdog Knight Raiders win the biggest national collegiate chess title
by PT

In only our second year competing in Division I chess, the Texas Tech Knight Raiders achieved the improbably by winning the 2011 College Chess Final Four, besting University of Maryland at Baltimore County (UMBC) and UT Dallas (UTD), the two teams which dominated college chess in the past decade. In the last 10 years, UMBC won the Final Four six times while UTD won it four times.

Even though the Knight Raiders have won nine national titles in the past two years, they were either individual division I titles or team division II, III and IV. This time, it is the most prestigious title in college chess, equivalent of the NCAA Final Four basketball.

The Knight Raiders entered the tournament as the 4th seed with an average rating of 50 points lower than the other three teams. It is like David facing Goliath three times. But in spite of the steep odd, they emerged as champions after three intense and grueling round-robin matches.

It is a consensus in the chess world that this is the strongest College Chess Final Four in history as each team fielded at least 3 Grandmasters and 1 International Master. The average USCF rating of the four teams is about 2580! There was no easy or lopsided match. Every battle came down to the last move, one way or another. If the tournament starts over again tomorrow, there is no telling which team will win. A tiny mistake could prove fatal, and a single move could decide the fate of the entire tournament.

The difference at the end came down to the clutch victory by Knight Raiders' team captain grandmaster Davorin Kuljasevic against the highest FIDE rated player in the Final Four, grandmaster Leonid Kritz, in the last match. This crucial win gave us a 2.5 - 1.5 match win against the defending champion UMBC and College Chess National Title!

Last year, Susan Polgar became the first female head coach of a men's division I team to make the Final Four. This year, she broke another gender barrier by becoming the first female to win it.

When the team got back to the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport at around midnight on Monday, a nice crowd was on hand to greet the newly crowned national champions. It is an amazing feeling to be able to bring this major title to Texas Tech and Lubbock, especially when we receive so much support from Tech and the community. This is truly a team effort.

The College Chess Final Four was organized and sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. for sponsoring this spectacular event. The entire Final Four was first class all the way.

Here are the members of the national championship team:

Board 1: Grandmaster Anatoly Bykhovsky
Board 2: Grandmaster Davorin Kuljasevic (Captain)
Board 3: International Master Istvan Sipos
Board 4: Grandmaster Andre Diamant
Reserve: Senior Master Faik Aleskerov

Head Coach: Grandmaster Susan Polgar
Assistant Coach: FIDE Master Paul Truong

Final standings

1. Texas Tech 7.0 points
2. UTD 6.5 points
3. UTB 6.0 points
4. UMBC 4.5 points

Photos from the 2011 College Chess Final Four in Washington, DC: https://picasaweb.google.com/SPICEChess/2011FinalFourInWashingtonDC

Photos from the heroes' welcome at Lubbock International Airport:
https://picasaweb.google.com/SPICEChess/WelcomeHomeKRNationalChamps

Source: http://lubbockonline.com

Special recognition for the Texas Tech Knight Raiders

Here is the link to 40 pictures from the special banquet this afternoon to honor the Texas Tech Knight Raider Chess Team, 2011 National Champion.

Texas Tech Chancellor Kent Hance, President Dr. Guy Bailey, Provost Dr. Bob Smith, Vice President/Vice Provost Dr. Juan Munoz, Lady Raider Basketball Coach Kristy Curry, Deans, Department Chairs, and many other VIPs came to congratulate the Knight Raiders.

Go Tech!

KR Final Four Recognition with Chancellor Kent Hance

KN recognition with Dr. Munoz

KR Final Four Recognition

Rise to the top

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/communications/newsletter

Knight Raiders win national championship
Posted: Thursday, April 7, 2011 9:58 pm

Knight Raiders win national championship Rocio Rodriguez
Staff Writer Daily Toreador - Dept. of Student Media, Texas Tech University

An organization of three years, the Knight Raiders have managed to rise from a low-ranking team to the best college chess team in the United States.

“It’s fantastic,” said Hal Karlsson, senior faculty adviser for the Knight Raiders. “We didn’t expect for it to happen this soon.”

The Knight Raiders’ A-team competed in the President’s Cup: The Final Four of College Chess competition against University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College and the University of Maryland at Baltimore County, on Saturday and Sunday in Washington, D.C., Karlsson said.

“We’re the national champions now,” Karlsson said. “We’ve had a competitive team now for three years, and the year before we won this, we were ranked fourth coming in, the bottom, so I figured we’d get second (this year and) we’d be very happy.”

The Knight Raiders competed in the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship in December, qualifying them for the Final Four competition, as the fourth highest ranked team, he said.

This is the second time the Knight Raiders have qualified for the Final Four and beat out 24 other teams to get there, including Stanford and Yale.

“It’s a good feeling for the entire team because they’ve worked very, very hard to be able accomplish this,” said Paul Truong, assistant coach.

The Knight Raiders have won 10 national titles, two state titles and one regional title since their start, Truong said.

Susan Polgar, Grand Master and head coach for the Knight Raiders, said the team is excited and overwhelmed by the unexpected win but hope it brings more pride to Tech.

“I think the team did great, and I think that was different; that we were confident at winning,” said Polgar. “That perhaps we were more unified and working together more as a team than our competitors, and I’m very proud of our guys that they gave their all.”

Truong said Polgar proved herself as a head coach, taking the Knight Raiders to the championships.

“Susan (not only) became the first female head coach to coach a men’s Division I team, but a national championship,” Truong said. “You cannot even imagine, let’s say, a female coaching a men’s basketball team or men’s football team to the national title, but in chess, she showed that it can happen.”

The Knight Raiders Final Four team consisted of Grand Master Anatoly Bykhovsky, Davorin Kuljasevic, Andre Diamant, and International Master Istvan Sipos, Faik Aleskerov.

“I think that now we have to start preparing for next year because winning is great but defending the title is even more important now since we have a tradition and we hope to win many more championship titles,” Truong said.

Source: http://www.dailytoreador.com

No chest-pounding, no cheerleaders, just win quietly

Texas Tech Wins Final Four of Chess
Posted: 04/ 4/11 08:38 PM ET
Lubomir Kavalek
International Chess Grandmaster
www.huffingtonpost.com

You don't see spectacular hoops and dunks and scoring is not done in twos or threes. No chest-pounding, no cheerleaders. The four-corner offense or zone defenses are not parts of the game either. There are brilliant moves, but they are done quietly. And yet, the Final Four in college chess could be a dramatic experience.

Played at the Booz Allen Hamilton building in Herndon, Virginia, over the last weekend, the event - also known as the President's Cup - featured three teams from Texas and the defending champion University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). With students from 20 different countries, this year's Final Four was the strongest: each team had three grandmasters in the line-up. It was also the toughest competition, the final result hinging on a single game.

In the end, the lowest-rated team, Texas Tech (TTU), beat the odds and finished first, scoring 7-5. University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) took second place with 6.5-5.5. The combined team, University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College (UTB/TSC) came third with 6-6. The UMBC lost all three matches and ended with a 4.5- 7.5 score.

More here.

Many more articles about the 2011 College Chess Final Four here: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/search/label/College%20Final%20Four