$150,000 in chess scholarship at SPWO

June 4 to 7, 2009	South Point · Hotel · Casino · Spa
LAS VEGAS INTERNATIONAL CHESS FESTIVAL

Susan Polgar World Open for Girls and Boys
Championship · June 6-7, 2009

Enter Now! Championship Side Events Chess Camp Breakfast with Susan

The Polgar Committee will award automatic qualifying spots to the winners in each section of the 2009 annual Susan Polgar World Open Championship for Girls!

Over $150,000 in college scholarships and chess prizes!

5 Round		USCF Rated Swiss System Tournament
Time Control		Game/45 minutes
8 Sections		Girls Under 19 · Boys Under 19 · Born after June 6th, 1990 Girls Under 14 · Boys Under 14 · Born after June 6th, 1995 Girls Under 11 · Boys Under 11 · Born after June 6th, 1998 Girls Under 8 · Boys Under 8 · Born after June 6th, 2001
Trophies		Top 10 individuals in each section Top 3 (3-player) school/club teams each section Special Medals to 11th-20th Individuals and 4th-6th Teams
Prizes		1st in each section MonRoi Personal Chess Manager 2nd - 5th $200-$150-$100-$50 in chess prizes
Scholarships		to Texas Tech will be awarded based in part on performance in this event.
Entry Fee		$45 by 1/29, $55 by 5/19, $65 by 6/3, $75 on site.
Registration		Friday 4-8 p.m. & Saturday 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Rounds		Saturday 11 a.m, 1:30 p.m & 4 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m & 12:30 p.m. Opening Ceremony Saturday 10 a.m. Awards Ceremony Sunday 3:30 p.m.
Membership		in the U.S. Chess Federation is required of all players. You may join with your entry or on site. Players will not be allowed to complete the tournament without a valid membership.

In compliance with the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act all non-gaming areas of the South Point Hotel, including the Convention Center and restaurants, are NON-SMOKING.

South Point Hotel and Spa:

- Some of our many amenities include a 16-screen Century Theatre movie complex, 64-lane bowling center and a handful of restaurants that cater to all appetites and tastes.

- Our distinctive hotel features spacious rooms and suites with 42-inch plasma televisions, Point Plush mattresses and Wireless Fidelity throughout.

- A unique feature to this property is its Equestrian Center, which is the finest horse facility in the country.

- Recently, we have added a fabulous 400-seat showroom that features headliner entertainment and dancing to live bands on weekends.

SP All-Star Girl's Chess Team

Susan Polgar 2008 All-Star Girls Chess Team

Age - Minimum Peak Rating

Age 6 & Under - 1300: None

Age 7 - 1400:

Liu, Hannah TX 1475

Age 8 - 1500: None

Age 9 - 1600:

Liao, Simone CA 1672
Xiang, Evan TX 1613

* Virkud, Apurva MI 1562 (within 100 pts)
* Ding, Kimberly NJ 1507 (within 100 pts)

Age 10 - 1700:

Peters, Epiphany MI 1711

*Hua, Margaret MO 1603 (within 100 pts)
*Poteat, Lilia NY 1598 (within 100 pts)

Age 11 - 1800:

Zhu, Caroline TX 1907
Chiang, Sarah TX 1898
Huang, Becky TX 1857
Xiang, Ellen TX 1814
Chen, Michelle MA 1811

Age 12 - 1900:

Lee, Megan WA 1902
Yang, Sylvia TX 1884

Age 13 - 2000: None

*Kats, Alena NY 1994 (within 100 pts)
*Matlin, Anna NJ 1915 (within 100 pts)

Age 14 - 2100:

*Dai, Yang VA 2038 (within 100 pts)
*Liu, Jennie NJ 1999 (within 100 pts)

Age 15 - 2150: None

Age 16 - 2200: None

Age 17 - 2250:

Melekhina, Alisa PA 2310

*Marshall, Abby VA 2151 (within 100 pts)

Age 18 - 2300: None

The ratings listed above are from the official October USCF rating list. However, some qualified based on their peek ratings on previous lists.

Everyone who made the SP All-Star team will receive the special SP Team Jacket AND are invited to the SP All-Star Girl’s Chess Camp which will take place on July 19-24, 2009. In addition, members of the SP All-Star team also automatically qualified for the SP National Invitational for Girls to be held on July 26-31. Both events will be held on Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock, TX.

All players who are within 100 points are also invited to the SP All-Star Girl’s Chess Camp.

Rules and Conditions for 2009 SPNI

Rules and Conditions for the Annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls (February 2009)

July 26 - 31 at Texas Tech University (TTU) in Lubbock, Texas

The annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, will be held at the Frazier Pavilion at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Starting time of each round will be at 1:30 P.M., except for round 1 and 6.

Round 1 will be at 3:00 PM and round 6 will be at 10 AM., and the time control is 90 minutes for the entire game with 30 seconds increment added per move. This is the approved FIDE time control. Pre-tournament registration is required.

The open ceremony will be at 1:30 PM on July 26. The closing ceremony will take place 30 minutes after the conclusion of the last game on July 31.

Each state is allowed one representative. Official representative alternates may be substituted no later than June 1. (If there are an odd number of entrants in the tournament, Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee Chairperson may allow the host state to enter an additional qualified player.) Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee Chairperson (Mr. Dewain Barber amchesseq@aol.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 Chairperson 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 tournament is held, 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 attending college already may not win the scholarship. In such cases scholarship(s) go to the next tournament winner.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Unlike the Denker Tournament of High School Champions, the participants of the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls 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 play in and complete all six rounds of the tournament. Failure to do so, without permission of the Tournament Director, results in a forfeiture of games and expense monies.

Players are required to furnish the Tournament Director with a legible and complete score sheet.

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

Players are responsible for their own travel and hotel expenses.

If players choose to stay on TTU’s campus, players who complete the tournament will receive free accommodation (based on double occupancy; small, additional fees for single rooms or to share with family members may occur) on campus at Texas Tech University. In addition, all participants will receive free meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 6 days = 18 meals per player). Both are being provided by TTU Provost Office, SPICE and the Susan Polgar Foundation.

The prize fund, sponsored by the Susan Polgar Foundation and the U.S. Chess Trust, are $1,250 divided into four scholarship prizes: 1st ($500), 2nd ($300), 3rd ($250), and 4th ($200). These prizes are paid to the players directly by the U.S. Chess Trust and the Susan Polgar Foundation, but only upon receipt of proof of enrollment in a college, university, trade, community, or technical school.

In addition, a $500 Ursula Foster scholarship is also awarded to the highest finisher under the age of 14. The scholarship is divided in the case of a tie.

The winner of the tournament is crowned the Susan Polgar National Invitational Champion. Co-champions are recognized in the case of a tie, with each champion receiving a Champion’s Plaque or Trophy.

Texas Tech University agrees to award a four-year academic scholarship (to attend TTU) to the highest finishing player who has not graduated from high school by August. The scholarship must begin the following year. Tie-break calculations will be used in the case of a tie for the TTU scholarship, in the following order:

a. Modified Median
b. Solkoff
c. Cumulative
d. Cumulative of Opposition.

The 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 Chairman. The Chairman, currently, is Mr. Dewain Barber (amchesseq@aol.com).

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee Chairman (Mr. Dewain Barber amchesseq@aol.com) and its members may elect to award 2 or more wild cards each year for the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls.

Additional Optional Events:

a. Susan Polgar National Invitational Blitz Championship for Girls
b. Susan Polgar National Invitational Puzzle Solving Contest for Girls
c. Susan Polgar National Invitational Chess Training Program for Girls

These events are open to all participants and alumni of the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls.

The Polgar Committee will also award three automatic qualifying spots at the 2009 SuperNationals Chess Championship to the top finishing girl in the open division of the elementary (K-6), of the junior high (K-9), and of the high school (K-12) sections. Further, the Polgar Committee will award automatic qualifying spots to the reigning winners in each section of the annual Susan Polgar National Open Championship for Girls, the annual Susan Polgar World Open Championship for Girls, and all current qualifiers of the Susan Polgar All-Star Girl’s Chess Team (must meet age requirement).

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 Mr. Dewain Barber (amchesseq@aol.com), Chairperson of the Polgar Committee.

About the Susan Polgar Foundation

The Susan Polgar Foundation (SPF), Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation supported by charitable donations. SPF is the proud sponsor of the SP National Invitational for Girls, SP National Open for Boys and Girls, SP World Open for Boys and Girls, SP All-Star Girl’s Chess Team, NY City Mayor’s Cup Invitational, Tri-State Scholastic Chess Challenge, Lubbock Open, Lubbock Scholastic Open, SPICE Cup, SPICE Spring Invitational, "Get Smart! Play Chess!", and many more events.

The Susan Polgar Foundation began back in 2002 with the passion and commitment of moving the benefits and worthwhile lessons the game can bring to life. The benefits of chess such as developing decision making, critical thinking, logical thinking, evaluating, planning, problem solving, and perseverance skills are just a few beneficial rewards of playing the game.

Chess also improves concentration, memory, intuition and self-control while promoting independence, imagination and creativity. Chess is combining so many important qualities in life, such as concentration, focusing and planning ahead, and taking into account the people around you, and precision, and research, and psychology, and time management, and a number of other very important life skills that we deal with on an everyday basis.

I believe chess teaches you to be more responsible. Since the SPF was started back in 2002, many events have blossomed and become the benchmark events for young chess players across the United States. Nearly $1,000,000 in chess scholarships (total values) have been awarded to young chess players in these events.

My mission for the Susan Polgar Foundation

From my 30 plus years of experience, I discovered that chess can help children of all ages do better in school as well as develop many important life skills. Research around the world has supported my belief.

Countless studies have shown that chess can help develop critical thinking that can be used in other areas of a child's life, academics and social situations. According to research, Test scores improved by 17.3% for students regularly engaged in chess classes, compared with only 4.6% for children participating in other forms of enriched activities.

My dream is to make chess so popular that it competes with other sports, like tennis, baseball and football. I hope to get many more colleges to start offering scholarships for chess. And I am working to promote chess as a grassroots movement in some of the smaller cities.

The mission of the Susan Polgar Foundation is to promote chess, with all its educational, social, and competitive benefits throughout the United States, for young people of all ages, especially girls.

In approximately 30 nations across the globe, including Brazil, China, Venezuela, Italy, Israel, Russia and Greece, etc., chess is incorporated into the country's scholastic curriculum. I believe practically any healthy born child has the potential to become a very strong chess player.

I have worked hard to lay out the foundation for female chess players everywhere. There was a lot of skepticism about a young girl spending so much time with chess and competing against boys. I had to go through a lot of discrimination and a lot of obstacles that were put in my way.

The Susan Polgar Foundation, with this in mind, has established many high profile tournaments throughout the year in order for younger girls to excel through chess. The top tournaments right now are the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, the Susan Polgar National Open for Boys and Girls and the Susan Polgar World Open for Boys and Girls.

All these events have received national acclaim and continue to grow every year. To me chess is like life itself. Chess is combining, I think, so many important qualities in life, such as concentration, focusing and planning ahead, and taking into account the people around you, and precision, and research, and psychology, and time management, and a number of other very important life skills that we deal with on an everyday basis. I believe chess teaches you to be more responsible.

Best wishes,
Susan Polgar