2008 SPICE Cup International Invitational Tournament
Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, September 19-28, 2008
http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/4-tournaments/3329-2008-spice-cup-winners
http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4930
Organisers: Susan Polgar, SPICE, and the Susan Polgar Foundation
Category: XV
FIDE Average: 2605.5
USCF Average: 2666.5
Highest rated 10-player round robin chess tournament in U.S. history!
www.susanpolgar.blogspot.com
www.SPICE.ttu.edu
There were 4 events as part of the annual SPICE Cup Festival:
1. SPICE Cup International Invitational
2. SPICE Cup Open
3. Texas Women’s Open Championship
4. SPICE Scholastic Cup
Final Standings of SPICE Cup Invitational:
1-4 Pentala, Harikrishna g IND 2668, Onischuk, Alexander g USA 2670, Kritz, Leonid g GER 2610, Akobian, Varuzhan g USA 2610 5½; 5. Becerra, Julio g USA 2598 5; 6. Mikhalevski, Victor g ISR 2592 4½; 7. Perelshteyn, Eugene g USA 2555 4; 8-9. Kaidanov, Gregory S g USA 2605, Miton, Kamil g POL 2580 3½;10. Stefansson, Hannes g ISL 2566 2½
SPICE Cup Open: Co-Champions IM Antal of Hungary and GM Ramirez of Costa Rica.
Texas Women’s Open Championship: Winner WGM Sabina Foisor of Romania.
The 3rd annual SPICE Cup is planned to be a category 16 or 17 event along with a B group and an open tournament.
SPICE stands for Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence at Texas Tech University (http://www.spice.ttu.edu/)
The Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE) is the model for the highest standard in chesseducation. Directed by Susan Polgar, the institute is poised to become the world’s premier center for chess research, education, development and outreach.
Through SPICE, Texas Tech has focused the resources of a major university and Big 12 Conference member on providing scholarships for players, conducting research into various aspects of the game, championing scholastic, college and women’s chess and housing an outreach program bringing chess to enthusiasts of all ages.
The SPICE Mission
· To promote chess as a vehicle for enriching education
· To support and promote competitive chess at college level
· To recruit outstanding undergraduate and graduate students
· To bring national and international recognition to TTU and TTUHSC
· To be the leader in promoting women’s chess
· To serve as the global center for chess research, education and outreach
Susan, it is wonderful to have strong events in the US again. This year’s SPICE Cup is the strongest since the days of Capablanca, Lasker, and Steinitz. Great work!
“This year’s SPICE Cup is the strongest since the days of Capablanca, Lasker, and Steinitz.”
What about the two Piatigorsky cup’s in the 1960’s?
And San Antonio 1972.
I do congratulate Susan for organizing this tournament. US Chess needs to have stronger tournaments. However, this is certainly not the strongest tournament since the days of Capablanca, unless any of the attending GMs can claim to be on equal footing with Fischer, Spassky, Petrosian, Portisch, etc.
Why do people keep saying strongest tournament? The organizer didn’t say that. They clearly say that it’s the highest rated event, which can’t be dispute. Strongest is subjective.