Get Smart! Play Chess!

Polgar: Players come from various distances to take part in tournament

Lubbock Avalanche-Journal

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Story last updated at 3/15/2009 – 1:38 am

The first-ever Get Smart! Play Chess! tournament was held at the Science Spectrum. About 85 players took part in this very exciting event at a wonderful venue.

Even though most of the players are from the local areas, some came as far as Odessa and Albuquerque.

All participants received either free passes to the museum or tickets to the IMAX Theater.

This event was a collaboration among SPICE, Lubbock Science Spectrum, the Knight Raiders and the Susan Polgar Foundation.

The winners were:

K-2

1. Brian Mulligan 4 points (out of 4 games)

2. Vincent Viner 3 points

3. John Thomasson 3 points

4. Anna Runquist 2.5 points

5. Luis Gonzalez 2 points

K-5

1. Andrew Chavez 4 points

2. Leeam Polgar 3 points

3. Joaquin Munoz 3 points

4. Robert Trevino 3 points

5. Jose Sanchez 3 points

K-8

1. Quinton Smith 3.5 points

2. Isaiah Andrade 3.5 points

3. Eirik Haraldsson 3 points

4. Manuel Garcia 3 points

5. Ben Travis Webb 3 points

K-12

1. Shane Metzler 4 points

2. John Wright 3.5 points

3. Abraham Lin 3 points

4. Marcelo Rosales 3 points

5. Gilbert Reyna 3 points

K-5 Unrated

1. Ryan Hernandez 4 points

2. Juwan Drones 3 points

3. Nathaniel Riddle 3 points

K-12/Adult Unrated

1. Tim Griesdorn 4 points

2. Taylor Cassity 3 points

3. Tucker Marberry 3 points

Open Section

1. Tommy Polgar 4 points

2. Sam Capoycan 3 points

3. Marcelo Rosales Sr. 3 points

• Top Sibling Team: Tom Polgar and Leeam Polgar

• Top Parent/Child Team: Marcelo Rosales Jr. and Marcelo Rosales Sr.

• Top Coach/Student Team: Michael Orndorff and Brian Muligan

Special thanks to James, Monica, Abbie, Stephanie, Hal, Gergely, Jerry, Rich, Jenna and everyone else who helped made this event happen.

Here is the link to more than 80 pictures from the tournament: http://picasaweb.google.com/SPICEChess/00ScienceSpectrumSelect.

• New Atrium Chess Club: The club meets 5-6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Science Spectrum.

This will be a time for kids and their parents to get together to play chess and learn informally with other kids and their parents. There is no charge, but kids should have a parent/responsible adult with them.

Monica and Abbie will be on site to supervise. Some of the Knight Raiders Chess Club members and I will drop in from time to time to help out.

Please note that the museum itself closes at 5 p.m. We get to use the atrium area.

We hope this will give the kids a chance to practice, play and learn the rules so that they can participate in upcoming events. Even if tournaments are not your thing, they can develop their game.

• Knight Raiders Chess Night: Members of the Texas Tech Knight Raiders are meeting at Barnes & Noble (Slide and the Loop) every Friday night from 6-9 p.m.

• SPICE Spring Invitational International Grandmaster Tournament: March 16-22 at Texas Tech University Southwest Collection Building

Two of the most talented young American talents, 14-year-old International Master Ray Robson and 18-year-old International Master Robert Hess, will take part in the second-highest rated international double round robin tournament in the United States this year. The highest rated event is the 2009 SPICE Cup, which will also take place at Texas Tech this fall.

Ray and Robert are both aiming to earn the needed Grandmaster norms to obtain their Grandmaster titles. Please check the SPICE Web site for the exact time of each round. Don’t miss your opportunity to meet the chess stars.

FIDE Category: 11

Average rating: FIDE 2505 / USCF 2560

Number of players: 6

Title; Name; FIDE; USCF; Country

1. IM Ray Robson 2455 2546 USA

2. IM Gergely Antal 2493 2502 Hungary

3. GM Timur Gareev 2581 2630 Uzbekistan

4. GM Dashzegve Sharavdorj 2429 2470 Mongolia

5. IM Robert Hess 2483 2527 USA

6. GM Giorgi Kacheishvili 2590 2685 Georgia

• SPICE Spring Open Chess Championship, March 21. A rated five-round Swiss System Tournament (Game/30)

Event Site: Texas Tech English Department Building

Games are played in three sections: Elementary (K-5), Middle / High School and (K-12) / Adults.

• Lubbock Open (Scholastic and Adults), April 18. A rated four-round Swiss System Tournament (Game/30)

Event Site: Monterey High School.

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

Games are played in five sections: Primary (K-2), Elementary (K-5), Middle School (K-8), High School (K-12) and Open Section.

For more information of all these events, go to www.SPICE.ttu.edu.

• Susan Polgar World Open for Boys and Girls

The Susan Polgar World Open for Boys and Girls will take place at the Las Vegas International Chess Festival, June 4-7 at the South Point Hotel and Spa. There will be more than $150,000 in college scholarships and chess prizes.

• June 4, the Susan Polgar International Chess Camp (for all ages)

• June 5, free lecture by Susan Polgar

• June 5, a tandem simul by Susan Polgar against up to 70 players

• June 5, the Susan Polgar World Open Chess Puzzle Solving Contest for Girls and Boys

• June 6, the Susan Polgar World Open Blitz Chess Championship for Girls and Boys

• June 6-7, the Susan Polgar World Open Chess Championship for Girls and Boys

For more information, call 742-7742; e-mail spice@ttu.edu; or go to www.SPICE.ttu.edu

Source: Lubbock Online