Last year, Texas Tech University generously agreed to host the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, for the next 10 years and award a four-year academic scholarship for the winner each year to attend TTU. That is nearly an $800,000 sponsorship package.
This is an invitational event and all qualifiers must confirm their participations. From the confirmation so far which is handled by Mr. Dewain Barber, chair of both the Polgar and Denker committees, it seems that this year’s event will draw at least the same amount of players as in previous years and we are very close to breaking the all time record.
After the announcement was made, Texas Tech made the sponsorship even better by offering free accommodation for players (based on double occupancy; small, additional fees for single rooms or to share with family members may occur) who choose to stay on TTU’s campus and complete the tournament.
This morning, the Provost Office announced an unprecedented offer to complete the incredible sponsorship package. All participants will receive free meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 6 days = 18 meals per player) on campus for the entire tournament! Parents, coaches, or siblings who want to join their players will only pay $22 per day for all three meals (buffet style).
This brings the total sponsorship for the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls for the next 10 years to over $1 million!
Big big big thanks to Provost Dr. William Marcy, Vice-Provost Dr. Jim Brink, Peggy Flores, and everyone else who made this possible! Other than Dr. Karlsson, Dr. Marcy and Dr. Brink is the biggest reason why my family and I chose to come to Texas Tech. They fully understand the importance of chess and education, research, and outreach and they are the men behind the creation of SPICE. This one of a kind world-class institute would not exist without their full commitment and support.
I was asked why SPICE and TTU do not offer the same support for the Denker event. The same generous sponsorship offer was made for the Denker Tournament of HS Champions. The USCF, lead by USCF President Bill Goichberg and his supporters, rejected the sponsorship offer by Texas Tech University.
In addition to chess and all the side events, the players will have full access to the rec center and other amenities such as basketball, tennis, swimming, table tennis, in addition to a full tour of the TTU campus. It will be the most exciting Polgar Invitational to date.
Unfortunately, my son has to pay approximately $1,000 extra ($125 / day for hotel x 6 = $750 + $50 / day for food x 6 = $300) to play in the Denker this year. When the question was asked of my son and other Denker players last year in Cherry Hill, over 70% of the players and over 85% of the parents wanted to take this offer. I was stunned to later find out that the USCF didn’t take the offer.
Thank you Texas Tech! Thank you Susan! Thank you SPICE!
There was a big debate during the delegates meeting last year and Goichberg went out of his way to block this deal. He’s afraid the USCF would lose 25-50 hotel rooms from the Denker. The Denker people asked for 50% discount for Denker players to play in the US Open and Goichberg also objected. The Denker boys ended up with nothing.
Are you serious????? Are they crazy to turn down such a deal? Incredible! This is outrageous. What the ^$%$!*^(@! are these guys doing?
What happened to http://www.americanchessuniversity.com ? It is not there any more.
I have no idea what that is and have nothing to do with any American chess university. In fact, I do not recall ever hearing about it.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
This is why I won’t renew my membership. Things are getting worse and worse. The USCF is corrupt and on the way down. AF4C is so much better.
Susan,
Great work!
Bill Goichberg’s long time background as a chess promoter has not given him any empathy to players and parents.
When are the next USCF elections?
Michigan Chess Dad
As a Chess Mom I truly appreciate the savings. I can’t afford paying the hotel rooms in Dallas plus meals and airfares for my daughter and me. This is very generous of Texas Tech.
Chess Mom
Time for the NCF:
National Chess Federation.
I think GM Polgar should form and lead it.
Here is a good example:
http://www.nscfchess.org/
IMHO a big part of the Denker is being able to play in the US Open at the same time and same place. A large percentage of the Denker players do play in both. I doubt we’ll see too many of the Polgar players in both this year.
Yes, the expenses of the US Open may be too large for some people. Nonetheless, between the stipend given by many states, the small stipend from the Denker foundation and sharing a hotel room with a friend, the expenses are far more managable.
As it is this year, I know that the Denker boys will miss the girls, and probably vice versa. Too bad.
Michael Aigner
This is great help in defraying costs to the chess parents!! In contrast, petty politics at USCF brings no benefits to the players.
The Texas Tech location should be an economic benefit to parents and players.
The only concern I’ve heard from any players is making sure there is enough to do during the week. The U.S. Open provided plenty of side attractions – in addition to the Polgar.
Of course, my daughter’s first question was about the pool.
Congratulations on such a generous offer from Texas Tech. It sounds like a big boost for players and their families.
I’m a student at Tech and I must say that I’m glad to see this tournament in Lubbock. All the girls will have a blast at the rec center. The campus is very nice also.
Susan:
I appreciate your hard work on this particular deal with Texas Tech. We will be arriving from the Pan American Championship in Argentina where we will spend easily close to $3,500. Their was no way Claudia could participate without a deal like this. I have always shun dabbling into USCF politics either here or in our blog because it is evident that a change is required in the upper echelon. I own a business and if I ran my business like USCF I would have been broke a long time ago. Regardless that USCF is non-profit because it is non-profit it can do SO MANY things. For a deal like this to be passed by is not only ignorant but demonstrates to us all, the investors in the USCF that our board simply does not know how to lead. So, then they should resign effective yesterday or DELEGATE to those that KNOW how to sign deals to get on with the business of GROWTH.
A.Munoz
womancandidatemaster.blogspot.com
“El Profesor said…
Susan:
I appreciate your hard work on this particular deal with Texas Tech. We will be arriving from the Pan American Championship in Argentina where we will spend easily close to $3,500. Their was no way Claudia could participate without a deal like this. I have always shun dabbling into USCF politics either here or in our blog because it is evident that a change is required in the upper echelon. I own a business and if I ran my business like USCF I would have been broke a long time ago. Regardless that USCF is non-profit because it is non-profit it can do SO MANY things. For a deal like this to be passed by is not only ignorant but demonstrates to us all, the investors in the USCF that our board simply does not know how to lead. So, then they should resign effective yesterday or DELEGATE to those that KNOW how to sign deals to get on with the business of GROWTH.”
Profesor,
Did you and Claudia receive enough financial support from your busines partners to make it to the tournament at TTU?
Masked Pawn:
We don’t have business partners. Our business is owned by my wife and I. We started it with our savings and have worked hard to prosper it.
If you are asking whether we have money to go to the TTU tournament, we secured sponsorship through hard work based on a planning. However we were not counting on staying in the dorms, or the meal tickets that TTU has. Nothing ever lands on our lap, we have to work for it like every chess parent in the country does, like the first post by “chess dad”. Since both my wife and I work the business, simply one of us taking off to the tournament automatically doubles the load. But as a family we pull together.
Susan does not have to do what she is doing for chess parents. It simply would be easy for her to live a private life and enjoy
her achievements.
Thanks Susan
A.Munoz