In the past several years, the Susan Polgar Foundation has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars in chess scholarships (from Texas Tech University, UTD, and Texas A&M Kingsville, etc.) for young people across the United States (and even some International students).
In addition, we also awarded dozens of state of the art laptops (Dell, Compaq, HP, Sony, Acer, etc.) and countless chess prizes. We donated chess sets, boards, training materials, chess DVDs, chess books, etc. to many schools.
The free chess curriculum from the Susan Polgar Foundation was sent or email to schools, coaches, parents, and clubs in over 80 countries worldwide. We train teachers to teach chess using the SPF curriculum. We also sponsor prizes for various scholastic, college, military and amateur tournaments across the United States.
The Susan Polgar Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation supported by charitable donations and money which we raise is used to support our many chess programs and events. We organized a number of major events such as:
– The annual SP National Invitational for Girls (which is the most prestigious all-girls tournament in the United States)
– The annual SP National Open for Girls
– The annual SP National Chess Challenge for Boys
– The annual SP World Open for Girls
– The annual SP World Chess Challenge for Boys
– The annual SPAll-Star Girl’s Chess Team
– The annual SP All-Star Training Camp for Girls
– The 2004 US Olympiad Training Program (which brought to the US 2 Gold and 2 Silver, first ever for US Women’s teams)
– The 2005 and 2006 Chess for Peace event (with Mikhail Korenman, Mikhail Gorbachev, Anatoly Karpov, Yury Shulman and Alex Onischuk)
– The 2006 NY Governor’s Cup (which NY Govenor Pataki served as the Honorary Chair)
– The 2006 NY City Mayor’s Cup (which is the highest rated 6-player double RR rapid event in US history – 2622.5 FIDE and 2665 USCF)
– The Category 12 2007 SPICE Cup (which is the highest rated 10-person International RR event in the US in the past 5 years and in Texas since 1972)
Since my family and I moved to Lubbock, Texas, thanks to the incredible support by Texas Tech University, Office of the Provost, President and Chancellor, Office of Communications & Marketing, many other University Departments, Deans, Professors and Staff, the City of Lubbock, the Lubbock Convention and Visitors Bureau, Mayor David Miller, Commissioner Ysidro Gutierrez and many more enthusiastic supporters (Dr. Karlsson, Jerry Perez, Dr. Rice, etc.), we are able to add a new dimension to our programs.
Our goal is to be able to do something similar to Wijk aan Zee, Linares, Morelia, Dortmund, etc. in Lubbock, Texas, which is to organize an annual Elite International Invitational Tournament, the annual SPICE Cup. Last year’s SPICE Cup was a category 12. This year will be category 14 (perhaps even 15). We will invite kids from all the schools in the area to attend throughout the tournament. We will also hold workshops and training to get more kids in chess.
The players will be treated like VIPs and stars as they should. I also hope to be able to raise the conditions each year for our professional players and add SPICE Cup B Group to give more players chances to obtain International norms.
I realize that these are big goals but I hope we can succeed. Chess in the United States deserve better. Scholastic chess is booming but kids drop out after a while. With incentives like cool prizes and college scholarships, it is a motivation for them to stay in chess and improve. By heavily promoting college chess, it is an additional incentive for them to continue. The next logical step is to be able to offer our professional players a chance to make a decent living and earn the proper respect they deserve.
The media coverage for the upcoming SPICE Cup will be intense, at least first at the local level with the network TV, print media and radio. We will also introduce many radical surprises and these will be seen worldwide. It is my goal to set new standards for chess promotion in the US which will ultimately help our wonderful game.
This is my vision for chess in this country. The status quo does not work. It is remained to be seen if I can succeed or not. But if we do not at least try to raise the bar, nothing will ever change.
Thank you for everything you’ve done. You’re the best thing that ever happened to chess in the US. Don’t let all the loonies get you down. Keep up the good work.
It;s amazing that you can do everything despite the sabotage by some of your colleagues and wackos. I wish you can help chess in Mexico the same way.
Good luck Susan! We’re behind you all the way!
What makes you think you have the right to embarrass the USCF by organizing all your stupid events? Why don’t you invite Americans instead of the commies who take away our jobs and money? There’s nothing with the uscf. We’re in good hands with Mr. Goichberg. He understands how Americans think. This is the United States Chess Federation and not the UN.
It’s no wonder the rest of the world thinks of America as a selfish country with people like Anonymous Saturday, April 12, 2008 2:47:00 AM CDT making comments. I’m personally nearly embarrassed to be associated with such comments as an American. I for one think the American government sticks it’s nose into too many international affairs and deserves it’s dislike throughout the world unfortunately. To generalize and say that Goichberg understands how Americans think is an insult to millions of Americans.
America was built on immigrants, as everyone here is likely from European or other heritage except for the native Americans. If only Americans in power were as compassionate and helpful at Susan and her following America would be a much better country. If you really believe that Mr. Goichberg and his cronies are what America stands for I feel sorry for you being a selfish and myopic person. Unless you are native American you have no right to insult anyone from a foreign country trying to help those of us living in the USA. If you disagree then go back to the country from which your heritage originates. Chances are it originates in more than one European country.
If you think you can do better, then do so or shut the heck up!!!
Prove to me you are native American making such prejudicial comments and I will cease my criticism.
-Richard Rajchel
Anon doesn’t believe any of the tripe he posts… he’s just being a troll trying to rile everybody up and disrupt all the discussions in this forum. We’ve had to put up with such garbage for a year now. His comments aren’t representative of those of most Americans or most chess players… just a typical cowardly, childish Internet troll such as you’ll unfortunately find on most forums.
Thank you for all you do Susan. If anyone can change chess for the better in this country, it’s you.
Thank you for everything you’ve done. You’re the best thing that ever happened to chess in the US.
Sounds like lifer post, but (s)he stole the words out of my mouth.
“If anyone can change chess for the better in this country, it’s you.”
I do believe there stand more than one people to be thanked, people in her shadows who wish no thanks, but I thank them one million times anyways.
“It’s no wonder the rest of the world thinks of America as a selfish country”
Many think much worse!? Are they right or not?
Why don’t you guys be patriotic and support Goichberg and his board? He’s a true American and has been involved in US chess for decades. Why should he give up his power to a couple foreigners who have done nothing for chess. Goichberg has the support of true patriotics Americans such as Mottershead, Lafferty, Alarie, Payne, Hanken, Bogner, Hough, Berry, Bauer. Go Bill.
Susan:
My daughter claudia was the recipient of one of those computer you gave away as prizes in the SUSAN POLGAR NATIONAL OPEN 2008. She mostly uses her laptop for homework and chess.
Thank you.
Usually I dont get involved in the controversies of this blog but I must reply to Anon 2:41. I live in Mexico because we own a business that caters to American companies that relocated here. As Americans we have been treated with respect by the Mexican people. My daughter Claudia who will be representing the US in the Pan American Championship in Argentina was completely formed in Chess in Mexico. Never were she labeled as a “foreigner” and exluded from chess. It saddens me as an American to see an anti-immigrant sentiment towards Susan when she has invested in our people and advanced the cause of American chess. If Mexicans in Mexico have embraced us as foreigners, allowing us to live among them in peace, allowing for my daughter to grow in chess in peace, why can our fellow Americans do the same for someone that did not take anything from us but rather gave of herself?
As we live here now, we teach chess to the locals so that the day we leave we can say we made a contribution, we just did not take, we left something.
By the way, Susan’s laptop is in Claudia’s room in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila Mexico.
I do not sign anonymous.
A.Munoz
Xicotencatl 1260
Colonia Benito Juarez
Ciudad Acuna, Mexico
26200
My telephone number
011528778881955
The anti-immigrant posts are complete nonsense and are, as one person stated, those of a troll that does this only to make others angry and disrupt the conversations here.
I’m not at all anti-immigrant and, though I really don’t care what the world thinks of the U.S. as most are misinformed, I truly believe that if one comes to this country legally….they have every right to be here.
We are a nation of immigrants. And, I think we should just ignore the troll(s) posting the anti-immigrant remarks….I know it’s hard to just ignore them but ignore them and let’s talk about Susan’s wonderful vision for Chess!
Good luck, Susan, America is proud of you! I am and so many are…we’re so very lucky to have you here promoting chess.
Thank you.
This is my vision for chess in this country. The status quo does not work. It is remained to be seen if I can succeed or not. But if we do not at least try to raise the bar, nothing will ever change.
OK, let’s do it!! If you mean we by we. How can an anon blogger help? Say it, and we’ll see what we can do!!
Dear GM Polgar,
You said, “I realize that these are big goals but I hope we can succeed. Chess in the United States deserve better.”
You will succeed.:) You have proven time and again that you have the will power and dedication. You have overcome virtually every obstacle the corrupt officials within the USCF could throw at you and you won and this is a sign of dignity, character and, moreover, your “fighting spirit” and “never give up” attitude is what will make your vision for chess ultimately succeed.
America has no greater chess ambassador than you. You’re well known here and throughout the world. You have close allies that help you succeed.
There has been much talk of founding a new chess organization. I think this idea should be considered by the chess community.
I believe it can be done. I wish we could find out what you think the pros and cons are to such an idea.
I thank you for what you do for chess in the U.S.
Keep up the good work. And, never let the terrible remarks some leave on this blog ever bother you. Ameria loves what you do for chess.
Best of Luck, and Kind regards….
Tim Harris
Greenville, SC