Tonight, I visited the Juneau Chess Club. Everyone was so warm and friendly and they made me feel so welcome. Even with the rain, so many people came to the lecture. Thank you for your wonderful hospitality and generous support for the Susan Polgar Foundation!
Through chess, I have been all over the United States from Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, Texas, California, Utah, Hawaii to Georgia, etc., and now to Alaska. I have covered all regions of the US. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest things about chess. I cherish these opportunities and each place I visit forever holds a special place in my heart.
I love to meet new people and visiting new places. I love chess and I am proud of my game. I promote it every single chance I get. I want to show everyone (from the average club, hobby, college, military, and scholastic players to the parents, teachers, coaches and politicians, etc.) how great chess can be and chess players are not nerds, weird, crazy or eccentric people.
I work every day with the players, universities, corporations, sponsors, supporters and volunteers to bring new and wonderful angles to chess. Yes, my dream is to popularize the game that I relish. I hope to make a positive impact with every person that I meet.
I disagree with Charles Barkley when he said that professional athletes are not good role models. Why not? I have tried to live an exemplary life. I have always tried to lead the younger generation by positive examples. I have tried to be a wonderful role model to my two boys and other young children.
More and more professional chess players are doing the same today. My friends Stripunsky, Onischuk and Christiansen (all instructors on the Chess Moves Cruise) are wonderful professional players and they are great with the fans. So are many others.
Chess is the perfect game for everyone from 4 to 94 and if we all chip in and do our parts, it can be a new American past time. After all, there are more than 45 million of us in America alone. Thank you everyone for being so supportive!
You’re awesome!
Barkley is waving off his own failingsby projecting them on to everyone else. (Granted, the NBA in general has become a “thug league.)
One thing I’ve noticed since coming back to Chess (and my chess by email section has finally started! Yay!), is that grandmasters these days present themselves much more professionally than I recall from the late 70s and early 80s. They don’t dress any longer as if they grabbed the first things they could find when getting out of bed. That alone will help Chess’ image.
God Bless You!
Susan you are awesome:) I really look up to you. and i think you are a wonderful chess player!! Ive looked at many of your games…your just a genius!!
Susan, why the age 94 limit? I had a great grandfather that lived to 98 years old and played me (who was 7 at the time) a game of chess the week before he died.
That’s a great thing about chess,once learned, people can play it for the rest of their lives.
Im glad to hear that you are taking advantage of traveling and teaching others. Traveling and chess are two of my favorite past times and although I dont know much about the life of a chess grandmaster I am envious. Enjoying what you have and compassion for others are the most important things in life. Its admirable that you are promoting both.
Did you ever visit West Virginia?
/Jens