About the 2010 Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational (SPGI)
Mikhail Botvinnik, one of the great world champions, said the following: “Chess is the art of analysis.” He also added: “Chess mastery essentially consists of analyzing chess positions accurately.”
He’s correct. It is very hard to improve properly if one does not know what or how to study / self evaluate. I was fortunate enough to learn chess the right way early on. With hard work over the years, I was able to win 4 separate World Championships, 10 Olympiad medals including 5 Gold, and stay in the top 3 in the world for around 25 years.
Over the past decade, I have closely followed the transition and progress of chess among female. Chess is getting as popular as ever among girls. Women in chess have made big progress since I became the first woman to earn the Grandmaster title through traditional FIDE requirement. But there is still a long way to go.
Can girls play chess as well as boys? Can women play chess as well as men? The answer is yes. So how come there are not more female at the top of the overall rating chart? I strongly believe that it is possible but they need proper training. Male and female approach chess differently. We evaluate things differently. We have very different perspective about chess. Unfortunately, many young female chess players were not taught properly. There is no one size fits all in chess teaching method for boys and girls.
That is why I developed an exclusive system to teach girls based on my own experience and knowledge in chess. This is also why I believe that it is crucial for me to change the format of this event. After 5 days of intense training, a whole new chess perspective on the board will open up for you and it will help raise your understanding of chess by many folds, no matter if you are 1200 or 2200.
There are many chess tournaments year round but this will be the only opportunity for the qualifiers this year. This event will revolutionize women’s chess in this country for years to come and I hope you will be a part of this chess revolution.
Below are the updated rules and regulations for the 2010 SPGI:
Rules and Conditions for the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational (SPGI)
July 25 – 30, 2010 at Texas Tech University (TTU) in
The annual Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls event in the
The opening ceremony will be at 1:00 PM on July 25. There will be a brand new format this year.
• Instead of a six day tournament, there will be a five day intense world class training program with Susan Polgar, followed by a 6 round G/30 championship tournament.
• The traditional Blitz, Puzzle Solving, Bughouse events will stay the same as previous years.
• There will be many prizes awarded, including scholarship(s) to
Each state is allowed one representative. Official representative alternates may be substituted no later than June 25. (Susan Polgar and/or the new Polgar Committee may allow the host state to enter an additional qualified player.) Susan Polgar and/or the new Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com) may allow exceptions to the June 1 entry/alternate deadline. Should the state affiliate fail to respond to the notice for this tournament, Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee may determine the candidate from that state.
Players must be under the age of 19 as of August 15th of the year in which the tournament is held. Players must have been enrolled in a school (up to 12th grade) located in the state they represent, also of the year in which the tournament is held. Home-schooled students who are under the age of 19 on August 15th of the year in which the event is held or students who have never attended college on a full time basis prior to June 1 of the year in which the tournament is held, are eligible to represent the state in which they reside. Proof of eligibility will be the responsibility of the players and of the state official certifying the representative and alternate.
Exception: If a player graduates from high school early and is already attending college, she may still represent her state if nominated. This is the decision of each state affiliate. Players already enrolled in college are not eligible to receive the scholarship. In such cases scholarship(s) go to the next tournament winner.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: The participants of the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational DO NOT have to be high school students. Any qualifier under the age of 19 (by August 15th of the year in which the tournament is held) is eligible!
Players are required to furnish the organizer an emergency phone number and the e-mail address of a parent/guardian.
There is no fee to participate in the 2010 SPGI; however, players are responsible for their own travel, room and meal expenses. If players choose to stay and/or dine on TTU’s campus, inexpensive accommodations are available. Please note that all reservations and registrations MUST be made (and accommodation expenses prepaid) no later than June 25, 2010.
Trophies / plaques will be awarded to the winners of the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational Puzzle Solving Championship, Blitz Championship, and the Rapid Championship. The player with the highest combined score in the Puzzle Solving, Blitz and Rapid will be crowned the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational Grand Champion. Co-champions are recognized in the case of a tie, with each champion receiving a Grand Champion’s Plaque or Trophy. The Grand Champion (or Co-Champions) will automatically be invited to defend her/their title (must meet age requirement).
The player with the highest combined score in the Puzzle Solving, Blitz and Rapid will also receive a $1,000 scholarship to attend TTU (equivalent to $36,000 for an out of state student). The scholarship must begin the following year (Fall 2011). A one game playoff (G/5) will be held in the case of a tie for the TTU scholarship.
The New Polgar Committee’s goal is to have all 50 states (including two representatives for
A scholastic girls’ champion or the highest rated girls’ scholastic player in a state who has no state affiliate of the USCF should contact the Polgar Committee as soon as possible (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com).
Special Invitation: All past participants of the SPNI (Susan Polgar National Invitational 2004-2009) are invited to participate in the 2010 SPGI. The idea is to have the past participants learn my method of training so they can go back home and share their knowledge with the younger players. However, registration MUST be made no later than June 25, 2010 since space is limited.
Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com) and its members may elect to award wild cards each year for the Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational.
Special qualifying events: The Polgar Committee will award automatic qualifying spots to the reigning winners in each section of the annual Susan Polgar National Open for Girls (
Contact info: The Susan Polgar Foundation can be contacted at 806-742-7742 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 806-742-7742 end_of_the_skype_highlighting (phone) or through SusanPolgar@aol.com (email).
NOTICE TO ALL STATE OFFICIALS: Please send the nomination from your state to the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com).
For information and rates to stay and/or dine on TTU’s campus, please send an email to SusanPolgar@aol.com.
Daily tentative schedule (All players will have a chance to work together as well as separately based on ratings):
Sunday, July 25
1:00 pm: Opening Ceremony
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Start of training
Monday, July 26
9 am – 12 pm: Morning Training
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Afternoon Training
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Puzzle Solving Championship and Bughouse
Tuesday, July 27
9 am – 12 pm: Morning Training
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Afternoon Training
6:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Blitz Championship
Wednesday, July 28
9 am – 12 pm: Morning Training
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm: Afternoon Training
6:00 pm: Special fun activities (TBA)
Thursday, July 29
9 am – 12 pm: Morning Training
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm: Tournament round 1
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm: Tournament round 2
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Tournament round 3
6:00 pm: Special fun activities (TBA)
Friday, July 30
9 am – 10 am: Tournament round 4
10:15 am – 11:15 am: Tournament round 5
11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Tournament round 6
1:30 pm: Closing ceremony
https://chessdailynews.com/the-all-new-susan-polgar-girls-invitational/
This is exciting.
This is exciting.
I hope the new format is very successful! Susan, you and the SPGI are better off without the USCF.
Thank you for doing this for the girls.
Are the girls from last year’s SPNI automatically invited? Even if their state already has another representative?
Yes, all past players are invited to the training. However, there will be separate tournaments and prizes.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
By separate tournaments, do you mean last year’s SPNI girls will play in a different tournament (at the end) and are not eligible for prizes? Thank you.
She just said separate prizes. She didn’t say no prizes. Therefore, one has to understand that there are separate prizes for the qualifiers this year and past players.
Hi, Susan. I was thinking about letting my 17 year old daughter go alone. Will she be able to live at the Texas Tech? How much is the cost of living and eating there? Many thanks.
Most girls will travel alone. As long as you provide us with your daughter’s schedule, she will be picked up at the airport by one of SPICE’s staff members to Texas Tech (dorm). One of us will then check her in. The (tentative) cost right now is $28 per person per night in a double room (sharing with another girl) and $25 per person per day for all 3 meals (all taxes are including in the $28 and $25).
If she has friends from previous years she wants to room with, we can do place them together. They will have fun and learn a lot of chess.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
PS. Yes, there will be separate prizes for past players so they will not compete for the same prizes as the current qualifiers.
Dear Susan,
Just to clarify: If there is a representative going from a state by special invitation from previous tournament, does that mean nobody else from that state can qualify?
Each state can send one official representative as in the past. Winners of the SP National Open and SP World Open in 2010 also qualify.
Lastly, all past participants can also attend the training. This special invitation for past participants (who either past the age eligibility or did not qualify again this year) will probably be for this year (maybe next year) only. It will not be a regular thing.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Are they going to be trained separately by rating? What are the rating ranges of the training groups?
80% of the time is spent on unspecified training.
It might be helpful to know what this training is about. Difficult to think that players on ELO 800 need the same training as those on 2200.
Anon 4:53 pm,
I believe I know what and how to train the girls. I think I have the 4 world championships and 10 Olympiad medals to prove it.
I also believe I know how to break them up into appropriate groups to maximize the benefits.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Is there anyone I can contact to inquire about the specifics of airport pickup and dropoff? Thanks.
Hi Susan – I feel it would be very informative to have some details on your overall approach for the 5-day training, specific subjects, plan, etc. and other trainers besides you. This type of information will help parents and the girls (including past SPNI participants) to make a decision about participation. We would really appreciate if more details about the training will be posted soon. Thanks!
You can email me the arrival and departure information.
I will not publish any specific information about the training. It is my personal method which I designed specifically for girls who earn a spot in this very special training. It is not meant for the public.
The main thing is to improve their understanding of chess structures, middlegame planning, and endgame.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
I think it’s great that you are doing this. I also support your decision to not reveal the details of your methods to the public. If it’s not enough for some parents that an elite GM is teaching their child, then I don’t think anything will ever be enough. They might as well send their kids to a place that panders to parents’ whims, such as most watered-down programs of all sorts in America today, rather than one like yours which genuinely focuses on the child’s actual success and future results.
Dear Susan,
My daughter earned an invitation to the SPGI this year and it sounds like a lot of fun. She wants to go and we encourage her chess, but we still have a few questions.
We were thinking on having my daughter go alone, but she is only 12. Would it be okay and would she be safe?
Also, my daughter was wondering who the teachers are going to be. I know you and Paul are going to teach (from what I’ve heard), but are there going to be any surprise guest teachers coming? How many rating groups will there be? My daughter is a little bit afraid that her rating is too low to reap the benefits of your elite chess instruction. Also, do you know the special fun activities yet? Are they decided or are they still tentative?
Last year, I heard that all the lodging / food costs were free. Out of concern, is there a reason it changed? Does the Polgar committee need any donations for this great event? Thanks for your time.
– Lauren
My daughter and I are very excited and honored to be able to attend this event. However, my question is “can siblings join, too?” My 8yr old daughter is also a very strong player. It will make a big different if I can bring both girls. I have send a requestion to the committee this morning, but I am so earger to find out the possibilities. Thank you!
Hi Lauren,
I do not know how many instructors we will have until I know the number of participants and their levels. Hopefully I will have a better idea by the end of the month.
The activities may include basketball, swimming, making chocolate pieces, arts and crafts, etc. We will offer the players a number of choices.
The USCF recklessly decided to cancel the original event without giving us proper notification, which automatically voided the sponsorship, valued at over $2 million.
I am constantly working to raise additional sponsorships to create more special events for girls. If you have ideas to help, please feel free to let me know. You can send me an email at SusanPolgar@aol.com.
I also do not know how many groups there will be because I do not know who will attend and what levels will they be in. But there will be various levels.
Anonymous 12:26 am, I am checking with the committee and will get back to you shortly.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
Sure girls can and should do as well as boys in chess. As you say they need the proper training. H’ever at the very top perhaps more ‘boys’ are able to focus more single mindedly on chess than ‘girls’. At least that is my take. I would definitely like to see more Judith’s in the top hundred rankings.
Amar
Hi Susan
Does TX have any representatives yet? We are not getting much info from the body responsible for this. How do we find out? My daughter is very interested but we are still in the dark. Any info is greatly appreciated. Thanks!