- Excelling On and Off the Chess Board

The very high SPICE standards, on and off the chess board!

It is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to obtain a level I & II chess scholarships with Webster University – SPICE. We are expecting to have 12 GMs in the 2017-2018 academic year, with 8 rated over 2600 FIDE. We have about another 10-15 GMs on the waiting list.

Once a player is accepted, maintaining the scholarships is also a difficult task as they are expected to do well academically while working hard to improve on their chess. If the players are not ready to work hard, there are options with other universities with chess programs where the high standards are not expected or required.

However, if students work hard to achieve success, they will have a lifetime of benefits, thanks to the vast connections of Webster University and SPICE globally!

Here are some of the conditions for SPICE Chess Scholarship at Webster University

To be eligible for SPICE Scholarship funds, the student’s home campus must be the St. Louis Home Campus in Webster Groves.

If awarded a SPICE scholarship, players MUST:

• play in local, regional, state, and/or national/international-level tournaments as determined by the SPICE scholarship committee

• volunteer in local scholastic chess community service, such as teaching and/or assist at tournaments

• maintain good academic standing as determined by Webster University (3.0 GPA minimum but 3.5 is expected)

• follow the policies and directions given by the SPICE leadership connected to training schedules and other chess-related issues

The SPICE scholarship committee will review the students’ participation and academic records EACH SEMESTER, and reserves the right to terminate your chess scholarship.

So if you think you have what it takes to be a part of the #1 College Chess program in the world, please feel free to contact me (SusanPolgar@aol.com). Full and partial scholarships available for qualified student players.

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Some notable alums of the SPICE program include:

GMs Wesley So, #1 in the US and Philippines, #2 in the world, Grand Chess Tour Champion, Olympiad Gold Medalist

GM Le Quang Liem, #1 in Vietnam, #23 in the world, former World Blitz Champion, member of Vietnamese Olympiad Team

GM Georg Meier, former #1 of Germany, top 100 in the world, member of German Olympiad Team

GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez, former members of the Cuban Olympiad Team

GM Andre Diamant, former Brazilian Champion and Brazilian Olympiad Team

IM Irene Sukandar, #1 woman player of Indonesia, member of Indonesian Women’s Olympiad Team

WGM Katerina Nemcova, top 5 female players in the US, member of the US Women’s Olympiad Team, etc.

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Titles won by Webster University – SPICE since August 2012 (2 World Championships, Olympiad Gold, 4 World Open Championships & 45 National Titles)

Chess Olympiad Gold

2 members of Webster University – SPICE program, GMs Ray Robson (current student) and Wesley So (former student), were part of the historic US team which captured Olympiad Gold for the first time (with full competition in a non-boycotted year) since 1937!

World Championships (2)

June 2013
– 2013 World Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Le Quang Liem)

July 2013
– 2013 World University Championship: 1st place (GM Wesley So)

World Open Championship (4)

July 2014
– 2014 World Open Championship: 1st place tie (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)

July 2015
– 2015 World Open Championship: 1st place tie (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)

July 2016
– 2016 World Open Championship: 1st place tie (GMs Illia Nyzhnyk, Alex Shimanov, Vasif Durarbayli)
– 2016 World Open Blitz Championship: 1st place tie (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)

National Championships / Individual and Team titles (45)

August 2012
– 2012 U.S. Open Championship: 1st place (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)
– 2012 U.S. Open Rapid (g/15) Championship: 1st place (GM Andre Diamant and IM Vitaly Neimer)
– 2012 U.S. Open Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Andre Diamant), 2nd place (GM Anatoly Bykhovsky)

December 2012
– 2012 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Both A and B team tied for 1st place
– 2012 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top reserve player (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)

April 2013
– 2013 College Chess Final Four: 1st place (GMs Georg Meier, Wesley So, Ray Robson, Fidel Corrales Jimenez, Manuel Leon Hoyos, and Anatoly Bykhovsky)

June 2013
– 2013 National Open: 1st place (GMs Wesley So and Manuel Leon Hoyos)
– 2013 National Open Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Wesley So)
– 2013 National G/10 Championship at National Open: 1st place (GM Wesley So)

August 2013
– 2013 US Open G/15 Championship: 1st place (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)
– 2013 US Open Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)

October 2013
– 2013 US National G/30 Championship: 1st place (GM Georg Meier)
– 2013 US National G/60 Championship: 1st place (GM Georg Meier)

December 2013
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: 1st place (A team won with a perfect 6-0 score)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top board 1 (GMs Le Quang Liem, Fidel Corrales Jimenez)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top board 2 (GM Anatoly Bykhovsky)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top board 3 (GM Wesley So)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top board 4 (GM Ray Robson)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top overall performance (GM Wesley So)

April 2014
– 2014 College Chess Final Four: 1st place (GMs Le Quang Liem, Wesley So, Georg Meier, Ray Robson, Fidel Corrales Jimenez, and Anatoly Bykhovsky)

June 2014
– 2014 National Open Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Wesley So)

August 2014
– 2014 US Open: 1st place tie (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)

December 2014
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: 1st place (A team scored 5.5–0.5)
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 1 (IM Ashwin Jayaram)
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 2 (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 3 (GM Ray Robson)
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 4 (GM Andre Diamant)

February 2015
– 2015 USATN: Top College Team (WGMs Anna Sharevich, Katerina Nemcova, WFM Luisa Mercado, Mara Kamphorst)

March 2015
– 2015 College Chess Final Four: 1st place (GMs Le Quang Liem, Ray Robson, Illia Nyzhnyk, Vasif Durarbayli, Fidel Corrales, Andre Diamant)

June 2015
– 2015 National Open: 1st place tie (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)
– 2015 National g10 Open: 1st place (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)

December 2015
– 2015 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: 1st place tie (B team scored 5–1)
– 2015 PanAm InterCollegiate Women’s Championship: 1st place (SPICE girls scored 4–2)
– 2015 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 1 (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)
– 2015 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 4 (GM Ray Robson)

April 2016
– 2016 College Chess Final Four: 1st place (GMs Le Quang Liem, Illia Nyzhnyk, Aleksandr Shimanov, Ray Robson, Vasif Durarbayli, Fidel Corrales)

August 2016
– 2016 U.S. Open Rapid (g/15) Championship: 1st place (GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez)
– 2016 U.S. Open Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Illia Nyzhnyk), 2nd place (GM Vasif Durarbayli)

September 2016
– 2016 Chess Olympiad: Team USA got Gold for the first time (1937 in a full Olympiad or 1976 in boycotted Olympiad) in 79 years (GMs Ray Robson [current student] and Wesley So [past student])
– 2016 US National g/30 Championship: 1st place tie (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)
– 2016 US National g/60 Championship: 1st place (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)

December 2016
– 2016 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Both A and B team tied for 1st place
– 2016 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 4 (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)

March 2017
– 2017 College Chess Final Four: 1st place (GMs Le Quang Liem, Illia Nyzhnyk, Ray Robson, Aleksandr Shimanov, Vasif Durarbayli, Priyadharshan Kannappan)

June 2017
– 2017 National Open Blitz Championship: 1st place tie (GMs Illia Nyzhnyk, Fidel Corrales Jimenez)

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Webster students are around the world. There are nearly 20,000 students enrolled at Webster University – with students from 50 states and around 150 countries around the world.

Webster University offers academic excellence at a vibrant home campus and at locations throughout the world, with all the benefits of a student-centered education and a real-world perspective.

http://www.webster.edu

A historic mission. An inviting home campus: Founded in 1915, with five students and a pioneering educational mission, Webster has a history of shaping the future of higher education.

Average class size: 10 : Small, highly interactive classes encourage innovation, collaboration, and self-expression.

Faculty-to-student ratio: 1:9 : Students have all the advantages of a student-centered university that supports personalized learning and gives every student an opportunity to excel.

Global locations: We have metropolitan, military, and corporate locations around the world, as well as traditional campuses in Asia, Europe, and North America. Our Study Abroad programs are ranked in the top 2 percent by U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges 2013.”

163,000 Alumni: A growing and involved alumni community are connecting online, in-person, and at worldwide events.

One and only: Webster is the only Tier 1, private, nonprofit university with campus locations around the world including metropolitan, military, online and corporate, plus traditional, American-style campuses in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Diversity is a core value: Webster is one of the most diverse universities in the country, which is an enduring part of our history and central to our future.Undergraduate and graduate programs. More than 75 different majors and around 60 graduate programs in a supportive, educational environment that allows students to excel.

A global, Tier 1, private, nonprofit university

* Global feature in academic programs. Globalized curriculum is our distinctive hallmark
* Academic programs engage your mind and stimulate your understanding beyond your home country and culture
* Every student experiences a global learning component
* Every student is exposed to a worldwide network of fellow students who live, work and study around the U.S., Europe, Africa and Asia
* Learn in class today and apply it in real life tomorrow
* Five schools and colleges: Arts & Sciences; Business & Technology; Communications; Education; and Fine Arts

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Webster University – SPICE Chess Program Top Facts

1. Webster University is expected to have 12 Grandmasters (in the 2017-2018 academic year), and players from 10 different countries. The SPICE program has multiple World Champions, Olympiad Champions, and National Champions…
2. Webster University chess team has been ranked #1 in Division I College Chess since its inception in August 2012 (with 4 freshmen and 1 sophomore on the A team), which is nearly 300 consecutive weeks.
3. Webster University A team has never relinquished the top ranking.
4. Webster University team members won 2 world championships, Olympiad Gold, 4 world open championships and 40 national titles in the past 4+ years.
5. Webster University won the 2013 PanAm InterCollegiate Chess Championship with a perfect 6-0 score, and won all 3 Final Four matches, to close out the season with an unprecedented perfect 9-0.
6. Webster University sponsors and hosts the annual SPF Girls’ Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls event in the U.S., the annual prestigious SPICE Cup, Chess For Girls Global Elite Event, SPICE Invitational for Top Juniors, etc.
7. Students of Webster University actively volunteer in the community to bring chess into schools. They, as a team, also maintain a very high GPA.
8. The SPICE chess program has won 7 consecutive Final Four Championships, and has not lost a match in 7 straight Final Four Championships.

Excelling On and Off the Chess Board

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