Many people asked why the US does not produce too many top-level home grown female chess talents. It is not easy to do that. I have stated many reasons in the past and the SPF is working hard to overcome all obstacles.
Even as I put in full time efforts in the past 3-4 years and the SPF was able to show many incredible successes with girl’s chess (2004 US Women’s Olympiad Training Program and Team + many strongest all-girls events in US history), I am still facing many additional road blocks. Some of these obstacles come from our own chess politicians and other chess organizations.
Instead of working together to help US chess, some of these people would do whatever it takes to sabotage many potential good things for chess. In spite of these difficult challenges, here are some of the things that were accomplished:
In the first annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls 18 and under (Fort Lauderdale, FL – August 2004), the top finishers were:
– Champion – WFM Roza Eynullayeva (2130)
– Runner-up – WFM Melekhina (2143)
In the second annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls (Phoenix, AZ – August 2005), the co-winners were:
– WGM Anya Corke 2261 (member of the 2004 – 2006 Hong Kong overall Olympiad team)
– WFM Alisa Melekhina 2143
– Abby Marshall 1950
In the first annual Susan Polgar National Open Championship for Girls under 21 (Corpus Christi, TX – January 2006), the winner of the Open section was
– Nelly Estrada 2026 (member of the 2006 Mexican Women’s Olympiad Team)
In the first annual Susan Polgar World Open Championship for Girls under 21 (Las Vegas, NV – June 2006), the top finishers of the Open section were:
– Champion – WIM Batchimeg Tuvshintugs 2274 (defeated 3 GMs in the 2006 US Championship)
– Runner-up – Abby Marshall 1950 (co-champion of the 2005 SP National Invitational for Girls)
– 3rd – WIM Luciana Morales 2210 FIDE (member of the 2006 Peruvian Women’s Olympiad team)
I expect the 3rd annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls in Chicago this August to be very strong as well. With the SP All-Star Girls Chess Team program in place (affective in 2006), the SPF will provide free additional training to many of the top young female talents in the US. I expect the playing level of girl’s chess in the US to improve a lot in the next 5 years.
I am proud to say that the SPF continues to produce the strongest all-girls events in the US in spite of countless opposition and sabotage from some chess politicians and other chess organizations who do not want to see girl’s chess succeed in America. The SPF has also awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships, stipends and chess prizes, etc. in the past 3 years!
I am also very proud to see what GM Xie Jun has done for women’s chess in China. I hope to have something similar in place for the US in the future for our young players, especially girls.
Why not develop the chess talents first of the young girls in your native country, the poor Hungary?
Is it because there is no money there to reciprocate your effort?
Charity begins at home.
But the U.S. is Ms. Polgar’s home now…
Susan,
Thank you for working so tirelessly to promote chess for girls (as well as boys) in this country–your country. You are a wonderful role model and ambassador for chess.
My young daughter’s interest in chess spurred me on to start our small school’s Chess club. I was disappointed at the small number of girls at my daughter’s first citywide elementary school tournament mostly because she never got a chance to meet another girl there –across the board or otherwise. It got me thinking that it would be nice to host a chess social for girls (K-12) in our locality. It could help strengthen their interest and provide the social support and network that is so important to girls. Then perhaps at the next tournament there would be friends to hang with between rounds!
This is a bottom up approach!
This is very good work you’ve been doing to promote girls’ chess, which I think will help the sport overall in the long run for both sexes. Please pat yourself on the back. 🙂
As for chess politics — argh!! I’ve only just returned to chess and the USCF after many years away from the game, and I’m appalled at how petty, mean, and downright vicious the politics still are. Usenet and the USCF fora make a mudslinging congressional race look like a Girl Scout picnic. Blech! (And don’t get me started on FIDE.)
Just keep going with your programs via the SPF, and I’m sure USCF will either have to come around, or be left behind in the dust.
Again — good work!