Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls

GM Susan Polgar has sponsored a national all-girls invitational chess tournament for the past six years. It seems like yesterday when I first read about this prestigious event, and the rigorous qualification requirements! Here we are in 2009. The following information is from a press release issued by the USCF website about the 6th Annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls: New Chess Champion to be Crowned at Texas Tech University FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 14, 2009 Contact: Dr. Rice Rich LUBBOCK, TEXAS The sixth, annual Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls (SPNI), which is the most prestigious all-girls national championship in the United States, will take place July 26-31, 2009 at the Frazier Alumni Pavilion on the Texas Tech University (TTU) campus in Lubbock, Texas. To be eligible to play, each state can nominate one talented young female chess player 18-years-old or younger. Winning the Susan Polgar National Open for Girls or the Susan Polgar World Open for Girls also qualifies one to compete at SPNI. The defending champion and current members of the Susan Polgar All-Star Chess Team also receive invitations. Thousands of girls compete annually in a variety of events to gain eligibility. This is the second year that Texas Tech University will host this prestigious event, and it has an agreement with the USCF to do so until 2017. Thanks to the generous sponsorship from the TTU’s Provost’s office, each qualified player receives free accommodation on TTU’s campus at Gordon Hall, as well as three free meals a day on campus at the “Fresh Plate” for the duration of the six-day event. In addition, TTU will award a four-year academic scholarship each year to the highest-finishing player who has not graduated from high school by August of the year of the tournament. A record fifty-two players from across the country participated in the main event in 2008. The winner of the 2008 SPNI was Courtney Jamison of Texas. This year, the record will be broken as sixty young and talented young female players have already confirmed their participation. Further information is contained in the rest of the press release.

She Wants Everyone to Play Chess

From the Aikenstandard.com Local chess star wants everyone to be able to play 3/1/2009 12:56 AM By RACHEL JOHNSON Staff writer A local youth has reached out to schools in hopes of encouraging new chess players. Hannah Tori Whatley, a 13-year-old Merriwether Middle School student, recently represented the South Carolina Chess Association at the Susan Polgar National Invitational, a chess tournament for girls held in Lubbock, Texas. Whatley was provided money for expenses incurred for representing the state and has decided to donate the money to local schools. It is her desire to increase interest among her peers in the game of chess in hopes of ramping up competition. She has set her goal at donating three chess sets to each of five schools, including Mossy Creek Elementary, Hammond Hills Elementary, North Augusta Elementary, Paul Knox Middle School and North Augusta Middle School, to help start chess programs. Whatley earned her spot in the national invitational by being the highest-finishing female in the South Carolina Scholastic Chess Championships in March of 2008. In April, she flew to Dallas to participate in the fifth annual All-Girl Nationals, where she played the U.S. Women's Champion, International Master Irina Krush, in an exhibition match. In July, she flew to Lubbock, Texas, to face the female state champions from all over the country. Competing against mostly high school aged girls, Whatley scored in three of her six matches to finish 38th in the competition. Whatley said even for schools not listed, free sets are available for starting chess clubs by visiting the state's scholastic website. Click on the link located on the right-hand side of the page, "Resources For School and Chess Club Organizers."