Rules & Conditions for the 13th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls’ Invitational

Rules & Conditions for the 13th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls' Invitational - the richest all-girls championship in the world!
($200,000+ in scholarships + $7,500 cash prizes)
July 23 (arrival day) – 28, 2016 at Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri)

The Annual SPF Girls' Invitational, in its 13th year, is the most prestigious All-Girls event in the United States. It is also the first All-Girls event approved and sanctioned by the USCF back in 2003. It is an invitational event, and will once again be held at Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri).

Each state, as well as each country in the American Continent (South, Central, and North America) is allowed to nominate one representative. Each Canadian province is allowed one representative to be nominated. In addition, automatic qualifying spots will be awarded to the reigning winners in each section of the annual Susan Polgar Foundation National Open for Girls and the Susan Polgar Foundation World Open for Girls.

Webster University will provide complimentary room and meal accommodation on campus for all qualifiers!

• There will be an intense training session with Susan Polgar and members of the SPICE team, followed by a 6 round (g/90+30) FIDE rated championship tournament.
• The traditional Blitz, Puzzle Solving, Bughouse events will stay the same as in previous years.
• There will be many chess prizes awarded, as well as scholarships to Webster University.

Official representatives should be nominated by June 10, 2016. Official representative alternates may be substituted no later than July 11, 2016. (Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee may allow the host state / country to enter an additional qualified player.) Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee may allow exceptions to the June 10 entry/alternate deadline. Should the state / country affiliate fail to respond to the notice for this tournament, Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee may determine the candidate from that state / country.

Players must have been enrolled in a school (up to 12th grade) located in the state or country they represent, also of the year in which the tournament is held. Home-schooled students who are under the age of 19 on July 22nd 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.

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 or country.

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 July 22nd of the year in which the tournament is held) is eligible!

Special invitation for this year: All past participants of the SPNI and SPFGI (Susan Polgar National Invitational/Susan Polgar Foundation Girls’ Invitational 2004-2015) are invited to participate in the 2016 SPFGI. 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 ASAP since space is limited. There will be mutual training sessions for all, however separate section & prizes for alumni participants over the age of 19.

Players are required to furnish the organizer an emergency phone number and the e-mail address of a parent/guardian.

There is no entry fee to participate in the 2016 SPFGI; however, players are responsible for their own travel.

For alumni participants, wild card/special invites, coaches, parents, or other family members, inexpensive accommodations are available for housing and dining on Webster’s campus. Please note that all reservations and registrations MUST be made (and accommodation expenses prepaid) no later than June 15, 2016.

Prizes: Trophies / plaques will be awarded to the winners of the Susan Polgar Foundation Girl’s Invitational Puzzle Solving, Blitz, Bughouse and the SPFGI Championship. Co-champions are recognized in the case of a tie, with each champion receiving a Champion’s Plaque or Trophy.

The Champion (or Co-Champions) of the main event will automatically be invited to defend her/their title (must meet age requirement).

Champion: Webster University scholarship* (full tuition and fees approximately $25,000 + per year x 4 years)

2nd place: Webster University scholarship (approximately $14,000 + per year x 4 years)

3rd place: Webster University scholarship (approximately $12,000 + per year x 4 years)

(In case of a tie, a playoff will used to determine the level of scholarships)

* The scholarships to Webster University must be exercised no later than Fall of 2019, and are not transferable. In addition, these scholarships cannot be combined with other academic scholarships, or stacked. If players won scholarships in past events, they can choose to exercise the highest one.

Additional CASH SCHOLARSHIP this year!

1st place = $2,500
2nd place = $1,500
3rd place = $1,000

Top under 13 = $500
Top under 10 = $500

Triple-crown champion (main event, blitz, and puzzle solving) = $1,000

Biggest upset prize (each round) = $50 x 6 = $300 gift certificate

Best dressed player = $100 gift certificate

Best written essay about the SPFGI experience = $100 gift certificate

There will also be additional surprised prizes which challenge intellect and wit!

(In case of a tie, cash prizes will be shared)

The Polgar Committee’s goal is to have all 50 states (including two representatives for California, two for Texas, and two for Missouri), the District of Columbia, as well as each country in the American Continent (South, Central, and North America) represented. We strongly encourage each state and the District of Columbia affiliate to hold a scholastic championship tournament to determine each state’s champion and representative. Failing this, rating criteria may be acceptable. 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.

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee and its members may elect to award a limited number of 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 Foundation National Open for Girls and the Susan Polgar Foundation World Open for Girls.

The SPFGI Chairperson is Martha Underwood (AZ).

NOTICE TO ALL STATE OFFICIALS: Please send the nomination from your state to the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com).

Contact info: Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com)

The Susan Polgar Foundation can be contacted at 806-281-7424 or through info@PolgarFoundation.org.

Rules & Conditions for the 10th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls' Invitational ($200K in prizes and scholarships)

Rules and Conditions for the 10th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls' Invitational (SPGI)
July 20 – 25, 2013 at Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri)

- Approximately $200,000 in chess scholarships, chess prizes, and iPad mini, etc. (Full tuition and fees scholarship to the top finisher! *)

- Webster University will provide complimentary room and meal accommodation on campus for qualifiers!
 
The annual Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, will be held at Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri).

• There will be an intense training session with Susan Polgar, followed by a 6 round (g/90+30) championship tournament.
• The traditional Blitz, Puzzle Solving, Bughouse events will stay the same as in previous years.
• There will be many chess prizes awarded, including iPad mini, and scholarships to Webster University.

Each state is allowed one representative to be nominated by June 1, 2013. Official representative alternates may be substituted no later than June 15. (Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee may allow the host state to enter an additional qualified player.) Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee 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 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 July 25th 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.

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.

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 July 25th of the year in which the tournament is held) is eligible!

Special invitation for this year only: All past participants of the SPNI and SPGI (Susan Polgar National Invitational/Susan Polgar Foundation Girls’ Invitational 2004-2012) are invited to participate in the 2013 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 ASAP since space is limited. There will be mutual training sessions for all, however separate section & prizes for alumni participants over the age of 19.

Players are required to furnish the organizer an emergency phone number and the e-mail address of a parent/guardian. 

There is no entry fee to participate in the 2013 SPGI; however, players are responsible for their own travel. For all state representatives, and qualifiers from the SPNO or SPWO, Webster University will provide complimentary room and meal accommodation on campus. 

For alumni participants, wild card/special invites, coaches, parents, or other family members, inexpensive accommodations are available for housing and dining on Webster’s campus. Please note that all reservations and registrations MUST be made (and accommodation expenses prepaid) no later than June 25, 2013.

Prizes: Trophies / plaques will be awarded to the winners of the Susan Polgar Foundation Girl’s Invitational Puzzle Solving, Blitz, and the SPGI Championship. Co-champions are recognized in the case of a tie, with each champion receiving a Champion’s Plaque or Trophy. The Champion (or Co-Champions) will automatically be invited to defend her/their title (must meet age requirement).

Champion: Webster University scholarship (approximately $23,000+ per year x 4 years *) + iPad mini + Champion's Plaque / Trophy
2nd and 3rd place: Webster University scholarship (approximately $13,000+ per year x 4 years *)
Top under 13: iPad mini
Top under 10: iPad mini

* The scholarship must be exercised no later than the Fall of 2016.

The New Polgar Committee’s goal is to have all 50 states (including two representatives for California, two for Texas, and two for Missouri) and the District of Columbia represented. We strongly encourage each state and the District of Columbia affiliate to hold a scholastic championship tournament to determine each state’s champion and representative. Failing this, rating criteria may be acceptable. 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.

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee 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 NO for Girls (New Orleans) and the Susan Polgar World Open for Girls (Chicago).

The new SPGI Chairperson is Martha Underwood (AZ).

NOTICE TO ALL STATE OFFICIALS: Please send the nomination from your state to the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com).

Contact info: Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com)

The Susan Polgar Foundation can be contacted at 806-281-7424 or through info@PolgarFoundation.org.

Webster University is located at 470 E. Lockwood Avenue Webster Groves, MO 63119

BIG THANKS to President Dr. Beth Stroble and Webster University for hosting and sponsoring this very prestigious event for girls!

* Scholarships may be upgraded but may not be stacked. For previous winners of partial scholarships, a maximum of $1,000 per year may be added to the previous scholarship.

Rules and Conditions for the 10th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls' Invitational ($200K in prizes and scholarships)

Rules and Conditions for the 10th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls' Invitational (SPGI)
July 20 – 25, 2013 at Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri)

Approximately $200,000 in chess scholarships, chess prizes, iPad mini, etc.

The annual Susan Polgar Girl’s Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls event in the United States, will be held at Webster University (St. Louis, Missouri).

• There will be an intense training session with Susan Polgar, followed by a 6 round (g/90+30) championship tournament.
• The traditional Blitz, Puzzle Solving, Bughouse events will stay the same as in previous years.
• There will be many chess prizes awarded, including iPad mini, and scholarships to Webster University.

Each state is allowed one representative to be nominated by June 1, 2013. Official representative alternates may be substituted no later than June 15. (Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee may allow the host state to enter an additional qualified player.) Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee 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 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 July 25th 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.

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.

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 July 25th of the year in which the tournament is held) is eligible!

Special invitation for this year only: All past participants of the SPNI and SPGI (Susan Polgar National Invitational/Susan Polgar Foundation Girls’ Invitational 2004-2012) are invited to participate in the 2013 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 ASAP since space is limited. There will be mutual training sessions for all, however separate section & prizes for alumni participants over the age of 19.

Players are required to furnish the organizer an emergency phone number and the e-mail address of a parent/guardian. 

There is no entry fee to participate in the 2013 SPGI; however, players are responsible for their own travel. For all state representatives, and qualifiers from the SPNO or SPWO, Webster University will provide complimentary room and meal accommodation on campus. 

For alumni participants, wild card/special invites, coaches, parents, or other family members, inexpensive accommodations are available for housing and dining on Webster’s campus. Please note that all reservations and registrations MUST be made (and accommodation expenses prepaid) no later than June 25, 2013.

Prizes: Trophies / plaques will be awarded to the winners of the Susan Polgar Foundation Girl’s Invitational Puzzle Solving, Blitz, and the SPGI Championship. Co-champions are recognized in the case of a tie, with each champion receiving a Champion’s Plaque or Trophy. The Champion (or Co-Champions) will automatically be invited to defend her/their title (must meet age requirement).

Champion: Webster University scholarship (approximately $23,000+ per year x 4 years) + iPad mini + Champion's Plaque / Trophy
2nd and 3rd place: Webster University scholarship (approximately $13,000+ per year x 4 years)
Top under 13: iPad mini
Top under 10: iPad mini

The scholarship must be exercised no later than the Fall of 2016.

The New Polgar Committee’s goal is to have all 50 states (including two representatives for California, two for Texas, and two for Missouri) and the District of Columbia represented. We strongly encourage each state and the District of Columbia affiliate to hold a scholastic championship tournament to determine each state’s champion and representative. Failing this, rating criteria may be acceptable. 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.

Susan Polgar and/or the Polgar Committee 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 NO for Girls (New Orleans) and the Susan Polgar World Open for Girls (Chicago).

The new SPGI Chairperson is Martha Underwood (AZ).

NOTICE TO ALL STATE OFFICIALS: Please send the nomination from your state to the Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com).

Contact info: Polgar Committee (PolgarCommittee@gmail.com)

The Susan Polgar Foundation can be contacted at 806-281-7424 or through info@PolgarFoundation.org.

Webster University is located at 470 E. Lockwood Avenue Webster Groves, MO 63119

BIG THANKS to President Dr. Beth Stroble and Webster University for hosting and sponsoring this very prestigious event for girls!

* Scholarships may be upgraded but may not be stacked. For previous winners of partial scholarships, a maximum of $1,000 per year may be added to the previous scholarship.

Video from 2012 SPF Girls' Invitational at Webster University

2012 SP Foundation Girls' Invitational (9th annual) at Webster University in St. Louis, MO.

48 qualified and invited players represented their respective states to compete for more than $150,000 in scholarships and chess prizes.

Over 640 photos and full results here: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2012/07/photos-from-2012-spf-girls-invitational.html

Christmas and Polgar

Female chess juggernauts compete and befriend
In Out & About
By Johnny Buse, special to the Beacon
1:27 pm on Mon, 07.30.12

As Michelle Chen’s time grew close to expiration last Friday afternoon, her opponent was a few yards away — Alice Dong’s back was turned to the board as she watched a chess game several tables over, one of the few other games still continuing in the final round of the Susan Polgar Girls Invitational chess tournament.

A draw would secure the championship for Chen. Dong needed a win.

Halfway through their game, when the Webster University auditorium was still filled with 48 girls spread out over 24 tables, a draw seemed almost inevitable. In the lobby of the theater, a handful of parents had been casually watching a live stream of the game among chit-chat and small talk.

But a series of suffocating attacks by Dong and a questionable retreat by Chen had upset the balance. With less than 10 minutes left on Chen’s clock, Dong had control over the board — and a likely shot at the first-place finish. The lobby television was surrounded by parents, siblings and three of Webster University’s top-ranked collegiate chess players.

For the past 20 minutes, all of the talk had centered around the championship game.

“She had a chance,” and “She took a C5?” and “Should’ve been a draw! But no — now white wins,” were tossed around the conversation, accompanied by numbers and letters and wry chess humor. One father drew imaginary lines on the screen as others looked on, arms crossed and heads cocked back. Three members of the Webster team — all top-ranked Grandmasters — fielded casual questions from the crowd.

The ninth annual Susan Polgar Girls’ Invitational was the first chess tournament held at Webster University since Polgar moved her powerhouse collegiate team and chess advocacy organization — the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE) — from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, to Webster University in suburban St. Louis.

Forty-eight girls, ranging from 6 to 19, competed over six rounds of play for the top-two spots and a $13,000-a-year scholarship award for attendance at Webster University.

“This event has two purposes: One is to give opportunities to the top girls overall, and to motivate them,” Polgar said.

“But for the majority of the girls, you know which half a dozen girls have a realistic chance to win, it’s an opportunity to meet girls from all across the country who … maybe feel singled out as the only girl in the chess club.”

The educational benefits of chess initially drew 14-year-old Annastasia Wyzywany, and her mother, Jill Wyzywany, to the game. When Jill Wyzywany first heard about chess scholarships, her interest in chess grew.

“I’d never heard of anybody getting a scholarship for chess,” she said. “When I saw the amounts, I thought ‘I must be reading this wrong.’”

Scholarships are a relatively new phenomenon in collegiate chess. They first gained traction in the 1990s at a handful of schools. Today, the number of schools offering scholarships is still small, yet two in the St. Louis area — Webster and Lindenwood universities — will roll out scholarship-backed teams this fall.

Polgar hopes that, four years from now, Dong, Chen and Wyzywany will follow through on their scholarship offers at Webster University.

As with any sport, the joy of competition lies at the core of tournaments. With Polgar’s tournament, tradition also plays a role, adding an almost summer camp element to the tournament. For Annastasia and her sister, 13-year-old Amelia Wyzywany, there were two highlights to every year — “Christmas and Polgar,” Wyzywany said.

“Once Christmas rolls around, they start counting down the days and the months to Polgar,” their mother said.

Annastasia and Amelia are still often the only girls at tournaments in the Shreveport, La., area. When they began to learn chess, they were part of a chess club at a local bookstore where they were the only girls and the youngest players in attendance.

For these chess players, the tournament is a time to connect with other players who may lack a network of similar players in their hometowns.

“They’re obsessed with the travel and meeting people they know from all over the country, and sometimes international players as well,” Dr. Martha Underwood said, referring to her daughter.

Even at the tournament, a sense of communality sometimes trumped competition. Many of the competitiors had attended the Polgar tournament together for many years, forging friendships that went beyond the lines of victory and defeat, sometimes sidestepping them all together.

“I just wanted to get done with the game,”Aiya Underwood said, discussing her final game draw with friend Rebecca Deland.

Back in the theater, Ballwin-native Margaret Hua, who entered with the second highest seed in the tournament, was standing behind Chen, turned away from her own board, surveying the topsy-turvy championship game.

Finally, with little time remaining, Chen resigned. She extended her hand over the chess board for a customary handshake with Dong, now the 1^st place finisher of the tournament — Chen would finish second.

After resetting the board, the girls stood up and hugged. Hua, still in the midst of her game, turned to the table, hugging and high fiving Dong, hugging and offering a conciliatory shrug to Chen. Small whispers, and then giggles, broke the silence of the theater.

The girls talked quietly together, before Hua returned to her board — she would win the game and finish sixth overall — and Chen and Dong packed their notebooks to leave.

“Those girls are all best friends,” Paul Truong, Polgar’s husband, said. Out in the lobby, the buzzing crowd began to trickle out for lunch prior to the closing ceremonies.

At the closing ceremony, the chess players and their parents presented Polgar with a gift card to Neiman Marcus (Polgar’s professional style and love for high heels has inspired more than one of the girls) and a plant pot signed by each of the girls, that reads “In your tender care girls grow.”

"Every time my son and my daughter would meet a relative, it's 'How's the chess going, Zach?'" Underwood said. "Aiya may have won the tournament in the same section as Zach. ... For some reason we're programmed to think that the boys are the chess players. We're working on that."

Source: https://www.stlbeacon.org

Photos from 2012 SPF Girls' Invitational at Webster University

Over 640+ pictures from the 2012 SPF Girls' Invitational have been uploaded at high resolution. Here is the link to all the pictures so far.

https://picasaweb.google.com/116302832360230031699/SPGI2012

SPGI Blitz Championship Results: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2012/07/3-way-tie-for-1st-at-spgi-blitz.html

SPGI Puzzle Solving Championship Results: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2012/07/2012-spf-girls-invitational-puzzle.html

SPGI Parents and Friends Results: http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2012/07/spgi-friends-and-family-championship.html

Main Event Final Standings

1	Alice Dong	W26	W12	D8	W9	W6	W2	5.5
2-4	Michelle Chen	W27	W20	W11	W7	W3	L1	5.0
2-4	Annastasia Wyzywany	W31	W15	W4	W5	L2	W12	5.0
2-4	Katherine Davis (top u/13)	W19	W17	L3	W22	W20	W11	5.0
5	Zoe Lemon	W37	W42	W23	L3	W7	D9	4.5
6	Margaret Hua	W18	W14	D9	D8	L1	W16	4.0
7	Rachel Ulrich	W28	W22	W10	L2	L5	W20	4.0
8	Anupama Rajendra	W36	W24	D1	D6	L11	W22	4.0
9	Taylor McCreary	W29	W16	D6	L1	W14	D5	4.0
10	Carissa Yip (top u/10)	W32	W35	L7	W15	L12	W27	4.0
11	Miranda Liu	W33	W25	L2	W24	W8	L4	4.0
12	Vanita Young	W38	L1	W26	W35	W10	L3	4.0
13	Maraani Kamphorst	H---	H---	H---	H---	H---	W44	3.5
14	Shayna Provine	W41	L6	W27	W25	L9	D19	3.5
15	Rebecca DeLand	W30	L3	W29	L10	W25	D21	3.5
16	Carmen Pemsler	W39	L9	D32	W41	W18	L6	3.5
17	Cassie Parent	W48	L4	W40	L20	D21	W32	3.5
18	Michaela Abernathy	L6	D41	W34	W23	L16	W33	3.5
19	Haley DeLuca Lowell	L4	W39	L25	W40	W35	D14	3.5
20	Joy Chen	W34	L2	W31	W17	L4	L7	3.0
21	Aiya Cancio	L42	L23	W46	W32	D17	D15	3.0
22	Amelia Wyzywany	W45	L7	W36	L4	W26	L8	3.0
23	Soumya Kulkarni	D46	W21	L5	L18	W38	D28	3.0
24	Lucy Cai	W43	L8	W37	L11	L27	W36	3.0
25	Mina Takahashi	W40	L11	W19	L14	L15	W38	3.0
26	Bria Castro	L1	W46	L12	W37	L22	W40	3.0
27	Hannah Farell	L2	W38	L14	W45	W24	L10	3.0
28	Varenya Chilukuri	L7	D34	L41	W46	W42	D23	3.0
29	Anjana Murali	L9	W45	L15	L38	W43	W35	3.0
30	Skylar Hsu	L15	L31	W48	L36	W45	W42	3.0
31	Diamond Abdus-Shakoor	L3	W30	L20	D42	L33	W43	2.5
32	Anna Sun	L10	W47	D16	L21	W41	L17	2.5
33	Collette Wright	L11	L40	D43	W34	W31	L18	2.5
34	Anne Ulrich	L20	D28	L18	L33	W39	W41	2.5
35	Abbey Gillett	W47	L10	W42	L12	L19	L29	2.0
36	Helen Lou	L8	W43	L22	W30	U---	L24	2.0
37	Tori Whatley	L5	W48	L24	L26	L40	W45	2.0
38	Iris Zhou	L12	L27	W39	W29	L23	L25	2.0
39	Tatiana Hoppens	L16	L19	L38	W47	L34	W46	2.0
40	Yvonne Ward	L25	W33	L17	L19	W37	L26	2.0
41	Jenny Gu	L14	D18	W28	L16	L32	L34	1.5
42	Amy Sun	W21	L5	L35	D31	L28	L30	1.5
43	Ananya Murali	L24	L36	D33	W48	L29	L31	1.5
44	Susanna Ulrich	U---	U---	U---	U---	W46	L13	1.0
45	Gisele Delgado	L22	L29	W47	L27	L30	L37	1.0
46	Austen Janna Borg	D23	L26	L21	L28	L44	L39	0.5
47	Mallory Fee	L35	L32	L45	L39	D48	U---	0.5
48	Kendra Fee	L17	L37	L30	L43	D47	U---	0.5

2012 SPF Girls' Invitational at Webster University

Carissa Yip, the top 8 year old in the United States, and Michelle Chen, one of the top seeds of the 2012 SPF Girls' Invitational, arrived at West Hall at Webster University to check in. More than half of the players already checked in and the rest will arrive this morning.

A total of 48 qualified and invited young ladies will compete for over $100,000 in scholarships and chess prizes. The 9th SPF Girls' Invitational is hosted and sponsored by Webster University, in collaboration with the Susan Polgar Foundation.


Qualified and Invited Participants

Diamond Abdus-Shakoor (OH)
Michaela Abernathy (ID)
Austen Janna Borg (VT)
Jiaying (Lucy) Cai (MA)
Aiya Cancio (AZ)
Bria Castro (AZ)
Marissa Cazalas (AL)
Evelyn Chen (GA)
Joy Chen (MI)
Michelle Chen (MA)
Varenya Chilukuri (AZ)
Katherine Davis (NY)
Rebecca Deland (NM)
Gisele Delgado (TX)
Haley DeLuca Lowell (ME)
Alice Dong (NJ)
Hannah Farell (OK)
Kendra Fee (MO)
Mallory Fee (MO)
Abigail Gillett (OH)
Jenny Gu (VA)
Tatiana Hoppens (LA)
Skylar Hsu (MD)
Margaret Hua (MO)
Soumya Kulkarni (MI)
Zoë Lemon (MO)
Miranda Liu (IL)
Helen Lou (IN)
Taylor McCreary (CA)
Ananya Murali (WI)
Anjana Murali (WI)
Cassie Parent (IL)
Carmen Pemsler (ID)
Shayna Provine (IL)
Anupama Rajendra (WI)
Amy Sun (MI)
Anna Sun (MI)
Mina Takahashi (IA)
Anne Ulrich (WI)
Rachel Ulrich (WI)
Yvonne Ward (UT)
Hannah “Tori” Whatley (SC)
Collette Wright (KS)
Ameila Wyzywany (LA)
Annastasia Wyzywany (LA)
Carissa Yip (MA)
Vanita Young (PA)
Iris Zhou (MO)

Past Champions

2004 Roza Eynullayeva (MA)
2005 Anya Corke (CA), 
Alisa Melekhina (PA), 
Abby Marshall (OH)
2006 Abby Marshall (VA)
2007 Julia Kerr (NY), 
Eunice Rodriquez (FL)
2008 Courtney Jamison (TX)
2009 Yang Dai (VA)
2010 Anu Bayar (IL)
2011 Apurva Virkud (MI)

Schedule

Sunday, July 22
7:30 – 9:30 am: Breakfast
11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Lunch
12:30 pm: Welcome Ceremony 
Loretto Hilton
1:30 – 4 pm: Start of training 
West Hall
4:30 pm: Blitz Championship 
Loretto Hilton stage
6 – 6:45 pm: Dinner
7 pm: Puzzle Solving 
Championship
 West Hall
7:45 pm: Bughouse Championship
 West Hall

Monday, July 23
7:30 – 9 am: Breakfast
9 – 11:30 am: Training
West Hall
11:30 am – 12 pm: Lunch 
(pick up at Marletto’s)
12:15 – 3 pm: Visit the City Museum
4 – 7 pm: Training
West Hall
7 – 8 pm: Dinner

Tuesday, July 24
7:30 – 9:30 am: Breakfast
9:30 am: Campus Tour and Activity
12 – 1 pm: Lunch
1:30 pm: Opening Ceremony
 Loretto Hilton
2:30 pm: Tournament Round 1
 Loretto Hilton stage
6 – 8 pm: Dinner

Wednesday, July 25
7:30 – 9:30 am: Breakfast
9:30 am: Tournament Round 2
 Loretto Hilton stage
12:30 – 2 pm: Lunch
3 pm: Tournament Round 3
 Loretto Hilton stage
6:30 – 8:30pm: Dinner

Thursday, July 26
7:30 – 9:30 am: Breakfast
9:30 am: Tournament Round 4
 Loretto Hilton stage
12:30 – 2 pm: Lunch
3 pm: Tournament Round 5
 Loretto Hilton stage
6:30 – 8:30pm: Dinner

Friday, July 27
7:30 – 9:30 am: Breakfast
9:30 am: Tournament Round 6 
Loretto Hilton stage
12:30 – 2pm: Lunch
2:30 pm: Closing Ceremony 
Loretto Hilton

Trophies / plaques will be awarded to the winners of the Susan Polgar Foundation Girls' Invitational Puzzle Solving, Blitz, Bughouse, and the SPGI Championship.

Co-champions are recognized in the case of a tie, with each champion receiving a Champion’s Plaque or Trophy. The Champion (or Co-Champions) will automatically be invited to defend her/their title (must meet age requirement).

Main event prizes:

Champion: Webster University scholarship (approximately $13,000 per year x 4 years) + netbook computer + Champion's Cup
2nd place: Webster University scholarship (approximately $13,000 per year x 4 years)
Top under 13: netbook computer + trophy
Top under 10: netbook computer + trophy

In addition to FREE room and board to ALL the participants right on campus, as well as over $100,000 in scholarships, and other chess prizes, Webster University also provides all participants a bag of goodies (over $50 value for each bag)!