Susan Polgar to give Simul in Peoria, Arizona !!!

Date: 07 Feb 2009 04:14:34
From: samsloan
Subject: Susan Polgar to give Simul in Peoria, Arizona !!!

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Chess Grandmaster presides over Peoria tournament

Chess Grandmaster Susan Polgar will play 64 opponents simultaneously
the evening of Friday, Feb. 13, to kick off a weekend of chess at
Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria.

On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14-15, the Susan Polgar National Chess
Championship for Boys and the Susan Polgar National Open Championship
for Girls will be held at the same location. The weekend events will
include prizes, trophies, teaching events and eligible high school
players competing for college scholarships.

=93This is a great event for Peoria and is part of Peoria's commitment
to youth education and chess,=94 said City Manager Carl Swenson. =93We are
excited to have Ms. Polgar as our guest.=94

Born in Hungary but now living in New York, Polgar is one of the
strongest female players ever, having been Women's World Chess
Champion from 1996 until 1999.

In 1986, she made history by being the first female player to qualify
to compete in the Men's World Chess Championship.

In her Peoria exhibition, Polgar will take on the 64 opponents
simultaneously at 7:15 p.m. Feb. 13.

Anybody can be one of her challengers. Be one of the first to register
and pay a $30 fee the night of the event. Registration will continue
until the start of play or until all the spots are filled.

Earlier in the day, Polgar will speak at a luncheon in the Development
and Community Services Building (First floor, Point of View Room) on
the Peoria Municipal Campus.

The two championship tournaments will run through Saturday and Sunday,
culminating with an awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

The deadline to register online is 7 p.m. Feb. 13; phone registrations
will be taken until 10 p.m. at 602-482-4867.

For more information, visit www.susanpolgar.com and www.chessemporium.com/t=
ourney.php.

http://peoriatimes.com/articles/2009/02/06/news/features/feat02.txt

Date: 10 Feb 2009 11:44:41
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Susan Polgar to give Simul in Peoria, Arizona !!!

[quote="hmb"][quote="ueschessmom"]Ron:

You must have missed the post where someone indirectly compared Susan
to Michael Vicks, Barry Bonds and O.J. Simpson (!). It may have been
indirect but pretty hard to miss the inference. Good that the A-Rod
(or as the New York tabloids now refer to him, A-Roid or A-Fraud or A-
Hole (gotta love the New York Post)) scandal didn't take place until
this week or I'm sure he would have made it into the post as well.

Upper East Side Chess Mom [/quote]

Ellen - As the person who made the post you are referring to, I'll
take this as an opportunity to ask you a question.

Do you have any concern about who your children see as role models?

My concern here is that Ms. Polgar - who has been marketed to us all
as a great role model for kids in particular, and a great
representative for chess - is not in fact a person of integrity, and
that the lessons of her actual behavior are counter to the high-minded
statements she expresses (such as "Win with dignity, lose with
grace").

Consider the folks in Phoenix this week. Ms. Polgar is reported on
http://www.chessemporium.com and other sites to be personally
appearing and hosting activities related to the Susan Polgar National
Open Chess Championships for Boys and for Girls, while on her own
blog, susanpolgar.blogspot.com, she is publishing statements declaring
that she will be in Illinois, and not publishing anything about being
in Arizona.

It is hard to imagine that this creates a comfortable situation for
the operator of Chess Emporium, who provides classes in over 200
Phoenix-area afterschool programs, and has considerable reputation
invested in delivering on those activities he promises. And it is
hard to imagine that if you had planned to bring your children to play
in those events, that you would be completely confident that your
children were going to meet the inspiring person whose name and
likeness and presence have been touted as reasons for your bringing
them to the events.

Regardless of the impertinence of anyone who raises questions about
Ms. Polgar's behavior, is her behavior in fact respectful of the chess
community? Is she visibly acting with integrity in ways that children
can see and emulate, or is she acting in ways that you would not want
your children to emulate?

Hal Bogner [/quote]

You need to know that there is some history behind the posting by Hal
Bogner above.

On or about April 12, 1986, Hal Bogner had arranged for Susan Polgar
to give a simultaneous exhibition in Texas. I was with Susan when she
along with her parents and her two sisters were preparing to go to the
airport to fly to Texas after the New York Open, which had just been
completed.

When I met them a week later at the time when they had been scheduled
to return from Texas, I was shocked when they told me that they had
not gone to Texas at all. At the last moment before their departure
for Texas, Shiloh Quinn had told them to fly to Montreal instead,
where he was going to provide them with millions of dollars. So,
instead of flying to Texas, they had flown to Montreal, leaving Hal
Bogner holding the bag.

I assume that Hal Bogner had to refund all the money to everybody who
had paid to play in this simultaneous exhibition, when Susan did not
show up.

It was this incident that led me to getting involved with Susan
because I drove her family in my car to JFK airport. They had left
Sofia Polgar, aged 11, with Shiloh Quinn in Montreal. Shiloh Quinn had
wanted Susan. They were not willing to give up Susan but they willing
to give up Sofia, so they had left Sofia with Quinn.

Sofia wound up staying for several months with Shiloh Quinn in
Montreal, which is the reason why, to this day, Sofia speaks the best
English of the three Polgar sisters.

I recognize that this happened 23 years ago and that Susan's parents,
not Susan, was responsible for this incident. However, it seems that
Susan is still following the example provided by her parents of not
keeping her commitments.

Sam Sloan

Date: 07 Feb 2009 14:44:16
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Susan Polgar to give Simul in Peoria, Arizona !!!

[quote="ueschessmom"]Artichoke: Thanks. I think there is a huge
range in this area and a lot of it is based on what the market can
bear. In fairness to GM Ashley and Josh Waitzkin, both of them have
parlayed chess success into the broader world of "motivational
speaking" through their writings: Ashley's "Chess for Success" and
Waitzkin's "The Art of Learning." I think some GMs and IMs are better
at marketing themselves than others. And, as most would probably
agree, the best at marketing are not necessarily the best at teaching,
etc.

Upper East Side Chess Mom [/quote]

Comparisons with GM Ashley and Josh Waitzkin are inappropriate. Josh
Waitzkin had a book written about him and then a movie made about him
when he was a child. The book and the movie was "Searching for Bobby
Fischer". He does not play chess any more and his fame is just a lucky
accident.

GM Ashley is the beneficiary of being the first person of African
origin to earn the GM title. He is also an excellent speaker and
presenter. He was at the World Open two years ago but only as a
visitor and he told me that he does not play chess any more.

There are many players at the 2500, 2600 and even the 2700 level who
are far stronger than Waitzkin, Ashley or Polgar who would welcome the
opportunity to give a simultaneous exhibition.

Why don't you ask Sergei Movsesian? He is a really good guy. I have
known him for more than ten years since the 1999 New York Open. He is
ranked number ten in the world with a FIDE rating of 2751 and I am
sure that he would jump at the opportunity to give a simultaneous
exhibition for $25 a board. He can beat Waitzkin, Ashley and Polgar
probably simultaneously blindfolded.

Sam Sloan

Date: 07 Feb 2009 13:10:15
From: Chicken Sloan?
Subject: Re: Susan Polgar to give Simul in Peoria, Arizona !!!

AZ is not like VA or TX, Mr. Sloan.
You will be safe there, Mr. Sloan.
You are preregistered, Mr. Sloan.
Peoria waits for you, Mr. Sloan.
Also does Tombstone, Mr. Sloan.
You aren't chicken, Mr. Sloan.
Come, and play us, Mr. Sloan.
We will have fun, Mr. Sloan.
Don't be scared, Mr. Sloan.
We do want you, Mr. Sloan.
Destiny calls, Mr. Sloan.
Can you hear, Mr. Sloan.
Your chance, Mr. Sloan.
KnockKnock, Mr. Sloan.
Your move, Mr. Sloan.
Be lucky, Mr. Sloan.
You win, Mr. Sloan.
Winner, Mr. Sloan.
Prize, Mr. Sloan.
Hiro, Mr. Sloan.
0-1, Mr. Sloan.
No, Mr. Sloan.
?, Mr. Sloan.
? Mr. Sloan.
Mr. Sloan?
Mr. Sloan!

On Sat, 7 Feb 2009 04:14:34 -0800 (PST), samsloan <[email protected] >
wrote in rec.games.chess.politics:
> Saturday, February 7, 2009
>
> Chess Grandmaster presides over Peoria tournament
>
> Chess Grandmaster Susan Polgar will play 64 opponents simultaneously
> the evening of Friday, Feb. 13, to kick off a weekend of chess at
> Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria.
>
> On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14-15, the Susan Polgar National Chess
> Championship for Boys and the Susan Polgar National Open Championship
> for Girls will be held at the same location. The weekend events will
> include prizes, trophies, teaching events and eligible high school
> players competing for college scholarships.
>
> "This is a great event for Peoria and is part of Peoria's commitment
> to youth education and chess," said City Manager Carl Swenson. "We are
> excited to have Ms. Polgar as our guest."
>
> Born in Hungary but now living in New York, Polgar is one of the
> strongest female players ever, having been Women's World Chess
> Champion from 1996 until 1999.
>
> In 1986, she made history by being the first female player to qualify
> to compete in the Men's World Chess Championship.
>
> In her Peoria exhibition, Polgar will take on the 64 opponents
> simultaneously at 7:15 p.m. Feb. 13.
>
> Anybody can be one of her challengers. Be one of the first to register
> and pay a $30 fee the night of the event. Registration will continue
> until the start of play or until all the spots are filled.
>
> Earlier in the day, Polgar will speak at a luncheon in the Development
> and Community Services Building (First floor, Point of View Room) on
> the Peoria Municipal Campus.
>
> The two championship tournaments will run through Saturday and Sunday,
> culminating with an awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
>
> The deadline to register online is 7 p.m. Feb. 13; phone registrations
> will be taken until 10 p.m. at 602-482-4867.
>
> For more information, visit www.susanpolgar.com and www.chessemporium
> .com/tourney.php.
>
> http://peoriatimes.com/articles/2009/02/06/news/features/feat02.txt

Date: 07 Feb 2009 11:14:56
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Susan Polgar to give Simul in Peoria, Arizona !!!

Before the USCF made her famous, Susan Polgar made her living giving
simultaneous exhibitions. She supported her parents with this when she
was a little girl (which explains why the child welfare authorities in
Hungary got on their case). Susan Polgar has probably given more
simultaneous chess exhibitions than anybody in the world (although
Jude Acers comes to mind). She is obviously good at it.

Sam Sloan

Date: 07 Feb 2009 04:53:49
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Susan Polgar to give Simul in Peoria, Arizona !!!

Date: 07 Feb 2009 04:52:56
From: samsloan
Subject: Re: Susan Polgar to give Simul in Peoria, Arizona !!!

I find several odd things about this announcement:

1. She is holding the "Susan Polgar National Open Championship for
Girls" in Peoria, Arizona, (a suburb of Phoenix) and not in Las Vegas
where she has held it previously or in Lubbock, Texas.

2. The announcement says that she is "now living in New York", and not
in Lubbock, Texas.

3. She is playing 64 opponents for $30 each. Seems like she is playing
for the money, not to promote chess.

4. The announcement calls her only "one of the strongest female
players ever". Usually, her announcements say that she is "The World
Chess Champion".

Are these just trivialities, or is she no longer employed by Texas
Tech University? Does she still live in Lubbock?

Sam Sloan

On Feb 7, 7:14=A0am, samsloan <[email protected] > wrote:
> Saturday, February 7, 2009
>
> Chess Grandmaster presides over Peoria tournament
>
> Chess Grandmaster Susan Polgar will play 64 opponents simultaneously
> the evening of Friday, Feb. 13, to kick off a weekend of chess at
> Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria.
>
> On Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14-15, the Susan Polgar National Chess
> Championship for Boys and the Susan Polgar National Open Championship
> for Girls will be held at the same location. The weekend events will
> include prizes, trophies, teaching events and eligible high school
> players competing for college scholarships.
>
> =93This is a great event for Peoria and is part of Peoria's commitment
> to youth education and chess,=94 said City Manager Carl Swenson. =93We ar=
e
> excited to have Ms. Polgar as our guest.=94
>
> Born in Hungary but now living in New York, Polgar is one of the
> strongest female players ever, having been Women's World Chess
> Champion from 1996 until 1999.
>
> In 1986, she made history by being the first female player to qualify
> to compete in the Men's World Chess Championship.
>
> In her Peoria exhibition, Polgar will take on the 64 opponents
> simultaneously at 7:15 p.m. Feb. 13.
>
> Anybody can be one of her challengers. Be one of the first to register
> and pay a $30 fee the night of the event. Registration will continue
> until the start of play or until all the spots are filled.
>
> Earlier in the day, Polgar will speak at a luncheon in the Development
> and Community Services Building (First floor, Point of View Room) on
> the Peoria Municipal Campus.
>
> The two championship tournaments will run through Saturday and Sunday,
> culminating with an awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
>
> The deadline to register online is 7 p.m. Feb. 13; phone registrations
> will be taken until 10 p.m. at 602-482-4867.
>
> For more information, visitwww.susanpolgar.comandwww.chessemporium.com/to=
urney.php.
>
> http://peoriatimes.com/articles/2009/02/06/news/features/feat02.txt