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2005 International Chess Festival Begins June 9

Polgar Opens Chess Center in Texas

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National News

2005 International Chess Festival Begins June 9

The Las Vegas International Chess Festival, one of the United States' biggest chess gatherings, will be held from June 9th through June 13th at the Riviera Hotel and Casino. The event features something for every chess fan, and offers a unique experience in American chess.

The marquee event of the festival is the National Open, held June 10-12. The tournament, a six round swiss, is held in 9 sections. The top prize in the Championship section is $5,000, and five players will qualify to the U.S. Championship thought the tournament. Sets and boards are provided for tournament games, and as a special bonus, every player who finishes with a plus score (3.5 points or more) will win a $25 gift certificate!

The National Open won't be the only championship event held, however. As the festival winds down, the U.S. Senior Open will just be starting up! Held from June 13-18, the Senior Open is open to players ages 50 and over, and will qualify one player for the U.S. Championship. Alongside the Senior tournament, there will also be a new event: The Under 50 U.S. Championship, which will award prizes and trophies to champions from a variety of different age classes.

Other tournament events during the festival include: The U.S. Game/10 Championship, the National Open Blitz Championship, and the Intergalactic Bughouse Championship.

Even if you're not interested in playing tournament chess, there is still plenty to experience. A special 100 board triplex simul will be held on June 9th by all three Polgar sisters - Judit, Susan and Sofia - in a unique event which, whether you play or just watch, you won't want to miss. The Polgar sisters will also be appearing the next morning for breakfast.

Susan Polgar will also be leading an intense chess camp, with the help of HM Walter Browne, IM Ben Finegold, IM igor Ivanov and NM Robert Tanner. These small classes will run as half-day or full-day courses, and are designed to quickly improve your chess. If you can't make a class, you're not totally out of luck; there will be free grandmaster lectures each day, and GM Arthur Bisguier will be on hand to analyze your tournament games for free.

With all these activities and many more, this event is something no true chess fan should miss. For more information on the festival and details on every event, visit the official site.

Polgar Opens Chess Center in Texas

Thanks to Daniel Deleon for submitting this story.

The Susan Polgar South Texas Chess Center in Corpus Christi, Texas celebrated their grand opening on May 28th, 2005. Activities included a simul attended by about 100 people, with both Susan Polgar and Paul Truong playing.

According to the center's official website, The Susan Polgar South Texas Chess Center's mission is "to promote chess, with all its social, educational and competitive benefits throughout South Texas for young people of all ages, especially girls." The center is being organized by coach Daniel Deleon, GM Susan Polgar, and a group of passionate chess fans to further the game of chess in South Texas.

For more information on the center, as well as pictures from the grand opening, you may visit the official site.