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)!