Interview with Susan Polgar by Chessdom
Dec 18, 2014
Exclusive interview by Chessdom with Susan Polgar, Director or SPICE & Head Coach of the Webster University Chess Team.
Hello Susan! I realize that you are very busy preparing your teams for the 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Chess Championship. Thank you for taking time out from your busy schedule to do this interview.
1. The first question has to be about the news of Wesley So becoming a full time professional chess player. How did you meet him?
I first met him when he participated in the SPICE Cup a number of years ago. Wesley was a very talented young player. He was already in the mid 2600’s at that time. But he was stuck at that level for many years.
Susan Polgar and Wesley So
2. So how did you recruit him to your SPICE program at Webster University?
Actually, I did not at that time. Just like with many other young talented players from around the world, I try to give them advice to improve if asked. One Sunday morning back in late 2011 or early 2012, I got a Google chess alert about Wesley So in one of the Filipino websites. In the article, Wesley said he decided to join my program. I was very surprised about it since I had no conversation with Wesley at that time regarding this issue.
I then contacted his parents who are now living in Canada. His Mom Leny confirmed it with me. He applied shortly after that and came to Webster in the Fall of 2012.
3. Wesley arrived at Webster University at #99 in the world. How did you help him get to the top 10?
I developed a special world class method of training using my personal chess knowledge and decades of experience. It required a lot of personal discipline and special training. It also required setting and accomplishing small goals.
As talented as Wesley was (the same with many other very talented young players), he had many weaknesses. Without fixing these weaknesses, as well as improvement his natural strengths, it would be very difficult to get to the next level.
There is a big difference between being in the 2600’s vs 2700’s, and especially 2800’s. He trusted my advice and training, followed it, and the rest is history.
This system will work for any top young player who wants to improve. This is why we have a long list of top notch talents who want to come to SPICE. But in addition to chess training, our students also learn many other important life skills which will help them with their future, both professionally and personally. It is a very unique program, and there is nothing like this anywhere else in the world.
4. How did the decision for Wesley to transfer to the USCF come about?
Wesley was fed up with the situation in the Philippines with his federation. He saw no future if he decided to remain with the NCFP.
He asked me for my opinion. I told him the pros and cons of switching federations. But I also told him that it has to be his decision. He is the best player to come out of the Philippines. Abandoning his federation will disappoint a lot of fans and supporters.
Of course the plus would be financial as he can play in the lucrative US Championship and Sinquefield Cup, etc. I was in a similar situation as Wesley. But I chose to live in the US for nearly 10 years without changing federation. So it is a tough call but I would support his decision, one way or the other. At the end, he decided to switch and it was fully his decision.
5. How did the decision for Wesley to turn full time professional come about?
There are very few top level scholarship spots open to world class GMs to get into Webster University – SPICE, and there are many talented applicants. We have very strict requirements for all students such as:
– Commitment to academic excellence
– Commitment to chess improvement, and the willingness to be coached
– Commitment to team work
– Commitment to follow all team rules
– Commitment to community service, etc.
The rules are the same for all students. Unless one appreciates the opportunity, and is willing to meet all the requirements, it is better to take a different direction.
We did everything we could to help Wesley reach the top 10 in the world, break the 2760 mark, win Millionaire Chess, along with many big tournaments in the past 2 years. After nearly 2.5 years of training at SPICE, now is the time for him to show what he is made of.
While I cannot speak about the specifics of his abrupt departure, all his teammates and I wish him the best. It is up to Wesley and his new team to get him ready to battle Carlsen, Caruana, Aronian, Grischuk, Topalov, Giri, etc., to break the top 5, and 2800.
6. Does Wesley have the talent to reach 2800 or the top 5 in the world?
He absolutely does. But it is not enough even with natural talent and hard work. There are many other factors. So many people want to reach the pinnacle and very few can get there. I speak from personal experience. It is now the job of his new team to get him there. I wish Wesley the best and I hope that he will make it.
7. What are the expectations for your teams at the upcoming PanAm InterCollegiate Chess Championship?
We are the #1 seed and the reigning national champions. But when you are the best, you have a big target on your back. So it will not be easy. But our students have been training very hard physically (including CrossFit training) and in chess. We will see if it will be enough.
8. What is the secret for the success of Webster – SPICE?
Just as in any business, whether if it is chess or not, to succeed, you need the 7 Ps:
1. Passion – If you do not love what you do, it will not work
2. Product – We have Webster – SPICE, the best product in College Chess
3. Process – Our training method is unique, world-class, and it works
4. People – We select our team members very carefully, and Webster has been very supportive
5. Purpose – We have a noble purpose, to provide young people a platform to learn, improve, and succeed
6. Preparation – We train hard year round to fulfill individual and team goals
7. Perseverance – Giving up in not in our vocabulary. If we do not succeed, we will work even harder
Susan Polgar, Wesley So, Le Quang Liem, Ashwin Jayaram, Ray Robson, Paul Truong
9. Who are some of your top talents at Webster at the moment outside of Wesley?
We have many such as Illia Nyzhnyk (our youngest student at the moment), Ray Robson, Le Quang Liem, Vasif Durarbayli, Georg Meier, Fidel Corrales, Manuel Leon Hoyos, Denes Boros, Andre Diamant, Ashwin Jayaram, etc. We will also have more 2600+ players coming soon. But if someone is interested in Webster – SPICE, they are welcome to write me at SusanPolgar@aol.com.
10. Now that Carlsen has defeated Anand again to defend his title, who do you see as his potential challengers in the next cycle.
It is hard to say as the cycle is grueling. But the obvious names are Caruana, Aronian, Anand, Grischuk, Kramnik, Topalov, Nakamura, and possibly Giri, etc. But it will not be easy.
11. As for women, now that Judit has retired, who can pose as a threat to Hou Yifan.
Yifan is well above others at the moment. But Gunina, Koneru, Dzagnidze, Anna Muzychuk, and Lahno, etc. are in the next group.
12. Who is the favorite to win Tata Steel A group in January?
Obviously Magnus is the favorite. But do not count out Levon and Fabiano. There are others who can contend. It will be exciting.
Thank you very much for your time. Good luck to your teams at the upcoming PanAm InterCollegiate Chess Championship
Exclusive interview with Wesley So’s Mother by Chessdom: https://chessdailynews.com/exclusive-interview-with-wesley-sos-mother-by-chessdom/
Big mistake. He should learn more. Not ready to take on Carlsen yet.
Based from my readings here & an article written by Eliseo Tumbaga it appears that GM Wesley So turn Professional in chess by going full-time. Implied in his decision to turn Pro is his decision to drop out of college & left WebsterU & the SPICE Program. Corrolarily, it also means that Susan Polgar and/or Paul is NO LONGER the chess coach of GM Wesley So nor part of his team as Susan Polgar categorically said that although GM Wesley So has the talent to break the 2800 barrier, it is up to his (referring to GM So) NEW TEAM (impliedly NEW COACH too!) Now I’m curios WHO is the NEW COACH of GM Wesley So & the composition of his NEW TEAM (of which Susan Polgar or Paul) is no longer part of. No wonder everytime Susan posted pictures of training sessions of SPICE team GM Wesley So is absent precisely because GM Wesley So drop out of college, left WebsterU & SPICE Program & Susan Polgar no longer his chess coach ALL in FAVOR of his decision to turn Professional in chess. Hope GM So knows what he did & the risk & consequences of his actions. GM So has to find new chess coach ASAP & sponsor too! Now he has all the time to join chess tourney around the world like elite players do without school obligations. Anyway, THANK YOU Coach Susan Polgar. GM Wesleu So, his family, fans & the entire Philippines will FOREVER be GRATEFUL to everything you did to him. ALL GM So success will not be possible without your help to him. GM So owes you big time. Regardless of what happen to GM So, his future success will always be equated to Coach Susan Polgar. Without Coach Susan Polgar, there would be no GM Wesley So. THANK YOU Coach Susan Polgar, Paul & Family.
I doubt that he knows what he’s doing. He was a nothing before he was trained by Polgar. We’ll see if he made the right decision or not.
a nothing? wesley was one of the youngest to become a gm. won tournaments and became top 100 in the world. he may have stagnated but we wasnt a nothing. wesley helped webster won championship. its not a one way street you know.
If you DON’T the RISK, you will NEVER Succeed. Besides, there is ALWAYS someone out there BETTER than Coach Susan Polgar who can provide what he needs to succeed to the next level and with undivided attention. Remember, GM So is not the only player that Susan coach as there are a lot. Perhaps its time for GM So to up his ante so to speak & go out of his comfort zone. Susan Polgar had already done everything there is to be done with GM So & he has to seek new inputs/ideas/perspective about chess outside of Susan Polgar. Perhaps a new coach or chess trainer will advance him a lot. As they say its time to move on to new frontier and explore. Only by doing so will GM Wesley So be able to explore further & see how far he can achieve with his talent. But whatever happens, GM Wesley So will forever be grateful to Susan Polgar & Paul.
GM Wesley So knows what he’s doing. The fact that he has a new team means that he is being supported in his quest to break the 2800 barrier and be a WC in the near future.
Wesley wants to become a World Chess Champion and he has the talent to become one. The USCF wants to produce another World Chess Champion among its brightest talents and it has the logistics to do SO. It has been 42 years since Fischer. Its about time to raise the US flag once more.
Go Wesley!
what’s up with people saying it’s a bad decision?
Wesley is not a kid anymore… at this stage he knows exactly what to do… what’s best for his career.
Only the first one to comment impliedly say its a bad decision, the rest has positivd comments about the decision of GM Wesley So to go profesdional… Dont you know how to read, comprehend & understand comments or are you high on drugs? It is only your comment that says bad decision.., grow up and PLEASE learn to read & understand what is written and/or said.
People are curious & wondering, after all what Susan Polgar did to GM Wesley So from helping him transfer to USCF, honing his skills to elite level & bringing him to 10… Was the SPLIT AMICABLE (no hurt feelings, anger, felt betrayed etc on the part of Susan Polgar). If I am in Susan’s place I would be initially disappointed & felt betrayed after everything she did to GM Wesley So and all of the sudden after getting transferred to USCF, GM So decided to left WebsterU & SPICE Program. Common logic would tell you that would most likely be Susan Polgar feeling right now. Any comment from Susan Polgar herself just to clarify things? We are hoping its an amicable & peaceful split though. Thanks
If Wesley applies to real-life situations what he’s so good on the chessboard, he is at lest five moves ahead, and so he knows what he’s doing. His move maybe premature though and could be a blunder. Only time will tell.
The world will know if he made the right decision or not. His 1st test will be his match vs Nakamura, then Tata Steel. If he bombs, we know that he listened to a bunch of dufus. If he wins, then he made the right decision.
I wonder who is the “genius adviser” of Wesley. Someone must have “influence” him to make his so-called “decision” to turn professional. And Susan Polgar et al is NOT ond of them. Could it be NCFP Pres the “unseen influencer” (LOL) or Mr Rex Sinquefield (the billionaire mogul sponsor of Nakamura but got fed up w/ Nakamura’s always half-bake results & impossibility of chances to challenge Carlsen) or the Mafia hahaha!
Is he crazy? His way brought him to nowhere before. Now he wants to go back to that same way. That’s nuts. He’s in the best protective environment and he wants to throw it all away? There must be a girl behind this. Otherwise no one can make such a stupid decision.
Your lucky guess may be true! But are you sure its a girl? what if its a boy? 🙂
ATTENTION GM Wesley So Fans: Effective IMMEDIATELY Susan Polgar will NO LONGER entertain ANY queries, questions, suggestions, advise, comments, ranting, hate-remarks etc etc pertaining to GM Wesley So. Susan Polgar & GM Wesley So has NOW SEVERED their ties as coach-player & Susan NO LONGER has any business regarding GM So performances, results, training, coaching, calendar of events, sponsorship etc as this is the RESPONSIBILITY now of GM Wesley So new chess coach (whoever the heck he or she is & I hope he name his coach ASAP) & his new chess team (who are they if he has one). Further, whether the SPLIT between Susan Polgar & GM Wesley So was AMICABLE/FRIENDLY terms or not is NONE of YOUR BUSINESS as details of their parting ways shall remain PRIVATE unless otherwise they consent to published the same (which is highly unlikely like wishing for a Pac-Floyd fight which aint happening). I hope GM Wesley So fans will UNDERSTAND. We wish him well & success in his new life as a Professional Chess Player & may he breach the 2800 elo rating mark & ultimately challenge & win a World Championship Title. Good Luck & God Bless GM Wesley So
I agree with the 1st poster. I too think that he’s making a big mistake. Something is fishy here. There must be something more than this. He could leave after the semester or the year. One has to think he did something really bad to warrant a sudden departure.
Oh well there is only one possible reason for GM So immediate departure… the SPLIT with her coach must be of such gravity that he decided to cut his ties abruptly with his coach & school. In short, it was a bad split that when her coach was asked whom she think can challenge Carlsen, she included Giri but NEVER mention about Wesley So. And in most of her tweets lately & interviews in articles & tv, she always mention Giri as her favorite but never Wesley So whom he trained & coach. Its a speculation but it does have a valid point. If this wont be posted, it means its true lol
Jayz, you are a freaking moron. She was asked who can pose a challenge to Magnus in the NEXT cycle. The next cycle already started. Wesley can’t play in the next cycle and if he can’t play, he can’t win. He has to wait until the cycle after that. A true moron who can’t read.
@Bartle the guy has a point and never in the interview did it was mention that Giri et al was to challenge Carlsen in the next cycle… it means in the future regardless of the cycle… your such a moron… You cant even read & understand the interview. A true moron like you Bartel cant even comprehend what your reading. The comments were made base on this interview & only a moron like Bartle cant disect what his reading. Anyway, Thank You very much Susan Polgar for all those years with GM Wesley So, you will always have a special place in the heart of his fans.
Wesley’s practical decision to devote his time to professional chess at this age may not be that bad. He does not want to end up in a Zugzwang like Gata Kamsky.
Twenty years ago we heard of Kamsky’s similar achievements and potential in chess. Then what happened? They said that his father sent him to medical school! He then disappeared from the chess scene.
What’s next? Year’s later he reappeared and they said that he went to law school! He returned to chess, but he was already over the hill and it was too late for him to establish himself in the elite super GM club.
So where is Kamsky’s position now? Is he a physician, a lawyer, a chess player, or someone in between?
In the case of Wesley, he can always return to college at a latter date if he so decides, and there will be schools out there that will accept and let him transfer his college credits earned at Webster University. So the 2.5 years of college study at Webster is not wasted (not to mention other benefits he received like the free chess training, tuition, room and board, a residence in the USA as a stepping stone to launch his career, and becoming a permanent resident of the USA). Who knows, he may later play a zwischenzug and enroll at Texas Tech University!
Kasparov is his new trainer and you saw what he did with Magnus!
Wesley made the right decision. He, and anyone for that matter, finds it difficult to join top level tournament and win while burdened with school exams and schedules. Secondly, he’s already 21 and most geniuses like Einstein, etc. made their most significant achievements and creative works before the age of 25. If he finished his schooling first, it would be a little late.
In the first place chess is already his profession, why finish college to go back to chess later. Lastly, he can now focus like the rest of the top guns, Carlsen, Caruana, etc.