 "Photo: Ruben Castillo")
 "Photo: Ruben Castillo")
These girls are not afraid to put the boys in check.
The Susan Polgar National Chess Invitational for Girls began Sunday in the Frazier Alumni Pavilion. Fifty girls, all under the age of 18 years old, came to Lubbock from each state in the union to compete for a full scholarship to attend Texas Tech.
While this year is the tournament's fifth year, it is the first time it is held on Tech's campus.
Susan Polgar, director of the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence, said the tournament will be held at Tech for the next 10 years.
Tech's Associate Vice Provost James E. Brink said Tech is a university full of champions, so it is fitting to have such a prestigious tournament on its campus.
"We see a correlation between chess skills and good academic skills," Brink said,"so we really want people to realize we are a chess-oriented university."
Polgar, who works in Tech's provost's office, was the first woman in history to qualify for the Men's World Chess Championship in 1996 but was not allowed to compete because she was a woman, said Paul Truong, director of marketing and public relations for the institute.
The name of the tournament was changed and now allows women to compete because of Polgar and she said she hopes more girls will be encouraged to play chess.
"I wanted to provide an opportunity for young girls to get together, because this is a special event," Polgar said. "Since it is only one girl from each state, you have to qualify - not just anybody can compete - so that makes it very special."
During the opening ceremony Polgar spoke to the tournament participants and encouraged them to carry their knowledge of chess with them and spread it to other people, especially girls.
"My dream was to establish a partnership with the idea that the girls will carry the responsibility to promote chess," she said. "I hope that they will all do their share to get girls to play chess all around the country, in every state."
Truong said many people still do not take girls seriously in chess. He said the lack of opportunities for girls to play chess is a primary reason few girls play, but this event hopefully will encourage more girls to play chess.
The youngest girl to compete in the this year's National Chess Invitational is 6-years-old. She is the youngest to compete in the tournament's five-year history.
"It is something special to see a lot of young girls out here competing," Truong said. "Chess is a game that basically transcends race, gender, social and economic stature - everything.
The Invitational may have a large impact on recruiting students to Tech, Truong said. The institute hopes Tech will be viewed as a "chess school."
Another tournament, the Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence Cup, is scheduled in September at the Student Union Building.
He said the tournament could eventually help with recruiting at Tech.
Truong said it would be valuable for Tech to recruit chess players because all of the participants have high grade point averages ranging from 3.8 to 4.0.
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