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The Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence kicked off the annual SPICE Cup on Saturday, October 16, 2011 at the Student Union Building Matador Room. The event fittingly coincided with Homecoming as many former participants were returning to Texas Tech, home of the SPICE Cup, to take home the prestigious win. Participants from all over the globe will participate in the SPICE Cup Festival that now includes a FIDE Rated Open (World Chess Federation, known as FIDE from its French acronym), a Scholastic Event, and Chess Film Festival.
The SPICE Cup will take place from October 15 through October 25 on the Texas Tech campus. The SPICE Cup is expected to be the highest rated international invitational tournament in U.S. history to date. Coming off of a national win, the SPICE program expects more people to view the tournament online. The online viewing is rated higher than the World Cup according to Paul Truong, assistant director and chess coach of the SPICE Program.
This year’s “person to watch” is talented 20 year old Vietnamese star Le Quang Liem, ranked 25 in the world. Leiner Dominguez Perez, Cuba’s most talented player and former World Blitz Champion will also join Liem and others to compete for the SPICE Cup.
In addition viewing the talented players at the SPICE Cup, Texas Tech faculty, staff, students and Lubbock community members will have the opportunity to view Bobby Fischer Against the World (2010), widely considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. The film will be shown during the SPICE Cup and will feature Susan Polgar who will share the experiences she had with Bobby Fisher.
For more information on the SPICE Cup or times and locations for the Chess film festival, please contact the Cross-Cultural Academic Advancement Center.
Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence
Through SPICE, Texas Tech has focused its resources on providing scholarships for players; conducting research; championing scholastic, college and women’s chess; and reaching out to chess enthusiasts of all ages.