Friday, January 28, 2005
Great Minds Think Alike
Just last night I was lamenting over how honored I was to be In The Midst Of Greatness by having an impromptu chat with Chess Grandmaster Susan Polgar. Only to find that today she is the feature story off the New York City Gothamist website.
This was purely coincidental; but so well deserved for such a great role model.
Here's an excerpt from Rachel Kramer Bussel's interview:
"Susan Polgar, Chess Champion and Founder, Polgar Chess Center
Mention the name "Polgar" to any chess player, and you're bound to see a gleam of recognition, and perhaps envy, in their eye. Susan Polgar is the oldest of three Hungarian sisters (Judit and Sofia are both highly ranked players) who have revolutionized the world of chess, blazing a path for women as career players and upholding a level of talent and professionalism as the world looks to them as the female faces of the game. Susan, who holds the highly-esteemed title of Grandmaster, the first woman ever to do so, has taken her chess-playing prowess and notoriety and used it to promote and teach New Yorkers about the game with the Polgar Chess Center in Queens.
The 4-time Women's World Chess Champion got an early start, winning tournaments as early as age 4, and by age 15 was the highest ranking female chess player in the world (a title she still maintains). Her victories are quite staggering in stature and scope, ranging from Olympic wins to awards for Best Chess Column and Chess Educator of the Year. Whether you know what the Ruy Lopez is or not, her Center will have you, providing a welcoming, encouraging atmosphere for newcomers as well as more seasoned players, and by spreading the word about this centuries-old game, Polgar is helping infuse new life into it.
Why did you decide to open the Polgar Chess Center? What types of people attend and who else do you hope to attract to the Center?Owning a chess center was a childhood dream of mine. I love chess and from my 30 plus years of experience, I discovered that chess can help children of all ages do better in school as well as develop many important life skills. Research around the world has supported my belief. That is why my chess center serves as a training ground for countless children since 1997. It is like a community service. The club has members from the age of 4 to over 70."
This was purely coincidental; but so well deserved for such a great role model.
Here's an excerpt from Rachel Kramer Bussel's interview:
"Susan Polgar, Chess Champion and Founder, Polgar Chess Center
Mention the name "Polgar" to any chess player, and you're bound to see a gleam of recognition, and perhaps envy, in their eye. Susan Polgar is the oldest of three Hungarian sisters (Judit and Sofia are both highly ranked players) who have revolutionized the world of chess, blazing a path for women as career players and upholding a level of talent and professionalism as the world looks to them as the female faces of the game. Susan, who holds the highly-esteemed title of Grandmaster, the first woman ever to do so, has taken her chess-playing prowess and notoriety and used it to promote and teach New Yorkers about the game with the Polgar Chess Center in Queens.
The 4-time Women's World Chess Champion got an early start, winning tournaments as early as age 4, and by age 15 was the highest ranking female chess player in the world (a title she still maintains). Her victories are quite staggering in stature and scope, ranging from Olympic wins to awards for Best Chess Column and Chess Educator of the Year. Whether you know what the Ruy Lopez is or not, her Center will have you, providing a welcoming, encouraging atmosphere for newcomers as well as more seasoned players, and by spreading the word about this centuries-old game, Polgar is helping infuse new life into it.
Why did you decide to open the Polgar Chess Center? What types of people attend and who else do you hope to attract to the Center?Owning a chess center was a childhood dream of mine. I love chess and from my 30 plus years of experience, I discovered that chess can help children of all ages do better in school as well as develop many important life skills. Research around the world has supported my belief. That is why my chess center serves as a training ground for countless children since 1997. It is like a community service. The club has members from the age of 4 to over 70."
# posted by Mrs.Bowllan @ 12:02 PM 
