Thursday, January 01, 2015

2 world and 28 national titles since August 2012



If you would like to be a part of the #1 College Chess program in the United States, please feel free to contact me (SusanPolgar@aol.com). Full and partial scholarships available for qualified student players.

Webster University – SPICE Chess Program Top Facts

1. Webster University has 10 Grandmasters, and players from 16 different countries. The SPICE program has 4 World Champions, 12 Olympians, and 19 National Champions…
2. Webster University chess team has been ranked #1 in Division I College Chess since its inception in August 2012 (with 4 freshmen and 1 sophomore on the A team), which is over 125 consecutive weeks.
3. Webster University A team has never relinquished the top ranking and has never lost a match.
4. Webster University team members won 2 world championships and 29 national titles in the past 2+ years.
5. Webster University won the 2013 PanAm InterCollegiate Chess Championship with a perfect 6-0 score, and won all 3 Final Four matches, to close out the season with an unprecedented perfect 9-0.
6. Webster University sponsors and hosts the annual SPF Girls’ Invitational, the most prestigious all-girls event in the U.S., as well as the annual prestigious SPICE Cup.
7. Students of Webster University actively volunteer in the community to bring chess into schools. They, as a team, also maintain a very high GPA.
8. The SPICE chess program has won 5 consecutive Final Four Championships, and has not lost a match in 5 straight Final Four Championships.

2014 – 2015 Webster University – SPICE chess team members

1. GM Le Quang Liem (Vietnam) – World Blitz Champion, National Champion, Olympian
2. GM Wesley So (Philippines) – World University Champion, National Champion, Olympian (turned full time pro after winning Millionaire Chess)
3. GM Illia Nyzhnyk (Ukraine) – National Champion, European Champion
4. GM Ray Robson (USA) – National Champion, Olympian
5. GM Georg Meier (Germany) – National Champion, Olympian, European Champion
6. GM Vasif Durarbayli (Azerbaijan) – World Youth Champion, National Champion, Olympiad
7. GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez (Cuba) – National Champion, Olympian
8. GM Manuel Leon Hoyos (Mexico) – National Champion, Olympian
9. GM Andre Diamant (Brazil) – National Champion, Olympian
10. GM Denes Boros (Hungary) – National Champion
11. GM-elect Ashwin Jayaram (India) – National Champion
12. IM Vitaly Neimer (Israel) – National Champion
13. FM Jake Banawa (USA) – National Champion
14. WGM Anna Sharevich (Belarus) – National Champion, Olympian
15. WGM Katerina Nemcova (Czech Republic) – National Champion, Olympian
16. WIM Inna Agrest (Sweden) – National Champion, Olympian (graduated in December 2014)
17. WFM Luisa Mercado (Colombia) – National Champion
18. Mara Kamphorst (Brazil) – National Champion
19. Paul M. Truong (USA) – National Champion
20. Tori Whatley (USA)
21. Reginald Jackson (USA)

Webster students are around the world. There are 22,000+ students enrolled at Webster University – with students from 50 states and 148 countries around the world.

Webster University offers academic excellence in more than 100 programs offered at a vibrant home campus and at locations throughout the world, with all the benefits of a student-centered education and a real-world perspective.


A historic mission. An inviting home campus: Founded in 1915, with five students and a pioneering educational mission, Webster has a history of shaping the future of higher education.

Local and global: With 22,000 students at locations around the world, Webster is defining global education for the future.

Students from 50 states and 148 countries: You experience the diversity of the world in a richly educational way.

Average class size: 10 : Small, highly interactive classes encourage innovation, collaboration, and self-expression.

Faculty-to-student ratio: 1:9 : Students have all the advantages of a student-centered university that supports personalized learning and gives every student an opportunity to excel.

Global locations: We have metropolitan, military, and corporate locations around the world, as well as traditional campuses in Asia, Europe, and North America. Our Study Abroad programs are ranked in the top 2 percent by U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges 2013.”

163,000 Alumni: A growing and involved alumni community are connecting online, in-person, and at worldwide events.

One and only: Webster is the only Tier 1, private, nonprofit university with campus locations around the world including metropolitan, military, online and corporate, plus traditional, American-style campuses in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Diversity is a core value: Webster is one of the most diverse universities in the country, which is an enduring part of our history and central to our future.Undergraduate and graduate programs. More than 75 different majors and around 60 graduate programs in a supportive, educational environment that allows students to excel.

A global, Tier 1, private, nonprofit university

* Global feature in academic programs. Globalized curriculum is our distinctive hallmark
* Academic programs engage your mind and stimulate your understanding beyond your home country and culture
* Every student experiences a global learning component
* Every student is exposed to a worldwide network of fellow students who live, work and study around the U.S., Europe, Africa and Asia
* Learn in class today and apply it in real life tomorrow
* Five schools and colleges: Arts & Sciences; Business & Technology; Communications; Education; and Fine Arts

Titles won by Webster University – SPICE since August 2012 (2 world titles & 30 national titles)

World Championships (2)

June 2013
– 2013 World Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Le Quang Liem)
July 2013
– 2013 World University Championship: 1st place (GM Wesley So)

National Championships (29)

August 2012
– 2012 U.S. Open Championship: 1st place (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)
– 2012 U.S. Open Rapid (g/15) Championship: 1st place (GM Andre Diamant and IM Vitaly Neimer)
– 2012 U.S. Open Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Andre Diamant), 2nd place (GM Anatoly Bykhovsky)
December 2012
– 2012 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Both A and B team tied for 1st place
– 2012 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top reserve player (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)
April 2013
– 2013 College Chess Final Four: 1st place (GMs Georg Meier, Wesley So, Ray Robson, Fidel Corrales Jimenez, Manuel Leon Hoyos, and Anatoly Bykhovsky)
June 2013
– 2013 National Open: 1st place (GMs Wesley So and Manuel Leon Hoyos)
– 2013 National Open Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Wesley So)
– 2013 National G/10 Championship at National Open: 1st place (GM Wesley So)
August 2013
– 2013 US Open G/15 Championship: 1st place (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)
– 2013 US Open Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Manuel Leon Hoyos)
October 2013
– 2013 US National G/30 Championship: 1st place (GM Georg Meier)
– 2013 US National G/60 Championship: 1st place (GM Georg Meier)
December 2013
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: 1st place (A team won with a perfect 6-0 score)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top board 1 (GMs Le Quang Liem, Fidel Corrales Jimenez)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top board 2 (GM Anatoly Bykhovsky)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top board 3 (GM Wesley So)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top board 4 (GM Ray Robson)
– 2013 PanAm Intercollegiate Championship: Top overall performance (GM Wesley So)
April 2014
– 2014 College Chess Final Four: 1st place (GMs Le Quang Liem, Wesley So, Georg Meier, Ray Robson, Fidel Corrales Jimenez, and Anatoly Bykhovsky)
June 2014
– 2014 National Open Blitz Championship: 1st place (GM Wesley So)
July 2014
– 2014 World Open: 1st place tie (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)
August 2014
– 2014 US Open: 1st place tie (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)
December 2014
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: 1st place (A team scored 5.5 – 0.5)
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 1 (IM Ashwin Jayaram)
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 2 (GM Illia Nyzhnyk)
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 3 (Ray Robson)
– 2014 PanAm InterCollegiate Championship: Top board 4 (Andre Diamant)
February 2015
- 2015 USATN: Top College Team (WGMs Anna Sharevich, Katerina Nemcova, WFM Luisa Mercado, Mara Kamphorst)
March 2015
– 2015 College Chess Final Four: 1st place (GMs Le Quang Liem, Ray Robson, Illia Nyzhnyk, Vasif Durarbayli, Fidel Corrales, Andre Diamant)