SPICE Up Your (Chess) Life
The Susan Polgar Institute for Chess Excellence (SPICE) was established in May 2007 at Texas Tech University with the aim of promoting 'college chess' as a bridge between scholastic and adult chess worlds. Unfortunately many young players, especially girls, give up playing the game after enjoying it in their youth.
The institute also aims to provide scholarships, promote women's chess and support elite chess programs.
Following a succesful inagural event last year, the 2nd SPICE Cup at the Texas Tech recently concluded. The tournament was a strong international 10-player round-robin event and ended with a four-way tie for first, with Indian player Pental Harikrishna having the best tie-break score.
Final Standings:
| Name | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | |||||
| 1 | Harikrishna,P | 2668 | +8 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5.5/9 | 23.25 |
| 2 | Onischuk,Al | 2670 | +6 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5.5/9 | 23.00 |
| 3 | Akobian,V | 2610 | +73 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5.5/9 | 23.00 |
| 4 | Kritz,L | 2610 | +73 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5.5/9 | 22.50 |
| 5 | Becerra Rivero,J | 2598 | +46 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 5.0/9 | |
| 6 | Mikhalevski,V | 2592 | +14 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 4.5/9 | |
| 7 | Perelshteyn,E | 2555 | +17 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | * | ½ | 0 | 1 | 4.0/9 | |
| 8 | Miton,K | 2580 | -50 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 0 | 3.5/9 | 16.25 |
| 9 | Kaidanov,G | 2605 | -78 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | 1 | 3.5/9 | 14.50 |
| 10 | Stefansson,H | 2566 | -122 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | 2.5/9 |
Here is Harikrishna's win in the final round against Kaidanov.
