Chess vs college...is there a conflict

Here is Susan Polgar's comments on Wesley So's current crossroad which is to stay playing chess or pursue the career in chess...Wise words from Susan..simply put, why not have both..


Susan Polgar: Texas Tech scholarship would include tuition and housing expenses. Students will also be given the opportunity to make additional spending money by spending a few hours a week teaching chess at many local schools.

All our titled players are given the opportunity to compete in many strong tournaments throughout the year. In fact, we do pay for the expenses for the players to compete in some (not all) of these events. I also work with them personally.

My job is to dissect the players' game, then help them maximize their areas of strength, as well as improving areas of weaknesses.

If a player needs to represent their countries in various competition (national championships, Olympiad, world cup, etc.), they are free to do that. All they need is to make arrangements with their professors to make up the work / tests.

There have been many good examples of strong players doing both (Onischuk, Shulman, Dr. Kosashvili, Dr. Sherzer, and me, etc.)

I do not advocate strong players to give up chess for college. It is possible for serious players / students to do both.

Best wishes,
Susan Polgar

GM MCHEDLISHVILI Mikheil Champion -5TH PROSPERO A. PICHAY JR. CUP INTERNATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

GM MCHEDLISHVILI Mikheil took his second championship trophy in Philippine soil by beating GM GUPTA Abhijeet in the final round of the 5th
Propsero Pichay International Open. GM GHAEMMAGHAMI Ehsan closely following 2nd at place by beating GM Li Shilong in their board 2 encounter.
It was not a total loss by Philipine chess vanguards as Gm Rogelio Anotino took the 3rd spot by hammering GM Merab GAGUNASHVILI . Full rankings shown below:

Final Ranking after 9 Rounds
Rk.		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.
1	gm	MCHEDLISHVILI Mikheil	GEO	2613	7
2	gm	GHAEMMAGHAMI Ehsan	IRI	2579	7
3	gm	ANTONIO Rogelio Jr	PHI	2557	6.5
4	gm	NGUYEN Ngoc Truong Son	VIE	2589	6.5
5	gm	ZHANG Zhong	SIN	2606	6.5
6	gm	LAYLO Darwin	PHI	2537	6
7	gm	DAO Thien Hai	VIE	2542	6
8	gm	DAS Neelotpal	IND	2471	6
9	gm	KOTANJIAN Tigran	ARM	2553	5.5
10	gm	GUPTA Abhijeet	IND	2584	5.5
11	gm	PARAGUA Mark	PHI	2501	5.5
12	gm	FILIPPOV Anton	UZB	2595	5.5
13	gm	GAGUNASHVILI Merab	GEO	2564	5.5
14	gm	LI Shilong	CHN	2531	5.5
15	gm	TORRE Eugenio	PHI	2535	5.5
16	im	DABLEO Ronald	PHI	2417	5.5
17	gm	ISMAGAMBETOV Anuar	KAZ	2528	5.5
18	im	NOLTE Rolando	PHI	2424	5.5
19	gm	KOSTENKO Pyotr	KAZ	2491	5.5
20	im	DIMAKILING Oliver	PHI	2434	5.5
21	fm	DONGUINES Fernie	PHI	2373	5.5
22		TIRTO	INA	2407	5
23		ANDADOR Rolando	PHI	2260	5
24	im	GARMA Chito	PHI	2331	5
25	im	SENADOR Emmanuel	PHI	2367	5
26		LUMANCAS Lyndon	PHI	0	5
27	gm	VILLAMAYOR Buenaventura	PHI	2426	5
28	fm	PASCUA Haridas	PHI	2310	4.5
29	gm	GOMEZ John Paul	PHI	2521	4.5
30		MAGA Mirabeau	PHI	2230	4.5
31		ELORTA David	PHI	2326	4.5
32		BITOON Richard	PHI	2490	4.5
33		ROQUE Merben	PHI	2209	4.5
34	gm	GONZALES Jayson	PHI	2457	4.5
35		DATU Alcon John	PHI	2188	4
36		MARIANO Nelson III	PHI	2095	4
37		MACALA Allan	PHI	2266	4
38		BRANZUELA Ali	PHI	2288	4
39		LEGASPI Rhobel	PHI	2325	4
40		MORAZO John Ranel	PHI	2172	4
41		SEGARRA Randy	PHI	2300	4
42		OLAY Edgar Reggie	PHI	2325	4
43	wgm	NADIG Krutika	IND	2273	4
44		MILAGROSA Alexander	PHI	2254	4
45		CASTELLANO Christopher	PHI	2264	4
46		LAO Elias	PHI	2233	4
47	fm	CARLOS Leonardo	PHI	2334	3.5
48		RICANA Leodegario	PHI	2082	3.5
49		CAUSO Deniel	PHI	2334	3
50		RIVERA Albert	PHI	2172	3
51		POLAO Ben	PHI	0	3
52		BAGAMASBAD Efren	PHI	2311	3
53		BERNALES Christy Lamiel	PHI	2056	3
54		PORTUGALERA Ric	PHI	2221	3
55		LEE Elgin	MAS	1810	3
56		CAUMBAN Jose Piff	PHI	0	3
57		BAUTISTA Paolo Lorenzo	PHI	0	2.5
58		BAGAYNA Magellan	PHI	0	2
59		LEE William	MAS	0	2
60		PINERO Arnel	PHI	0	0

round 8 results-5TH PROSPERO A. PICHAY JR. CUP INTERNATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

5TH PROSPERO A. PICHAY JR. CUP INTERNATIONAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP
Pairings/Results
Round 8 on 2009/10/06 at 1600 HR
Bo.		Name	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name
1	gm	MCHEDLISHVILI Mikheil	5½	½ - ½	5	gm	NGUYEN Ngoc Truong Son
2	gm	GAGUNASHVILI Merab	5	½ - ½	5½	gm	GHAEMMAGHAMI Ehsan
3	gm	LAYLO Darwin	5	½ - ½	5	gm	ZHANG Zhong
4	gm	ISMAGAMBETOV Anuar	5	½ - ½	5	gm	ANTONIO Rogelio Jr
5	gm	GUPTA Abhijeet	4½	1 - 0	5	gm	PARAGUA Mark
6	gm	DAS Neelotpal	4½	½ - ½	4½	gm	DAO Thien Hai
7	gm	TORRE Eugenio	4½	1 - 0	4½		BITOON Richard
8	gm	LI Shilong	4½	1 - 0	4½	im	NOLTE Rolando
9	gm	FILIPPOV Anton	4	1 - 0	4	im	GARMA Chito
10	gm	KOTANJIAN Tigran	4	1 - 0	4		TIRTO
11	gm	GOMEZ John Paul	4	½ - ½	4	fm	PASCUA Haridas
12	gm	KOSTENKO Pyotr	4	1 - 0	4		MARIANO Nelson III
13		LUMANCAS Lyndon	4	1 - 0	4	gm	GONZALES Jayson
14		ANDADOR Rolando	4	0 - 1	4	im	DABLEO Ronald
15		LEGASPI Rhobel	3½	0 - 1	3½	im	DIMAKILING Oliver
16	fm	DONGUINES Fernie	3½	1 - 0	3½		MACALA Allan
17		MAGA Mirabeau	3½	1 - 0	3½	fm	CARLOS Leonardo
18		ELORTA David	3½	1 - 0	3½		LAO Elias
19	gm	VILLAMAYOR Buenaventura	3	1 - 0	3½		DATU Alcon John
20	im	SENADOR Emmanuel	3	1 - 0	3		PORTUGALERA Ric
21		BRANZUELA Ali	3	1 - 0	3		RIVERA Albert
22		CASTELLANO Christopher	3	0 - 1	3	wgm	NADIG Krutika
23		ROQUE Merben	3	1 - 0	2½		CAUSO Deniel
24		MORAZO John Ranel	2½	0 - 1	2½		BAGAMASBAD Efren
25		MILAGROSA Alexander	2½	1 - 0	2½		BAUTISTA Paolo Lorenzo
26		OLAY Edgar Reggie	2	1 - 0	2		BAGAYNA Magellan
27		LEE Elgin	2	0 - 1	2		SEGARRA Randy
28		CAUMBAN Jose Piff	2	0 - 1	2		BERNALES Christy Lamiel
29		RICANA Leodegario	1½	1 - 0	2		POLAO Ben
30		LEE William	1	1			bye
31		PINERO Arnel	0	0			not paired