In contradiction to what Mr. Don Schultz had said, the USCF Executive director, Mr. Michael Cavallo informed Zsuzsa Polgar and myself that the USCF got 50 tickets for each and every game of the Kasparov-Deep Blue match. He also said that they had given all those tickets away and therefore can not help us in that matter. It's up to the readers who to believe to.

Three Polgars and a Penguin

In all honesty I must say that I was completely shocked when I heard that. To clear the record I must say that the American public is not aware of the history and the stature of Zsuzsa Polgar as a chess player, a pioneer for women in chess. Zsuzsa is the first woman who dared playing in the "Men's" world championship. She is the one who caused FIDE to drop the term "Men's" championship (and to build a Ladies room on the site of the WC). She is the first woman in the history of chess who earned the Grandmaster title. She caused FIDE to change the tie-break rules in the semi-final of the Lady's championship (which was drawing of lots...) She did all that and more despite incredible difficulties she faced from many male chauvinists, communists, anti-smites and simply jealous people. Zsuzsa had a tremendous talent for chess (at age 15 she was the highest rated for both male and female and higher rated than Anatoly Karpov at that age - who was world champion at the time). Her career was abruptly cut by chess politruks (all the details can be found in her most recent book: "Queen of The Kings Game"). Zsuzsa, however in addition to winning the women's world championship prepared the ground for her younger sister Judit (who had much easier time dealing with officials) and that's why Judit is where she is now (rated number 13 in the world at the moment with 2666 ELO points). In general the Polgar family is regarded with utmost respect almost everywhere they go - akin to the way Bobby Fischer was regarded in the US after he won the world championship. In America unfortunately the Polgars are treated as some people mentioned just like other Grandmasters. People can not begin to imagine what it was like for those three young girls to play the ego-crazed men players all over the world. To say that Zsuzsa Polgar is just like another Grandmaster of 2565 ELO is like saying that the Wright brothers were just like any other pilot... Perhaps that is why the female membership in the USCF is about 2%. The disrespect toward girls playing chess is alarming. Zsuzsa offered her help with promoting chess to Mr. Cavallo, so far with no action on his side (we still hope for positive developments). America has a unique opportunity with a resident world champion who is super professional, presentable and well spoken. If the USCF play their cards right, perhaps we can have another 30,000 female members to the USCF. In my personal opinion Ms. Polgar can be the "Tiger Woods" for chess in America. I don't suppose he would ever need to pay to watch a Golf event.

I'll just finish with a comment that may sound like a cheap commercial trick, but we really don't need that (you can read what the critics say). If anyone who writes negatively about Ms. Polgar read her book, their words would have been completely different.

Jacob Shutzman
Husband (and manager)
of Zsuzsa Polgar

chessdon@aol.com (Chessdon) wrote:

>I noted Paul Rubin mentioning on this BB that the USCF received 50 free
>tickets for the Deep Blue match. I don't know where this information came
>from but it is incorrect. I understand that the USCF received two tickets
>per game for the match.

> Don Schultz
> Don Schultz

• Zsuzsa Polgar's web site
• Polgar Sisters Defeat Soviets in World Chess Olympiad
• Victory by the Polgar Sisters in the 1988 World Chess Olympiad
• Prof. Elo's notorious report, regarding 100 free rating points for women chess players, except for Zsuzsa Polgar
• Don Schultz Replies to Zsuzsa Polgar's "Concerns"
• Sofia Polgar plays chess with Shamema Sloan
• Garry Kasparov talks turkey with Zsuzsa Polgár
• World Chess Rating Lists
• Chess Player claims he lost State Championship because his opponent's breasts got in the way
• Famous Fixed Games of Chess - Keres vs. Botvinnik - World Championship 1948
• Hikaru Nakamura makes master at 10 years, 2 months