September 6, 2006
Written by Cory Chandler
News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: Sept. 5, 2006
CONTACT: Cory Chandler, cory.chandler@ttu.edu
(806) 742-2136
LUBBOCK – Three internationally known female chess players and a fourth student recruited
from Texas have received chess scholarships from Texas Tech University.
The students received a $1,000 scholarship for their first year. Funds for the scholarships
were provided by the Office of the President and the W. H. Freeman Publishing Company.
One of the scholarship winners will be designated as the university’s W. H. Freeman
Chess Scholar.
As a result of this activity, Texas Tech received the highest award given to colleges
by the US Chess Federation. Texas Tech and University of Connecticut School of Engineering
both received the 2006 Chess College of the Year Award. Texas Tech joins the ranks
of such colleges as Stanford University, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University
of Maryland, St. John’s University and Rhode Island University.
Dr. Hal Karlsson, faculty advisor to the Knight Raiders chess club at Texas Tech,
awarded three of the scholarships after attending the first Susan Polgar World Open
Chess Championship for Girls – a tournament held June 16-18 in Las Vegas for females
younger than 21.
Karlsson selected three tournament participants as scholarship recipients. The students,
chosen for their tournament performance and on their academic potential, are: Laura
Morales Mendoza of Mexico, Luciana Morales of Peru and Magdalena Matyszewska of Poland.
Mendoza, of Mexico City, Mexico, is a FIDE Master – a title awarded by the World Chess
Federation. She won the chess puzzle contest portion of the Polgar championship and
placed 5th in the slow-control tournament. Laura has won numerous girls’ tournaments
in Mexico City and she was member of Mexican Women Team in the Chess Olympiads.
Morales is a Women’s International Master from Lima, Peru. She ranked 3rd in the regular
Las Vegas tournament and won the blitz tournament, which consists of speed chess.
Morales was named Peruvian National Chess Champion 18 times in various age categories
and also was the 2006 Peruvian Women’s Olympiad team captain. She tied for third place
in the Continental Championships of the Americas in 2005. She is the first Peruvian
chess player to qualify for World Championship playoffs
Matyszewska was born in Poland, but lives in Wyandotte, Mich. Matyszewska placed 4th
in the regular portion of the Polgar tournament.
A chess scholarship also was awarded to freshman Bryan Pernes, who has played in nearly
180 rated tournaments nationwide. He won the amateur section of the 2004 Texas State
and Amateur Championships, the 2004 Texas High School Scholastic Championship and
placed 3rd in the 2004 National High School Championship. The Office of the Provost
provided funds for Pernes’ scholarship.
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CONTACT: Dr. Hal Karlsson, associate professor of geosciences, Texas Tech University,
at (806) 742-3130, or hal.karlsson@ttu.edu.