08.12.09 The Maine State Scholastic Girls Champion Margaret Bryan represented Maine in the 2009 Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls held in Lubbock, Texas from July 26 - 31. Margaret scored 2.5 points to finish 41st out of a very strong field of 60 state champions and invited players.

Margaret Bryan (top center) plays Michelle Chen (USCF 1823) of Massachusetts in the first round of the Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls. This game ended in a draw.

Here's a rundown of the event as reported on the Eastern Maine Chess Blog by Margaret's dad Andy:

Now Margaret is packing to attend the Susan Polgar National Invitational in Lubbock, Texas. The tournament format sees the girls playing one round a day for six days. She has been preparing herself with daily workouts and reviews of games. She also has an idea of what to expect having been three years ago in Chicago.

I wish her well as I'm staying behind this time with Anna while her mom accompanies her. Good luck, Maggie!

Round 1

Margaret Bryan (1310) drew Michelle Chen (1823) of Massachusetts in the first round of the Susan Polgar Invitational in Lubbock, Texas. According to Maggie there was only one other upset in the first round. The game took 3 1/2 hours before Chen offered a draw which Bryan accepted. Great start, Maggie!

(5) Bryan,Margaret (1310) - Chen,Michelle (1821) [A28]2009 Susan Polgar National Invitational Lubbock, TX (1.5), 26.07.2009
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.e3 0-0 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8.Be2 d5 9.0-0 Re8 10.Bf3 Be6 11.Na4 Bf8 12.c5 Bf5 13.a3 g6 14.b4 Bg7 15.Bb2 a5 16.Bd4 Ne4 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Qd4+ Kg8 19.Nc3 Qh4 20.Bxe4 dxe4 21.b5 Rad8 22.Qc4 Qg5 23.Kh1 Qf6 24.b6 cxb6 25.cxb6 Re5 26.Qe2 Bc8 27.Rab1 Bb7 28.Na4 Rh5 29.Qg4 Qe5 30.Qg3 Qxg3 31.fxg3 Re5 32.Rfc1 Rdd5 33.Kg1 Kf8 34.Kf1 Ke7 35.Ke2 Kd6 36.Rd1 Rxd1 37.Kxd1 Rd5+ 38.Ke2 Rb5 39.Rd1+ Rd5 40.Rd4 f5 41.h3 c5 42.Rd2 Rxd2+ 43.Kxd2 Kc6 44.Kc3 Kb5 45.Nb2 Bd5 ½-½

Round 2

In the second round:
Roy, Ananya (0.0,1662)-White vs. Bryan, Margaret (0.5,1310)-Black

There are 60 participants this year. Margaret's first opponent, Michelle Chen, has the 5th highest rating while Ananya Roy of Georgia is seeded 16th. This is Ananya's fourth consecutive appearance at the SPNI.

Margaret won her second round game for her second consecutive upset defeating Ananya Roy of Georgia. By doing so well in her first two rounds, she is assured of having another tough opponent in Round 3. She felt that she was clearly ahead for awhile in this game before being put into a position that equalized the material. Then she felt a blunder by Roy led to a four or five move forced mate. There will more to report later. Congratulations, Maggie!

Ananya Roy (1662) - Maggie Bryan (1310) Result 0-1
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 e5 5. d3 g6 6. f3 Bg7 7. Be3 Na4 8. Ne2 0-0 9. Qd2 d6 10. c3 Nxe2 11. Nxe2 Be6 12. Bh6 Qd7 13. h4 Bxh6 14. Qxh6 Nh3 15. 0-0-0 Bxa2 16. g4 Nf4 17. Nxf4 xf4 18. Qxf4 Bb3 19. Bdg1 Qa4 20. Kd2 c4 21. Ra1 Qb5 22. d4 Ba4 23. Rab1 Bb3 24. Ra1 Rad8 25. h5 Rde8 26. d5 Qb6 27. Ke2 Bc2 28. Ra2 Bd3+ 29. Ke1 Qb3 30. Kf2 Qxa2 31. Qf6 Qxb2+ 32. Kg3 h6 33. xh6 Qd2 34. g7 Qg5(?) 35. xf8+ xf8 36. Qxd6 f6 37. Rh6 Kg7 38. Rc6 f4+ 39. Kf2 Qh4+ 40. Kg1 Qe1+ 41. Kh2 Rh8+ 42. Bh3 Qf2+ 43. Kh1 Rxh3#

Round 3

Margaret lost in the third round to Michelle Farell (1536) Oklahoma. She fell behind a bishop after having a territorial advantage.

(56) Bryan,Margaret (1310) - Farell,Michelle (1536)
2009 Susan Polgar National Invitational Lubbock, TX , 28.07.2009
1.c4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 g6 6.e3 Bg7 7.Be2 0-0 8. 0-0 d6 9.Bf3 Bd7 10.b3 Rb8 11.Bb2 a6 12.Re1 Re8 13.Rc1 e5 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.e4 Qe7 16.Ba3 Red8 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.cxd5 Rbc8 19.Bg4 Rc7 20.Rc4 b5 21.Rxc7 Qxc7 22.h3 Nxg4 23.Qxg4 Qa5 24.Re2 Qxa3 25.Rc2 Qa5 26.Qh4 Re8 27.Qg4 Bh6 28.g3 Bf8 29.f4 exf4 30.Qxf4 Qe1+ 31.Kh2 Qxe4 32.Qxe4 Rxe4 33.Rd2 Bh6 34.Rc2 Rd4 35.h4 Rxd5 36. Rc6 Rd2+ 37.Kh3 Rxa2 38.Rxd6 Ra3 39.Rb6 Rxb3 40.Rxa6 Bf4 41.Kg4 Bxg3 42.Rb6 Be1 43.h5 Kg7 44.Rb7 gxh5+ 45.Kxh5 b4 46.Rb5 Rg3 47.Rb7 b3 48.Rb5 h6 49.Rb7 Rg5#
0-1

Round 4

Brianna Conley (1507) of Ohio, a special invite, will be Margaret's opponent in the fourth round. At 1.5 points apiece the girls stand right in the middle of the sixty player field. This will be the fourth straight round that Margaret has played a higher ranked opponent.

Conley,Brianna (1507) - Bryan,Margaret (1310)
2009 Susan Polgar National Invitational Lubbock, TX (29.07.2009)
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 0-0 8.Qd2 d6 9. 0-0-0 Bd7 10.g4 Ne5 11.Be2 a5 12.h4 h5 13.gxh5 Nxh5 14. Rhg1 Nc6 15.f4 Nf6 16.h5 e5 17.Ndb5 Nxh5 18.Bxh5 gxh5 19.f5 Qe7 20.Bh6 f6 21.Rxg7+ Qxg7 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 23.Rg1+ Kf7 24.Qxd6 Bc8 25.Nd5 Ke8 26.Nbc7+ Kf7 27.Qxf6# 1-0

Round 5

Round 5 will have the two upstarts from rounds 1 and 2 pairing off - Maine vs. Alaska. Margaret will be facing Hannah Warren (1033). They both have had 1.5 since the conclusion of the second round. It should be an interesting game.

Hannah Warren (1.5,1033) defeated Margaret Bryan (1.5,1310) in Round 5. Maggie was disappointed with the result but felt that she played well for most of the game.

Round 6

Margaret Bryan ( 1.5, 1310) will oppose Natalia Lopez (2.0,551) of Vermont in the final round. They have become friends and been rooting for each other, and unfortunately now have to face each other in the final round with Margaret being white.

Margaret won her final round today over Natalia Lopez of Vermont to finish with 2.5 equaling her total of three years ago but over much tougher opponents. She returns home late tomorrow night and I will then be able to go over notation from the missing games. She's glad to be returning home!

Margaret (right) finished strong with a final round win over Natalia Lopez of Vermont.

Susan Polgar with Margaret Bryan at the closing ceremony.

Susan Polgar National Invitational for Girls Tournament Crosstable