Already discussed this in my ChessCafe.com column Last year, Humpy
Koneru was replacing Judit. This year, it is Lahno. Next year, there
will be talk of someone else. I have heard this for 30 years. Many
women reached 2400-2500 level. The question is will they have the
support or intensity to reach the next level? Will there be any
motivation for them to do so? When was the last time the Women's
World Championship held?

There are many things that can be done, but who is going to do it?
USCF? FIDE? With what money and whose money? For every issue that
was brought up here, there are 10-20-30 different opinions. No good
promoter can survive the chess politicians. In the mean time, stay
tune for 2004

Best wishes,
GM Susan Polgar
www.SusanPolgar.com
www.USScholasticChess.org




Alberich wrote in message ...
In article ,
says...
Judit is very special. She is one of the hardest worker in chess. It
is not easy to train day in day out for 20-25 years. Talent alone
without hard work won't do it. She sacrificed a lot to get to where
she is right now and I am very proud of her. Family support is also
very important.

Best wishes,
GM Susan Polgar
www.SusanPolgar.com
www.USScholasticChess.org

This is all well and good. But how do you explain the lone rising star
of Kateryna Lahno? Why ONLY someone of her caliber is able to reach as
far as she could? She is the only other woman I can think of that can be
considered another Judit Polgar. But this is because she makes it a
point to avoid playing women only tournaments. Is there something to be
learned by this? Or is there still a reason why women chess tournaments
still exist? I'm all for bringing up the quality of women playing chess
but something has to be done to speed up the process. If I was in
Kirsan's shoes I'd make the bold suggestion to bring the best women
chess players to compete alongside the usual contestants for the World
Championship. Players like Alisa Maric, Galliamova, Skripchenko, Paehtz
and Kosteniuk should have the same chance to fight for the World Chess
championship title. Even you, GM Susan Polgar could win the World
championship under such a rule change. But even if none of the
contestants I mentioned win...at least their inclusion in the FIDE world
championship cycles would open the door more widely for women players
and give them the inspiration to play against the men more. This would
help narrow the gap between men and women much faster.

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