This Saturday: Grandmaster Melikset Khachiyan and Women's Chess!

Ju Wenjun of China has been a dominant force in women's chess, holding the World Chess Championship title for multiple years. Her calculated style and remarkable endgame technique have made her one of the most formidable players in the world.

Alexandra Goryachkina represents Russia as one of the strongest women players globally, having challenged for the world championship and maintained an impressive rating. Her aggressive style and tactical prowess have earned her victories against the world's elite.

Anna Muzychuk from Ukraine is another standout player known for her versatile play and creative attacking style. Along with her sister Mariya Muzychuk, they form one of the most formidable sibling pairs in chess history.

Aleksandra Kosteniuk, the former women's world champion, continues to compete at the highest levels. Her combination of sharp calculation and positional understanding makes her a consistent threat in major tournaments.

Of course, practically everyone knows the name of GM Judit Polgar, recognized as the strongest female chessplayer of all time and the only woman to have reached the FIDE Top Ten Lst of all chess players worldwide.

The Winning U.S. Women's  Chess Team

The United States Women's Chess Team has become increasingly competitive on the international stage in recent years. The team typically features:

Current U.S. Women's Chess Champion, and winner of the last three U.S. championships,  Carissa Yip, who has broken numerous "youngest ever" records and continues to develop into a world-class player with tremendous potential.

Alice Lee, another rising chess star coached on the U.S. team by Melik Khachiyan is currently the youngest American female to achieve the International Master (IM) title and the third youngest titled female player worldwide She is also a two-time Women’s American Cup champion, a two-time U.S. Girls’ Junior champion, a three-time World Youth champion, and a two-time Olympiad medalist.

Irina Krush, an eight-time U.S. Women's Champion, has been the backbone of American women's chess for nearly two decades. Her consistent performance and fighting spirit make her a cornerstone of the national team.

Anna Zatonskih, a four-time U.S. Women's Champion is known for her solid positional play and endgame technique

Tatev Abrahamyan has represented the U.S. in multiple Olympiads and brings creative attacking chess to the team. 

LOCAL NEWS — Washington’s Premier Event for Scholastic Chess

To get a wide-eyed view of our state’s dynamic scholastic chess scene, head down to the Greater Tacoma Convention Center on April 26th for the Washington State Elementary School Championship and coinciding Middle School and High School Rapid Chess Events. Around 1200 players are expected from across the state, filling up an entire ballroom. If you haven't witnessed this event it is well worth attending as an observer if not with the players ion your family. It all begins at 8:00 AM on Saturday, April 26, 2025. For more info, see  https://chessreg.com/wsecc