US Women's Championship
The Frank K. Berry 2007 US Women's Chess Championship, which took place in
Stillwater, Oklahoma, from Julay 16 to 20, had ten participants. The prize fund
was US $25,000, with the winner getting $7,000.
Participants of the US Women's Championship. Back row: Jim Berry, Irina
Krush, Chimi Tuvshintugs, Tsagaan Battsetseg, Chouchanik Airapetian, Alisa Melekhina
and Frank Berry. Front row: Tatev Abrahamyan, Liz Vicary, Camilla Baginskaite,
Anna Zatonskih and Kat Rohonyan. [Photo Chris Bird]
US Women's Champion 2007: IM Irina Krush [Photo Betsy Dynako]
The event was won by IM and WGM Irina Krush, who graduated from NYU with a
degree in International Relations in May 2006, and has been playing chess very
intensely ever since. She recently finished with 4.5/6 at the very strong National
Open in Las Vegas, including an impressive win over US Champion Alex Shabalov.
She has also beaten GM Vladimir Akopian, a 2700 player, and GM Viktor Korchnoi
(at the Gibtelecom Masters in Gibraltar). Her current FIDE rating of 2479 puts
her at number 14 woman chess player in the world.
MonRoi International Women's Gran-Prix
The MonRoi International Women’s Grand-Prix Finale is being held from
July 22nd to July 29th at the Hilton Doubletree in the heart of Montreal, Canada.
Seven months of qualifiers in Grand-Prix host countries (Germany, USA, Italy,
France, Liechtenstein, Croatia and Gibraltar) culminated in this finale, featuring
international stars GM Pia Cramling (Swe), WGM Irina Krush (USA), WGM Ketavan
Arakhamia-Grant (Geo), WGM Lela Javakhishvili (Geo), WGM Jovanka Houska (Eng),
WGM Iweta Rajlich (Pol), WGM Cristina Adela Foisor (Rom), and Myriam Roy (Can).
The participants' hotel and flights are paid by the organizers.
What a colorful group! The Grand-Prix participants get a guided tour of
Montreal, a city renowned for its light-hearted cosmopolitan style.
A view of the city of Montreal from Mount Royal
A romantic horse carriage ride through the Old Port of Montreal
Saint Denis Street and the incredible Just
For Laughs Festival (check it out!)
Giant entertainment figures on the Montreal streets
It's not working, man. You can't play in the MonRoi Grand Prix!
The prize fund for the Women’s Grand-Prix is US $15,000 prize fund. First
prize is $4,500. In addition Galazzo Jewellers will award to the winner a watch
embellished with 16 sparkling diamonds. Incidentally, according to the rules
no draws are allowed in the first 30 moves!
Grand prix participants WGM Jovanka Houska, WGM Lela Javakhishvili, WGM Iweta
Rajlich
WGM Ketavan Arakhamia-Grant, Myriam Roy, GM Pia Cramling, WGM Cristina Adela
Foisor
WGM and IM Irina Krush, USA, 2479 vs WGM and IM Cristina Adela Foisor, Romania,
2372
On top of the world in Montreal: after four rounds WGM/IM Jovanka Houska of
England leads
Standings after four rounds of the Monroi Grand Prix
