2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Championship: Belakovskaia Leads With Perfect Score

Before Round 2 started at 11 a.m., tournament director Karen Pennock promised to have the Round 3 pairings up two hours before the 4 p.m. start of round 3. But eight of the 10 players used up most of their G/90 with 30-second increment allotted time.

Because of their fighting attitudes, the Round 3 pairings were not available until 2:56 p.m. These games included some fierce attacks as well as a remarkable come-from-behind victory.

A Clear Leader

Saturday began without a clear leader but ended with 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Champion WGM Anjelina Belakovskaia a half point ahead of her nearest competitor, WFM Chouchanik Airapetian.

Anjelina Belakovskaia improved to 3/3 with her win over reigning U.S. Senior Women's Champion Natalya Tsodikova Saturday evening. (Photo by Alexey Root)

In round 2, Belakovskaia defeated Jennifer Skidmore Smith. In round 3, she defeated the 2024 U.S. Senior Women’s Champion WFM Natalya Tsodikova. Going into round 4, Belakovskaia has a perfect 3/3 score.

Airapetian also won both her games Saturday, against Varinia Cabrera and Skidmore Smith. The latter victory, included below, earned her the round’s upset prize.

Chouchanik Airapetian also won both of her games on Saturday, and trails Belakovskaia by only a half-point. (Photo by Alexey Root)

A Broken Wrist? A Blundered Rook?

After a loss at the FIDE World Senior Individual Chess Championships 2025, my guess is in this game, Tsodikova was feeling emotionally distraught. On the 100 meter walk back to her hotel, on dark and uneven streets, she fell. She hurt her wrist, but didn’t want to go to a hospital in Italy. When she returned to the United States, she bought a wrist brace on Amazon. After I heard this story at Friday’s breakfast, I made her promise me an x-ray of her wrist once this event is over.

Natalya Tsodikova recently returned from the World Senior Championships in Italy, and her string of fascinating games has continued into this event. (Photo by Alexey Root)

In the meantime, I am glad that her room is just an elevator ride away from the playing site. With the day she had on Saturday, I wouldn’t want her to be walking outside. Besides her aforementioned loss in Round 3 to Belakovskia, her Round 2 win over WFM Olga Sagalchik must have been nerve-wracking:

A D.I.Y. Bye and a Fighting Draw

Two players enjoyed a long break between rounds 2 and 3. After our do-it-yourself half-point BYE, thanks to my draw offer on move 4, WCM Natasha Christiansen and I walked around the park that adjoins the Residence Inn (Murray, UT).

Natasha Christiansen and Alexey Root (Photo courtesy of the subjects)

Then we were the first to sample the snacks from Costco and the lunches from Jimmy John’s. Assisting Maureen Grimaud with lunch orders each day are sisters Shaylyn and Shanetta Sheffield.

Byes are not allowed in the 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Championship, and thus far Christiansen and I are the only players to have made a quick draw. With all four remaining higher-rated players winning their games, this netted Christiansen her second upset prize following Friday night’s draw against Airapetian.

The donor of the upset prizes, Mike Mulford, told me just before round 3 that a minimum number of moves required to be eligible for a round’s upset prize might have been a good idea.

Mulford’s comments inhibited me from offering a draw for a while. But I did eventually offer one, securing the title of “fewest moves played on Saturday by a senior women’s competitor.” No, that’s not a real title.

A Round to Spare?

According to commentator WGM Sabina Foisor, the real title (of 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Champion) may be decided as early as the conclusion of round 4. If Belakovskaia can defeat Airapetian, who she will likely be paired with, she will have locked up her second U.S. Senior Women’s Championship and a $4,000 prize.

There will still be plenty to fight for, however, with a $2,000 prize for second and a $1,000 prize for third still on the line, as well as additional prizes for fourth, fifth, and sixth places.

Currently, Tsodikova and Sagalchik are tied for third with 2/3 scores, and Kuhner is in sole fifth with 1½/3. Christiansen, Skidmore Smith, Cabrera, and I are all currently tied for sixth with 1/3.

Pennock promised round 4 pairings by 8 a.m. Mountain Time on Sunday, two hours before round 4 begins. My guess is that she will achieve this goal, but I wouldn’t put money on when round 5 pairings will be posted. Last year, the last game of round 4 ended at 3:20 p.m., 20 minutes after round 5 was scheduled to start. Based on what we saw yesterday, more fighting chess this morning is the safe bet.

Quick Links

All Coverage of the 2025 U.S. Senior Women's Championship

Games broadcast on Chess.com

Live commentary with WGM Sabina Foisor on Twitch

Past coverage: Reports from the 2023 U.S. Women's Senior Championship and the 2024 U.S. Women's Senior Championship