2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Championship: Opening Ceremony and Round 1

The 2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Championship players are buzzing with excitement to be in the “Beehive State.” And they aren’t the only ones. At the opening ceremony, US Chess Interim Executive Director Franc Guadalupe, who flew to the Salt Lake City airport from Houston, TX, was delighted to address the country’s top women players aged 50 and older. 

He recalled directing two of them, WFM Chouchanik Airapetian and WCM Natasha Christiansen, in the 2006 U.S. Championship.

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Standing, from left: Root, Christiansen, IA Karen Pennock, Kennedy, Skidmore, Airapetian, Kuhner, Maureen Grimaud. Seated, from left: Sagalchik, Belakovskaia, Tsodikova, Cabrera. (Photo by Rachel Findlay)

The only player new to Guadalupe was Varinia Cabrera. On Board 1 in Round 1, WGM Anjelina Belakovskaia played Cabrera for the first time since their topsy-turvy last-round encounter in the inaugural 2023 U.S. Senior Women’s Championship. That game secured the 2023 title for Belakovskaia. As she did in their previous game, Belakovskaia prevailed over Cabrera.

Thank you, Anish Giri

On Board 2 in Round 1, I had White against the reigning U.S. Senior Women’s Champion WFM Natalya Tsodikova. Because the tournament director, International Arbiter Karen Pennock, announced in late October that pairings would be made using players’ ratings from the November FIDE rating list, I knew who my opponent would be.

I used Lifetime Repertoires: Giri's 1. e4 − Part 1 to prepare for Tsodikova’s 1. … e5. I am a big fan of GM Anish Giri, in part because of his posts on X. And I was fine out of the opening, thanks to his course.

How did I guess that I would get White? Because I prepared while petting white rabbits: My own rabbit Einstein and, for nine days in early November, additionally my daughter’s rabbit Billy Joel. With that many lucky rabbits’ feet, I felt sure I would get White.

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The author's seconds: Billy Joel (L) and Einstein (Photo by Alexey Root)

Upset Prizes

Also speaking at the opening ceremony was Mike Mulford. He is a past and future Chair of the Senior Committee. He explained that David Grimaud is the committee’s chair now. The two of them rotate, due to term limits on chairing US Chess committees. So Mulford will likely be chair again in a year.

As he did last year too, Mulford is donating upset prizes. The biggest upset in each round, based on November 2025 FIDE ratings, will get a $50 gift certificate to the US Chess store. In Round 1, there were no upset wins, with WFM Olga Salgachik and Jennifer Skidmore Smith winning on Board 3 and Board 4, respectively. 

But upset draws count, though the point spread is halved when evaluating draws. Since Natasha Christiansen (FIDE 1674), playing Black, drew Chouchanik Airapetian (FIDE 1894), she will be awarded a $50 certificate.

Christiansen is a tough chess player. So, apparently, was her Uber driver. On the way from the airport to the hotel on Thursday, her driver claimed to have split chess games (1 win, 1 loss) with Lennox Lewis.

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Natasha Christiansen (seated) won the upset prize for her draw on Board 5. (Photo by Alexey Root)

Chess Greats

Although boxing great Lewis did not grace the opening ceremony, chess greats did. In addition to Guadalupe and Mulford, Executive Board member Leila D’Aquin, International Arbiters Pennock and Kiki Huerta, tournament commentator WGM Sabina Foisor, Utah Chess Association board member Matt Crossette (in charge of the DGT boards), and Kimberly Doo McVay (Co Chair, US Chess Women’s Committee) all spoke in person. The Mistress of Ceremonies, Janelle Losoff (Las Vegas International Chess Festival), addressed the players and special guests by phone.

These chess greats commended Maureen and David Grimaud, who ensured the survival of the U.S. Senior Women’s Championship by hosting it last year and this year. Also credited were FM Jim Eade and Elizabeth Shaughnessy. Eade sponsored and Shaughnessy hosted the very first U.S. Senior Women’s Championship.

Speaking toward the end of the opening ceremony were Anna Wyzywany and David Cogswell of Power Chess, a chess-based program for children and adults that offers tournaments, classes, and events in Utah. Wyzywany mentioned that she looks up to the players in the U.S. Senior Women’s Championship. Likewise, FM Rose Atwell, a frequent participant in the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, made an X post before Friday’s Round 1, wishing to meet and to play alongside the senior women.

Quick Links

2025 U.S. Women's Senior Championshp Preview

Games broadcast on Chess.com

Live commentary with WGM Sabina Foisor on Twitch

Follow US Chess on YouTube for highlights, interviews, and more coverage after the event

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