21st KCF All-Girls National Breaks Records With Over 600 Attendees

The 21^st Kasparov Chess Foundation (KCF) All-Girls National Chess Championship broke its own attendance record with a total of 601 girls competing across the six age-based sections, up from 546 players the year before.

Taking place April 10 through 12 at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in downtown Chicago, the tournament was organized in partnership with the Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation and US Chess. As this national event enters its third decade of empowering young female chess players, the future is bright.

Players came from 37 states — plus Washington, D.C. and Vancouver, British Columbia — up from 33 states the year prior.

This year, the top boards for the Under-18, Under-16, and Under-14 sections were broadcast on DGT boards, greatly enhancing our report. All games can be replayed here. Full individual and team standings can be found here.

FMs Jasmine Su (CT) and Megan Paragua (NY) tied for first in the Under-18 Section with 5½/6 scores, with Su taking first on tiebreaks (all ties are listed in tiebreak order). This was the 13-year-old Paragua’s second consecutive year tying for first in this section. And, at only age 15, Su will be back to defend her title for several years to come, too.

The Under-18 winners, Jasmine Su (L) and Megan Paragua. (All photos courtesy DeShaun Adams)

After drawing each other in Round 5, both Su and Paragua essayed fine endgames in the last round to tie for first:

But that’s not to say the Co-Champions didn’t have to survive a few scares throughout the weekend. Su was briefly in trouble in Round 3 when she was forced to defend her exposed king:

Paragua found herself in even more hot water that same round after having to balance out material and enter a pawn-down position:

Both Su and Paragua can be commended for their resilience and ingenuity navigating the tough moments, showing hearts of champions!

Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School, the Under-18 champs.

Paragua’s Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School won the team trophy in the Under-18 section with a 12½/18 score, a point and a half ahead of Stuyvesant High School (NY).

WCM Khanim Ismayilova (VA) took clear first in the Under-16 section, also with a 5½/6 score. Below are two of her five consecutive victories before a quick draw in Round 6 clinched the tournament:

In the team standings, Brooklyn Technical High School (NY) likewise won with a 12½/18 score, again a point and a half ahead of nearest rivals Hunter College Elementary and High School (NY).

The winning U-16 Brooklyn Tech team: Rose Morden, Zoya Kulkova, Anjyu Fujita, Nico Alvarado-Yoshida (Photo courtesy Richard Lopez)

WCM Alice Chovanec (NY) and Anqing Wang (CA) tied for first with 5½/6 in the Under-14 section.

Alice Chovanec won a share of the Under-14 section.

They each contributed one of my favorite rook-and-pawn endgames from the weekend, which are both highly instructive:

Gordon Gregory Middle School (IL) took the team trophy with a 12½/18 score, a half-point ahead of The Speyer Legacy School (NY).

Gordon Gregory MS, the Under-14 champions.

Under-12 co-champions Alexandra Liu and Kate Stripunsky.

Alexandra Liu (NY) and Kate Stripunsky (NJ) tied for first in the Under-12 with 5½/6 scores. Liu’s Success Academy Midtown West (NY) posted the weekend’s highest team score, with an impressive 14/18 performance.

The winning Under-12 team: Success Academy Midtown West.

Gillian Gao (NJ) swept the Under-10 section with a 6/6 score, while Siddhishree Sundaram (CO) and Dhriti Singh (FL) each posted 6/6 scores in the Under-8 section.

Under-10 champion Gillian Gao. (Photo courtesy of the subject)

Under-8 winners Siddhishree Sundaram and Dhriti Singh.

Under-8 winners Siddhishree Sundaram and Dhriti Singh.

The Speyer Legacy School won the Under-10 section with a 13½/18 score, while Success Academy Union Square also boasted a 14/18 score to claim the Under-8 team prize.