Irina Krush

Irina Krush (1983-). She was born in Ukraine and now is an American chess player, awarded the Grandmaster title in 2013 by FIDE. As a journalist she’s written for The Chess Life Magazine.

Global Chess League 2025: Great Start by Defending Champs Triveni Continental Kings

The Tech Mahindra Global Chess League is the world’s first and largest official franchise chess league. FIDE and Tech Mahindra are celebrating Season 3, which features 13 of the 15 top-rated players in the world. More 🡢

Chess Books and Autographs

The Chess Book Collectors site on Facebook has 48,300 members. McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, has 95 books on chess in print. With McFarland books at 35% off from November 15 to December 2, now is the perfect time to combine collecting chess books and chess autographs. More 🡢

Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield and GM Irina Krush

Cairns Chess Queens Award: $100,000 for new U.S. Grandmasters

Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield announced the Cairns Chess Queens Award, a $100,000 award for up to five American women who achieve the title of grandmaster (GM) within the next five years. More 🡢

Jennifer Shahade: Play Like a Champion

Two-time U.S. Women’s Champion Jennifer Shahade’s latest chess book is Play Like a Champion: Chess Tactics from the Greats. Its 700 chess positions have answers that range from checkmate in one move to checkmate in 13 moves. More 🡢

2022 American Cup: Double Elimination Chess

From April 18–29, 2022, the Saint Louis Chess Club held the American Cup. The tournament’s format was a rare one for chess: double elimination. With $300,000 in prize money on the line, each game counted. More 🡢

Kateřina Němcová, photo by Lennart Ootes, Courtesy of the Saint Louis Chess Club

Gift Horse or Trojan Horse in Chess

If your chess opponent gives you a knight, check for teeth. The sacrificed knight may be a Trojan horse planning to bite you. More 🡢

U.S. Women’s Chess Championships: Participants, Champions, Crosstables

In the 60 U.S. Women’s Chess Championships held between 1937 and 2020, there have been 148 competitors. Of those, 29 have earned the title of U.S. Women’s Champion. This article provides some facts and graphics about those participants and champions, plus a link to crosstables. More 🡢

COVID-19 survivor Irina Krush wins U.S. Women’s Championship

The U.S. Women’s Championship was held online October 21-24, 2020. Organized by the Saint Louis Chess Club, the time control for the 12-player round robin was Game in 25 with a 5-second increment. Grandmaster Irina Krush won the tournament with 8.5 points scored in 11 rounds. It was Krush’s eighth time to win the U.S. Women’s Championship. More 🡢