How odd, I thought, scrolling past this year’s US Girls Junior Championship player list. Many of the familiar names I had seen on television over and over again in the past were absent this year. Instead, I saw more young friends, attending this prestigious event for the first time.
Last year, I felt I was playing amongst many of my idols. Having heard their names so many times before, I was amazed and honored to have the opportunity to play at the same level with them. Flash forward one short year later, and many of them already passed the age limit for the Juniors. Time really flies…
I inevitably thought of this year’s field. The girls who played will probably continue to be invited for many years to come, and there will be many tough games. Starting as barely-known masters, maybe one day we will also be models for young aspiring chess players. This thought pushed me to try my very best this year.
In what will probably be a series of classic matchups, I utilized my experience from last year regarding preparation in round robins to gain significantly better results. After a great start, I ended up tying for third place. I can’t wait for next year’s Juniors!
My favorite photos from the event (mostly featuring me):
All photo credit goes to the Saint Louis Chess Club.
