1997 Interplay US Womens Championship
The Players

Participants in the 1997 Interplay US Women's Championship

This event is limited to women. It is not restricted by age.

WGM ANJELINA BELAKOVSKAIA

Belakovskaia, 28, lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. She is the defending U.S. Women's Champion, having won the title the last two years (1996, clear first; 1995, tied with WIM Sharon Burtman). Anjelina is also a three-time winner of the New York Women's Championship, and has represented the United States at the FIDE Olympiad and FIDE Women's Interzonal.

WIM SHARON BURTMAN

Burtman, 29, lives in Orange, Calif. Sharon is a previous U.S. Women's Champion (1995, tied with WGM Anjelina Belakovskaia). She was one of three women to represent the United States at the FIDE Women's Interzonal in 1995 in Moldova (a qualifying step for the FIDE Women's World Championship). Sharon is also the editor for Rank and File, the official state publication for the Southern California Chess Federation.

WIM ESTHER EPSTEIN

Epstein, 43, makes her home in Newton, Mass., with her husband, GM Alexander Ivanov. Esther is a previous U.S. Women's Championship winner (1991, tied with WGM Irina Levitina). She was also the USSR Women's Co-Champion (1976) prior to her arrival in the United States.

NM JENNIE FRENKLAKH

Frenklakh, 17, lives in Marina, Calif. Jennie is making her second appearance in a U.S. Women's Championship (her first was in 1995). She has represented the U.S. in many international competitions, including the 1997 FIDE World Junior Championship.

WGM ANNA GULKO

Gulko, 40, lives in Fairlawn, N.J., with her husband, Boris. Anna won the U.S. Women's Championship in 1987, and has played in matches for the FIDE Women's World Championship title.

NM IVONA JEZIERSKA

Jezierska, 39, resides in Van Nuys, Calif. Ivona has represented the U.S. in many international competitions, most recently at the 1995 FIDE Women's Interzonal tournament in Moldova.

WIM ANNA KHAN

Khan, 21, resides in Jersey City, N.J. Anna earned her Women's International Master title in 1995. She moved from Latvia (then a part of the USSR) to the U.S. in 1992. Anna has represented the United States at the FIDE World Junior Championship.

NM IRINA KRUSH

, 13, lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1995, Irina became the youngest player ever to play in the U.S. Women's Championship (at age 11). She is making her second championship appearance. Irina has represented the U.S. at many international competitions, including the 1996 Mickey for Kids World Rapid Chess Championship (where she earned a silver medal).

NM JENNIFER SHAHADE

Shahade, 16, hails from Philadelphia, Pa. Jennifer has made rapid progress over the past two years, raising her rating by several hundred points. She has represented the U.S. in international competition, including the 1996 FIDE World Youth Championship. Jennifer is making her first appearance in a U.S. Women's Championship.

TATYANA ZITSERMAN

, 50, lives in St. Louis Park, Minn. She is a native of Ukraine, and moved to the United States in 1993. In the USSR, she participated in the Spartakiada, and was five-time champion of Tajikistan. This is her second appearance in a U.S. Women's Championship.