IM Alice Lee, GM Christopher Yoo and GM Vladimir Akopian Crowned Winners in U.S. Girls, Junior and Senior Championships in Saint Louis

Out of a field of the nation’s top chess players, International Master (IM) Alice Lee was named champion in the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship, Grandmaster (GM) Christopher Yoo won the U.S. Junior Championship and GM Vladimir Akopian secured victory in the U.S. Senior Championship with a round to spare.

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Alice Lee, Christopher Yoo and Vladimir Akopian Crowned Winners in U.S. Girls, Junior and Senior Chess Championships in Saint Louis (Photo: Business Wire)

The U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Junior and U.S. Senior Championships have been mainstay events at the Saint Louis Chess Club. All three tournaments ran concurrently from July 16-25 and featured the top 10 chess players across three divisions, who competed for more than $135,000 in prizes and an additional $20,000 in scholarships.

“The caliber of talent we saw among these young players indicates that American chess continues to grow and thrive,” said Tony Rich, Technical Director at the Saint Louis Chess Club. “It was also thrilling to see these icons of American chess in action over the board again and we look forward to continuing to host the nation’s best here in Saint Louis once again next year.”

IM Alice Lee Clinches U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship

Defending champion, fourteen year old Alice Lee of North Oaks, Minn., took top honors in the U.S. Girls’ Junior division. Lee has already set several American chess records becoming a National Master (NM) at 10, a Woman International Master (WIM) at 12 and recently became the youngest American female IM. Her thrilling comeback performance earned her a $6,000 cash prize, $10,000 scholarship to the university of her choice and a seat to compete in the U.S. Women’s Championship this fall. The scholarship is a jointly-funded effort from Dewain Barber and US Chess.

FIDE Master (FM) Rose Atwell, 14, of Valencia, Calif. finished in second place and received a check for $4,000, followed by WIM Iris Mou, 14 of New York, N.Y., won $3,000 for third place.

Seventeen Year Old GM Christopher Yoo Wins U.S. Junior Championship

GM Chistopher Yoo, 17, of Dublin, Calif. bested a field of new and returning young prodigies to take home first place, a check for $12,000 and earning a ticket to compete in this year’s U.S. Championship. He, too, was awarded a $10,000 scholarship to the university of his choice thanks to the generosity of Dewain Barber and US Chess.

IM Justin Wang, 18, of Katy, Texas finished in second, winning $8,000 and GM Andrew Hong, 18, of Saratoga, Calif. and IM Jason Wang, 17, of Mason, OH, tied for third place, each earning $4,500.

GM Vladimir Akopian Wins U.S. Senior Championship

In the U.S. Senior division GM Vladimir Akopian was crowned champion, winning an impressive $20,000 and his first U.S. national title, among a field of legendary players and hall of famers.

GM Jesse Kraai of Baltimore, MD, took second place, earning a check for $13,000, while GMs Larry Christiansen of Cambridge, Mass. and Joel Benjamin of Waldwick, N.J., tied for third, each earning $9,000.

If you missed the games live, you can rewatch the action by visiting the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels, and for additional information on the events, visit uschesschamps.com.

Next up will be the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, taking place August 12-16 in Saint Louis, Missouri. Tune in for live coverage on GrandChessTour.org and on the Saint Louis Chess Club's YouTube and Twitch channels.

About the Saint Louis Chess Club

The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.

Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.

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