Junior Information Systems major, Nazi Paikidze, has been invited to compete in the invitation-only, U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, scheduled to take place at the Chess Club & Scholastic Center of St. Louis, March 31 – April 13, 2015.
Ms. Paikidze, 21 and an International Chess Master, was the 2007 World Under-14 Girl’s Chess Champion, the 2008 World Under-16 Girl’s Chess Champion, and has multiple European Youth Championships to her name.
With such a distinguished series of achievements in the sport at such a young age, I felt inclined to ask what has been most memorable for her thus far. Nazi answered, “One of my favorite moments from my chess career is winning the women’s section of the 2010 Moscow Open. It was the largest tournament I’ve won. I was not even in top 20 by rating and I won the tournament by beating Valentina Gunina in the last round (she is twice European woman champion now and rated 2500 plus, I think).”
Hailing from Moscow, Russia, when asked what she misses most about home, she said, “I miss the city. I loved living in a big city – Moscow. And of course I miss my family and friends.”
Nazi anticipates graduating with a degree in Information Systems in May 2016. When asked of her plans for post-graduation, Nazi replied, “I just recently decided to minor in entrepreneurship and that’s what I really want to pursue after school. I don’t think I’m cut out for nine to five job and I want to be my own boss.”
Spoken like a true chess player.
UMBC has a proud history of being represented at both the Men’s and Women’s U.S. Championships. Several former students, including Sabina Foisor, Timur Gareev, Sergey Erenburg, and former U.S. Champion, Alexander Onischuk have competed and continue to compete in this prestigious tournament.
We continue to be proud of their achievements both over the board and in the classroom.
If you would like to share well-wishes with Nazi before she competes, you can send her e-mail at paiki1@umbc.edu.
