Nazi Paikidze-Barnes, information systems, an alumna of the UMBC Chess Team, won the 2016 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, and is now qualified for the Women’s World Championship tournament. The tournament was held in St. Louis, MO, April 13-30, 2016.
Twelve of the best female chess players in the United States, including Paikidze-Barnes, competed in a round-robin tournament with 11 rounds. After the tenth round, she was neck-and-neck for first place, trailing Tatev Abrahamyan by only half of a point. She clinched the championship victory in her final match.
Paikidze-Barnes earned her Women’s Grandmaster title in 2010, and her International Master status in 2012. She has won the Moscow Women’s Championship and the Moscow’s Open Women Tournament.
For more information about Paikidze-Barnes’ U.S. Women’s Chess Championship win, check out the UMBC Chess Program blog.
Image: Nazi Paikidze-Barnes playing chess. Photo by Marlayna Demond ’11 for UMBC.
