Playing Like a Girl at NorCal House of Chess
By Sam Livesay   
September 27, 2012
 
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Ashritha Eswaran
11-year old Ashritha Eswaran tied for 1st with International Master Ricardo De Guzman at the NorCal House of Chess Summer Championship in Fremont, CA held from September 15-16.  Incredibly, Ashritha played up (the section was for 1900 & above) and beat players rated 2047, 2307, 2155 & drew a 1992. All of them are higher rated than her. She gained 99 rating points after the tournament!

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Girls also succeeded in the two other sections: In the U1500, NHC members Serafina Show & Antara Garai tied for 1st. In the U1900, State Champion Joanna Liu came close but lost out to Marin County kid Ladia Jirasek who ended in a tie for 1st with Srinath Goli.

Many of the top girls competing at NHC excel nationally and internationally. Ashritha Eswaran is the 12 & Under Girls National Champion and also a Silver-Medalist at the North American Youth Chess Championship in Mexico. She also tied for 4th place in Peru at the Pan American Youth Chess Championship couple of months ago. She’s now rated 1961 and hopes to cross the 2000 barrier before she goes to Slovenia to represent USA for the World Youth Chess Championship. Her long-time coach, Ted Castro has been training her together with 2 other NHC in-house coaches: GM Dejan Bojkov and IM Ricardo De Guzman.

The girls are also inspired by visiting role models like WFM Sabrina Chevannes, a famous coach from London who visited last summer. In 2011, CLO editor and author WGM Jennifer Shahade conducted the Girls’ Camp at NorCal House of Chess and signed copies of her aptly titled book Play Like a Girl.

Ten of the kids from NorCal who qualified for World Youth played in this strong event. NHC will be conducting more tournaments and trainings for kids who are going to World Youth Chess Championship.

Ted Castro, together with several top coaches will be conducting special trainings for those who will go to World Youth in Slovenia. This special training and sparring sessions will be sponsored by NorCal House of Chess, hence free of charge. For future events at NHC, check their website at www.norcalhouseofchess.com.
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Superstar coach Ted Castro with students