J and W competed in the Las Vegas International Youth Chess Championship this weekend. J competed in the 9 and under reserve section, and W competed in the 14 and under reserve section. Both played 5 games, and despite each losing one game during the tournament, winning 4 games was enough (after ratings tie-breaks) to allow each of them to bring home the 8th place trophies in each of their sections.
We spent the weekend with friends of both W and J. J’s friend, I., played as well as J (also winning 4 games), but he got a higher trophy (4th) because of the tie-breaks. Plus, he was an insufferably immodest jerk about it. His parents need to teach him about sportsmanship and modesty.
The woman in the photo is international grand master Irina Krush.