GREGORY KAIDANOV
An International Chess Grandmaster, Gregory Kaidonov has won more than 30 International tournaments, among them World Open, US Open, Aeroflot Open in Moscow, Russia, Goodricke Open in Calcutta, India and Gausdal Classic in Norway. As a coach, he works with both Men’s and Women’s National Teams. Among his students are National and World Champions in all different age groups.
IRINA KRUSH
A longtime special guest participant in the Queen City Classic, Irina Krush was born in Odessa, USSR (now Ukraine). At age 14 Krush won the 1998 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship to become the youngest U.S. women’s champion ever. She has won the championship on seven other occasions, in 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2020, eight titles in total. She became a Grandmaster in 2013. We honor her for her groundbreaking work on behalf of women in chess as well as her triumph over Covid-19 in 2020.
