Congratulations to Warren Scholars and siblings Victoria and Alex Bian, and their dad Mike, who all took or tied for first place in the sections they played in at the recently finished Las Vegas International Chess Festival.  Mike (Shaogang) scored 5.5/6 points in the U1400 section, winning clear first place and slightly more than $2,000.  Victoria scored 4 out of 5 points in the Susan Polgar World Chess Championship for Girls U14 division, good enough to share in a three-way tie for first place; and Alex, who played in the Susan Polgar World Chess Championship for Boys U11 division, was one of two boys in the section with a perfect score of 5/5. Warren Scholar Shayna Provine also did very well, coming in second in the Girls U11 division with 4/5. 

 

Several other players also came home with fatter wallets, assuming they weren't tempted by the casino on their way out.  In the U2000 section, Daniel Parmet,  Anu Bayar and Stevenson High School junior Kent Cen all scored 4.5/6, tying for 6th place and earning $141 each.  In the U1800 section, Dmitri Kosteris scored 5.5/6, tying for second place and winning more than $1,500.  And in the U1400 section, Gary Andrus scored 5/6, tying for second and earning more than $1,000.   Complete tournament results are here.