On Saturday, March 21, Botez Live and US Chess Women hosted the Isolated Queens Swiss, a blitz tournament on chess.com open to female players of all ages. 85 players participated including over 30 streamers, who gave running commentary on their twitch channels. Women and girls from six continents played, many practicing social isolation to stymie the scourge of COVID-19.
One of our most beloved American players, Grandmaster Irina Krush played in quarantine while recovering from coronavirus. On Friday night, March 20, the seven-time US Women’s Champion revealed to her many fans and friends that she had been diagnosed with COVID-19. That post is public, and can be read here. Feeling somewhat better the next morning, Irina jumped into the stacked blitz event.
