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Irina Krush
I Krush 
Picture credit: Andreas Kontokanis / Wikimedia Commons.  

Number of games in database: 1,450
Years covered: 1993 to 2024
Last FIDE rating: 2376 (2358 rapid, 2272 blitz)
Highest rating achieved in database: 2502
Overall record: +403 -286 =398 (55.4%)*
   * Overall winning percentage = (wins+draws/2) / total games in the database. 363 exhibition games, blitz/rapid, odds games, etc. are excluded from this statistic.

MOST PLAYED OPENINGS
With the White pieces:
 Nimzo Indian (144) 
    E32 E39 E53 E34 E46
 Queen's Gambit Declined (86) 
    D31 D35 D37 D30 D36
 Slav (63) 
    D10 D15 D11 D17 D12
 King's Indian (62) 
    E94 E73 E99 E98 E92
 Queen's Pawn Game (51) 
    A41 A40 E00 D05 A46
 Grunfeld (33) 
    D85 D87 D86 D91 D97
With the Black pieces:
 Sicilian (278) 
    B63 B62 B51 B60 B56
 Queen's Gambit Accepted (78) 
    D27 D20 D22 D25 D26
 Queen's Pawn Game (69) 
    D02 A40 E00 A45 A46
 Sicilian Richter-Rauser (60) 
    B63 B62 B60 B67 B68
 King's Indian Attack (29) 
    A07
 King's Indian (27) 
    E60 E90 E97 E98 E61
Repertoire Explorer

NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
   Korchnoi vs I Krush, 2007 0-1
   I Krush vs Nakamura, 2001 1-0
   O Zambrana vs I Krush, 2003 0-1
   E Kuzmenko vs I Krush, 2008 0-1
   I Krush vs Shabalov, 2007 1-0
   I Krush vs K B Richardson, 2007 1-0
   I Krush vs A Adames Rojas, 2010 1-0
   A Lee vs I Krush, 2022 1/2-1/2
   I Krush vs J Estrada Nieto, 2001 1-0
   I Krush vs J Shahade, 2003 1-0

NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
   US Women's Championship (2008)
   USA Women Championship (2010)
   US Chess Championship (Women) (2013)
   US Championship (Women) (2012)
   US Championship (Women) (2015)
   US Championship (Women) (2020)
   American Cup (Women) (2023)
   Canadian Open (2009)
   Istanbul Olympiad (Women) (2012)
   Batumi Olympiad (Women) (2018)
   Gibraltar Masters (2009)
   Canadian Open (2005)
   Turin Olympiad (Women) (2006)
   Dresden Olympiad (Women) (2008)
   Chennai Olympiad (Women) (2022)

GAME COLLECTIONS: [what is this?]
   50 K Players of the 21st Century by fredthebear
   Krush! by larrewl

RECENT GAMES:
   🏆 World Blitz Championship (Women)
   Sarah Sima Derlich vs I Krush (Dec-30-24) 0-1, blitz
   D Munkhzul vs I Krush (Dec-30-24) 1-0, blitz
   I Krush vs L Kurmangaliyeva (Dec-30-24) 0-1, blitz
   I Krush vs L Jarocka (Dec-30-24) 0-1, blitz
   E Kaliakhmet vs I Krush (Dec-30-24) 1-0, blitz

Search Sacrifice Explorer for Irina Krush
Search Google for Irina Krush
FIDE player card for Irina Krush

IRINA KRUSH
(born Dec-24-1983, 41 years old) Ukraine (federation/nationality United States of America)
PRONUNCIATION:
[what is this?]

Woman Grandmaster; International Master (2000); Grandmaster (2013).

Irina Krush ((Russian: Ирина Круш) was born in Odessa, Ukraine. She learned chess in 1989, the same year she and her family moved to Brooklyn in the United States. At age 12 she became a master and won the International Master title in 2000.

Championships

In 1998 she won the U.S. Women's Championship, becoming the youngest-ever holder of that title. The following year she tied for first place in the female section of the World Junior Championship. In 2007 she reclaimed the title of U.S. Women's Champion, and repeated that feat in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2020.

Krush has competed in a number of Women's World Championship events. In 2000, 2004 and 2006, she played in the Women's World Championship Knockout matches, making it to round two on all three occasions. She qualified for the 2008 event but was unable to participate. In the Women's World Championship Knockout Tournament (2012), and beat Singapore IM Li Ruofan and Swedish GM Pia Cramling in the early rounds before bowing out in the tiebreaker to the third round to WGM Huang Qian.

Standard Tournaments

Krush earned her first GM norm in 2001 by tying for first place at the Mayor's Cup International Tournament in New York City. She won her 2nd GM norm at the Women's World Team Championship (2013) and her 3rd GM norm (and requisite 2500 rating) at the Baku Open (2013).

Match

In 1998, she lost a short match to John Fedorowicz by 1.5-2.5 (+0 -1 =3).

Team Events

<Olympiads> Krush played for the US women's team in 1998, and from 2002 to 2012 inclusive, playing either first or second board. She was second board for the silver-medal-winning US team at the 36th Olympiad, Women (2004) and board one for the bronze medal winning team at the Dresden Olympiad (Women) (2008).

<World Team Championships> Krush played for the USA in the Yinzhou Cup Women World Teams (2009) and the Women's World Team Championship in 2013 (see above). Playing board 2 in the latter, she scored a silver and a gold medal, and won her 3rd GM norm, for her efforts on board two.

<National Leagues> Krush plays for the New York Knights in the U.S. Chess League and has played for Guildford ADC in the 4NCL.

Kasparov vs The World

Krush was part of the consultation team that included Etienne Bacrot, Elisabeth Paehtz and Florin Felecanin that made recommendations to the public in the Kasparov vs The World, 1999 game played over the internet. Garry Kasparov played the white pieces and The World, via the internet, voted on moves for the black pieces, guided by the recommendations of Krush and the others.

Other

Pascal Charbonneau is her ex-husband.

Wikipedia article: Irina Krush; USCF bio: http://www.uschesschamps.com/2013-u...

Last updated: 2020-10-27 14:08:26

Try our new games table.

 page 1 of 58; games 1-25 of 1,450  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. N Azarova vs I Krush  0-1401993Wch U10 GirlsB20 Sicilian
2. I Krush vs D Strenzwilk  1-0571996US opA41 Queen's Pawn Game (with ...d6)
3. Y Dembo vs I Krush 1-0301996Wch U14 Disney GirlsB89 Sicilian
4. I Krush vs G Leite  1-0311996New York OpenE32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical
5. I Krush vs M Fierro  0-1361996New York OpenE92 King's Indian
6. I Krush vs Y Wang 0-1361996Wch U14 GirlsA56 Benoni Defense
7. R Burnett vs I Krush  ½-½551997New York OpenB67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7
8. I Krush vs A Hahn  ½-½451997United States Championship (Women)D36 Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange, Positional line, 6.Qc2
9. T Zitserman vs I Krush  0-1371997United States Championship (Women)D35 Queen's Gambit Declined
10. I Krush vs A Belakovskaia  1-0441997United States Championship (Women)E98 King's Indian, Orthodox, Taimanov, 9.Ne1
11. J Frenklakh vs I Krush  ½-½641997United States Championship (Women)A07 King's Indian Attack
12. I Krush vs J Shahade  ½-½481997United States Championship (Women)A73 Benoni, Classical, 9.O-O
13. A Akhsharumova vs I Krush  ½-½461997United States Championship (Women)D27 Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical
14. I Jezierska vs I Krush  1-0381997United States Championship (Women)B22 Sicilian, Alapin
15. I Krush vs S Burtman  ½-½381997United States Championship (Women)A87 Dutch, Leningrad, Main Variation
16. I Krush vs E Epstein  0-1411997United States Championship (Women)E30 Nimzo-Indian, Leningrad
17. N Kosintseva vs I Krush  1-0381997Wch U14 GirlsB23 Sicilian, Closed
18. I Krush vs L Khusnutdinova 1-0331997Wch U14 GirlsD36 Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange, Positional line, 6.Qc2
19. A Sherzer vs I Krush  1-043199826th World OpenB56 Sicilian
20. Kudrin vs I Krush  1-040199826th World OpenB62 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer
21. K L Deng vs I Krush  1-0441998Saitek US MastersB50 Sicilian
22. I Krush vs F Wolferink  1-0481998Saitek US MastersB06 Robatsch
23. I Pohl vs I Krush  0-1511998Saitek US MastersD02 Queen's Pawn Game
24. I Krush vs I Rogers  0-1301998Saitek US MastersA56 Benoni Defense
25. D Woods vs I Krush  ½-½341998Saitek US MastersD02 Queen's Pawn Game
 page 1 of 58; games 1-25 of 1,450  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2) | Krush wins | Krush loses  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 30 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Nov-12-05  iccdragginlady: Im a distant acquaintence...and for those who care and for whatever it matters what her faith is...yes...Irina and her family are Jewish.
Jan-09-06  Koster: Why no biography for Ms. Krush?
Jan-09-06  Koster: <AlexanderMorphy> For chess purposes being Jewish (or Russian) seems to help. Who was the last non-Jewish, non-Russian world champion, Capablanca? Morphy was another but they are few and far between. Not sure about Euwe or Petrosian (non-Russian Soviet WC).
Feb-18-06  pazzed paun: It seems that S.Polgar, J.Shahade,and
I. Krush will not play in the US Championships this year but instead will play in the Women's World Championships. The dates conflict so it is not possible to play in both. What are the pros and cons of each event,and how would you chose one over the other?
Feb-18-06  Caissanist: Neither Petrosian nor Euwe were Jewish. http://www.jinfo.org/Chess_Players....
Mar-13-06  EmperorAtahualpa: Here's a krushing picture of her taken during the Women's World Chess Championships: http://www.womenchess.com/images/ga...
Mar-13-06  RookFile: I think she plays really aggressive chess, and you can learn a lot from her games.
Apr-24-06  spasskey69: Irina is one of my favorite players; she did a very nice video with Ron Henley when she was a teenager, and it is now available on DVD. I wish she'd do another one, as well as write some.
Jun-04-06  pazzed paun: Anybody have a guess if I.Krush will hang around long enough to get the Grandmaster title?
Dec-24-06  BIDMONFA: Irina Krush

KRUSH, Irina
http://www.bidmonfa.com/krush_irina...
_

Dec-24-06  Wild Bill: Happy birthday to Irina.

She's had a good year.

Jan-23-07  bob000: Irina just krushed 2700 GM Akopian
Feb-01-07  TheWhiteRider: In round 8 of the Gibraltar tournament she took out the great Viktor Kornchoi 2629!
Feb-01-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eric Schiller: Irina just needs a draw for GM norm!
Mar-01-07  Dr.Lecter: <schiller> She didn't get that draw, though, did she?
Mar-02-07  alexapple: She missed it by only a draw.
Apr-11-07  Bob726: You should get a new picture of her, she looks ugly in this one.
Apr-11-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  chancho: How about this one?

http://monsite.wanadoo.fr/namaste_e...

Apr-11-07  Bob726: She looks much better than either of the pictures on the new Chess Life USCF magazine on the front cover.
Apr-19-07  Ingolf: 2/2 in Gausdal. Today she outforked Dreev (rated 155 points higher) with Black.
Apr-19-07  Solon: Awful blunder by Dreev 19.Rh5. Perhaps not so easy to see though.
Apr-19-07  HannibalSchlecter: That picture doesn't even belong on her drivers license.
Apr-19-07  Robin01: Nice win by Krush.

GM Dreev (2633) - IM Krush (2478) [D23]
Gausdal Classics Gausdal, Norway, 19.04.2007

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 dxc4 4.Qa4+ Nc6 5.Nc3 Nd5 6.e4 Nb6 7.Qd1 Bg4 8.d5 Ne5 9.Bf4 Ng6 10.Bg3 e5 11.dxe6 Qxd1+ 12.Rxd1 fxe6 13.Be2 Bd6 14.Nb5 Bxg3 15.hxg3 Ke7 16.Nxc7 Rac8 17.Nb5 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Ne5 19.Rh5 Rc5 20.f4 Nd3+ 21.Kd2 Nxf2 22.Rxc5 Nxe4+ 23.Kc2 Nxc5 24.Bf3 a6 25.Nc3 Rd8 26.Rg1 Rd3 27.Be2 Rd4 28.Re1 Kf6 29.Bf3 h6 30.Nd1 Nd3 31.Re2 Na4 32.a3 b5 33.Ne3 Nac5 34.Bg2 h5 35.Kc3 Rd6 36.Nxc4 Na4+ 37.Kb3 Black wins 0-1

Apr-19-07  Strongest Force: Krush's knights put Dreev's army on lockdown.
Apr-19-07  iron maiden: That's another big scalp for Krush, after beating Akopian and Korchnoi in January at Gibraltar. Maybe she can net herself a GM norm here.
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