Last weekend Alexandra Botez (Clackamas) won the Kasparov Foundation’s All-Girls Open National Championship. She went undefeated, scoring four wins and two draws against girls from Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Florida, and Missouri. In the process, she won well-deserved national recognition, a huge trophy, and a $105,000 scholarship to University of Texas at Dallas.

With this result, Alexandra finally boosted her USCF rating to 2020 to break through the 2000 barrier, where she joins Daniel Gay as the only Expert class players among current Oregon scholastic players.

“Finally”? Alexandra has rocketed up the ratings chart recently, picking up 400 points in two years. She first cracked 1900 less than a year ago and quickly jumped to 1991. But the leap from over 1990 to 2000 was not easy. Five times she ended tournaments with a rating over 1990 before finishing above 2000.

A great victory. A great milestone. And a great girl. Congratulations, Alexandra!