2003 AF4C US Chess Championships, 9-18 January Northwest Rooms, Seattle.

AF4C US WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF

In a fairytale ending to decide the 2003 Af4C US Women's Champion,
underdog Anna Hahn, from Jersey City, N.J, caused a major chess upset in
the three-way playoff for the crown by beating former champions Jennifer
Shahade and Irina Krush.

Scoring back to back wins against the two top US women players gave Hahn
both the title and the record first prize of $12,500. For Hahn, 26, who
was seeded No.6 for the women's crown at the start of the Championship,
the final result proved to be the biggest win of her career - and one
that shocked many of the commentators and spectators in the playing
hall.

Biographical details of Anna Hahn, 2003 AF4C US Women's Champion
Women's International Master Anna Hahn was born in Riga, Latvia June 21,
1976 and currently resides in Jersey City, N.J. As a child she used to
watch her father and grandfather play chess and when she was seven years
old her grandfather decided to take her to the local chess club.

Her best chess achievements include the Latvian Women's Champion in 1992
and, after moving to the U.S., tying for second place in the World
Girl's Championship in 1993. Anna earned her Women's international
master title in 1995. In 2000 Anna participated in the chess Olympiad in
Turkey, and the women's world championship in India.

She likes chess because of the logic and complexity of the game. Besides
chess Anna is fond of dancing and she loves music and goes to a lot of
concerts and performances. In other sports, her interests are in tennis
and kickboxing. In December 1998 she became a graduate of the University
of Pennsylvania in Finance and Computer Science and is currently working
at Goldman Sachs Investment Bank as a programmer. Anna is now also doing
a part time Masters Program in Carnegie Mellon (NY location), studying
Computational Finance.

About America's Foundation for Chess

Founded in 2000, America's Foundation for Chess (formerly the Seattle
Chess Foundation) is committed to bringing chess into every U.S.
classroom. By first making chess a larger part of America's cultural
fabric - accessible in schools and in popular culture - AF4C hopes to
elevate the profile of chess in America. To this end, AF4C is providing
chess instruction materials and training to teachers, who have little or
no chess background. In addition, by sponsoring high-level competitions
such as the U.S. Chess Championships, AF4C is cultivating chess role
models and a venue for chess excellence in America. By forging
partnerships with schools and corporations, AF4C plans to make chess a
part of every classroom experience.

JOHN B HENDERSON, Press Officer