15th Annual Susan Polgar Foundation Girls' Invitational - St.Louis, MO - July 21–26

Team Canada at the 2018 SPFGI:

Cynthia Cui (NB) - NB provincial representative.
Yingying (Lucy) Cao (AB) - AB provincial representative.
Lyvia Shan (BC) - BC provincial representative.
Rachel Zihan Wang (QC) - 2nd place, le Championnat jeunesse féminin du Québec 2018.
Sarah Peng (ON) - 2nd place, the 2018 Ontario U-19 Girls Championship.
Svitlana Demchenko (ON) - Winner, the 2018 Ontario U-19 Girls Championship (transportation subsidy courtesy of Elevate My Chess Canada, Inc.)
Yi Lin Li (QC) - Winner, le Championnat jeunesse féminin du Québec 2018 (transportation subsidy courtesy of Diana Tsypina).

Captain: Andrei Botez, FA (BC)

Official site.

"Increased cash scholarships this year!

1st place = $4,000
2nd place = $2,000
3rd place = $1,000
4th place = $500
Top under 13 = $500
Top under 10 = $500
Triple-crown champion (main event, blitz, and puzzle solving) = $1,000
Brilliancy prize = $100
Biggest upset prize (each round) = $50 x 6 rounds = $300
Best dressed player = $100
Best written essay about the SPFGI experience = $100

In case of a tie, cash prizes will be shared."

The final Round 6 has started. After five rounds, WFM Svitlana Demchenko from Ottawa, ON, is only half a point behind the leaders.

Two Canadians, Sasha Konovalenko from Michigan and Svitlana Demchenko from Ontario, end in a five-way tie for the first place.

Sasha, who played in numerous CYCCs, wins the playoffs. A record $320,000+ in scholarships, cash, and prizes were awarded.

Congratulations to all winners! Bravo Team Canada! Bravo Andrei Botez!

Final standings for Team Canada 2018

Cynthia Cui (NB) - 3.5
Yingying (Lucy) Cao (AB) - 3.0
Lyvia Shan (BC) - 0.5
Rachel Zihan Wang (QC) - 2.0
Sarah Peng (ON) - 4.0
Svitlana Demchenko (ON) - 5.0
Yi Lin Li (QC) - 4.0

Thank you ladies for your dedication to chess.