LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nazi Paikidze's journey with the game of chess began when she was just 4 years old. And it didn't take long for the student to become the master.
"My dad loved chess and he taught me the game," Paikidze said. "I was immediately obsessed with it. Anyone that wanted to play me, I would play. And when I was 5 years old, I beat my dad and he would never play me again."
Back then, Paikidze stood out. Not just for her age but also for her gender.
"When I was a little girl there were very few male players in chess. So, it was a little intimidating," Paikidze said. "There would be hundreds of guys and maybe five girls."
But that didn't stop her. She won the Women's Chess Championship in Moscow and is currently competing for the same title in the U.S.
The U.S. Women's Chess Championship is a competition among the top 12 female chess players in the nation, with $100,000 in prize money up for grabs.
The winner of the championship will go on to qualify for the world title.
