Today, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the FEMChess All-Girls Scholastic Chess Tournament in Fremont, California. The event was not only an exciting showcase of numerous inspiring chess matches but also a chance for me to reconnect with several old friends. A particularly memorable highlight of the day was seeing Meiyappan Sathappan, an acquaintance from my time assisting Joe Lonsdale with the Monday night chess team at Mission San Jose Elementary School. Back then, Meiyappan proudly cheered on his two exceptionally talented daughters, Annapoorni and Kavya. Today, those remarkable young women took center stage, running the tournament with the goal of empowering the next generation of girls in the Fremont area to excel at chess. Once again, Meiyappan donned the proud father’s hat… and rightfully so!
The tournament itself was impressively organized, with Chief Tournament Director Kavya Meiyappan, a high school junior, executing her responsibilities with remarkable professionalism. WFM Annapoorni Meiyappan, now a graduate student at UC Berkeley, was also in attendance, inspiring and motivating all participants. Ultimately, this event embodied a singular purpose: to inspire girls to embrace and excel in chess!
A heartfelt kudos to the entire team at FEMChess for yet another successful event. It is truly heartwarming to witness how this organization, founded by MSJE alums WCM Allyson Wong, WFM Annapoorni Meiyappan, and Kavya Sasikumar, continues to fulfill its mission to “bridge the chess gender gap by teaching young females about the game in an empowering and competitive environment.”
I look forward to attending more of these events in the future. In the meantime, please enjoy the photos I captured at the 2026 FEMChess All-Girls Scholastic Chess Tournament!
