From: Sam Sloan <sloan <at> ISHIPRESS <dot> COM>
Date: 31 jul 1999
Subject: Adventures of Irina Novikov

Irina Novikov has returned from Japan to Mother Russia, after not being
entirely happy with developments in Japan.

It is to be recally that Miss Novikov wowed American shogi players during
her stay in New York in 1997 at the age of 17. At the end of 1997, Irina
went to Israel and later to her original home in St. Petersberg, Russia.

Irina later made her way to Sweden where she competed in a Swedish shogi
tournament. She then returned to Russia and then went to Japan. On June
19-20, Irina competed in the International Shogi tournament in Japan, where
she qualified to the finals with a surprising win over the Swedish winner
of the British Open Carl Johan Nilsson.

However, it appears that after that she was largely ignored by Japanese
shogi players and was even encouraged to take up go.  Irina finally gave up
and returned to Russia one week ago.

However, life is not over yet as she is still only 19.

Sam Sloan