Two area girls both placed in the top 10 at the fifth annual New York State Girls’ Chess Championship this past weekend.

Juliana and Sylvia Bysiek, members of the Bradford Chess Club, competed in the tournament, held entirely online for the first time at the Internet Chess Club.

Juliana was awarded the top unrated player award, given to the highest place finisher without an official United States Chess Federation rating. The girls are in first grade and are twin daughters of Edward and Evelyn Bysiek of Allegany, N.Y.

In addition to the girls’ star performance in the New York State Girls’ Chess Championship, they are co-captains on the Bysiek CPA, PLLC Chess Team, which is currently in second place overall in the 30th annual Bradford Businessmen’s Chess League.

The Girls’ Chess Championship, sponsored by the J&K Pi Foundation with assistance provided by the NY State Chess Association, advocates in providing girls an open, dedicated forum to promote chess and friendship.