2012 U.S. Championships News
Luke Harmon-Vellotti, 14, will take on Kayden Troff, 15, in round one of the U.S. Junior Closed Championship.
By Brian Jerauld
SAINT LOUIS (June 14, 2013) -- What do 10 of the nation’s finest juniors do while waiting for pairings? They play chess, of course.
Blitz games passed the time surrounding the 2013 U.S. Junior Closed Championship opening ceremony last night, as America’s best players under the age of 21 gathered at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.
There were no signs of calculated attack in the upstairs tournament hall Thursday night. Instead, fast moves and friendly banter was the theme, with group analysis around every board and waning clock. Friendly debate over the current position was common, and above all, there was laughter. As if a game was being played.
If there was any clue that war was ahead, it was during the drawing of the lots. Focus tightened as CCSCSL Executive Director Tony Rich randomly selected each player to draw numbers, determining round pairings and, more importantly, who would command the white pieces for five of the nine rounds. Mental gears began to turn with every selection.
Luke Harmon-Vellotti, Daniel Naroditsky, Atulya Shetty, Sam Sevian and Victor Shen won the white-piece advantage for the duration of the event. Round 1 begins today at 1 p.m. CT. (Click here to see the full schedule.) Pairings for the first round are as follows:
Table |
White |
Score |
Rating |
Black |
Score |
Rating |
Result |
1 |
0.0 |
2340 |
0.0 |
2443 |
|||
2 |
0.0 |
2494 |
0.0 |
2370 |
|||
3 |
0.0 |
2320 |
0.0 |
2359 |
|||
4 |
0.0 |
2390 |
0.0 |
2385 |
|||
5 |
0.0 |
2411 |
0.0 |
2101 |
Games begin daily at 1 p.m. local time, along with live analysis for each round from Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan and Ben Finegold.
Spectators can view the games and commentary online at www.uschesschamps.com or live at the Chess Club in the Central West End.
IM Kayden Troff is hoping to follow-up his GM Norm performance at the U.S. Championship with a strong showing at this year's Junior Championship.
SAINT LOUIS (June 13, 2013) -- Chess prodigies from across the nation have gathered in Saint Louis to compete in the 2013 U.S. Junior Closed Championship, the premier chess tournament in the country for players under the age of 21.
Round 1 of this prestigious event begins tomorrow, Friday, June 14, at 1 p.m. at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The tournament runs through June 23.
The event features a total prize fund of $10,000, and the winner will receive an invitation to the 2014 U.S. Championship, which is scheduled to be held in Saint Louis next year for the sixth consecutive time.
This year’s U.S. Junior Championship features 10 of the strongest up-and-coming chess players in the country.
International Masters Kayden Troff, 15, and Sam Sevian, 12, are each reigning world champions in their age divisions, and both are also coming off a recent appearance at the 2013 U.S Championship, which concluded in St. Louis last month. Sarah Chiang, 16, also recently competed in Saint Louis at the U.S. Women’s Championship.
Luke Harmon-Vellotti, a 14-year old math whiz from Boise, Idaho, received a wildcard invitation to the event. He was just awarded a full-ride scholarship to UCLA, where he will begin taking classes in the fall. Harmon-Vellotti earned a perfect score on the math portion of the SAT.
Leading the field by rating is International Master Daniel Naroditsky, 17, from the San Francisco Bay area. Click here to meet all the players in the 2013 U.S. Junior Championship.
Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan and Ben Finegold will conduct live play-by-play of each round of the event. Spectators can view the games and commentary live at the Chess Club in the Central West End, or online at www.uschesschamps.com.
Meet the Field
No. | Title | Name | Rating* | Invitation Method |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | IM | Danel Naroditsky | 2538 | Rating |
2. | IM | Victor Shen | 2511 | Rating |
3. | NM | Robert Perez | 2510 | Rating |
4. | IM | Kayden Troff | 2505 | Rating |
5. | FM | Jeffrey Xiong | 2483 | Rating |
6. | FM | Yian Liou | 2469 | Rating |
7. | FM | Sam Sevian | 2467 | Rating |
8. | FM | Atulya Shetty | 2446 | Wildcard |
9. | FM | Luke Harmon-Vellotti | 2434 | Wildcard |
10. | WFM | Sarah Chiang | 2238 | U.S. Open Invitation |
* Based on the April USCF ratings list.
Schedule
Day | Date | Time | Event |
---|---|---|---|
Thursday | June 13th | 6:00 PM | Player Arrival, Opening Ceremony |
Friday | June 14th | 1:00 PM | Round 1 |
Saturday | June 15th | 1:00 PM | Round 2 |
Sunday | June 16th | 1:00 PM | Round 3 |
Monday | June 17th | 1:00 PM | Round 4 |
Tuesday | June 18th | 1:00 PM | Round 5 |
Wednesday | June 19th | REST DAY | REST DAY |
Thursday | June 20th | 1:00 PM | Round 6 |
Friday | June 21st | 1:00 PM | Round 7 |
Saturday | June 22nd | 1:00 PM | Round 8 |
Sunday | June 23rd | 11:00 AM | Round 9, Play Off (if necessary), Closing Ceremony |
SAINT LOUIS (June 3, 2013) -- The Sinquefield Cup, originally scheduled to be held in Saint Louis in July, has been rescheduled for September. This tournament will feature a four-player double-round robin of some of the strongest players in the world.
We are still awaiting finalized contracts, and we will submit a full press release once all of the details have been confirmed. Please stay tuned for more details.
IM Daniel Naroditsky will be the highest-rated player in the field at the 2013 U.S. Junior Closed Championship.
SAINT LOUIS (May 30, 2013) -- The 10-player field has been set for the 2013 U.S. Junior Closed Championship, scheduled to be held at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL) June 13-23. The top Juniors in the nation will meet in Saint Louis with more than $10,000 and an invitation to the 2014 U.S. Championship at stake.
The Junior Closed Championship is the most prestigious tournament in the nation for the country’s top players under the age of 21. This marks the fourth consecutive year this event is being held at the CCSCSL.
Meet the Field:
No. |
Title |
Name |
Rating* |
Invitation Method |
1. |
IM |
Danel Naroditsky |
2538 |
Rating |
2. |
IM |
Victor Shen |
2511 |
Rating |
3. |
NM |
Robert Perez |
2510 |
Rating |
4. |
IM |
Kayden Troff |
2505 |
Rating |
5. |
FM |
Jeffrey Xiong |
2483 |
Rating |
6. |
FM |
Yian Liou |
2469 |
Rating |
7. |
FM |
Sam Sevian |
2467 |
Rating |
8. |
FM |
Atulya Shetty |
2446 |
Wildcard |
9. |
FM |
Luke Harmon-Vellotti |
2434 |
Wildcard |
10. |
WFM |
Sarah Chiang |
2238 |
U.S. Open Invitation |
*Ratings are based on the April USCF supplement
Karthik Ramachandran, the winner of the 2012 U.S. Junior Open, was ineligible to play in the 2013 U.S Junior Closed due to age restrictions, so the invitation was extended to WFM Sarah Chiang, the second-place finisher. Chiang is coming off her first-ever U.S. Women’s Championship appearance, which was held in Saint Louis in May. Kayden Troff and Sam Sevian also have recent big-tournament exposure, both having acquitted themselves nicely at the 2013 U.S. Championship, also held in Saint Louis in May.
The opening ceremony and player’s meeting will take place on June 13, and the first round of play will begin at 1 p.m. CT on June 14. Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan and Ben Finegold will provide live play-by-play commentary for each round of the event. Spectators are welcome to watch the commentary live at the Saint Louis Chess Club or online at www.USChessChamps.com.
Schedule of Events:
Day |
Date |
Time |
Event |
Thursday |
June 13th |
6:00 PM |
Player Arrival, Opening Ceremony |
Friday |
June 14th |
1:00 PM |
Round 1 |
Saturday |
June 15th |
1:00 PM |
Round 2 |
Sunday |
June 16th |
1:00 PM |
Round 3 |
Monday |
June 17th |
1:00 PM |
Round 4 |
Tuesday |
June 18th |
1:00 PM |
Round 5 |
Wednesday |
June 19th |
REST DAY |
REST DAY |
Thursday |
June 20th |
1:00 PM |
Round 6 |
Friday |
June 21st |
1:00 PM |
Round 7 |
Saturday |
June 22nd |
1:00 PM |
Round 8 |
Sunday |
June 23rd |
11:00 AM |
Round 9, Play Off (if necessary), Closing Ceremony |
SAINT LOUIS (May 23, 2013) -- On May 25 at 6 p.m. CT, FOX Sports Midwest will air a one-hour recap special covering the 2013 U.S. and U.S. Women’s Chess Championships, which recently concluded at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.
The 2013 U.S. Championship and 2013 U.S. Women’s Championship were held concurrently May 2 through May 13 at the CCSCSL. This marked the fifth consecutive year these events, the two most prestigious chess tournaments in the nation, were held in Saint Louis.
Grandmasters Gata Kamsky and Alejandro Ramirez squared off in an intense, head-to-head, rapid playoff to determine the 2013 U.S. Champion while the 2013 U.S. Women’s Championship boiled down to a three-way race between Tatev Abrahamyan, Anna Zatonskih and Irina Krush.
The one-hour special premiering on FOX Sports Midwest on May 25 will introduce viewers to some of the unique personalities in the U.S. chess scene and recap all the exciting action, including the thrilling climax, of the most important chess tournaments in the country.
In addition to the premiere, the special will also air on the following dates and times:
- Thursday, May 30 at 5 p.m.
- Saturday, June 1 at 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, June 5 at 5 p.m.
- Saturday, June 8 at 7 p.m.
- Thursday, June 13 at 11 p.m.
Live play-by-play of each round of the event also was streamed online to tens of thousands of viewers across the world through the websites of FOX Sports Midwest and USChessChamps.com, the U.S. Championships event website.
CCSCSL Executive Director Tony Rich said the live streaming show and televised recap special through FOX Sports Midwest both mark an important turning point for U.S. chess.
“This partnership with FOX Sports Midwest allows us to bring chess to a broader audience and to introduce the excitement and intensity of tournament chess to a whole new demographic,” Rich said. “Our goal is to showcase the talents of the top chess players in the nation and to create more fans and students of the sport of chess.”
The 2013 U.S. Championship featured a field of 24 players and a total prize fund of $180,000, and the 2013 U.S. Women’s Championship featured a 10-player field and a prize fund of $65,000.
“These players are the superstars of the U.S. chess scene,” Rich said. "We hope their play will inspire young chess players all across the country to achieve great things."
The CCSCSL has been home to the championships for each of the past five years, helping contribute to Saint Louis’ reputation as the hub of the U.S. chess scene.
GM Maurice Ashley talks to GM Gata Kamsky shortly after Kamsky secured his fourth U.S. Chmpionship title.
By FM Mike Klein
The 2013 U.S. Championship went extra innings today in a gripping tiebreak final. After splitting a pair of rapid games, GM Gata Kamsky won $30,000 and his fourth title in an Armageddon game against GM Alejandro Ramirez, who was seeking his first title.
In all three hours of competition, and for more than 150 moves, Kamsky was the aggressor. Despite the constant pressure, he could not break through the stalwart and creative endgame defense of Ramirez until the waning moments. “It feels a bit awkward,” Kamsky said. “I consider us equals. Someone just got luckier than the other.”
The two went into a playoff by virtue of being tied after nine rounds of classical chess. Both players had 6.5/9; they drew their face-to-face battle in round eight. Kamksy was undefeated with four wins and five draws, while Ramirez had a loss but also one more win, thus necessitating today’s action.
Games one and two were played at a time control of 25 minutes per player with a five second increment per move. Ramirez seemed determined not to get behind on the clock, but an early misstep allowed Kamsky to embed a knight on d5. Shortly after, black’s pawns were crippled, but Ramirez found all the necessary countermeasures to prevent any white pawn from reaching paydirt. Of the many players who were spectating, GM Robert Hess said Kamsky did not need to be so quick to exchange his best piece.
After a short break, they switched colors and resumed the rapid play. This time Kamsky broke through on the queenside, and probed Ramirez’s position with his rook. Sensing that the black bishop would soon enter the fray, Ramirez offered a pawn with the clever 35. g4, intending to occupy e4 with his knight. Kamsky offered a pawn in turn with 36…e4, preventing the knight from landing there. Naturally, Ramirez had one last rejoinder, 38. e5, clearing the square once and for all.
The minor pieces traded and another rook-and-pawn ending was reached, with Kamsky having all the chances. One again Ramirez was up to the task, using a stalemate tactic to extend the tiebreak. 64. Rg2+ was the only move to draw. The rare ending to a grandmaster game caused the supremely focused Kamsky to look at the crowd and laugh. Later, he said he had almost the same ending at the World Cup in 2011 against GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, but was able to win that game.
The rules dictated that in case of a 1-1 tie, the playoff would end in an Armageddon match, where players bid for time and color. In sealed envelopes, Ramirez wrote the time 19:45, while Kamsky’s envelope read 20 minutes even. Ramirez thus got 19:45 to Kamsky’s 45 minutes, while Ramirez had black and draw odds.
The two reprised the opening from their first rapid game. Kamsky, needing to win, decided to keep all the minor pieces on the board this time. He slowly increased his square domination while Ramirez listlessly shuffled pieces round the last two ranks. Eventually Kamsky pushed forward, and Ramirez, getting low on time, decided to take his chances in an opposite-colored bishop endgame.
With Ramirez playing only on increment, he could not defend once Kamsky got his third passed pawn. Ramirez resigned after Kamsky denuded black’s best defenders. After the game, Kamsky told Ramirez that 37…e5 was the critical mistake, without which black should hold. Ramirez agreed, explaining that he did not see 39…g4 in his calculations.
“I was starting to get really nervous,” Kamsky said. “It wasn’t clear until the last move.”
Ramirez said the experience of playing worse positions was “torture”, then he was reminded that he still pockets $20,000. “I’ve never won that much in chess, ever,” he said.
After the tense playoff, Kamsky seemed more relieved than elated. He flew in from a tournament in Switzerland just days before the championship, and he has less than one week until he competes against the world’s best in Greece. “I just want to get some sleep,” he said.