2012 U.S. Championships News
IM Anna Zatonskih lost to Mongolian IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul in round 10.
By Alex Marler
Catastrophe in Round 10! After a stunning round 9 performance against the Russian team, the U.S. team slips against China. The U.S. lost the match 2.5-1.5, which dropped the team to 6th place. GM Hikaru Nakamura was paired with black against China's Wang Hao, rated 2726. Hao is fresh off a super-GM tournament win, the Biel Chess Festival, where he finished in clear first place ahead of GM Magnus Carlsen. Also, GM Nakamura competed in the same tournament and lost to Hao with both white and black, so this game was clearly going to be quite a challenge for Nakamura. This board 1 game was fairly equal thoughout. Nakamura played the Slav defense and equalized rather easily. Hao gained an advantage in the endgame, but Nakamura played accurately and held the draw. GM Gata Kamsky played a topical line against GM Wang Yue's Petroff defense, but was unable to get an advantage from the opening. The position remained quite symmetrical and despite Kamsky's best efforts, the game ended in a draw. GM Varuzhan Akobian played the exchange variation against GM Bu Xiangzhi, rated 2670, and basically forced a draw, which was a great result considering the rating difference. GM Alex Onischuk lost a difficult rook and pawn endgame to GM Liren Ding, rated 2695.
The U.S. Women's team drew a tough match with Mongolia in round 10. IM Anna Zatonskih lost to IM Batkhuyag Munguntuul. IM Irina Krush drew WGM Tuvshintugs Batchimeg in an interesting game. WGM Sabina Foisor drew WIM Dulamsuren Yanjindulam, while IM Rusudan Goletiani defeated WIM Bayanmunkh Ankhchimeg. This draw has put the team in 17th place.
GM Varuzhan Akobian held a draw against GM Vlatko Bogdanovski to help secure the win.
By Alex Marler
Another smashing victory for the U.S. team over the Macedonians has boosted the team to 4th place! The U.S. team along with China, the Philippines, Armenia, and Germany all have 13 points and are trailing the Russians by two points. The U.S. faces the strongest team in the world, Russia, in round 9! The Russian team is comprised of five players rated over 2722, including former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik.
The Philippines stood no chance against the U.S. Women's team, which was proven by the 3.5-0.5 result in favor of the U.S. IM Anna Zatonskih, IM Irina Krush and WGM Tatev Abrahamyan all won their games! This nice win has vaulted the team all the way up to 7th place, and the team is only trailing the leaders, China, by two points. The team does battle with the perennial powerhouse team, the Ukraine, in round 9, a match that will be very important for standings.
The U.S. team proved triumphant in round 7 against the home team, Turkey. GM Dragan Solak was simply no match for GM Hikaru Nakamura. GM Gata Kamsky outplayed GM Ipatov from the black side of a Nimzo Indian in a game that tested the finer points of both players' endgame skill. GM Alexander Onischuk took home the full point after his opponent, GM Baris Esen, decided to take an unfortunate king walk that eventually led to his demise. GM Ray Robson found an entertaining queen sacrifice that forced a draw.
The U.S. Women scored a badly needed victory over Belgium with a dominating 4-0 score. IM Irina Krush continues to impress.
The U.S. alternate, GM Ray Robson, has played well this Olympiad with a score of 4/5.
By Alex Marler
The U.S. team drew the German team in round 6, which dropped them to 12th place overall. A draw with the Germans is a solid result, but the U.S. desperately needed a win to have a chance at finishing well. In round 7 the U.S. will take on the host team, Turkey, in what should be an easy match as the U.S. outrates them on every board!
Naiditsch vs Nakamura
In a need-to-win situation what opening should you play against a leading opening theoretician? The a6 modern, or at least that was GM Hikaru Nakamura's answer. The a6 modern is quite a risky defense at the top level because black allows white to build an impressive pawn center and setup any piece configuration that he pleases. This game is no exception; Naiditsch gets a slight advantage from the opening. Nakamura eventually equalizes as many pieces become traded and the game simplifies into an equal endgame.
Kamsky vs Khenkin
GM Gata Kamsky was unable to break Khenkin's Caro-Kann defense, so a draw was the proper result.
Akobian vs Fridman
This game was probably the most interesting of the buncn. Fridman made an interesting decision to play the Tarrasch defense against Akobian, even though Akobian has been a long time specialist in that defense. The game quickly becomes complicated as both sides play aggressively. While Akobian begins pressing on the queenside, Fridman counters in the center by establishing his knight on e4. Fridman equalizes the position fairly easily and after a few more complications the game peters out to a drawn rook-and-pawn endgame.
The women's team handily defeated the Canadians with 3.5 -0.5. IM Anna Zatonskih, IM Irina Krush, WGM Sabina Foisor all won their games, so with the match clinched IM Rusudan Goletiani only a needed to draw. This win gave the team a big jump on the rankings by moving them to 18th place. They face Belgium in round 7, which should be a clear result considering that the U.S. is at least 300 points higher rated on every board.
Sri Lankan Captain Sunil Weeramantry stands next to IM Irina Krush, who is currently 4-0 with a tournament performance rating greater than 2900.
By Alex Marler
After 5 rounds the U.S. team is is in 9th place out of 150 teams. They produced another sound result yesterday by drawing the Czech Republic. All of the games in this match were drawn. Be sure to check out the action in round six when the U.S. takes on Germany, who won the European Team Championship in 2011. It should be a tense match because the U.S. needs a win!
The U.S. Women's team suffered a disappointing loss to Vietnam in round 5. This loss, compounded with a few unfortunate earlier results, has sunk the team to 29th place. However, there is still time left to turn things around to advance their rank. Even in the midst of some unfortunate and surprising losses, IM Irina Krush has crushed all her oppoenents and won all four of her games! Her last win over Thi Mai Hung pushed her tournament performance rating over 2900!
Tatev Abrahamyan drew her round 4 game, and the U.S. drew the match against Slovenia.
By Alex Marler
India was able to halt the U.S. team's winning streak in round 4 as the match ended in a draw with a score of 2-2. GM Hikaru Nakamura proved his tactical might once again with a win over GM Krishnan Sasikiran. GM Gata Kamsky played a blunder due to lack of time while trying to reach the next time control, and so lost to GM Pentala Harikrishna. GM Alexander Onischuk drew with GM Parimarjan Negi, and GM Varuzhan Akobian tried for a very challenging and exciting line against GM Abhijeet Gupta's Catalan, but after some early excitement the game petered out to a draw.
The U.S. Women's team drew Slovenia in round 4. IM Anna Zatonskih (2512) faced a serious opponent in GM Anna Muzychuk, rated 2606! Not only is Muzychuk one of the strongest female players in the world, she is also one of the strongest GMs in the world. The team strategy for this round was to play for a draw on board one and then win on the other boards, as IM Irina Krush, IM Rusa Goletiani and WGM Tatev Abrahamyan all outrated their opponents by at least 100 points. This sound strategy met practical difficulties as IM Goletiani lost her game. IM Krush beat Rozic and WGM Abrahamyan drew her game with Ana Srebrnic.