2012 U.S. Championships News
GM Gata Kamsky secured a round 3 win for the U.S. with a victory over IM Rafael Prasca Sosa.
By Alex Marler
Round 3 of the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey, was another success for the U.S.! In the open section, the United States competed with their toughest opposition yet, Venezuela, and still won by a large margin, 3.5 -0.5. The single draw was between U.S. Champion GM Hikaru Nakamura and GM Eduardo Iturrizaga (rated 2627).
Iturrizaga vs Nakamura
GM Nakamura came out swinging today with the Dutch Defense. He is the only elite level player employ this defense on regular basis against the World's best. Rather than deal with Nakamura's favorite Leningrad variation, GM Iturrizaga took the game into quieter channels with an early Nc3 and Bxf6. Nakamura played aggressively, storming his kingside pawns up the board, but Iturrizaga succeeded in locking up all the pawns and forcing a draw.
Kamsky vs Prasca Sosa
GM Gata Kamsky makes his wins appear effortless. In this game against IM Rafael Prasca Sosa, he plays a Panov-Botvinnik attack and allows black to equalize rather easily. However, the momentary equality is a facade that Kamsky tears down with hyper, aggressive play.
Ynojosa vs Onischuk
GM Alexander Onischuk has played 1...e5 as his main defense to 1.e4 for nearly 20 years. How does a FIDE Master, who is 300 points lower rated, prepare the opening for an opponent such as GM Onishcuk? Well, FM Felix Jose Ynojosa could not answer that question either.
Robson vs Ostos
GM Ray Robson is really developing into a tactical giant. In his game with IM Julio Ostos he punishes Black's backwards development with 16.Bxf6, 17 Qh5 and 18.Nxf7!
The U.S. Women's team survived a tough match with Uzbekistan with a score of 2-2. Both WGM Sabina Foisor and IM Rusudan Goletiani conceded the full point to weaker opposition, while WGM Tatev Abrahamyan and IM Anna Zatonskih were able to save the match by winning their games. However, this draw with Uzbekistan is not a total setback, as the team is still ranked 12th out of 127 teams!
Zatonskih vs Muminova
The advantage in this game swung back and forth. At first it seemed that Nafisa Muminova had the makings of a strong kingside assault, but then Zatonskih defused it with 22. Bxf4 and 23. h3. Next, Zatonskih began her own kingside pawn storm by throwing her 'a' and 'b' pawns up the board. Then, Muminova saw the coming danger and reorganized her pieces for defense. She played 31...c5 stopping white's attack from gaining any momentum. After that, Black played the cheap shot 32...Qf6 and white missed it! 33. bxa6? Ng4! wins an exchange. Zatonshik recovered and demonstrated her superior play by coming back and winning the game!
Gevorgyan vs Foisor
Foisor was the victim of a tactical melee at the hands of WIM Irina Gevorgyan. White played the bone crunching 28.Nxg6+!!, and it was all over.
Goletiani vs Tohirjonova
Goletiani suffered a tough upset against WFM Hulkar Tohirjonova.
Kurbonboyeva vs WGM Abrahamyan
Abrahamyan played a solid game against Sarvinoz Kurbonboyeva and found a nice tactical shot to end the game with 47...Rxf3!!
GM Hikaru Nakamura won a wild one on round 2 of the World Chess Olympiad.
The U.S. team in the open section faced much tougher opposition in round 2 as they were paired against Lithuania, a country rich in chess culture. But the U.S. met this challenge in stride and defeated the Lithuanians 3.5 - 0.5.
Nakamura vs Malisauskas
This game was a real nail biter, as it lasted 107 moves! GM HIkaru Nakamura chose to meet GM Vidmantas Malisuaskas' Sicilian Defense with the English Attack. The English Attack is an aggressive setup based on the pawn chain e4, f3, g4 with queenside castling. It is quite an aggressive setup, which usually leads to a full-blooded middlegame, not an intricate 107-move endgame. The game was fairly level for the most part and did not really heat up until the endgame. In an equal position, Nakamura took some big risks and ended up in a worse position, but due to immense complications he was able to outplay his opponent and take home the full point.
Akobian vs Pileckis
Usually people associate draws in chess with boring, insipid, and overly cautious play, however this drawn game was full of crazy complications. GM Varuzhan Akobian is known for calm, strategic play, but recently he has livened up his games, one example is his recent win over GM Alejandro Ramirez at the 2012 U.S. Championship. This game begins as a quiet Queen's Indian Defense. By move 19 the position is already looking a mess with black's kingside pawns far advanced. IM Emilis Pileckis errors with 19..Nc6; he should have tried 19..Na6 so that 20.Qc2 could be met by 20...Qb7 defending the e4 pawn. By move 28 the games becomes unclear again as both King's are exposed and both sides have enough material to deliver a quick mate if either missteps. The tension eventually dissipates when the players find themselves in a complicated, but most likely drawn queen and pawn endgame.
Beinoras vs Kamsky
GM Gata Kamsky demonstrates, yet again, why he is ranked 13th in the world with a powerful display of strategic chess. It really is quite instructive to see how he outplays his opponent in a tense Isolated Queen Pawn position.
Labeckas vs Robson
This game was an exchange variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. IM Kestutis Labeckas mistimed the opening of the center with 30.e4?, and from that point on GM Ray Robson was easily winning.
The U.S. Women's team beat Estonia yesterday, 3.5-0.5. The team rested IM Anna Zatonskih as the team out rated the Estonians by several hundred points on each board.
Tsiganova vs Krush
IM Irina Krush clearly outclassed her opponent by smoothly winning.
Foisor vs T. Narva
Sabina Foisor proved her tactical superiority over Triin Narva in 39 moves.
Abrahamyan vs R. Narva
Tatev Abrahamyan and Regina Narva debated the ever topical Sicilian Dragon Defense. This defense leads to some of the most complicated opposite side castling positions in all of chess, and this game proved to be no different. Narva played an interesting pawn sacrifice on move 13, b7-b5, and for the next ten moves both players were playing as if they had the initiative! Abrahamyan's attack gained too much momentum with 23.e5 and so Narva's resignation was inevitable.
Vahtra vs Goletiani
With the U.S. winning 3 games so far in the match, a draw in this game would suffice to clinch the match.
GM Ray Robson played board 4 for the U.S. team in round 1 of the World Chess Olympiad.
By Alex Marler
Both U.S. teams started play at the 40th World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey, rated 5th overall, which offered both teams relatively easy first round pairings. In the Open section, the U.S. team took on Jordan, ranked 82nd overall, and managed four wins to take the match. Captain John Donaldson elected to sit GM Hikaru Nakamura and inserted GM Ray Robson into the slot on board four. In the Women's section, the U.S. team took on 67th-ranked New Zealand.
Khader vs Kamsky
GM Gata Kamsky easily defeated Sami Khader on the black side of an a6 Slav defense. Khader made an interesting pawn sacrifice on move 10 in an attempt to blow open the center. Kamsky not only accepted the sacrifice but then diffused Khader's dangerous initiative. The game concluded with a nice tactical flurry from which Kamsky emerged victorious.
Robson vs Mansour
GM Ray Robson, the youngest competitor on the team, demonstrated some quite mature play in his win over Sameer Mansour. GM Robson utilized the c3 Sicilian so that he could outplay his opponent in a quiet middlegame.
B. Samhouri vs Akobian
Bilal Samhouri was clearly outclassed in his match with GM Akobian. By move 22 the result of the game was fairly clear as Akobian had two minor pieces for a rook and Samhouri's king was exceedingly weak. Samhouri resigned in lieu of a pending checkmate on move 32.
Onishuk vs A. Samhouri
GM Alex Onischuk's win over A. Samhour was like something out of a book on great strategic victories. The game began in a quiet line of the Semi-Slav defense, but soon morphed into some sort of Tarrasch defense with Black possessing the isolated queen's pawn. On move 16 Black took on a seemingly innocuous structural weakness, doubled f-pawns, however Onischuk masterfully steered the game into a bishop endgame where that structural weakness proved fatal.
The United States' Women's team made a clean 4-0 sweep over New Zealand yesterday. The U.S. team out rated the New Zealanders by several hundred points on every board, thus not really leaving the result of the match in doubt.
Zatonshik vs Milligan
Anna Zatonshik easily outplayed Helen Milligan in a Fianchetto King's Indian. Milligan lost her queen on move 21 and resigned two moves later.
Tsoi vs Krush
This game was a big mismatch in playing strength, so it's not surprising that IM Irina Krush crushed her opponent. IM Krush played the King's Indian Defense against Nicole Tsoi's London System and by move 16 she had stolen the initiative. White quickly conceded her second rank to Krush's rooks on move 26, which left her with an indefensible position.
Foisor vs Fairley
Sabina Foisor vs Natasha Fairley was a knockout! Fairley barely contested the center and allowed Foisor to build up a crushing attack.
Meyer vs Goletani
Marany Meyer essayed the Grand Prix attack against Rusudan Goletani's Sicilian defense. This may have been a poor choice as Goletani was clearly ready for this opening; she obtained a much better position out of the opening and was pretty much winning by move 27.
GM Hikaru Nakamura will lead the U.S. team into battle against the World at the 40th World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey.
SAINT LOUIS (July 11, 2012) -- With two players ranked in the top 15 in the world, the United States will be well represented for the upcoming 2012 World Chess Olympiad, scheduled to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, August 27 through September 10.
The City of Saint Louis also will be well represented this year as two of the five players selected for this prestigious honor, and one of the coaches, will all call Saint Louis home this fall.
Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, currently ranked No. 7 in the world, is the reigning U.S. Champion and a Saint Louis resident. He will lead one of the strongest teams the U.S. has ever assembled alongside Grandmaster Gata Kamsky, a three-time U.S. Champion who is currently ranked No. 14 in the world.
Grandmasters Alexander Onischuk and Varuzhan Akobian will hold down boards three and four, respectively.
Grandmaster Ray Robson, 17, is moving to Saint Louis in the fall to join Susan Polgar’s national champion collegiate chess team at Webster University. He will fill in as the alternate for the other four players and will help them prepare each day for their upcoming competition.
The players will be coached by Grandmaster Ben Finegold, the resident grandmaster at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, and Grandmaster Yury Shulman.
The World Chess Olympiad is a biennial event organized by FIDE, the World Chess Organization, that pits countries from all over the world against one another in a team competition. Teams of four compete against one another, all vying to earn a gold, silver or bronze medal for their respective countries. The 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul marks the 40th installment of this event, and 166 different countries will be competing.
SAINT LOUIS (July 16, 2012) – In the closing ceremony last night, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL) crowned International Master Marc Arnold, 19, of New York City, the 2012 U.S. Junior Chess Champion.
The Junior Closed Championship is an invitation-only tournament that features the top chess players in the nation under the age of 21. Alongside the U.S. Championship and U.S. Women’s Championship, the Junior Closed Championship completes the “Triple Crown” of the three most prestigious chess tournaments in the country.
“I’m honored to have won this tournament because the competition was really tough,” said Arnold. “I’m looking forward to getting a chance to come back to Saint Louis to compete with the nation’s best at the U.S. Championship next year.”
Arnold beat out 16 other players in a split round-robin tournament with a playoff final to clinch the title and the first-place prize of $4,000. As the winner of the U.S. Junior Closed Championship, Arnold will also receive an invitation to the 2013 U.S. Chess Championship, which is scheduled to be held in Saint Louis next year.
“Marc did an amazing job and fought hard throughout the entire tournament,” said Tony Rich, executive director of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. “Our hope is that his passion for the game and the amazing sportsmanship he has demonstrated will encourage and inspire other young chess players across the country to become more active.”
According to the USCF’s current rating supplement, Arnold was ranked first by rating out of the 16 competitors and was considered one of the favorites coming into the tournament. The 16 players were split into two groups of eight, and the winner of each section squared off in a head-to-head playoff for the title. Arnold went undefeated in his round-robin section, scoring five points out of seven games, to secure his spot in the playoff finals.
Arnold defeated Alec Getz of New York City, who was the winner of the other round-robin section, in a two-game playoff final. Getz, who received $3,000 for second place, entered the tournament ranked ninth out of the 16 players and exceeded expectations by winning his section over a number of higher-rated players.
The junior tournament’s winnings for first through last place totaled $18,000.
The championship match between Getz and Arnold began shortly after round seven. Getz drew for colors and secured white in the first game. He employed the sharp Keres Attack in a Sicilian Scheveningen. The players followed a rapid game between Vassily Ivanchuk and Alexander Morozevich from the Melody Amber tournament in 2008 until Getz played the relatively unknown 9. Qf3. A tense position was reached just before move 14, where it appeared a typically swashbuckling attack would ensue; however, Getz released the tension on the kingside with 14. Bxg5, and after a few trades, he reached an equal endgame that was drawn by move 41.
Getz played the King’s Indian in the second game, and Arnold responded with the popular Petrosian system. He punished Getz swiftly for the provocative 10…h5, picking up material with 14. Rxh5 and mounting an attack to boot. Queens came off the board with Arnold up a pawn in a dominant position. When Arnold played 23.Bh5, skewering Getz's rooks, it looked like he had many paths to victory. He eschewed all complications with simplifying moves like 26.Rxg7 and the solid 27.f3 (instead of 27.bxc4). When the smoke cleared, Arnold was a full three pawns ahead, and Getz resigned after 37 moves.
Arnold has had an incredibly successful summer so far—our new U.S. Junior Champion also earned a GM norm a couple weeks ago at the World Open in Philadelphia. He will return to Saint Louis next year to compete in the 2013 U.S. Championship.
CCSCSL Executive Director Tony Rich and WGM Jennifer Shahade contributed to this report.
The 2012 U.S. Junior Closed Championship field has narrowed to just two as the Round Robins ended with some excitement.
Despite his half point lead heading into the final round, Victor Shen was unable to get much from the opening against Atulya Shetty’s a6 Slav. In fact, Shetty was able to surprise everyone with the sacrifice 14… Bxh3! As Bobby Fischer would call it, “a bolt from the blue”. Clearly Shen was feeling the pressure and missed a chance to equalize around move 20 after some inaccurate play by Shetty. Victor’s 22. Nxd5 was a big mistake and Atulya went on to win quickly.
Shen’s only hope would be for both Conrad Holt and Alec Getz to draw or lose, but neither was feeling particularly accommodating. Each went on to win against their opponents – Will Fisher and Jeffrey Xiong respectively. Adding insult to injury, it turns out that Shen would have won the spot in the championship matchs over both Getz and Holt had he tied for first.
As it turns out, it was FM Alec Getz whose tiebreaks were best; he advanced into the championship match as the winner of the A group. Missing out by the narrowest of margins, Conrad Holt was equal on the first two tiebreaks (direct encounter and most blacks), losing out only on his Koya System score. The fateful result was Getz’s victory over FM Jeffrey Xiong in round four, whereas Holt was only able to draw him.
Joining Getz in the championship match was IM Marc Arnold. His victory in the B group was smooth sailing as he maintained his first-place position from round one. Marc drew with Kayden Troff quickly in the last round to clench first and to rest before round one of the match.
Even with first place out of reach for the remainder of the field, the games continued to be exciting and uncompromising. Justus Williams scored again – this time with the black pieces against Eric Rosen. Williams broke Rosen’s Maroczy Bind, and with his superb activity, was able to drum up unstoppable threats against Eric’s king.
Saint Louis’ own Kevin Cao also won the longest game of the round against Raven Sturt. True to style, Kevin played tactically and was rewarded on move 51 when Sturt cracked under the pressure. Kevin wove his pieces around the black king until the mating net was tight and Sturt resigned on move 56. This victory left Kevin with 3.5 points from 7 games and tied for 4th.
The championship match between Alec Getz and Marc Arnold began shortly after round seven. Getz drew for colors and secured white in the first game and employed the sharp Keres Attack in a Sicilian Scheveningen. The players followed a rapid game between Ivanchuk and Morozevich from the Melody Amber tournament in 2008 until Getz played the relatively unknown 9. Qf3. A tense position was reached just before move 14, where it appeared a typically swashbuckling attack would ensue; however, Alec released the tension on the kingside with 14. Bxg5, and after a few trades, he reached an equal endgame that was drawn by move 41.
Tune in tomorrow morning at 11am CST to see the exciting finale of the 2012 U.S. Junior Closed Championship at uschesschamps.com.