US Chess Championships 2013: Pivotal Matchups Loom in Round 8

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hi everyone, 

GM Alejandro Ramirez.

SAINT LOUIS (May 10, 2013) -- Despite missing a startling tactic, a shaken GM Gata Kamsky collected himself to hold a draw against the much lower-rated GM Alejandro Ramirez in round seven of the 2013 U.S. Championship. The oversight cost him any chance to expand his central majority to fight for the win, but since GM Alex Onischuk could also only draw, Kamsky retained his half-point lead over both Ramirez and Onischuk.

In the 2013 U.S. Women’s Championship, leader IM Irina Krush also found herself in difficulties, at least that was her perception of the game. In mutual time pressure with WIM Viktorija Ni, Krush pulled out her sixth win in seven games to protect her lead. 

The leaders of both events will have their biggest matches of the event in the next round. Kamsky will take black against second-seeded GM Timur Gareev, who can attack with the best of them (his blistering formation today ended GM Ray Robson’s three-game winning streak in round seven). Krush will also take black. She gets WGM Tatev Abrahamyan, and a win would clinch the tournament with one round to go. You can read a detailed report by FM Mike Klein at the official website of the tournament.

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GM Mikheil Kekelidze wins Long Island Chess Open

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

The Long Island Open took place on 16-18th March at the Holiday Inn Islip Airport in Ronkonkoma, USA. Grandmasters Mikheil Kekelidze, Tamaz Gelashvili, Sergey Kudrin and Joel Benjamin all finished at the top of the standings in the Open Section with 4 points but Kekelidze managed to take the title and the $100 bonus prize by virtue of the better tie-break.

Going into the final round Kudrin and Benjamin were half-point ahead of their nearest rivals but their draw on board one allowed Kekelidze and Gelashvili to catch them by winning their final round games against Yefim Treger and FM Nathan Resika respectively. Just few weeks ago Kekelidze won the 21st Annual Eastern Class.

Master section final standings:1-4. GM Mikheil Kekelidze ($780.50), GM Tamaz Gelashvili ($680.50), GM Sergey Kudrin ($680.50) and GM Joel Benjamin ($680.50) – 4.0
5-7. Michael H Bodek, Rawle A Allicock (*$302.00) and WGM Sarai Sanchez (*$302.00) – 3.5
8-12. IM Rafael Prasca Sosa, FM Nathan Resika, Tim Mirabile, Yefim Treger, Robert N Guevara (**$504.00) – 3.5 etc

You can read further here.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
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World Chess Museum to open in St Louis in September, 2011

Chess blog for latest news and trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2011

Hello Everybody,

Did you read our www.chessblog.com post yesterday titled New documentary on chess great Bobby Fischer premieres at Sundance Film Fest?

Here is some more exciting news from the Sundance festival.

The World Chess Museum will open in St. Louis this September and feature a variety of exhibits, historical background on the game and an opportunity to further the growing popularity of chess.

"We are very proud to support the debut of this film at the Sundance Film Festival to create some well-deserved excitement for chess," says Susan Barrett, Director of the World Chess Hall of Fame and Museum. "We want to let people know they don't have to be an expert player to appreciate how the game has impacted our culture, and that they can learn more by visiting the museum when it opens."

In addition to the film debut, four notable Chess Grandmasters will be on-hand throughout the Festival offering one-on-one tips and playing chess with passers-by, including local Utah chess students and Garbus. Grandmasters on site include:

• GM Jennifer Shahade, author and two-time American Women's Chess Champion (2002, 2004)
• GM Joel Benjamin, who became a national grandmaster at the age of 13, breaking Bobby Fischer's record for youngest-ever master
• GM Alexander Shabalov, four-time U.S. Champion (2007, 2003, 1997 and 1993)
• WIM Iryna Zenyuk, women's International Master and the first woman to win the Jerry Simon Memorial (2006)

In September 2011, St. Louis will continue to celebrate the great game of chess with the opening of the World Chess Hall of Fame and Museum directly across the street from the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. They chose St. Louis due to the success and growing international reputation of the city's recently opened Chess Club.

This historic 15,000 square-foot building will feature the U.S. and World Chess Hall of Fame, displays of artifacts from the museum's permanent collection and temporary exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games and rich cultural history of chess. The Museum will partner with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis to provide innovative programming, instruction and outreach to a broad local, national and international audience of both novices and experts alike.

For more information, visit the Chess Hall of Fame and Museum on Facebook, www.WorldChessMuseum.org and www.SaintLouisChessClub.org.

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's
www.chessblog.com
Also see her personal blog at
www.chessqueen.com