Kamsky and Zatonskih win US Chess Championships

Written by Administrator

Friday, 29 April 2011

Gata Kamsky

The US Chess Championships took place in the Saint Louis Chess Club from April 13th to April 29th. Exciting commentary from GM Mourice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade, as well as gorgeous daily press reports by FM Mike Klein made this tournament nice & easy to follow.

Anyway, here is a brief recap of what happened. Men were divided into two groups - A and B. Two players were to qualify for the semi-final from each section. Here are the results:

Group A

Rank	Name	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Score
1	GM Kamsky, Gata	2733	x	½	½	½	1	1	½	1	5.0
2	GM Shulman, Yuri	2622	½	x	½	1	½	1	½	½	4.5
3	GM Robson, Ray	2522	½	½	x	1	½	½	1	0	4.0
4	GM Ivanov, Alexander	2540	½	0	0	x	1	½	½	1	3.5
5	GM Akobian, Varuzhan	2611	0	½	½	0	x	½	1	½	3.0
6	GM Ehlvest, Jaan	2586	0	0	½	½	½	x	1	½	3.0
7	GM Stripunsky, Alexander	2578	½	½	0	½	0	0	x	1	2.5
8	IM Naroditsky, Daniel	2438	0	½	1	0	½	½	0	x	2.5

Group B

Rank	Name	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Score
1	GM Hess, Robert L	2565	x	1	½	½	1	1	1	½	5.5
2	GM Onischuk, Alexander	2678	0	x	½	½	½	½	1	1	4.0
3	IM Shankland, Samuel L	2512	½	½	x	½	0	1	1	½	4.0
4	GM Seirawan, Yasser	2636	½	½	½	x	½	½	0	1	3.5
5	GM Shabalov, Alexander	2590	0	½	1	½	x	0	0	1	3.0
6	GM Kaidanov, Gregory S	2569	0	½	0	½	1	x	1	0	3.0
7	GM Christiansen, Larry M	2586	0	0	0	1	1	0	x	½	2.5
8	GM Finegold, Benjamin	2500	½	0	½	0	0	1	½	x	2.5

As you can see, Gata Kamsky and Yuri Shulman (group A) & Robert Hess and Samuel Shankland (who defeated Alexander Onischuk on tie-breaks) proceeded to the semis.

Semi-finals

Gata Kamsky - Samuel Shankland: 0.5-0.5, 1-0, 0.5-0.5
Yuri Shulman - Robert Hess: 0.5-0.5, 0.5-0.5, 1-0

In the finals Gata Kamsky won the first game and drew the second vs Yuri Shulman to keep the US Chess Championship title he earned last year. Young GM-elect Samuel Shankland went on to beat Robert Hess in the match for the bronze medal: 2-1. Congratulations!

Main prizes: Gata Kamsky: $40,000 for 1st + $2,000 for winning group A; Yuri Shulman: $30,000 for second; Samuel Shankland: $20,000 for bronze

Interview with Gata Kamsky, the 2011 US Chess Champion

Anna Zatonskih

In the women's section there was just one group of 8 players, 4 of whom proceeded to the semis.

Rank	Name	Rating	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Score
1	IM Krush, Irina	2472	x	½	1	1	0	1	1	1	5.5
2	WGM Baginskaite, Camilla	2342	½	x	0	½	½	1	1	1	4.5
3	WFM Abrahamyan, Tatev	2326	0	1	x	1	½	1	½	½	4.5
4	IM Zatonskih, Anna	2499	0	½	0	x	1	1	1	½	4.0
5	WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca	2350	1	½	½	0	x	0	1	1	4.0
6	IM Goletiani, Rusudan	2367	0	0	0	0	1	x	½	½	2.0
7	WIM Zenyuk, Iryna	2245	0	0	½	0	0	½	x	1	2.0
8	FM Melekhina, Alisa	2304	0	0	½	½	0	½	0	x	1.5

Anna Zatonskih had a poor start and had to play a tie-break match with Sabina-Francesca Foisor to qualify for the semi-final. There she met her arch-rival Irina Krush. After an even score (1-1) in the main games, they had to play a tie-break to decide who will play in the finals. Anna prevailed: 2-1. Meanwhile, at another tie-break between Camilla Baginskaite and Abrahamyan Tatev, the latter dominated: 2-0.

The final was rather dramatic: 1-1 in the main time, then 1-1 in rapid, and only a draw with Black in Armageddon brought the 4th title in her career to Anna Zatonskih! Congratulations!

Main prizes: Anna Zatonskih - $18,000 for 1st; Tatev Abrahamyan - $12,000 for 2nd; Irina Krush - $9,500 for 3rd + $1000 for winning the round robin

Interview with Anna Zatonskih, the 2011 US Women's Chess Champion

Official website

Comments (1)

	1. Written by Þðèé on 12:10 01 ìàÿ 2011 ã.
	Íîâûå ÷åìïèîíû ÑØÀ Ãàòà Êàìñêèé ýòà îäíà èç ñàìûõ ÿðêèõ øàõìàòíûõ çâ¸çä) À Àííà Çàòîíñêèõ ïîæàëóé âïèñàëàñü óæå òîæå êàê îäíà èç ÿðêèõ æåñêèõ øàõìàòíûõ çâ¸çäî÷åê) è îáà èãðîêà âûçûâàþò òîëüêî ïîäðàæàíèÿ è óâæåíèÿ èõ øàõìàòíîé ñèëå.Óñïåõîâ è óäà÷è èì âî âñåì. http://www.pogonina.com

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