Krush Crowned; Kamsky, Ramirez Await Playoff
By FM Mike Klein

SAINT LOUIS (May 12, 2013) — After four unsuccessful attempts, IM Irina Krush finally defended her U.S. Women’s Championship title today. Her draw with WGM Camilla Baginskaite made her score 8/9 and put the tournament out of reach for IM Anna Zatonskih, who won today but finished a half-point behind Krush. The U.S. Championship offered no such clarity, as GM Gata Kamsky nursed a half-point margin but could not defeat GM Ray Robson. Three players could have won to catch Kamsky, but only GM Alejandro Ramirez got a full point. The two will play tomorrow at noon in a two-game rapid playoff.

“This has been my smoothest victory,” Krush said of her five championships, before pausing to recall them all. “Well, actually when I won my first with 8½ out of nine, that also went well.” That first title was in 1998, the only time she competed without Zatonskih in the field. The two have mostly traded titles the last few years. “We have to break this pattern,” Krush joked.

In today’s game, Krush got exactly the position she wanted against Baginskaite. There were no intricate tactics and no strategic imbalances. Krush won a pawn in a riskless knight-and-pawn endgame, so she decided to play for the win. “I’m supposed to win this endgame, but all of the sudden, I allowed all this counterplay. I decided to offer the draw before things got out of hand.” The win nets her $18,000, which she said she will use for a down payment on an apartment in Brooklyn. “I also like to take exotic vacations. Maybe Belize.”

[Event “US Chess Championships (Women)”]
[Site “Saint Louis USA”]
[Date “2013.05.12”]
[EventDate “2013.05.03”]
[Round “9”]
[Result “1-0”]
[White “I Krush”]
[Black “C Baginskaite”]
[ECO “E32”]
[WhiteElo “2470”]
[BlackElo “2278”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 d6 7. Bg5 Nbd7 8. e3 b6 9. Ne2 c5 10. Qc2 Qc7 11. Nc3 Ba6 12. Rd1 cxd4 13. Rxd4 Qc5 14. Bh4 e5 15. Rd2 Rac8 16. Qa4 Bxc4 17. Bxc4 Qxc4 18. Qxc4 Rxc4 19. Bxf6 Nxf6 20. Rxd6 Rfc8 21. Ke2 R4c6 22. Rxc6 Rxc6 23. Rd1 Rc8 24. Nb5 a6 25. Nc3 Ne8 26. Nd5 Rb8 27. Ne7+ Kf8 28. Nc6 Rc8 29. Nxe5 Ke7 30. Nd3 Nf6 31. Rc1 Rxc1 32. Nxc1 Kd6 33. f3 Nd5 34. Kd3 f5 35. Ne2 g6 36. h4 b5 37. Kd4 Ne7 38. Nf4 Nc6+ 39. Kc3 a5 40. Ne2 Kc5 41. Nd4 1-0

Krush could not explain why she did so well. “Sometimes you just wonder why it all comes together. This is what I came to do, and I got the job done. I think I’m getting happier by the minute.” She said that her round three win as black against Zatonskih essentially set the table for the rest of the event. “That basically decided the result.” She also won as black in the penultimate round against the third seed and third-place finisher, WGM Tatev Abrahamyan.

Kamsky had a chance to clinch clear first place, and it looked for a time like a win as black would be possible. Robson, fighting for a top six finish for a 2013 World Cup qualification, mixed it up early by jettisoning some pawns to open lines.

“He surprised me with b4, sacrificing two pawns for an attack,” Kamsky said. “I thought I should be winning, but somehow he had all these tactical resources.” Later, Robson kept the fire burning by sacrificing an additional exchange to keep the initiative.

Robson said he would have played solidly if possible, but he took what the position gave him. “There’s no way you can force a win against Gata,” Robson said. “[Kamsky] can punish you if you go for a win too much. Probably I just overestimated my position.”

[Event “US Chess Championships”]
[Site “Saint Louis USA”]
[Date “2013.05.12”]
[EventDate “2013.05.03”]
[Round “9”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[White “R Robson”]
[Black “G Kamsky”]
[ECO “B42”]
[WhiteElo “2620”]
[BlackElo “2741”]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 b6 6. O-O Bb7 7. f4 Nf6 8. Qe2 Bc5 9. c3 d6 10. b4 Bxd4+ 11. cxd4 Nc6 12. d5 Nxb4 13. Bc4 exd5 14. exd5+ Kf8 15. Nc3 Qc7 16. Ba3 a5 17. Rac1 Re8 18. Nb5 Qc5+ 19. Qf2 Ne4 20. Qxc5 bxc5 21. Rfe1 f5 22. Rxe4 fxe4 23. Nxd6 Re7 24. Be2 Rd7 25. Nxe4 Bxd5 26. Rxc5 Bxe4 27. Rxa5 Rd4 28. Rb5 Kf7 29. Bxb4 Rc8 30. Kf2 Bd5 31. Kg3 Rc2 32. Bf3 Bxf3 33. Kxf3 Rd3+ 34. Ke4 Rd8 35. Rb7+ Kg8 36. g3 Re2+ 37. Kf5 Rd5+ 38. Kg4 h5+ 39. Kh3 Rd3 40. Rb8+ Kh7 41. Rb5 Rxa2 42. Rxh5+ Kg8 43. Kg4 Rb2 44. Ba5 1/2-1/2

The draw might still have been good enough for clear first, were it not for the continued heroics of the much lower ranked GM Alejandro Ramirez. He first offered his a-pawn to tie down black’s bishop and rook, and then switched to probe the other side of the chessboard. Eventually weaknesses were created, and a passed e-pawn sealed the deal. “His queen is so badly placed on b6 that it is difficult to hold the kingside together,” Ramirez explained. “I didn’t see a defense for him.”

[Event “US Chess Championships”]
[Site “Saint Louis USA”]
[Date “2013.05.12”]
[EventDate “2013.05.03”]
[Round “9”]
[Result “1-0”]
[White “Alej Ramirez”]
[Black “L Christiansen”]
[ECO “A37”]
[WhiteElo “2551”]
[BlackElo “2579”]

1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 e5 4. g3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. a3 Nge7 7. Rb1 O-O 8. O-O a5 9. Ne1 d6 10. Nc2 a4 11. Ne3 Nd4 12. d3 h6 13. Re1 Qa5 14. Ned5 Nxd5 15. Bxd5 Kh7 16. Be3 Nb3 17. Ne4 Qb6 18. Nd2 f5 19. Nxb3 axb3 20. Bd2 Bd7 21. e3 Rae8 22. Bc3 Re7 23. a4 Bxa4 24. Ra1 Ra8 25. e4 f4 26. gxf4 exf4 27. Bxg7 Kxg7 28. Qf3 Re5 29. Qxf4 Rf8 30. Qe3 Bc6 31. f4 Rh5 32. Qg3 Bxd5 33. exd5 Rhf5 34. Re6 R8f6 35. Ra8 Rxe6 36. dxe6 Qc7 37. Re8 d5 38. e7 Kf7 39. Rh8 Kxe7 40. Qxg6 1-0

His game finished before Kamsky, so the only way he could be taken out of contention would have been for Robson to blunder. “I haven’t cheered for Ray this much ever,” Ramirez said about the waning moments of the top board.

“I really didn’t ever expect to be in this position,” Ramirez said of his impending playoff tomorrow. “It’s like a dream. Wow! It’s actually happening.” The two will meet Monday at noon in a pair of 25-minute rapid games, followed by an Armageddon bidding match if the score is tied 1-1.

“Tomorrow’s going to be very stressful. I’ve never played a rapid playoff,” Ramirez said. Kamsky has played several tiebreaks in the World Cup, and has been successful twice in Saint Louis at previous U.S. Championships.

Two other players could have stayed alive in the hunt, but neither GM Alex Onischuk nor GM Conrad Holt could keep pace. Onischuk could not gain an edge over IM Kayden Troff, who earned his first grandmaster norm with the draw. Troff said it was his third final-round attempt to earn a norm. “This time was scary,” he said. “Black against Onischuk. But I got through it.”

[Event “US Chess Championships”]
[Site “Saint Louis USA”]
[Date “2013.05.12”]
[EventDate “2013.05.03”]
[Round “9”]
[Result “1/2-1/2”]
[White “Al Onischuk”]
[Black “Kayden W Troff”]
[ECO “D97”]
[WhiteElo “2666”]
[BlackElo “2421”]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Qb3 dxc4 6. Qxc4 O-O 7. e4 a6 8. Be2 b5 9. Qb3 c5 10. dxc5 Be6 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. Be3 Rc8 13. Rd1 b4 14. Nd5 Bxd5 15. exd5 Nxc5 16. O-O Nce4 17. Qb1 Nc5 18. Bc4 Qd6 19. g3 Na4 20. Bf4 Qb6 21. Bb3 Nc5 22. d6 Nxb3 23. axb3 exd6 24. Rxd6 Qb7 25. Nd2 Rfd8 26. Nc4 Ne4 27. Rxd8+ Rxd8 28. Rd1 Rxd1+ 29. Qxd1 h6 30. Be3 Kh7 31. f3 Ng5 32. Kg2 Qc8 33. Bxg5 hxg5 34. Qd5 Qe8 35. Kf2 Qe7 36. Kf1 f5 37. Kf2 Qa7+ 38. Kf1 Qe7 39. Kf2 Qa7+ 40. Kf1 1/2-1/2

Holt had more chances to win, but GM Timur Gareev navigated to an endgame in which any winning chances were his. Playing only on increment, Holt was ground down and in his first lost position of the game when he let his flag fall. A deflated Holt sat alone at the board for a few minutes. The game was the last to finish.

“You just have to press, press, press. That’s the nature of competition,” Gareev said.

[Event “US Chess Championships”]
[Site “Saint Louis USA”]
[Date “2013.05.12”]
[EventDate “2013.05.03”]
[Round “9”]
[Result “1-0”]
[White “T Gareev”]
[Black “C Holt”]
[ECO “D13”]
[WhiteElo “2674”]
[BlackElo “2513”]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bf4 Nh5 7. Bd2 e6 8. e3 Bd6 9. Ne5 g6 10. Nb5 Be7 11. Bd3 O-O 12. O-O a6 13. Nc3 Bd6 14. f4 Bd7 15. Qf3 Be8 16. Qh3 Ng7 17. Rf3 f6 18. Ng4 h5 19. Nf2 f5 20. Bf1 Rc8 21. Rd1 Rf7 22. Nd3 Rfc7 23. Be1 Be7 24. Rf2 Bf7 25. Ne5 Nxe5 26. dxe5 Be8 27. Rfd2 Bd7 28. Bd3 Qf8 29. Rc2 Ba4 30. b3 Bb5 31. Qf3 Bb4 32. Nxb5 Rxc2 33. Bxb4 Qxb4 34. Nd6 Kh7 35. h3 Rc1 36. Nxc8 Rxc8 37. g4 hxg4 38. hxg4 Qa3 39. Qe2 Kg8 40. Kg2 Rc1 41. Rd2 Qc5 42. Rc2 Rxc2 43. Bxc2 Kf7 44. Kg3 d4 45. gxf5 gxf5 46. e4 d3 47. Qxd3 Qg1+ 48. Kf3 Qh1+ 49. Ke3 Qg1+ 50. Kd2 Qf2+ 51. Kd1 Qg1+ 52. Kd2 Qf2+ 53. Kc3 Qxf4 54. Qd7+ Kg8 55. Qc8+ Kh7 56. Qxb7 Qxe5+ 57. Kc4 Qb2 58. Bd3 Qc1+ 59. Kd4 Qg1+ 60. Kc3 Qa1+ 61. Kb4 a5+ 62. Kc5 e5 63. Qd5 f4 64. Kd6 Qxa2 65. Bc4 Qa3+ 66. Kxe5 Qe7+ 67. Kxf4 Qh4+ 68. Ke3 Qe1+ 69. Kd4 Qg1+ 70. Ke5 Qg3+ 71. Kf6 Qf4+ 72. Ke7 Qc7+ 73. Qd7 Qe5+ 74. Kf8 Qb8+ 75. Ke7 Qe5+ 76. Be6 Qxe4 77. Qd5 Qb4+ 78. Kf6 Qh4+ 79. Kf7 Qf4+ 80. Ke7 Qb4+ 81. Kd7 Nxe6 82. Kxe6 Kh6 83. Kd7 Kg7 84. Qe5+ Kf7 1-0

Players on lower boards had their own personal achievements to play for. IM-elect Yaacov Norowitz won against FM John Bryant to finish with an even score. “My first U.S. Championship was really special,” Norowitz said. “I got an even score and I’m happy.” He said he got an up-close look at how his competitors will exploit any weakness or limitation in his game. “In the first round Larry (Christiansen) just killed me in one of my openings, and everyone hopped on the train. He exposed the hole, so I tried to make little adjustments but it’s tough.” Today Norowitz trotted out his favorite Caro-Kann and won thanks to an extra pawn. Bryant resigned rather than wait for …f5, when the Black pawns can make their way down the board without the help of the king.

[Event “US Chess Championships”]
[Site “Saint Louis USA”]
[Date “2013.05.12”]
[EventDate “2013.05.03”]
[Round “9”]
[Result “0-1”]
[White “J Bryant”]
[Black “Yaacov Norowitz”]
[ECO “B16”]
[WhiteElo “2442”]
[BlackElo “2451”]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ gxf6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Be2 e6 8. O-O Bd6 9. c4 Rg8 10. Kh1 Nd7 11. d5 Qe7 12. dxc6 bxc6 13. Nd4 Bxe2 14. Qxe2 Rc8 15. Qh5 f5 16. Qxh7 Nf6 17. Qh3 Ng4 18. g3 Bc5 19. f3 Bxd4 20. fxg4 Rxg4 21. Qg2 Qb4 22. Bf4 Qxc4 23. Rfd1 e5 24. Rac1 Qe6 25. Re1 f6 26. Be3 Kf7 27. Bxd4 Rxd4 28. Rf1 Kg6 29. Rc2 Rcd8 30. h4 Rd1 31. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 32. Kh2 Qd5 33. Rf2 Qxg2+ 34. Kxg2 Rd4 35. Rc2 f4 36. g4 Rd3 37. Kh2 Rg3
38. Rg2 Rxg2+ 39. Kxg2 e4 0-1
 
Qualifying for the World Cup are Kamsky (by rating), Ramirez, Onischuk, Gareev, Holt and Christiansen, who takes the final spot on tiebreaks over GM Alex Shabalov, Robson, Troff, GM Joel Benjamin, and GM Varuzhan Akobian. Shabalov actually qualified already thanks to the 2012 Continental Championships, as did GM Gregory Kaidanov.

In the women’s championship, Abrahamyan’s 6.5/9 is a personal best, while WIM Irina Zenyuk scored 50 percent for the second year in a row. WFM Alena Kats only scored 1.5/9 in her first championship, but acquitted herself by doubling that total this year. Click here to see the final standings of the U.S. Championship and click here to see the final standings of the U.S. Women’s Championship.

Log on to www.uschesschamps.com tomorrow at noon Central, 1:00 p.m. Eastern for the rapid-play tiebreak between Kamsky and Ramirez.

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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