The US Chess Federation held the US Women’s Championship during October, courtesy of the St. Louis Chess Club and its founder, Rex Sinquefield. Oddly, none of the contestants was born in the United States, though most are permanent residents or citizens here. Jennifer Shahade, twice American Women’s Champion and chess author, served as commentator (along with GM Ben Finegold) for the tourney, but was not competing. Shahade has two of the necessary norms to become an IM. However, she has not been playing in chess tournaments recently, saying she is too busy with her other activities, poker, videos, and Chess Life Online.
In the 2008 women’s tournament, there was plenty of drama at the end. Anna Zatonskih and Irina Krush were tied at the end of the last round as Zatonskih had won her game and Krush got enmeshed in a marathon game, which finally resulted in a 108 game draw. The playoff featured a novel dispute. The clocks of both women got down to 5 seconds. Zatonskih made quick moves and Krush exceeded the time limit, thus making Zatonskih 2008 women’s champion. Krush, yielding to the pressure, exited abruptly, claiming that Zatonskih moved before Krush hit her clock and that she was not entitled to do so. However, she lost her claim. A player can move anytime after the player’s opponent moves.
This year the two were once again contending, but Zatonskih ran away with the tournament, drawing Camilla Baginskaite in the first round and then winning the rest of her games. She topped Baginskaite by two points. Krush had to settle for a tie for third place with the youngest player in the tournament, 18-year-old Alisa Melekhina of Pennsylvania. One very interesting youngster was Yun Fan, 19, who recently arrived in this country from China, currently lives in Indiana, and will no doubt settle in New York. Though she is a former perennial member of the Chinese National Youth team, she says her passion is not chess but music. In fact she sings in a rock band and writes lyrics for their songs. She drew with Krush in the first round, but fortune did not favor her thereafter. She tied for last place with 2.5 points.
Brevity: M. Euwe v. G. Kroone, Amsterdam (1919). - 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Be2 Bb4 7.0--0 0--0 8.Qd3 Bxc3 9.bxc3 d5 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.e5 Ne4 12.Ba3 Re8 13.f3 Qb6+ 14.Qd4 Nxc3 0-1. (If 15.Qc5, NxB ch.)
Winners: H. Brisson Memorial: 1st, Larry Gladding 4.5, 2nd, Martin Laine 4-1; BCC $10 Open: 1st/2nd GM Ivanov and IM Vigorito.; 3.5. U1800; 1st J. Dustin 4-0. Dustin; BCC Ruben Fine Open, 1st/2d C. Chase and C. Williams, 3.5.
Coming Events: MCC Thanksgiving Swiss Nov. 3, 10, 17, 24 at Kennedy Sr. Center, Natick, inforequest@metrowestchess.org; Thurs., Nov. 5, 12, 19 BCC Thursday Night Swiss Boylston Club, 240B Elm, Somerville. www.boylstonchessclub.org. Fall Foliage Scholastic, Oct.4: Stuart Finney North American Youth. Boston Blitz.
