Holt and Robson Score in Texas
March 20, 2012
220ConradHolt.jpgConrad Holt and GM Ray Robson were the stars of the UTD Invitational in Dallas (March 10-16). The event format was a "Scheveningen" system, which opposed a visiting GM squad of Robson, Giorgi Kacheishvili, Aleksandr Lenderman, Magesh Panchanathan & Manuel Leon Hoyos against Holt, GM Valentin Iotov,  GM Cristian-Ioan Chirila,  GM Julio Catalino Sadorra &  IM Milos Pavlovic, all of the UTD team. The tournament was held just in time for the Final Four of College Chess, which will span from March 31-April 1 in Virginia.   

Holt earned his final GM norm and also gained enough rating points to push him over 2500 FIDE. Here is one of his wins, a patient endgame win on the White side of the Benko Gambit against Manuel Leon Hoyos of Mexico. 

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GM Ray Robson scored an impressive 7/10. Robson's form in this tournament indicates that he will be a force in the US Chess Championship coming up in May in Saint Louis. Robson defeated GM Ioan Chirila in a rare case of white's queen getting trapped in the Grunfeld.  

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His victory over GM Julio Sadorra's French was annotated by GM Alejandro Ramirez in chessbase.  


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See USCF rated results on MSA.