Carissa Yip Breaks Master Record: "Follow Your Heart"
March 4, 2015
Carrissa300.gif
11-year-old Carissa Yip of Massachusetts, born on September 10, 2003, has become the youngest female in history to earn the chess master title. Less than a year ago, Annie Wang broke Irina Krush's decade-long record and now Carissa has beaten Annie's record by four months.  

Carissa's current rating on MSA is 2203 after scoring a key victory vs. a 2300 at the Legends of Chess at the Boylston Chess Club. 

See Carissa's annotations to the game below and also see Carissa's victory over GM Ivanov here.

Congrats to our new young master who told CLO readers, "Follow your heart, and you will have no regrets."   

Williams,Chris (2309) - Yip,Carissa (2150) [B70]


I just finished the World Amateur Team tournament in New Jersey last week. After returning home, I played on Thursday night, and Friday night.

This morning I skipped the first round and started at the second round. After 2 wins, I was very tired, and planned to withdraw after 2 games as I normally do. However, I wasn't sure this time. I knew that I would become a master if I could win this game. I would get more than 40 rating points! But I never beat Chris before. He is a very strong master. I talked to my dad, and my dad told me not to think too much about ratings. He told me to listen to my heart.

1.e4 c5

Follow my heart!
2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.Nb3

A strange move, usually played when black plays Nc6
7...a6
The plan is to attack on the Queen side
8.g4

I never saw this line before.
8...b5

8.b5.jpg

I continued with my plan as White seems to have weakened the kingside
9.g5 Nfd7 10.f4 Bb7 11.Be3 b4 12.Nd5 Nc6 13.Nd4 e6 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.Bd4 e5 16.fxe5 Bxd5 17.exd5

This is another possibility 17.exd6 Bxe4 18.Bxg7 Bxh1 19.Bxh8 Qxg5
17...Qxg5 18.e6 Nf6 19.Bf3

19.exf7+ Kxf7 i have connected my rooks and can do manual castling if I need to
19...0-0!

Keep my king safe and develop my Rook. White's a-rook is not developed yet. Black has a huge advantage
20.Qd2 Ne4!
Ne4.jpg

This is a winning move. After the exchange, Black has a winning endgame
21.Qxg5
21.Bxe4 Qh4+ 22.Bf2 Qxe4+ 23.Qe2 Qxh1+; 21.Qd3 Bxd4 22.Qxe4 Bxb2 23.Rb1 Bc3+
21...Nxg5 22.Bxg7 Nxf3+ 23.Kf2 Kxg7 24.Kxf3 fxe6+ 25.Ke4 exd5+ 26.Kxd5 Rf2!

Game over
27.Rac1 Rc8 28.c4 bxc3 29.bxc3 Rxa2 30.Kxd6 Rd2+ 31.Ke7 Rc4 32.Rhe1 Rxh2 33.Re6 Rh3 34.Rxa6 Rcxc3 35.Rca1 Rcd3 36.Re6 Rhe3 37.Re1 Rxe1 38.Rxe1 Rf3 39.Ke6 g5 40.Ra1 Kg6 41.Ke5 Rf5+ 42.Ke4 h5 43.Ra8 Rf4+ 44.Ke3 h4 45.Rh8 Kf5 46.Ra8 h3 47.Ra1 Kg4

Finalyip.jpg

White resigned 0-1