Katz, Williams, Tang & Wang Among Big Winners in Tarrytown
By Beatriz Marinello   
June 26, 2014
katz.jpg
Andrew Tang, Photo Dora Leticia 
The 2014 North American Youth Chess Championship in Tarrytown, New York (June 12-16, 2014) welcomed 291 players from all across the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Alexander Katz (USA) won 1st Place on tiebreak, earning the International Master title along the way.

Justus Williams took 2nd place securing his second IM Norm and Andrew Tang (USA) earned his first IM Title Norm.

The North American Youth Championship is an event that rotates among USA, Canada and Mexico.  This year's  championship had an impressive list of official and extra players, which makes the event a great training for players who are serious about improving their chess skills.
justustang.jpg
Justus Williams & Alexander Katz, Photo Dora Leticia 

Each country selects 12 official players, who are offered conditions to play in the event.  Players who won last year's NAYCC are considered as players with personal right, which also entitles them with conditions from the organization.  Head of Delegations also receive free accommodations for four nights.

We would like to thank the U.S. Chess Trust and the U.S. Chess Federation for supporting this event.  Many thanks also to Crown Trophy for their sponsorship and NorCal House of Chess for arranging free game analysis with GM Barbosa and GM Paragua, a nice feature at the event.

My special thank you to the staff, who worked so hard to make this event a success. Also a special congratulations to the Players who won FIDE Titles and FIDE norms.

One of our norm earners, Under 16 Open Champion Kesav Viswanadha annotates one of his key victories.

Gomez Vazquez,Carlos (1917) - Viswanadha,Kesav (2360) [A13]

North American Youth 2014 (4), 14.06.2014


1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Qxc4 a6 7.Qc2 c5 8.0-0 b5 9.Nc3 Bb7 10.d3 Be7 11.Rd1 0-0 12.Bg5 h6
12...h6.jpg
13.Bxf6?! Nxf6
A little dubious for him to give up the two bishops voluntarily.
14.a4 Qb6 15.Nd2
It's usually a good idea for white to trade light-squared bishops here.
15...Bxg2 16.Kxg2 Rfc8
Playing to open the queenside.
17.Qb3 Rab8 18.Qc2 Nd5 19.Rdb1 Nb4 20.Qd1 Rd8 21.b3?

21b3.jpg
Although white was trying to stop c4, he now weakens the a1-h8 diagonal. Here I realized that I had the advantage because of his dark square issues. [21.Nf3 was much better, with the idea of meeting 21...c4 with 22.d4 . Although white is still worse here, he can still play a reasonable game.]
21...Bf6
Now my dark-squared bishop becomes very powerful.
22.Rc1 Nd5?!
Instead of this I had a way to win very quickly. [22...Nxd3! 23.exd3 Rxd3 And white finds both his knights caught in pins that are impossible to escape. For example 24.Ne2 (If 24.Nce4 Bxa1 25.Rxa1 f5 traps white's knight.) 24...Bxa1 25.Rxa1 Rbd8 26.Ra2 Qc6+ followed by Qd7 wins back the knight on d2, leaving black up an exchange and two pawns.]
23.Nde4?
After this move I was pretty confident that I was going to win. [23.Nxd5 was the only way to stay in the game. 23...exd5 24.Rab1 b4 is still much better for black because of his queenside majority.] 23...Bd4
Keeping the pin and building up pressure on white's queenside.
24.Rab1?
This move just blunders a pawn and causes the complete collapse of his queenside. 24.axb5 axb5 25.Rab1 This is still significantly worse for white, but at least it doesn't lose material. 25...Nb4 26.Nd2 e5 and white is basically paralyzed.
24...Nxc3 25.Nxc3 Bxc3 26.Rxc3 bxa4 
26bxa4.jpg
Now the pin on the b-file is very hard to break.
27.b4
During the game I saw the line 27.Ra1 axb3 28.Rb1 c4 , which keeps the b-pawn alive, and after 29. Rxc4 Rd5 30.Rc3 Rb5 black will simply push the a-pawn and promote.
27...cxb4 28.Qxa4 Qb5 29.Qxb5 Rxb5 
This double rook endgame is easily won for black.
30.Rcb3 a5 31.Kf3 Rc8 32.Ke3 Rc2 33.d4 Ra2 34.Kd3 Rb8 35.R3b2 Rxb2 36.Rxb2 a4 37.Kc2 Rc8+ 38.Kb1 b3 39.e4 Rc3 40. Rd2 a3 41.Rd1 Kf8 42.d5 exd5 43.exd5 Ke7 44.d6+ Kd7 45.h4 Rc6 46.Rd3 a2+ And the threat of queening after 47. Kb2 Rc1 caused him to resign.
FinalVazquezVisw.jpg
 

  0-1

Results:

U18 Open Section
1st Place on Tie-Breaks:  Alexander Katz (USA) 6.5  International Master Title
Tied for 1st, 2nd on Tie-Breaks:  FM Justus Williams (USA) 6.5  FIDE Master Title & IM Norm
Tied for 1st, 3rd on Tie-Breaks: Andrew Tang (USA) 6.5  FIDE Master Title & IM Title

AnnieWanglead.jpg
Annie Wang, Photo Dora Leticia

U18 Girls Section
1st Place 12 Year Old! WFM Annie Wang  (USA) 7.5  Women's International Master Title
2nd Place WCM  Qiyu Zhou(CAN) 6.5   Women's FIDE Master Title
3rd Place WCM Rachel Gologorsky(USA) 6.0  Women's FIDE Master Title

U16 Open
1st Place Kesav Viswanadha (USA) 7.0  FIDE Master Title & IM Norm
2nd Place Kapil Chandran (USA)   5.5   FIDE Candidate Master Title
3rd Place John Doknjas (CAN) 5.5    FIDE Candidate Master Title

U16 Girls
1st Place:  Annie Zhao (USA) 7.0      Women's FIDE Master Title & WIM norm.
2nd Place:  Lilia Fuentes Godoy (Mex) 7.0   Women's FIDE Master Title & WIM norm.
3rd Place:  Margaret Hua (USA) 6.5  Women's Candidate Master Title

U14 Open
1st Place: Jason Shi  (USA) 7.5   FIDE Master Title
2nd Place:  Nicholas Checa (USA)  7.0  FIDE Candidate Master Title
3rd Place:  Richard Chen (CAN) 2037 6.5    FIDE Candidate Master Title

U14 Girls (This section was combine with the U14 Open)
1st Place:   Devina Devagharan (USA) 5.0 Women's FIDE Master Title
2nd Place: Priva Trakru (USA) 4.5 Women's FIDE Candidate Master
3rd Place: Samritha Palakollu (USA) 4.0 Women's FIDE Candidate Master

U12 Open
1st Place:  David Brodsky (USA)  7.5  FIDE Master Title
2nd Place:  Advait Patel (USA) 7.0    FIDE Candidate Master Title
3rd Place:  Brandon Jacobson  (USA)  6.5 FIDE Candidate Master Title

U12 Girls
1st Place:  Martha Samadashvili (USA)  7.0  Women's FIDE Master Title
2nd Place: Sasha Konovalenko (USA)  7.0   Women's FIDE Candidate Master Title
3rd Place:  Lily Zhou (CAN)  6.5  Women's FIDE Master Title

U10 Open
1st Place:  Maximillian Lu  (USA)  8.0  FIDE Candidate Master Title
2nd Place:  Vettese Nicholas            (CAN)  7.5 FIDE Candidate Master Title
3rd Place:  Hong Andrew  (USA)  7.0  FIDE Candidate Master Title

U10 Girls
1st Place: Kylie Tan (CAN)   6.5  Women's FIDE Candidate Master Title
2nd Place:  Antara Garai (USA)  6.5 Women's FIDE Candidate Master Title
3rd Place:  Sadie Edelman (USA)   6.0 Women's FIDE Candidate Master Title

U8 Open
1st Place:  Arthur Guo  (USA)   7.5 FIDE Candidate Master Title
2nd Place:  Nameer Issani (CAN)   7.0 FIDE Candidate Master Title
3rd Place:  Aahil Noorali  (CAN)   6.5 FIDE Candidate Master Title

U8 Girls (This section was combined with the U8 Open)
1st Place:  Julia Kuleshova (CAN) 5.0 Women's FIDE Candidate Master Title
2nd Place: Mysha Gilani (CAN) 4.5 Women's FIDE Candidate Master Title
3rd Place: Audrey Wang (USA) 4.5 Women's FIDE Candidate Master Title

 
Photo Gallery


Here are some photos that demonstrate how chess helps young people improve their concentration and thinking skills.

Untitled-1.jpg
Photo Dora Leticia

Untitled-2.jpg
Photo Dora Leticia

Untitled-3.jpg
Photo Dora Leticia

NAYC4.jpg
Photo Dora Leticia