Getz Takes Gold; 7 Medals Overall
By Jennifer Shahade   
July 6, 2008
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Alec GetzAlec Getz rebounded with four wins in a row to earn gold at the Pan-American Youth Champs
Alec Getz rebounded to earn gold at the Pan-American Youth Champs (Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina June 30-July 6) , one of seven medals for the  22 player U.S. delegation. Alec lost in the fifth round to FM Terry Renato of Peru, but after this setback, he won four games in a row to glide into clear first in the Boys Under 16, with 7.5/9. He also earns the FM title and an IM norm for his showing. Vincent Huang (silver in Boys Under 14), Simone Liao (Silver in Girls Under 10), Evan Xiang (Bronze in Girls Under 10), Sylvia Yang (Silver in Girls Under 12), Courtney Jamison (Bronze in the Girls Under 18) and Alena Kuzniatsova (Bronze in the Girls Under 14) also took home medals for the U.S. Team! The U.S. team took third place overall, which was great considering the size of our delegation.

Alec Getz dispatched the highest rated player in the tournament, Argentinian FM Frederico Perez Ponsa (2281) in a Caro-Kann. Ponsa erred with 18.Qe4?, allowing Getz to force the win of a pawn with Nf6 when Qh4 fails to Qd5.

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Check out some other clutch wins from the U.S. squad:

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Photo Gallery

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The U.S. medallists: Alec Getz, Courtney Jamison, Simone Liao, Sylvia Yang, Evan Xiang, Alena Kuzniatsova and Vincent Huang

 
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Coaches at the Pan-Am Youth, Beatriz Marinello, Michael Khodarkovsky, Aviv Friedman and IM Armen Ambartsoumian . Photo Deren Getz

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Blitz fun between rounds at the Pan-Am Youth. Photo Deren Getz

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Vincent Huang with his father

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Pan-American Youth
Final Standings

Girls
Under 8 girls:

Singh Reva-5

Under 10 girls:

2nd and Silver Medal- Laio, Simone 7.5

3rd and Bronze Medal Evan Xiang-6.5

Under 12 girls:

2nd and Silver Medal- Yang, Sylvia-7.5

4th - Xiang, Ellen-6.5
WCM Munoz, Claudia-4
Under 14 girls:

3rd and Bronze Medal Kuzniatsova
, Alena- 6.5
Robinson, Darrian-6

Under 18 girls:

3rd and Bronze Medal- Jamison, Courtney 6.0

 Maffeo, Nicole Suzanne 5.0

Boys:
Under 8 boys:

Laio, Stan-4

Under 10 boys:

 Munda Pamatmat, Jordan James-6.5

Under 12 boys:

Munda Pamatmat, Jared John -6.5
Zhang Eric Ruiyang-5.5

Under 14 boys:

2nd and Silver Medal - Huang Huashi Vincent 7/9

Karp, Justin-5
 Gunawon, Cheston-4

Under 16 boys:

1st and Gold Medal- Getz, Alec 7.5/9
Yang, Stanley- 6
Tanaka, Christian T. 5.5
 Tan, Jared-5

Under 18 boys:

11th- CM Lau, Robert 5.5