Round Four (Group A)
Bd
White
Res
Black
101   de Firmian, Nick (2.5)
½
  Onischuk, Alexander (3.0)
102   Goldin, Alexander (2.0)
0-1
  Gurevich, Dmitry (2.5)
103   Friedel, Joshua E (2.0)
1-0
  Finegold, Benjamin (2.0)
104   Bercys, Salvijus (2.0)
½
  Benjamin, Joel (2.0)
105   Gonzalez, Renier (2.0)
0-1
  Schneider, Dmitry (2.0)
106   Goletiani, Rusudan (2.0) (w)
½
  Kraai, Jesse (2.0)
107   Ibragimov, Ildar (1.5)
1-0
  Baginskaite, Camilla (2.0) (w)
108   Akobian, Varuzhan (1.5)
½
  Stein, Alan (1.5)
109   Serper, Gregory (1.5)
0-1
  Stripunsky, Alexander (1.5)
110   Kudrin, Sergey (1.5)
1-0
  Florean, Andrei (1.5)
111   Dlugy, Maxim (1.5)
1-0
  Schneider, Igor (1.5)
112   Fernandez, Daniel (1.5)
1-0
  Tate,Emory (1.0)
113   Nakamura, Hikaru (0.5)
1-0
  Epstein, Esther (1.0) (w)
114   Ross, Laura (0.5) (w)
0-1
  Lenderman, Alex (0.5)
115   Vicary, Elizabeth (0.5) (w)
1-0
  Kleiman, Jake (0.5)
116   Zenyuk, Iryna (0.5) (w)
1-0
  Cottrell-Finegold, Kelly (0.0) (w)

Fire on Board!

Boards ran red in this round as all but four games were decisive. If you look at this group, you'll find a large number of attacking players whereas the other group seems to be populated by positional players. Elizabeth Vicary showed that persistence pays off as she stalked Jake Kleiman for the entire game until she seized her prey. Kleiman is on zero points and is searching for answers in this tough group. Dmitry Gurevich climbed to the first position with a win over Alexander Goldin.

Even the drawn games were hard fought as
Goletiani-Kraai went down to King vs. King (as did Milman-Kaidanov in Group B). It is uncertain whether this legend is true, but it was said that Bobby Fischer was so determined to win a game that he played another move after only the kings remained! Such a spirit seemed to be present throughout this group of play.

Hikaru Nakamura got back on the board against Esther Epstein while fan favorite Emory Tate continued his woes with a devastating loss to Daniel Fernandez. In that game, Tate appeared to be playing in his typical style. Fernandez spurned a draw after Tate invited a three-move repetition in a complicated position. Fernandez pressed for an attack, but it was Tate's position that was for choice.

In the diagrammed position, Fernandez plays the salvo
33.g6 hoping to complicate matters. With time pressure looming, Tate chooses 33…b3 and after 34.c4 he goes for an attack with 34…Ra8 (34…fxg6! is strong) 35.Kb1 Qa5. Fernandez plays 36.Kc1 and after Tate's 36…e6?? The tide turned quickly after 37.gxf7 since 37…exd5 is met by 38.Qe8+!

Fernandez-Tate after 33.g6

Fernandez-Tate after 33.g6

Select Games

GM Hikaru Nakamura-WIM Esther Epstein, 1-0
IM Daniel Fernandez-FM Emory Tate, 1-0
WFM Elizabeth Vicary-Jake Kleiman, 1-0

PGN download (round 4 - all games)

Round Four (Group B)
Bd
White
Res
Black
201   Shulman, Yury (2.5)
1-0
  Shabalov, Alexander (2.5)
202   Ivanov, Alexander (2.5)
½
  Novikov, Igor (2.5)
203   Kamsky, Gata (2.0)
½
  Christiansen, Larry (2.5)
204   Gulko, Boris (2.0)
½
  Tuvshintugs, Batchimeg (2.0) (w)
205   Kriventsov, Stanislav (2.0)
½
  Becerra, Julio (2.0)
206   Fishbein, Alexander (2.0)
½
  Yermolinsky, Alex (2.0)
207   Milman, Lev (1.5)
½
  Kaidanov, Gregory (1.5)
208   Browne, Walter (1.5)
0-1
  Perelshteyn, Eugene (1.5)
209   Fedorowicz, John P (1.5)
½
  Zatonskih, Anna (1.5) (w)
210   Ippolito, Dean (1.5)
0-1
  Wojtkiewicz,Aleks (1.5)
211   Kreiman, Boris (1.0)
1-0
  Vigorito, David (1.5)
212   Sarkar, Justin (1.0)
½
  Muhammad, Stephen (1.0)
213   Lugo, Blas (1.0)
½
  Ginsburg, Mark (1.0)
214   Abrahamyan, Tatev (0.5) (w)
½
  Liu, Elliott (1.0)
215   Airapetian, Chouchanik (0.5) (w)
½
  Itkis,Hana (0.5) (w)
216   West, Vanessa (0.5) (w)
1-0
  Christiansen,Natasha (0.0) (w)

Draws a Plenty!

Despite the high number of draws in this group, Shulman-Shabalov was as violent and decisive as they come. In this game, Shabalov trotted out the Modern Benoni was bent on sacrificing for the initiative. He offered an exchange (which was declined) and later offered a piece (23…Nxe4!?) for rolling central pawns. Shulman 's queen flushed the black monarch out to the center of the board when a disgusted Shabalov flagged. Shulman stands atop the leader board with 3½-½.

There were other interesting results, but the play of
Batchimeg Tuvshintugs is impressive. She stayed near the top of the group and held Boris Gulko in round 4. Stephen Muhammad played an impressive attack against Justin Sarkar, but missed the straight path during the complications and allowed counterplay. Muhammad may be disappointed in the result, but he is showing his spirit at the board.

Select Games

GM Yury Shulman- GM Alexander Shabalov, 1-0
IM Justin Sarkar-IM-elect Stephen Muhammad, ½-½.

PGN download (round 4 - all games)



Round #4 Information Center


The Chess Drum

| Round 1 | Round 2Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 5 |
| Round 6 | Round 7 | Round 8 | Round 9 | playoffs |

| Home |


Related Sites

America's Foundation for Chess (official site - standings)
| TWIC | ChessBase.com | ICC | Mig's Daily Dirt |


Report written by Dr. Daaim Shabazz, The Chess Drum