Irina Krush is U.S. Women's National Chess Champion

IM Irina Krush

Hello Everyone!

IM Irina Krush's struggle paid off in the ninth round when she beat WFM Abby Marshall to win the 2010 U.S. Women's Chess Championship title with a score of 8/9. She was tied with IM Anna Zatonskih with 7 points each at the end of the eighth round. Zatonskih could only manage a draw against against WGM Sabina Foisor allowing Krush to win the title.

Krush has won the title for the third time this year. She had won it in 2007 and 2008. Anna Zatonskih was the defending champion this year.

Krush told the media that "I tried to be aggressive with Black and kind of principled with White. So no one was just going to get any easy points.”

In round nine, Krush had White against Marshall. The latter has had a disappointing tournament - this being her first U.S. Women's Championship - as she managed to score just 0.5/9. Ironically, Krush said her game against Marshall was the worst in the tournament.

Zatonskih, on her part, said she missed a lot of opportunities in this tournament. She tied with WFM Tatev Abrahamyan with 7.5/9 points.

Results of Round 9

-------------------------

1. IM Anna Zatonskih-WGM Sabina Foisor ½-½

2. WGM Katerina Rohonyan-WFM Tatev Abrahamyan 0-1

3. WGM Camilla Baginskaite-WIM Beatriz Marinello 1-0

4. IM Irina Krush-WFM Abby Marshall 1-0

5. WIM Alisa Melekhina-WIM Iryna Zenyuk 0-1

Final Standings

---------------------

1. IM Irina Krush 8.0

2. IM Anna Zatonskih 7.5

3. WFM Tatev Abrahamyan 7.5

4. WIM Alisa Melekhina 4.5

5. WGM Katerina Rohonyan 4.5

6. WGM Camilla Baginskaite 4.0

7. WIM Iryna Zenyuk 4.0

8. WGM Sabina Foisor 3.0

9. WIM Beatriz Marinello 1.5

10. WFM Abby Marshall 0.5

You can check the official website for videos, photos and other statistics. Meanwhile, here is the nice Krush-Marshall game that you can run through our pgnplayer or watch in flash below.

PGN: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 dxc4 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 a6 7. e4 Bg4 8. d5 Ne5 9. Bg3 Nfd7 10. Be2 Bxf3 11. gxf3 g5 12. f4 Ng6 13. fxg5 hxg5 14. Qd4 b5 15. a4 Rg8 16. axb5 axb5 17. Rxa8 Qxa8 18. Nxb5 Qa5+ 19. Nc3 Bg7 20. Qxc4 Nf4 21. Bd1 Kf8 22. O-O Be5 23. Qa4 Bxc3 24. Qxd7 Bf6 25. Kh1 Qd2 26. Qxc7 Qd3 27. Re1 Qd2 28. Rg1 Nd3 29. Qc2 Qxc2 30. Bxc2 Ne5 31. b4 Nf3 32. Rc1 Kg7 33. Bd1 Ne5 34. b5 Nd3 35. Rb1 Bd4 36. b6 Nxf2+ 37. Bxf2 Bxf2 38. b7 Rb8 39. Bg4 Bd4 40. Bc8 Be5 41. h3 Bd6 42. Kg2 Kf6 43. Kf3 Ke5 44. Ke3 Kf6 45. Kd4 Be5+ 46. Kc5 Bd6+ 47. Kb6 Ke5 48. Re1 f6 49. Bf5 Rh8 50. Rc1 Rh4 51. Rc6 Rxe4 52. Bxe4 1-0

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com