U.S. Junior Chess Championship: Ray Robson survives mating net

Defending champion Ray Robson

Hello Everyone,

The U.S. Junior Chess Championship is being held alongside the U.S. Women's Championship in St. Louis. You can read a nice report on the first two rounds at both the championships at chessbase.com. Here are the Round 1 & 2 results and the standings. Defending champion Ray Robson managed to draw a fiercely-fought game in Round 1 almost losing to an opponent rated at least 400 points below him!

Round 1 results

1. NM Eric Rosen-GM Ray Robson ½-½

2. FM Steven Zierk- FM Darwin Yang 0-1

3. FM Conrad Holt-NM Tyler Hughes ½-½

4. NM Parker Zhao-IM Sam Shankland 1-0

5. FM Warren Harper-FM John Bryant 1-0

Round 2 results

1. GM Ray Robson-FM John Bryant 1-0

2. IM Sam Shankland-FM Warren Harper 0-1

3. NM Tyler Hughes-NM Parker Zhao ½-½

4. FM Darwin Yang-FM Conrad Holt 1-0

5. NM Eric Rosen-FM Steven Zierk 0-1

Standings after Round 2

1. FM Darwin Yang 2.0

2. FM Warren Harper 2.0

3. GM Ray Robson 1.5

4. NM Parker Zhao 1.5

5. FM Steven Zierk 1.0

6. NM Tyler Hughes 1.0

7. FM Conrad Holt 0.5

8. NM Eric Rosen 0.5

9. IM Sam Shankland 0.0

10. FM John Bryant 0.0

Meanwhile, here is the Round 1 game that Robson nearly lost to NM Eric Rosen. Check out the 37th and 39th moves. You can run it in our pgnplayer or watch it in flash below.

PGN: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. d4 Ngf6 5. Nc3 cxd4 6. Qxd4 g6 7. Bg5 Bg7 8. O-O O-O 9. Qd2 Nc5 10. Rae1 a6 11. Bd3 Re8 12. Bh6 Bh8 13. h3 b5 14. Ng5 Bb7 15. f4 e6 16. a3 Rc8 17. Qf2 Qb6 18. Kh2 b4 19. axb4 Qxb4 20. Qh4 Qxb2 21. Nd1 Qd4 22. Nf2 Nxd3 23. cxd3 Rc2 24. Nf3 Qc3 25. f5 a5 26. fxe6 fxe6 27. Ng5 a4 28. Ng4 Nxg4+ 29. Qxg4 Bg7 30. Bxg7 Qxg7 31. Kh1 h5 32. Qd1 Rec8 33. Nxe6 Qe5 34. Nf4 Qg5 35. Qf3 Rf8 36. g3 a3 37. d4 Kh7 38. Ne6 Qd2 39. Nxf8+ Kh6 40. Qf4+ Qxf4 41. Rxf4 a2 42. d5 Rb2 43. Rf6 Kg7 44. Rff1 Ba6 45. Ne6+ Kh6 46. Rf8 Kh7 47. Ng5+ Kg7 48. Ne6+ Kh7 49. Ng5+ Kg7 1/2-1/2

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

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