U.S. Women's Chess Championship off to an exciting start

Defending chess champion IM Anna Zatonskih

Hello Everyone,

The U.S. Women's Chess Championship first and second rounds saw five decisive games each at the St. Louis Chess Club. The defending champion IM Anna Zatonskih won her games without much trouble even as IM Irina Krush earned two points as well. Here are the Round 1 and 2 results. Zatonskih takes on Krush in the third round.

Round 1 results

1. WIM Iryna Zenyuk-WGM Sabina Foisor 1-0

2. WFM Abby Marshall-WIM Alisa Melekhina 0-1

3. WIM Beatriz Marinello-IM Irina Krush 0-1

4. WFM Tatev Abrahamyan-WGM Camilla Baginskaite 1-0

5. IM Anna Zatonskih-WGM Katerina Rohonyan 1-0

Round 2 results

1. WGM Sabina Foisor-WGM Katerina Rohonyan 0-1

2. WGM Camilla Baginskaite-IM Anna Zatonskih 0-1

3. IM Irina Krush-WFM Tatev Abrahamyan 1-0

4. WIM Alisa Melekhina-WIM Beatriz Marinello 1-0

5. WIM Iryna Zenyuk-WFM Abby Marshall 1-0

Standings after Round 2

1. IM Irina Krush 2.0

2. IM Anna Zatonskih 2.0

3. WIM Alisa Melekhina 2.0

4. WIM Iryna Zenyuk 2.0

5. WFM Tatev Abrahamyan 1.0

6. WGM Katerina Rohonyan 1.0

7. WGM Camilla Baginskaite 0.0

8. WGM Sabina Foisor 0.0

9. WFM Abby Marshall 0.0

10. WIM Beatriz Marinello 0.0

Here is defending champion Anna Zatonskih's game from Round 1. You can run it in our pgnplayer or watch it in flash below.

PGN: 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Bd3 Bg7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Bg4 8. h3 Bxf3 9. Qxf3 e6 10. Rd1 Nbd7 11. Rb1 a6 12. e4 e5 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Qe2 d4 15. Bc2 Nfd7 16. f4 dxc3 17. fxe5 Qe7 18. bxc3 Nxe5 19. Be3 Rad8 20. c5 Rxd1+ 21. Rxd1 Nd7 22. Qc4 Be5 23. Bb3 Bb8 24. Qd4 Ne5 25. Bh6 Re8 26. Rf1 Rf8 27. Bxf8 Qxf8 28. Rd1 Bc7 29. a4 Qe7 30. Ba2 a5 31. Kh1 h5 32. Rf1 Bb8 33. Qf2 Kg7 34. Rb1 Qc7 35. Qd4 Qe7 36. Rd1 Bc7 37. Rf1 Kg8 38. Qe3 Kg7 39. Qf2 Bb8 40. Rb1 Qc7 41. Qd4 Qe7 42. Bc4 Kg8 43. Ba6 Bc7 44. Rxb7 Kh7 45. Be2 Kg8 46. Qe3 Kg7 47. Rb1 Nd7 48. Rf1 Nxc5 49. Qd4+ Be5 50. Qc4 Bf6 51. Bf3 Be5 52. Rd1 Kh7 53. Rf1 Kg7 54. Bd1 Bf6 55. Bc2 h4 56. Rf3 Qe5 57. Bb1 Qe7 58. Bc2 Qe5 59. Qf1 Ne6 60. Qd3 Be7 61. g4 hxg3 62. Rxg3 c5 63. Qe3 Bd6 64. Rg2 Nf4 65. Rf2 Qg5 66. Bb3 Qh4 67. e5 c4 68. Rxf4 Qxf4 69. Qxf4 cxb3 1-0

From Alexandra Kosteniuk's

www.chessblog.com

Also see her personal blog at

www.chessqueen.com