Robson, 14, wins national title

July 26, 2009 Position No. 6065: Black to play and win. From the game Vachier Lagrave-Svidler, Donostia 2009. Solution to Position No. 6064: White wins with 1 e5+! Kxe5 2 Re6+ Kf5 3 Bc2, setting up

Position No. 6065: Black to play and win. From the game Vachier Lagrave-Svidler, Donostia 2009.

Solution to Position No. 6064: White wins with 1 e5+! Kxe5 2 Re6+ Kf5 3 Bc2, setting up 4 d4+. If 1 . . . Kc3, then 2 Rxf8 Rxf8 3 exd6 foresees 3 . . . Kxb3 4 dxc7 Rc8 5 d6, soon promoting a pawn.

International Master Ray Robson of Florida scored 6-1 to win the 2009 U.S. Junior Championship, an invitational tournament featuring eight of the country's top players under age 20. Robson, 14, was the youngest competitor in the round robin, which ended July 17 in Milwaukee. He will represent the U.S. in the World Junior Championship in Argentina in October, and he earns an invitation to the 2010 U.S. Championship.

Robson and IM Sal Bercys of New York, who finished second at 5-2, went undefeated. Others: IM Alex Lenderman (New York), 4-3; Michael Lee (Washington) and IM Sam Shankland (Orinda), each 3 1/2 -3 1/2 ; Joel Banawa (Eagle Rock) 3-4; Elliott Liu (Encinitas), 2 1/2 -4 1/2 ; and Maxx Coleman (Kansas), 1/2 -6 1/2 .

The generation born in the early 1990s appears exceptionally promising. This year's field was the strongest since the 1970s, even without GM Robert Hess of New York and John Daniel Bryant of Tehachapi.

International news

Hikaru Nakamura, the U.S. champion, and Ukraine star Ruslan Ponomariov tied for first in the grandmaster round robin in Donostia, Spain. Each scored 6 1/2 -2 1/2 , and Nakamura won a speed chess playoff to officially claim first prize.

Nakamura, only 21, is already a legend for his skill at speed chess. In Donostia, he showed a mature style, winning most games after trading Queens. He plans to compete in two more elite tournaments this year.

Peter Svidler of Russia finished third at 5 1/2 -3 1/2 . Others: Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan) and Francisco Vallejo Pons (Spain), each 5-4; Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) and Movsesian (Slovakia), each 4 1/2 -4 1/2 ; Julio Granda Zuniga (Peru), 3 1/2 -5 1/2 ; Pablo San Segundo Carrillo (Spain), 2 1/2 -6 1/2 ; and former world champion Anatoly Karpov (Russia), 1 1/2 -7 1/2 .

Karpov suffered almost certainly the worst performance in history by any of the all-time greats.

Richard Riordan, a former mayor of Los Angeles, sponsored the chess portion of the 18th Maccabiah Games in Israel. Evgeny Najer of Russia, who won the World Open this month, took first prize with a score of 9 1/2 -2 1/2 in the most prestigious event, a 15-minute tournament featuring 13 leading grandmasters.

Local news

Grandmaster Melikset Khachiyan scored 5 1/2 - 1/2 to win the 14th Pacific Coast Open last weekend in Agoura Hills. Next at 4 1/2 -1 1/2 were IM Andranik Matikozyan and IM Emory Tate.

Other sections of the 217-player Continental Chess Assn. event were won by Jay Stallings, Vinzent Davies, Marek Jankowski, Alejandro Ruiz, Joe Russell, Bud Stamper, Joshua Rose, Timothy Abadilla, Rodrigo Casiano, Leo Creger and Dylan Pearson.

The free monthly tournament at the Exposition Park Chess Club takes place at 1 p.m. next Sunday in the public library, 3900 S. Western Ave. in Los Angeles. See chess.expoparkla.com for more information.

Today's games

GM Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukraine)-GM Francisco Vallejo Pons (Spain), Donostia 2009: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 d5 4 Nc3 c5 5 cxd5 Nxd5 The Semi-Tarrasch Defense to the Queen's Gambit. 6 e4 Most direct, although some prefer 6 e3. Nxc3 7 bxc3 cxd4 8 cxd4 Bb4+ Fischer introduced 8 . . . Nc6 9 Bc4 b5. 9 Bd2 Bxd2+ 10 Qxd2 0-0 11 Bc4 Nc6 12 0-0 b6 13 Rfe1 Bb7 14 d5!? Na5 15 Bd3 A standard pawn sacrifice, anticipating 15 . . . exd5 16 e5. White's pieces would be poised to attack on the Kingside, while the extra d-pawn blocks Black's Bishop and Queen. h6 Declining, for the moment. 16 Qf4 Rc8 17 Rad1 Rc5 Inviting 18 dxe6 fxe6 19 Qg4 Qf6, which may favor White slightly, but Ponomariov insists on the speculative pawn sac. 18 Nd4 exd5 19 e5 Bc8 The plausible 19 . . . Qg5 runs into trouble after 20 Qxg5 hxg5 21 e6, as 21 . . . Nc6 loses the exchange to 22 exf7+ Kxf7 23 Ne6 or 22 . . . Rxf7 23 Re8+ Rf8 24 Rxf8+ Kxf8 25 Ne6+. 20 h4 Nc4 21 Bf5 Trying to get his Knight safely to f5. Re8 All right, but 21 . . . Qc7 22 Rd3 f6! is the easiest way to maintain equality. 22 Rd3 Nd6?? Black's first mistake is fatal. Only 22 . . . f6! hangs on. Chances remain about even after 23 Rg3 Kh8 24 Qg4 Rc7. 23 Bxc8 Qxc8 24 Rg3 Creating deadly threats to g7 and h6. Black cannot stand 24 . . . Ne4 25 Rxe4! dxe4 26 Qxh6 g6 27 h5, while 24 . . . Kf8 and 24 . . . Kh8 lose the Queen to 25 Ree3 Ne4 26 Rxg7! Kxg7 26 Nf5+, as 26 . . . Kg8 leads to mate by 27 Rg3+! Nxg3 28 Qg4+. Re6 25 Nxe6 Qxe6 26 Qg4?! White could end it quickly by 26 exd6! Qxe1+ 27 Kh2 Qe6 28 Re3 Qc8 29 Re7 Qf8 30 Qe5, intending 31 Re8 or 31 d7. Nf5 27 Rf3 g6 28 h5 Rc4 29 Rf4 Rxf4 30 Qxf4 gxh5 31 Rd1 White is still winning. He plans 32 Qf3. d4?! Black can put up more resistance with 31 . . . Ne7. Nevertheless, White makes progress by 32 Qf6 Nc6 33 Rc1! Nxe5 34 Qxe6 fxe6 35 Re1 or 33 . . . Qxf6 34 exf6 Nb4 35 a3 Na6 36 Rc8+ Kh7 37 Ra8. 32 Rd3! Another powerful Rook lift. Qd7 33 Rf3 d3 No better is 33 . . . Ng7 34 Qxh6. 34 Qd2! Qe6 35 Qxd3 Ne7 36 Qd6!, Black Resigns.

GM Vladimir Kramnik (Russia)-GM Magnus Carlsen (Norway), Dortmund 2009: 1 d4 This eighth-round encounter knocked Carlsen out of the lead. d5 2 c4 e6 The reliable Queen's Gambit Declined. 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Nf3 Be7 5 Bf4 A bit fresher than the routine 5 Bg5. 0-0 6 e3 c5 The approved response. 7 dxc5 Bxc5 8 a3 Nc6 9 Qc2 Qa5 10 Rd1 Cautious. Brawlers risk 10 0-0-0. Be7 11 Be2 dxc4 A small concession. However, 11 . . . Rd8 12 0-0 a6 13 cxd5 would saddle Black with an isolated pawn, by 13 . . . exd5, as 13 . . . Nxd5 14 Nxd5 Rxd5 15 Bd3! h6 16 Bh7+ Kh8 17 Be4 is too awkward for Black. 12 Bxc4 Nh5 13 0-0 Nxf4 A beneficial trade, if Black manages to develop his Queenside. 14 exf4 g6 15 g3 Rd8 16 Rxd8+ Qxd8 17 Rd1 Bd7 Also satisfactory is 17 . . . Qc7 18 Nb5 Qb8, as 19 Qd2 a6 20 Nd6 Bxd6 21 Qxd6 Qxd6 22 Rxd6 Kf8 should draw. 18 f5!? A well-judged pawn sacrifice enlivens a dull position. gxf5 Best, although it exposes his King. White can use the open center after 18 . . . exf5?! 19 Qb3 Qc8 (White would gain a pawn by 19 . . . Qe8? 20 Bxf7+! Qxf7 21 Qxb7) 20 Bxf7+ Kg7 21 Qd5. 19 Qd2 Qb6 Relying on the Queen trap 20 Qxd7?? Rd8. Another way is 19 . . . Be8 20 Qh6 Qa5! 21 Ng5 Qe5! 22 Qxh7+ Kf8, when . . . Qe5-g7 nullifies White's threats. 20 Qh6 Be8 21 Ng5 Bxg5 22 Qxg5+ Kf8 Avoiding 22 . . . Kh8? 23 Rd6 Qc7 24 Qf6+ Kg8 25 Rxe6! fxe6? 26 Bxe6+ Bf7 because 27 Nd5 Qd8 28 Qxf7+ Kh8 29 Bxf5 Qg8 30 Qxb7 gets too much for the exchange. 23 Qh6+ Kg8 24 Qg5+ Kf8 25 Rd6! One more try before acquiescing to the draw. Qc7?? And Black goes wrong! After 25 . . . Qc5! 26 Qh6+ Kg8, White has nothing better than 27 Qg5+ Kf8 28 Qh6+, repeating. Note that 26 . . . Ke7?? would lose to 27 Nd5+! exd5 (or 27 . . . Kxd6 28 Qf8+) 28 Rxd5 Qxc4 29 Qd6 mate. 26 Qh6+ Ke7 Now 26 . . . Kg8 loses to 27 Rxe6! fxe6?! 28 Bxe6+ Bf7 29 Nd5 Qe5 30 Nf6+. 27 Qh4+ Kf8 28 Qh6+ Ke7 29 Nb5! Qa5 Even the tougher 29 . . . Qc8 loses to 30 Qxh7 (threatening e6) Nd8 31 Qh4+ Kf8 32 Rd4, intending 33 Nd6 or 33 Qf6 and Rd4-h4-h8. 30 b4 Anticipating 30 . . . Qb6 31 Rxe6+! fxe6 32 Qxe6+ Kd8 33 Qd6+ Bd7 34 Be6. Nxb4 31 Rxe6+! fxe6 32 Qxe6+ Kd8 33 Qf6+ Kc8 Or 33 . . . Kd7 34 Qd6+ Kc8 35 Be6+. 34 Qxf5+ Kd8 The Queen falls after 34 . . . Bd7 35 Nd6+. 35 Qf6+ Kc8 36 axb4, Black Resigns. White refutes 36 . . . Qd8 by 37 Be6+ Bd7 38 Qc3+ Kb8 39 Bxd7 Qxd7 40 Qh8+ Qc8 41 Qe5+.