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Chessmaster United States Chess Championship
Nakamura wins US Championship
Chess Patron Eric Anderson with US Champions
Nikaru Nakamura and
Women’s Champion Rusadan Goletiani
Hikaru at 1998 World
Youth Championship
Photo by Eric Schiller.
IM Hikaru
Nakamura
recently
caused a
sensation in
American
chess by
becoming
the youngest US
Champion
since Bobby
Fischer.
Nakamura has already
broken several of
Fischer's records, including becoming the
youngest master at 10
years old. This summer, he advanced to
the round of 16 in the
world championship
before succumbing to
the #1 seed. Those of
you who played in the
Reno tournament in
October will remember
the amazing power of
Nakamura as he defeated three Grandmasters in a row to finish in
first place a full point
ahead of a field including a dozen GMs. And
now he is the US
Champion, having
achieved this honor two
days before his 17th
birthday.
Nakamura, who plays
frequently on the Internet Chess Club under
the name 'Smallville', is
making the talk show
circuit this weeking.
Rumor has it that he
will appear on the Tonight Show with Jay
Leno, but the date is
not yet known. Yesterday, he was interviewed
by Melissa Block of National Public Radio.
Among other questions, Nakamura an-
swered whether or not
his goal is to become
World Champion. You
can listen to this interview by clicking on the
"Listen Now" button.
What will Nakamura do
to celebrate his accomplishment? Starting on
Dec. 9, he will play a six
game match against the
youngest Grandmaster
in history. Sergey Karjakin of the Ukraine
earned the GM title two
years ago at the age of
12
All these teenage GMs
make 30 somethings
like me feel REALLY
OLD! :-(
—MichaelAigner
Young blood battle-tested in Mexico
16-year old phenomenon Hikaru Nakamura and 14-year old Ukranian prodigy Sergey Karjakin
faced off in a six-game battle sponsored by the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico.
Hikaru jumped out to a 2–0 lead but Sergey rebounded to take the third game. A pair of exciting draws followed. In the final game, Hikaru won a pawn and drove the point home to finish with an impressive 4.5-1.5 win.
—Eric Schiller
CALIFORNIA
CHESS
JOURNAL