National Chess News

Searching for the Future Chess Queen
at the First Annual All-Girls' Nationals

Youths Learn to Make Right Moves

Chess Benefits Troubled D.C. Kids- Is District Listening?

Chess: A New Strategy for School Improvement

David Pruess shines in New York Masters

Setzepfandt Named to All-America Team

World Blitz Chess Association Ends

School using chess to develop critical thinking skills

David Pruess shines in New York Masters

Former Berkeley Chess School Student SM David Pruess, tied for second in the November 18 edition of the New York Masters. GM Alex Wojtkiewicz won with 3.5 while David and GMs Pavel Blatny and Leonid Yudasin were right behind him at 3. David's result included a win over young star Fabiano Caruana, a loss to a Wojt, a win over NM Marc Esserman and a last round upset over Cuban-American GM Julio Becerra.

SM David Pruess - Fabiano Caruana
Sicilian Sveshnikov B33
NY Masters (1)

1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9. Nd5 Be7 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. c3 Ne7 12. Nxf6+ gxf6 13. Nc2 f5 14. exf5Bxf5 15. Ne3 Be6 16. Qh5 O-O 17. Bd3 Ng6 18. O-O Qd7 19. Bf5 Bxf5 20. Qxf5 Qxf521. Nxf5 Rfd8 22. Rfd1 d5 23. Rd2 Rd7 24. a4 Rb8 25. axb5 axb5 26. Ra6 b4 27.cxb4 Rxb4 28. Ra8+ Nf8 29. Rd3 Rb6 30. Rc3 Rf6 31. Rxf8+ 1-0

GM Julio Becerra Rivero - SM David Pruess
French Alekhine-Chatard C13
NY Masters (4)

1.e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 c5 7. Nb5 O-O 8. Bxe7Qxe7 9. Nc7 f6 10. Nxa8 cxd4 11. Nc7 fxe5 12. Qd2 Nf6 13. f3 Qxc7 14. O-O-O Nc615. Bb5 Bd7 16. Nh3 Qb6 17. Bxc6 bxc6 18. Rhe1 Rb8 19. b3 c5 20. Rxe5 a5 21.Nf4 a4 22. Kb1 axb3 23. cxb3 Qd6 24. Rde1 c4 25. Qxd4 cxb3 26. Rg5 Qa3 27. Qd2bxa2+ 28. Ka1 Qb3 29. Qc1 Qb4 30. Ne2 Rc8 31. Nc3 Rxc3 32. Qd2 Qc5 33. Rge5 Rc2 34. Qe3 Qb4 0-1

Setzepfandt Named to All-America Team

Congratulations to former Berkeley Chess School student Alex Setzepfandt for being named to the 2004 Pressman All-America Team. This is the third consecutive year that Alex has been a member of the Pressman Team. The award requires that players attain a specific rating by a certain age. In Alex's case, at age 13, he needed to be 2100 and is currently rated 2132.

World Blitz Chess Association Ends
Six-time US Champion Walter Browne is ending the World Blitz Chess Association and its magazine Blitz Chess after more than 15 years of dedicated service. That the operation lasted as long as it did is due to Walter's dedication and hard work.

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