FM and BCS alum Christopher Yoo makes first IM norm at Berkeley FIDE norm tournament

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FM and BCS alum Christopher Yoo makes first IM norm at Berkeley FIDE norm tournament

IM Joshua Sheng, an incoming UC Berkeley student, won the FIDE title norm tournament held 8/17-21 at our San Pablo Ave. location. (crosstable)

FM Christopher Yoo, the highest-rated 11-year-old in the country, earned his second IM norm, which required beating GM Conrad Holt in the last round.

It was Yoo’s second IM norm. The first was earned by winning the U16 section of the 2017 North American Youth Championship.

   [Event "Berkeley GM Norm Tournament"]  [Site "Berkeley"]  [Date "2018.08.21"]  [Round "9"]  [White "Christopher Yoo"]  [Black "Conrad Holt"]  [Result "1-0"]  [PlyCount "54"]  [Setup "1"]  1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 {Needing a win to secure the IM norm, White welcomed the sharpest variation of the French.} 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Qg4 O-O {At the high levels, White is winning the greater share of games after the sacrificial 7....Qc7 8. Qxg7.} 8. Bd3 Nbc6 9. Bg5 {Less common than 9. Qh5 {or 9. Nf3, but given the success of this home-cooked gem, it's bound to become fashionable.} 9... Qa5 10. Ne2 Ng6 11. O-O Qa4 {Useful for a number of reasons: 1 Pinning the d4-pawn, bearing on c2, and preventing White from gaining queenside space with a3-a4 (which makes Bg5-c1-a3 possible) while making room for ...a7-a5-a4. There's an uneasy feeling for Black, who's outnumbered on the kingside while the central pawn wall prevents reinforcements from coming, but French defenders are used to that.} 12. f4 c4 13. Bxg6 fxg6 14. f5 {A new move.} (14. Ra2 {is seen most often, most recently by the "ginger GM" Simon Williams v. J.G. Cooper British chamionship 2011.}) 14... gxf5 15. Qg3 b5 16. h4 a5 17. h5 {A typicval French middlegame. The center is locked, leaving the players to race forward on opposite wings.} 17... Qxc2 18. Nf4 Ra7 {This rook is the only black piece able to help on the kingside. The bishop is blocked, the knight is too slow, and the queen is caught behind enemy lines.} 19. h6 Rff7 20. Bf6 g6 21. Nxg6 $1 {With confidence based on excellent preparation, and because Black's minors are spectators.} 21... hxg6 22. Qxg6+ Kf8 23. Rf3 Qb2 24. Rd1 {Spectacular is} (24. Rg3 $1 Qxa1+ 25. Kh2 {, then the threat of mate at g8 brings about 25...Kg8, self-pinning, 26. h7 or} 25... Ne7 26. Bxe7+ Kxe7 27. h7) 24... Ne7 25. Bxe7+ Raxe7 26. Rg3 Ke8 27. h7 Kd7 28 h8=Q 1-0

August 29th, 2018|Blog, Games|0 Comments

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