World Youth Chess Championships 2012: Round 3 Preview

California’s top young chess stars are once again proving that the kids in the Golden State play world-class chess. Several remain undefeated and nearly all remain in contention for the gold after the first two rounds of the World Youth Chess Championships. Round 3 has some interesting match-ups. Here are the games to keep an eye on:

U8 Open

Board 18   Milind Maiti(California) vs  Mohan Kushagra

Board 34   Joaquin Perkins(California) vs Alexander Akhmetshin

Board 35   Andrea Becchi vs Ben Rood(California)

U12 Open

Board 1   Samuel Sevian(California) vs Timur Trubchaninov

Board 23  Martin Bergsjo  Ostby vs Kevin Moy(California)

Joaquin Perkins is Golden at the North American Youth Chess Championship

Congratulations are in order for Joaquin Perkins who won a perfect 7/7 games at the FIDE North American Youth Chess Championship in Mexico City, Mexico. I was not surprised by Joaquin’s performance as I know him to be one of the brightest chess talents in California and even the United States. However, winning the gold medal at the NAYCC is an awesome accomplishment and the greatest showing in his young career. For his accomplishment, FIDE has awarded Joaquin Perkins with the Title of Candidate Master. To my knowledge, he is the only 8-year-old sporting a FIDE title in the United States.

Below is a wonderful example of Joaquin Perkins’ chess skill from the 2012 North American Youth Chess Championship:

[Event “North American Youth Chess Championships”]

[Site “Mexico City”]

[Date “2012.06.02”]

[Round “4”]

[White “Perkins, Joaquin K.”]

[Black “Mena-Martinez, B.”]

[Result “1-0”]

[PlyCount “49”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb6 7. d5 Na5 8.

Bd3 O-O 9. b4 Re8 10. O-O Nxe4 11. bxa5 Bxa5 12. Qa4 Bc3 13. Nxc3 Nxc3 14. Qc4

Qf6 15. Bg5 Qd6 16. Qxc3 Qxd5 17. Rfe1 Rf8 18. Qd2 Kh8 19. Qe3 Qe6 20. Qc5 Qd6

21. Qxd6 cxd6 22. Be7 Re8 23. Ng5 h6 24. Nxf7+ Kg8 25. Nxd6 1-0