The best U.S. junior chess players return to Saint Louis, the “nation’s Chess Capital”, this summer as the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis hosts the U.S. Junior Closed Championship from 12-21 July 2018. The event is the most prestigious chess tournament in the country for junior players under the age of 21.
Awonder Liang and Carissa Yip entered the last day only needing a draws to clinch their respective championships.
GM Awonder Liang gained a comfortable advantage from the opening against Akshat Chandra, which he used to gain a pawn and trade into an ending. The players agreed to a draw on move 30, giving Liang his second U.S. Junior Championship title in a row with 6,5 points.
Second is IM Advait Patel with 6 points and third is GM John Burke.
FM Carissa Yip drew against Jennifer Yu as the first game to finish, sealing clear 1st. Although Yu attempted to create checkmate threats against Yip’s king, Yip defended calmly and traded queens into a slightly better ending. This gave the new U.S. Girls’ Junior Champion an impressive 7 points out of 9.
Second is WGM Jennifer Yu with 6 points and third is WIM Emily Ngueng also with 6 points.
Replay the games here and here
