Kriventsov-Rogers, 0-1. Black trotted out the solid Caro-Kann and both dug in for a struggle. Neither player settled in their chairs before FM Kriventsov uncorked a queen sack with 17.Qxf6!? The game evolved into a three minor pieces vs. queen ending and Rogers began eating pawns like Pac-Man. White's attempt to set up a fortress was futile as Rogers marched his pawns and wrapped up the point by forcing a winning simplification.

Belorusov-Charbonneau, 0-1. This game featured a tense struggle out of the London System. The Canadian Junior Champion played a novelty in 7… Nh5! and snared the two bishops.  He gradually built up an attack and unleashed a pawn avalanche on the white king. White sought counter play on the queenside, but black's attack continued and he netted the exchange in the process. Black's "marauding" rooks harassed the white king, and while the white knight tried to offer protection for the monarch, it could not fight the two powerful rooks. The Russian gave up.

Schneider-Muhammad, 0-1. This game followed the familiar path of the Exchange Ruy Lopez with white attempting to conjure up a crude kingside attack. FM Muhammad quickly beat back the attack and stole a couple of pawns on the queenside. With heavy pieces still on the board, black cemented his advantage after 33… f5, sacrificed an exchange, and ran one of his pawns toward the end zone. That pawn was tackled by the white's remaining white rook, but the black bishop came to the pawn's aid. Both ganged up on the rook and immobilized it. Since white had no more pieces left to fight, he resigned.

Simpson-Chiong, 0-1. This was an old-fashioned slugfest after a standard King's Indian. After Simpson dove in with 17.Bxd6?, the Filipino master struck violently with 17… Nd4! and all of a sudden, white's position was under serious pressure.  White declined an exchange offer, but was sent reeling again with 19… Nh3+! After white's kingside was shredded, he was forced to donate an exchange. All IM Chiong had to do was fend off the ever-dangerous attacking abilities of Simpson. Black held, forced a queen trade and white resigned in a hopeless position.

The Adu-Formanek, 0-1. This result was a surprise in that IM Adu lost quickly to the crafty IM against an opening he also employs… the French Defense. Adu appeared to hand over the initiative rather quickly and allowed Formanek's two bishops to cut into his position. Once white began to retreat, images of Ponomariov first win over Ivanchuk came to mind. Practically all of white's pieces were on the first rank and never saw much of the fight. Two pawns down and with multiple threats looming, Adu had seen enough and resigned.


Standings: Rogers, Charbonneau, Muhammad, Chiong, Formanek, 1;  Kriventsov, Belorusov, Schneider, Simpson, Adu, 0.

Games from Round One  (link to Penn State)
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