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Chess Life Online Kudrin Leads Marshall Club Champs
Chess Life Online Kudrin Leads Marshall Club Champs | Kudrin Leads Marshall Club Champs |
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| By Gregory Keener | |
| December 19, 2013 | |
 The 97th annual Marshall Chess Club Championship and Edward Lasker Memorial kicked off last weekend with 47 entrants, including 5 GM's, 5 IM's and a smattering of FM's and foreign players making it a great event for norm seekers. 2012 club co-champion IM Justin Sarkar scored his first GM norm the Marshall Chess Club Championship in 2010. On the subject of norms, the Marshall Chess Club has been a veritable norm factory with it's New York International event consistently awarding more norms than any other event in the country and the club currently has a GM Norm Round Robbin scheduled for April 2014. After 5 rounds Grandmaster Sergey Kudrin is in the clear lead with 4.5 points, followed by GM's Jaan Ehlvest, Aleksandr Lenderman and Mikheil Kekelidze with 4 points. So far, Matthew Herman is in the hunt for his 3rd and final IM norm with 3 ½ out of 5 points and a performance rating of 2488 with 4 rounds to go. His unrelenting attacking style has shaken up the top boards with an upset win against Jaan Ehlvest in the 4.f3 Nimzo-Indian. 7182 His loss to GM Mikheil Kekelidze was perhaps the most exciting and swashbuckling game played at the club since his near wing against the same opponent in the previous year's club championship. After placing his bishop en prise on move 13, Herman was able to generate a blistering attack though erred with the ambitious knight sacrifice 16...Nxe3. 7183  The 6th round begins Saturday December 21st at 11 a.m. and will be broadcast live on ICC. Also follow news and events at the Marshall website. |
