ICC News Item #1785

NEWS 1785 (7-Dec-04)
Nakamura and Goletiani Win US Chess Championship Playoffs

GM Hikaru Nakamura, beat GM Alexander Stripunsky in a rapid playoff to
win become the Overall Champion of the 2005 US Chess Championships and
claim the $25,000 first prize.  He is the youngest winner of the title
since Bobby Fischer.  WGM Rusudan Goletiani beat WFM Tatev Abrahamyan
in their playoff to become the Women's Champion and claim her $12,500
prize.  The 64 players in the tournament split a total prize fund of
over $250,000.

GM Hikaru Nakamura is an active player on ICC under the user name
Smallville.  He holds the ICC records for the highest ever human
ratings for Blitz games and for the 1-minute pool.  WGM Rusudan
Goletiani plays on ICC under the user name StCristobal.

Other ICC/Chess.FM favorites also did well.  Three time US Chess
Champion GM Joel Benjamin was 6th with a final score of 6.0/9 based
on 3 wins and 6 draws.  2004 World Open Champion GM Varuzhan Akobian
finished 15th with a final score of 5.5/9 based on 2 wins and 7 draws.
Three time US Chess Champion GM Larry Christiansen finished 27th with
a final score of 5.0/9, based on 2 wins, 1 loss, and 6 draws.  Finally,
IM Ron Burnett, who qualified for the tournament by winning the 2004
State Champion of Champions Tournament held over ICC, was 37th with
a final score of 4.5/9 based on 4 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw.

The U.S. Chess Championship was presented in San Diego for the first
time by America's Foundation for Chess and NTC Foundation.  Erik
Anderson, founder of the America's Foundation for Chess, presented the
championship trophies to Nakamura and Goletiani.  The Internet Chess
Club is a founding underwriter of America's Foundation For Chess
and is proud to provide continuing support for AF4C's mission.

ICC congratulates GM Hikaru Nakamura, WGM Rusudan Goletiani, and all
of the players that made the 2005 US Chess Championship a great event.
ICC wishes to thank America's Foundation for Chess and IMs John
Donaldson and John Watson for allowing ICC's Chess.FM online radio to
broadcast their great live commentary directly from the event.

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