Naomi Bashkansky Wins World Schools Champ Title

Congrats to Naomi Bashkansky of Washington State, who won the Girls Under 13 section of the World Schools Championships in Sochi, Russia from December 2-12. She scored 7/9 on her way to clear first. Find crosstable on chessresults.com.

[pgn]

[Event "World School Chess Championship 2016"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nurgali Nazerke"]
[Black "Bashkansky, Naomi"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D24"]
[PlyCount "116"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 dxc4 4. Nc3 a6 5. a4 Nc6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 Bg4 8. e3
Na5 9. Be2 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 e6 11. O-O Be7 12. Qc2 c6 13. Rad1 Nd5 14. Bg3 O-O 15.
Na2 b5 16. e4 Nb6 17. Nc3 Bf6 18. axb5 axb5 19. d5 Bxc3 20. Qxc3 exd5 21. exd5
cxd5 22. Qe5 Nc6 23. Qd6 Qxd6 24. Bxd6 Rfc8 25. Rfe1 Ra2 26. Bg4 Rca8 27. Bc7
R8a6 28. h4 g6 29. h5 g5 30. f4 d4 31. fxg5 hxg5 32. Bf3 Nd7 33. Rf1 Kg7 34.
Bd5 f6 35. Be6 Nde5 36. h6+ Kg6 37. h7 Kxh7 38. Rxf6 Ra1 39. Rff1 Rxd1 40. Rxd1
d3 41. Bf5+ Kg7 42. Re1 Nf7 43. Be4 Nd4 44. Bd5 Rf6 45. g3 Nc2 46. Rb1 Ne3 47.
Bxf7 Kxf7 48. Ba5 Nd5 49. Bd2 b4 50. Rc1 Rc6 51. Bxg5 c3 52. bxc3 Nxc3 53. Rf1+
Kg6 54. Bd2 b3 55. Kf2 b2 56. Bxc3 Rxc3 57. Rb1 Rc1 58. Rxb2 Rc2+ 0-1[/pgn]

On chesstravel.blogspot.com there are a series of spectacular photos featuring Naomi's chess tournaments as well as the family's travels. See a small sample from the Sochi trip below, including a trip to the local art museum and to Mount Akhun. Find full posting on the tournament here.