CHESS : INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Vladimir Kramnik took first prize in a strong grandmaster tournament in Dortmund, Germany, with an outstanding score of 7-2. The 20-year-old Russian, considered a future world championship prospect, registered his greatest success since his devastating 1 1/2-4 1/2 loss to Gata Kamsky of New York in the 1994 Professional Chess Assn. challengers matches.

Second, at 6 1/2-2 1/2, was World Chess Federation (FIDE) champion Anatoly Karpov of Russia. Two more potential world champions, Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and 15-year-old Peter Leko of Hungary, tied for third at 5-4. Other scores: Joel Lautier (France), 4 1/2-4 1/2; Jeroen Piket (Netherlands) and Nigel Short (England), 4-5; Evgeny Bareyev (Russia) and Alexander Belyavsky (Ukraine), 3 1/2-5 1/2; and Eric Lobron (Germany), 2-7. Short, 30, was offended by an interview in which Leko called him too old.

U.S. JUNIOR

Tal Shaked of Arizona won the 1995 U.S. Junior Championship, the national championship for players under age 21, in Bloomington, Ill. Against a powerful field (only one player was rated below 2457), Shaked and top-rated GM Gabriel Schwartzman of Florida each scored 4 1/2-2 1/2. Shaked took the title, and the prize of a trip to the 1995 World Junior Championship, by winning the fifth game of a tiebreaking speed playoff.

The 1994 champion, IM Josh Waitzkin of New York, finished third at 4-3. Next at 3 1/2-3 1/2 were Levon Altounian of Glendale, Alex Kalikshteyn of New York, 1993 champion Boris Kreiman of New York and Josh Manion of Wisconsin. Dean Ippolito of New Jersey had 1-6.

LOCAL NEWS

Three players went undefeated in the first weekend of the Southern California Chess Federation (SCCF) State Championship. After four of seven rounds, the leaders are Jack Peters, 3 1/2- 1/2, defending champion Cyrus Lakdawala, 3-1, and Jonathan Yedidia, 3-1. Spectators may watch the final round beginning at 1 p.m. today at the Holiday Inn, 7000 Beach Blvd. in Buena Park.

Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, has asked Senior Master Matthew Beelby to repeat his popular “Chess for Amateurs” course. The next session of classes will be held on eight Thursday evenings beginning Aug. 17. For registration information, call (818) 585-7608.

Ed Cohen scored 6-1, suffering only a last-round loss after he had clinched first place, to win the Summer Round Robin at the West Valley Chess Club. Peter Tidoy finished second at 5 1/2-1 1/2. Arsham Dolmaian swept the 38-player Summer Swiss with a perfect 7-0 score. Ruben Barbalace (top “B”) and Alexander Garber (top “C”) earned class prizes.

The West Valley Chess Club, which meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays in the West Valley Jewish Community Center, 22622 Vanowen St. in Canoga Park, will begin double-round quad tournaments (six games against similarly rated opponents) on Thursday. For information, call Herman Hess at (818) 346-5959 or John Price at (818) 363-1379.

IWM Ivona Jezierska won four straight games in the SCCF Women’s Game/60 tournament in Irvine last weekend. Shoushanik Airapetian, IWM Sharon Burtman and Christine Jensen shared second place at 2 1/2-1 1/2. Class prizes went to Alina Markowski, Jackie Malowney, Anahita Miraftabi and 7-year-old Kaitlin Kirk.