How I Won The 2022 6-8 Barber Tournament

Hello ChessKids! Today I will be sharing with you how I won the 2022 Dewain Barber National Tournament. This tournament is one of five invitationals that happen every year during the U.S. Open Tournament. In all five sections, one person from each state represents their state.

My section is for kids from grades 6-8, and I was the third seed. The tournament consists of six rounds, and my goal was to play well and try to get first place. Here are some of the most interesting moments from games I played during the tournament!

 A picture of NM Brewington Hardaway holding his prize at the Barber Tournament.

Round 2

              Brewington Hardaway (2335) vs. Anjaneya Rao (2019)

This game was a French Defense. I got an early development lead and restricted all of my opponent's pieces to win the game. 

I allowed black to win a pawn, because I will have lots of compensation with the bishop pair and the lead in development. 
 
After winning my pawn back and creating some weaknesses I can target, I decide to force a queen trade with Rg8! The trade is forced because the queen has no other place to move besides h5. After the trade, black's knight is misplaced and I am in a much better position. I used all of this to eventually win the game 23 moves later. 
 
Full Game:
 
 
Before this final game, I and two other players had 4.5/5. My opponent defeated the highest-rated player in the section and drew the second-highest, so I knew this would be a challenge. 
 
Round 6
Vaseegaran Nandhakumar (2165) vs Brewington Hardaway (2335)
 
This game was a Catalan, one of GM Magnus Carlsen’s most utilized weapons with the white pieces. I broke through on the queenside after my opponent made a mistake and never let my early advantage totally slip.
 
 
My opponent was moving very fast and missed the important move Nb6. This move wins a clean pawn without giving him any counterplay. 
 
We eventually got to an endgame where I have three pawns and a bishop for his rook. Because my pawns are connected in the center, this is an easy win for black.
Oh no, my bishop! If he takes the bishop, I have Nc3+ forking the king and rook. He didn't take the rook but I kept pushing my pawns and won the game. 
 
Full Game:
 
After this, I just kept pushing my pawns and eventually won the game! I won clear first with 5.5/6. For finishing first, I received a plaque, a $5000 college scholarship, and an invitation to the 2023 US Cadet Tournament. This tournament is an 8-player round robin with the best players under the age of 16 in the US!
 
NM Brewington Hardaway with Dewain Barber and FM Erick Zhao at the 2022 Barber Tournament.
FM Erick Zhao, Dewain Barber, and me.
This is the end of my tournament! Thanks for reading and good luck with your own chess journey!