After the US Championship, the St. Louis Chess Club organized an exhibition blitz tournament titled the Ultimate Blitz Challenge for the top three finishers in the championship and the living legend that is Garry Kasparov. Kasparov plays very little these days, but last year he came out of retirement to play an old nemesis, Nigel Short, in a blitz and rapid game match in St. Louis. We thought given Kasparov’s retirement and Short’s high level of activity, he didn’t have a chance but he proved us wrong, beating Short easily by a score of 7.5-1.5. This year he was back in St. Louis facing a bigger challenge — three world top 10 players in Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, and Fabiano Caruana in an 18-game blitz round-robin played over two days. Was he up to the challenge? The answer at the end was “Yes!’’

The consensus favorite was blitz specialist, Nakamura, who has even written a book about playing bullet (1-minute) chess, with Caruana as his main competitor and So and Kasparov as question marks. Kasparov was clearly rusty, he dropped three knights the first day but as he exclaimed in his end-of-day interview, he was still only a half a point out of first. After the first day, So and Nakamura were tied for first, Kasparov third, and Caruana fourth.

The second day found Nakamura grimly determined, and he didn’t fail, winning the event with 11 points. So was in second, a point behind, the amazing Kasparov in third, just a point and a half out of first. Finishing last was current US champion Caruana, with 5.5 points. Kasparov brought such intensity and energy to the event that it was clear, even at this late date, he could be very competitive on the world scene.

We also received news that Sophia Rosenholtz of Winchester finished in 10th at the recently concluded Kasparov Chess Foundation’s All-Girls Nationals in the 116 player U10 section.

Winners: MACA’s Girls’ Championship: Championship Section: 1st: Joy Cao: 3-1 (on blitz tie-break), 2nd: Sandra Shur: 3-1, 3rd: Tianna Wang: 2.5-1.5; U1000: 1st: Ami Lei: 4-0, 2nd: Saanvi Tiruveedhula: 3-1 3rd: Michelle Zhang: 3-1 U600: 1st: Sree Dasari: 3-1 2nd: Michelle Chudnovsky: 2-2, 3rd: Shreeya Gomathinaygam 2-2; Billerica April Swiss: 1st-2nd: Tim Bromley, Raymond Paulson: 3.5-.5, 3rd: Jeffery Caruso: 3-1.

Coming events:May 13, Waltham Triskaidekaphobia #16, Waltham CC, WalthamChessclub.org/Schedule.html; May 15, 18th North Shore Scholastic Quads, Perl, Chess, Ahabat Sholom, 151 Ocean St., Lynn, mperel56@comcast.net.

Answer to today’s problem: 1…RxB! 2.cxd4 (2.QxR Qxg2 mate) 2…Bb4! wins material – the power of deflection.