The 2016 US Junior Championship has just ended at the Chess Club & Scholastic Center of Saint Louis with 15-year-old Jeffrey Xiong of Chappell, Texas, winning with a 6.5-2.5 score. Half a point behind was Awonder Liang, 12, of Madison, Wis. Third place was taken by another Texan, 15-year-old Ruifeng Li, a half-point behind Liang.

One of the pre-tournament favorites, Kayden Kroff, finished in a disappointing ninth place, though he was honored at the tournament for being the only grandmaster who is also an Eagle Scout. Samuel Sevian didn’t play this year as he is at the Lake Sevan international tournament in Martuni, Armenia.

With his victory, Xiong is seeded into next year’s US Championship, and he won $6,000. In a brief phone interview with Xiong and his father, Wayne, I learned that they were heading to China to visit family and for Jeffrey to play in the Chinese team tournament. Wayne Xiong says that his son’s main chess goal is to make the US Olympiad team. He also mentioned how helpful the Young Stars — Team USA program has been for his son. This program is cosponsored by the Kasparov Chess Foundation (www.KasparovChessFoundation.org) and the St. Louis Chess Club. The highlight of the program is a yearly two-day team training event with Garry Kasparov.

For his part, Liang said his main focus for the near future is gaining the grandmaster title. He has one norm and needs two more. In addition, he needs to get his FIDE rating up to 2600. He still has an outside chance this year to break Sam Sevian’s record of being the youngest US grandmaster.

Winners: Waltham Championship 2016, 1st: Sharif Khater, 4.5-.5. Boylston $15 Open: Open 1st: Bennet Pellows, 4-0; U1800 1st: Joshua Keller, 4-0.

Coming events:Boylston Summer Game/80, July 30, 40 Norris St., Cambridge, www.Boylstonchess.org. 45th Annual Continental Open, Aug. 11-14, Host Hotel at Cedar Lake, 366 Main St., Sturbridge, www.ChessTour.com/cono16.htm.

Answer to today’s problem: The clever 1…Re2! wins as 2.QxQ drops a rook to 2…Rxe1+; 2.RxR or 2.Rf1 drops White’s queen to 2…Qxc3. 2.Qf3 (or g3) drops a rook again to 2…Rxe1+ and 2.Qa1 leads to mate after 2…Qxf2+.

Today’s problem

Chris Chase can be reached at BostonGlobeChessNotes@gmail­.com.