U.S. Championships 2017, Playoff Recap

Another U.S. Championship has ended today, and we couldn’t have asked for a more exciting finish! Yesterday, Sabina Foisor wrote history with her emotional victory. Today, Wesley So added another chapter to his legacy when he defeated Alexander Onischuk in a highly disputed tiebreak match.

(The full recap on the official site)

U.S. Championship

The first round started with Wesley choosing a rare variation of the English opening, a rational choice to try and surprise Alexander, who is a player that trains opening theory religiously. Alexander was well prepared and the game quickly entered virgin territory.

Alex decided to sacrifice a pawn, and then another one, and Wesley couldn’t fight the temptation. The second pawn grab was probably not a good idea, as Alex overtook the initiative and it looked as if Wesley might be in trouble. His inaccuracy was 18…Qd4 instead of 18…Nd4, which would have placed Wesley under serious pressure. It was all downhill for Alex after that and Wesley drew first blood!

The second game was a wild affair. Alex gathered all his strength and decided to try and outplay Wesley in a long, grind based game. The strategy worked as he managed to win the bishop pair and start pressuring Wesley with precise moves. Wesley’s clock was ticking as he was trying to survive, and it looked as if Alex would be the one to break his invincible aura.

But it was not meant to be, and all the cards fell right in place for Wesley. White could have garnered a sizable advantage if he would have went for 41.Bd5! instead of running for the second pawn with Qb8-b6. After that miss, Wesley found a powerful dark square blockade and never allowed Alex to power through, despite the latter’s attempts. Wesley killed the game and forced a draw with a nice pattern based on the strong collaboration between Queen and Knight.

Wesley So is the 2017 U.S. Champion and extends his impressive series of tournament victories! Kudos to you, Mr. So! 

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U.S. Championships 2017 , Round 11 Recap

One tournament ended and the other one continues tomorrow! The U.S. Women’s Championship declared its winner, and it is none other than the sensation of the tournament, Sabina Foisor! Sabina played a brilliant game and finished Virkud in style, while Nazi started well but failed to keep the pace and got slowly outplayed by the legendary slayer, Jennifer Yu (she beat Nazi, Irina, and Anna). In the open section, it was a fairly quiet day, with Wesley So making a pragmatic decision and repeating moves in the opening. Onischuk drew his game with Kamsky with ease, while Var Akobian failed to stop Nakamura’s wrath and fell out of the tiebreak spot after an otherwise brilliant tournament. Tomorrow we have a bonus day of chess excitement, but first let’s get into today’s recap!

(The full recap on the official site)

U.S. Championship

Naroditsky vs So. There’s not much to say about this game besides both players seemed content with a draw. Naroditsky mentioned he was slightly surprised by So’s Berlin, and decided against trying to break it. Wesley’s decision was obviously a pragmatic one, and only time will tell whether it was the right one. He is now heading into a head-to-head tiebreaker with Onischuk in which he will be the clear favorite (Nakamura gives him a 90% chance to win it).

Kamsky vs Onischuk. The two veterans have been comrades in the American chess circuit for many decades and have played each other countless times. Kamsky mentioned that it was particularly difficult to come up with a surprise weapon, as Onischuk is a master of opening preparation.

The players followed a long line of the Archangelsk and it seemed like Onischuk had the better chance at producing the shocker. Despite that, Kamsky soon showed why he is one of the most solid players to ever play in the U.S. Championship and quickly tamed the game with a sequence of precise moves. The players agreed to a fairly uneventful draw as soon as the rules allowed it, at move 30. Onischuk will face So in what will surely be his biggest challenge yet!

Nakamura vs Akobian. Beating Nakamura as black is something quite extraordinary, drawing him as black is something extremely difficult. Those were the two results that would have helped Akobian; unfortunately for him, Nakamura came into the game with a warrior’s mindset, no draws!

Despite that, Akobian’s preparation was once again very sharp and he managed to slowly outplay Naka in the middlegame. His biggest problem was once again his time management, and when the critical moment came, he was unable to make the right decision. Exchanging the queens was a clear mistake; instead, he should have kept the pressure with 26…Qa7! which would have gave him the initiative.
The endgame after the queen exchange was a very difficult one, and Nakamura did not forgive. With swift precision, Nakamura delivered and stole Akobian’s tiebreak ticket.

U.S. Women’s Championship

Paikidze vs Yu. Nazi came to the playing hall with great confidence and a wide smile on her face. No matter the results, she knew that her tournament had been a success and another title would be a historic achievement!

Her opening went smoothly and she soon found herself in the driver’s seat, but her 16.Nc3?! was inexplicable. There was no reason to remove the perfectly centralized knight; instead, she should have built her set-up around that powerful piece. After that, it was all an uphill battle, as the game always seemed to be one exchange away from complete simplification, something Nazi was trying to avoid at all costs as Sabina was always in a better position. White tried to keep the tension, but in doing so, she allowed her opponent to grab the initiative. Jennifer’s sequence of moves between move 30 and 40 seemed to be played by an elite grandmaster. Her impressive precision is surely something that will scare many of her opponents moving forward. The girl has a bright future!
Foisor vs Zatonskih was the second big matchup of the day. The game was between the revelation of the tournament, Sabina Foisor, and the four time champion, Anna Zatonskih.

Nazi was forced to resign and pass her champion’s torch to Sabina at move 51. In her post-game interview, she gave a candid description of the game, as well as her sincere congratulations to her friend and rival. Her attitude will surely earn her even more fans. Congratulations, Nazi!

Virkud vs Foisor. Once again, the explosive U.S. Women’s Championship is decided by a brilliancy! Sabina has been playing stellar chess all throughout this event. Her preparation has simply been outstanding, and if it wouldn’t have been for the accident against Krush, perhaps her championship victory would have already been sealed.

But that’s not how top competitions are being won, nobody runs away with a title! The grind, the suffering, the over the edge nervousness, it’s all part of competition at the highest level, in any field. Sabina once again came into the game with incredible opening preparation, and took swift advantage of her opponent’s early mistake (9.Bd2?). Her middle game play was technical and precise. Her expansion on the kingside was calculated and every single detail was taken into consideration before conducting the checkmate pattern!

But her impeccable game is only part of the story here. The story is that of an underdog that has been underestimated by many, which has been tried by the ruthlessness of life. An underdog that through pain, resiliency, and hard work overcame the odds and rewrote history on her terms. This is the story to be told, and Sabina is the admirable heroine of it! Kudos to you Sabina, the 2017 U.S. Women’s Chess Champion!

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U.S. Championships 2017, Round 10 Recap

If the Open section gave us the biggest surprises in round nine, the show in round ten was stolen by the women, who produced two decisive results in the biggest clashes of the round. Nazi Paikidze dodged a huge bullet when she defeated Tatev Abrahamyan after being completely lost once the opening ended. In the other important clash, Sabina Foisor managed to climb her way back up in a worse middle game and outplay Zatonskih after the latter once again fell into a challenging time trouble situation. The open section’s leaderboard is crowding at the top; Akobian and So drew their games while Onischuk took advantage of the state of affairs and joined the leaders after a beautiful endgame grind against the struggling Xiong. We are set for a dream championship finale!

(The full recap on the official site)

U.S. Championship

So vs Kamsky was Wesley’s last chance to score as white in this tournament and the round was definitely something to look forward to. The game started peaceful with white choosing to enter the Exchange Slav, an opening that is widely considered to be drawish. Nevertheless, the opening has experienced a resurgence in the last couple of years and has been tried at the top with moderate success..

Kamsky chose to play a less theoretical line opting for an early e6, leaving the light squared bishop blocked on c8. The line is considered to give white the advantage, but he was quick to prove it wrong as he equalized with ease before move 20. To some, it even looked as Wesley might be in trouble, but that’s when the co-leader showed his champion metal and pulled the breaks without allowing his opponent to get any further pressure.

The game was a solid draw that placed Wesley in pole position to win the tournament. He is facing Naroditsky tomorrow in what will surely be an unforgettable thriller.

Onischuk vs Xiong. Onischuk is not the most active player in the American circuit, but when he plays, his technical skills are exceptionally sharp. Jeffery chose the Grunfeld, an opening that bears a piercing trademark. Onischuk’s experience allowed him to outwit his younger opponent and stir the game into a slightly better endgame, which is surely something that Jeffery was trying to avoid at all costs.
Lacking patience, Jeffery tried to over simplify with 16…e5 which was all Onischuk needed to force his opponent on the defense. Slowly but surely, white started maximizing his bishop pair, and it was only a matter of time before black had to concede material.

Onischuk’s textbook precision allowed him to convert with ease and join the leaders at the top of the standings.

U.S. Women’s Championship

Abrahamyan vs Paikidze was the most anticipated encounter in the ladies division, as it was the game between the two heroines of last year. These ladies gave us a dramatic end to the 2016 U.S. Championship story, and despite their friendly relationship outside of the arena, once they shake hands at the start of the match all gloves are off.

Nazi’s opening choice once again surprised the pundits as she chose the Pirc, an opening that is quite rare at top level. Tatev played healthy chess and quickly obtained a winning position, but it was then when her nerves started becoming wobbly.
Tatev began making irrational decisions (27.Nxg5?!, 29.h4??) and allowed Nazi to take control of the game. With her clock ticking down, Tatev was unable to find her way and blundered the game under pressure.
Foisor vs Zatonskih was the second big matchup of the day. The game was between the revelation of the tournament, Sabina Foisor, and the four time champion, Anna Zatonskih.

Sabina has been showing top opening preparation throughout the event, but today she fell into a difficult position early. Anna seemed to be in control but once again her time trouble addiction kicked in and she fell behind on the clock. Anna could have gotten a decisive advantage with 22…Qf6! But instead, she ventured with 26…Nd3?! and quickly fell to Sabina’s dazzling tactics. It was an immense win for Sabina who is now sharing the lead with Nazi going into the championship round. Tomorrow we will surely have fire on the board!

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U.S. Championships 2017, Round 8 Recap

The 2017 U.S. Championships are heading into their last rounds, and the battle for the top position is heating up more each day. In the open division, Wesley So is still leading, but another competitor has emerged on the horizon. Var Akobian dropped the hammer on yesterday’s hero, Yaro Zherebukh, and leap frogged him after a sound strategic victory. He is now joint leader alongside So and will go into the championship rounds as one of the favorites to win it all. Caruana was quick to recover after his painful loss and blew Daniel Naroditsky off the board after a powerful show of dynamic chess. In the women’s section, Nazi drew the wildcard Maggie Feng and allowed Sabina Foisor to catch her at the top of the table.

(The full recap on the official site)

U.S. Championship

Caruana vs Naroditsky was one of those games which reminds you just how strong the number three (4 in the live rating list) is. Fabiano opened with 1.e4 and the players followed one of the most topical lines of the French. Unfortunately for Daniel, he seemed to have forgotten the theory as early as move nine when his 9…b6 could be considered at least a bit suspicious.

White immediately blasted open the center with 10.c4! and black soon found himself under heavy dynamic pressure. Daniel could have defended better, however, Fabiano’s victory never seemed to be in danger.
He is now back within striking distance of the leader and will face Akobian in tomorrow’s clash of the day.
Zherebukh vs Akobian is an example of how difficult some strategical concepts are, even for top level players such as Yaroslav. The players entered a rare variation of the French Tarrasch and there was never a doubt on who knew it better. Akobian was a man with a plan and his enticing 14…0-0! was the one temptation Yaro couldn’t refuse.

15.Bxf6? was a serious misjudgment which allowed black to gain complete control over the game due to his bishop pair and better placed pieces. Akobian increased his advantage with masterful precision and forced Yaro’s capitulation after the killer 28.Rd2! It was an impressive win for Akobian who is now in a good spot heading into the final decisive rounds!

U.S. Women’s Championship

Krush vs Virkud signaled Irina’s comeback! The 7 time champion came very well prepared and quickly imposed her dominant style. But the nature of the position was quite volatile, and white’s imprecise moves allowed black to find equality. There were still plenty of pieces on the board and Irina’s versatility aided her in making better moves and she slowly outplayed her opponent. Virkud’s 32…Qh4? was the icing on the cake as Irina swiftly punished her opponent’s reckless play.

With this win, the seven time U.S. Women’s champion cuts into Nazi’s lead and stands only half a point behind her. She will face Yip tomorrow in what will surely be a fierce battle between the most and least experienced players in the field. Foisor vs Nguyen was a show of force by Foisor, who seems to be working extremely hard during her pre-game preparation, as she always has magnificent positions after the theoretical battle ends. By move 17, Sabina was in full control and was heading toward another crushing defeat; unfortunately for her, she made the wrong choice with 20.d6?! when she should have ended the game with 20.f4!, a move that would have been much more devastating than the game continuation.

Emily proved to be extremely resilient and at one point it seemed that the outcome of the game was not set in stone. Despite her missteps, Sabina kept her cool and managed to convert her advantage. With this win, Sabina joins Nazi in the lead and will face her tomorrow in what will surely be the clash of the day in the women’s division.

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U.S. Championships - Round 7 Recap

Round 7 of the U.S. Championships was a shocker! How else can you describe a round in which the number three in the world and reigning champion gets defeated by the wildcard? Yaroslav Zherebukh produced the surprise of the tournament after a majestic performance against Caruana. In the women’s section, Nazi used her unbeatable charisma to get away with a draw in a very shaky position. We had another intense round.

(The full recap on the official site)

U.S. Championship

Zherebukh vs Caruana was a complete stunner! The young student from Saint Louis University, the 2017 wildcard of the open section, opened with 1.e4 and quickly announced his combative intentions. Fabiano chose against another Berlin, entering instead the long variations of the Breyer. As he was playing the second lowest rated player in the event, Fabiano’s strategy was to keep as many pieces on the board as possible, allow his opponent to potentially get a more active position, and try to ultimately maneuver and outplay Yaro in a long game.

In general, this strategy is the right approach, but Yaro was not going to get phased by any of it; he soon started outplaying his much more experienced opponent. Fabiano started erring with 23…Nh7?! which was a move that allowed Yaro to gain speed on the kingside and impose his will after a well-timed 26.f4! Slowly but surely, black’s position got worse and worse with every move. Yaro could have ended the game quicker if he would have found 32.Nf5! Instead of that, he decided to keep the queens on the board and suffocate his opponent just like a boa constrictor would finish his prey.

With this win, Yaro catches So in the lead and dynamites the end of this event. It is too early to call, but a potential victory for Yaro would arguably be one of the biggest surprises in modern chess history. Only time will tell!

Xiong vs Shabalov was a textbook showcase of how important opening preparation is, and how good Shabalov is at it.

The game followed an old line of the 3.Nc3 Caro Kann, an opening that has experienced a revival in the last few years due to the insurgence of engines and other analysis tools. Shabalov’s opening knowledge is incredibly vast, and by the time his preparation ended, his position was completely winning and his opponent was down to his last minutes on the clock.

The position was so hopeless that despite Jeffery’s attempts at complicating matters, Shabalov easily refuted any try and finished the game with precision at move 26! A huge win for Shabalov and a disappointing result for Jeffery, who seems exhausted after his fiery start in which he easily defended the black side of the board against Caruana & Nakamura.

 

U.S. Women’s Championship

Paikidze vs Sharevich was the biggest clash of the round in the women’s section. After witnessing an unprecedented two rounds without a single draw being registered, all eyes were on the ladies to see if they could sustain such an aggressive tempo. They surely didn’t disappoint! Nazi remained faithful to her strategy; she chose to open with 1.Nf3 and tried to take her opponent out of any theoretical realms as soon as possible.

Unfortunately for her, today her strategy did not yield the best results as Anna was well prepared and obtained a quick advantage out of the opening. Nazi seemed to struggle to find the right plan and her position quickly deteriorated.
 

Nazi’s experience came into play when her well timed draw offer right before the time control took Anna by surprise and she accepted the peaceful result in a much better position. Nazi escapes unscathed after a difficult game and maintains her #1 position on the charts.

Nguyen vs Feng. Maggie Feng has been the pleasant surprise of the event as her enterprising and fearless style attracted many fans along the way. The game followed the strategic routes of the Stonewall Dutch, and it was Maggie that timed her attack better with 16…g5! grabbing the initiative in the process. Her pressure was too much for Emily to handle and she quickly started playing inaccurately. Maggie’s precision and composure seemed to belong to a much more experienced player, not a rookie playing on the biggest stage of her life.

Maggie calmly collected all her opponent’s weak pawns, transitioned into a winning endgame, and converted with ease. A masterclass by the newcomer who now trails the leader by half a point. Tomorrow’s clash against Nazi can’t come at a better time, as she will surely give her all in her attempt to vanquish the reigning champion!

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U.S. Championships - Round 6 Recap

Today was the day after the free day. The day for which players have the most time to prepare. The day where the biggest volume of opening novelties get released. That was what everybody expected going into round 6 of the 2017 U.S. Championships, and that was the product that was delivered! Wesley So fell under severe pressure after Akobian unleashed a deep and dynamic opening idea; in the women’s section, Nazi mastered the endgame and outplayed her biggest rival, Irina Krush, in the battle of the leaders. Both Wesley and Nazi stand half a point ahead of the pack. The last five rounds of the 2017 U.S. Championships will be explosive!(The full recap on the official site)

U.S. Championship

So vs Akobian was one of the most anticipated games of the day, especially given their personal rivalry that has been brewing over the past couple of years. Both players were having an extraordinary event, and Var surely came into this round with a great deal of hope and confidence as he was trying to avenge last year’s brutal defeat.

Wesley prepared a very sharp line of the QGD but was surprised when Akobian improved on a game between Caruana and Melkumyan with 12…Bg4! Akobian’s great opening preparation paid off as he quickly gained the initiative and forced his opponent on the defensive, but Wesley is not the hottest player in the circuit for no reason, and he managed to save the half point with precise calculation right before the time control.

A great save by Wesley, and a disappointing miss by Akobian who knows that he missed a great chance at becoming the new leader and the legendary player that stops Wesley’s historic no-loss streak.

Caruana vs Kamsky was another noteworthy affair. Fabi’s theoretical prowess was quickly on display as he managed to amass a significant time advantage after the opening. The pressure was too much for Gata to handle and he decisively blundered early with 16…Be6?? Fabiano did not forgive his opponent’s misstep and obtained a decisive advantage which he converted with swift precision.

The reigning champion is now only a half a point behind the leader, coupled with the easier schedule, it is the perfect ingredient for an upcoming, highly disputed second part of the tournament. The race is heating up!

U.S. Women’s Championship

Krush vs Paikidze might prove to be the decisive game of the tournament. Irina was placing early pressure on the reigning champion, however, Nazi defused her opponent’s attempt at an advantage and managed to secure the equality around move 20. Despite that, Irina slowly started to outplay her opponent and if she would have found 36.e4! then the story of the game would have been a completely different.

Unfortunately for her, that was exactly the moment of the blunder! Her 37.Nge4 allowed Nazi to win a pawn and the rest was history. With sublime confidence and technique, Nazi increased her advantage and forced Irina to capitulate. This is the third time in a row Nazi out powered Irina, and her bid for a second consecutive title is contouring nicely!

Yip vs Zatonskih was definitely the shocker of the round. With that being said, there are only as many times you can get away with murder. Anna once again fell into a severe time trouble. Coupled with her unpleasant defensive task, the 4 time U.S. champion was forced to surrender soon after the first time control.

Zatonskih failed to sustain the tempo imposed by her rivals and is now standing one point behind the leader. Her title run is starting to fade and she is the only person who can change that perception. Yip is back on 50% and will surely pose a serious threat for her future opposition.

The 2017 U.S. Championships are officially fired up and we are in for a treat in the last days of this exciting event!

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