US Chess Championship starts

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

Daniel is 71/10 today against Naka (with 8/5 draw odds), if you think he can notch the 1st of those 2 wins, Hans (:

https://www.marathonbet.com/en/betting/Chess/

Well Daniel gave it a game try but he's just not on the same level as Nakamura - even Wesley So said that Nakamura wins with black when he wants.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

U.S. Chess Championship 2015
St. Louis, Mo
Round Five, April 5, 2015

It is Easter Sunday and those of us in the East found that there were fat snowflakes falling in early afternoon but melting as they hit the ground.

A good day to stay in and watch the United States Championship.

Gata Kamsky is happier and more relaxed than I have ever seen him during interviews. There is a photo of him leaning back in his chair and laughing when Gareev played the second move in the Wing Gambit yesterday. Some people have said he was amused at Gareev’s shirt, but that cannot be true.

Gata says he has been a little bit lucky but things are going well. he cannot expect to win his sixth championship but the tournament is half over and he has played Nakamura. So is a difficult opponent for him, so he will be cautious when he plays Wesley in Round Ten.
He says he likes St. Louis and the chess family there – they are not quite the Brady Bunch but still friendly, nevertheless.

He wants to qualify for the World Cup and the World Championship cycle.

Naroditsky had the advantage over Nakamura for a couple of dozen moves. Then he played 28. e5 and that handed the game to Hikaru.

Much was made of the fact that they had a Dragon Sicilian.

Holt had Troff on the ropes until the first time control then played 43. Kh3 and Troff won the game.

So-Gareev is a French Defence, Fort Knox Variation. The idea of that is that Black takes extra time to develop his worst piece in the game – i.e. 5. Nf3 Bc6. It’s called the Fort Knox because it is hard for White to break it.

Timur played 9. h5 and Wesley answered later with h4. He appears to be another free spirit like Jobava!

Wesley thinks he might have a chance to win the tournament because Hikaru still has to play Alex and Ray.

Maurice Ashley used the expression “right the ship” at least three times today in interviews. When a ship lists or leans to one side or the other, righting the ship balances it so that it is vertical again. It appears that this can be used to say that you are normalizing your tournament performace.

Round 5, April 5, 2015
Naroditsky, Daniel – Nakamura, Hikaru
B76 Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 Nc6 8.Bc4 O-O 9.Bb3 Bd7 10.h4 h5 11.Qd2 Qa5 12.O-O-O Rfc8 13.Kb1 Ne5 14.Bg5 Rxc3 15.Qxc3 Qxc3 16.bxc3 a5 17.a3 Rc8 18.Kb2 Kf8 19.Ne2 Bb5 20.Nd4 Ba6 21.Rhe1 Nfd7 22.f4 Nc4+ 23.Bxc4 Bxc4 24.f5 Nc5 25.Re3 Ke8 26.Bf4 Na4+ 27.Kc1 Ba6 28.e5 dxe5 29.Rxe5 Bxe5 30.Bxe5 Nxc3 31.Re1 gxf5 32.Bf6 Ne4 33.Nxf5 Bd3 34.c3 Rc5 35.Nxe7 Rb5 0-1

Round 5, April 5, 2015
Kamsky, Gata – Robson, Ray
D11 QGD Slav, 4.e3

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 c6 4.e3 e6 5.Bd3 dxc4 6.Bxc4 a6 7.O-O b5 8.Bd3 c5 9.a4 b4 10.e4 cxd4 11.e5 Nd5 12.Nxd4 Bb7 13.Re1 g6 14.Nd2 Bg7 15.Qg4 Nd7 16.N2f3 O-O 17.Qh3 Re8 18.Bh6 Rc8 19.a5 Qe7 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Qg3 b3 22.h4 Nb4 23.Rad1 Bxf3 24.Nxf3 Nc5 25.Bc4 Na4 26.Bxb3 Nxb2 27.Rd6 Rc3 28.Re3 Rxe3 29.fxe3 Rc8 30.h5 N2d3 31.Ng5 Kh6 32.Ne4 Nd5 33.Bxd5 exd5 34.Rxd5 Rd8 35.Nf6 Kg7 36.hxg6 hxg6 37.Qh4 Nxe5 38.Rxd8 1-0

Round 5, April 5, 2015
So, Wesley – Gareev, Timur
C10 French, Fort Knox Variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bd7 5.Nf3 Bc6 6.Bd3 Nd7 7.O-O Ngf6 8.Ng3 Be7 9.b3 h5 10.Qe2 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 c6 12.h4 Qa5 13.Bb2 Ba3 14.Bxa3 Qxa3 15.c3 Kf8 16.Rfe1 Rh6 17.Ne2 Qd6 18.Nf4 Kg8 19.Bc2 Re8 20.Rad1 Qb8 21.g3 e5 22.Nh3 Ng4 23.Bf5 Rd6 24.Bxg4 hxg4 25.Qxg4 Nf6 26.Qf5 exd4 27.Rxe8+ Qxe8 28.Rxd4 Rxd4 29.cxd4 Nd5 30.Ng5 g6 31.Qf3 f5 32.Kg2 a5 33.g4 Ne7 34.Qe2 fxg4 35.Qxg4 Nf5 36.Nf3 Qe6 37.Qf4 Qd5 38.Kh3 Nd6 39.Kh2 a4 40.Qf6 axb3 41.Qxg6+ Kf8 42.axb3 Nf7 1-0

Round 5, April 5, 2015
Holt, Conrad – Troff, Kayden
D83 Grunfeld, Grunfeld Gambit, Capablanca Variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7 5.e3 O-O 6.Rc1 c5 7.dxc5 Qa5 8.cxd5 Rd8 9.Bc4 Be6 10.e4 Nxe4 11.Ne2 Nxf2 12.Qa4 Qxc5 13.dxe6 Nxh1 14.exf7+ Kf8 15.Ne4 Qb6 16.Bc7 Qe3 17.Bxd8 Nc6 18.Bxe7+ Nxe7 19.Be6 b5 20.Qc2 Nf2 21.Nc5 Rd8 22.Qb3 Nd3+ 23.Nxd3 Rxd3 24.Qxb5 Qd2+ 25.Kf1 Rd8 26.Bb3 Qxb2 27.Qa5 Qf6+ 28.Ke1 Rb8 29.Qxa7 Qd6 30.g3 Be5 31.Qc5 Qf6 32.Rd1 Rc8 33.Qb4 Kg7 34.Rd7 Kf8 35.Qd2 Nf5 36.Nf4 Bxf4 37.Qxf4 Qb6 38.Qf2 Qa5+ 39.Qd2 Qb6 40.Kf1 Qb5+ 41.Kg1 Qb6+ 42.Kg2 Ne3+ 43.Kh3 g5 44.Rd6 g4+ 45.Kh4 Nf5+ 46.Kg5 Qxd6 47.Qb2 Nd4 48.Kxg4 Rc5 0-1

Akobian-Onischuk and Shankland-Sevian were both draws.

Goletiani was felt to have a winning game against Krush and was pouring on the pressure with 22…Bxg2 when Krush got the upper hand and eventually won the contest.

Round 5, April 5, 2015
Krush, Irina – Goletiani, Rusudan
A40 Queen’s Pawn, Franco-Indian (Keres) Defence

1. d4 e6 2. c4 Bb4+ 3. Bd2 Bxd2+ 4. Qxd2 f5 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. e3 Qe7 7. Bd3 d6 8. Qc2 O-O 9. Nge2 Nc6 10. a3 e5 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. O-O Nfg4 13. h3 Qh4 14. Nf4 g5 15. Nfd5 f4 16. exf4 gxf4 17. f3 Ne3 18. Nxe3 fxe3 19. Rae1 Bxh3 20. Rxe3 Kh8 21. Qf2 Qh6 22. Rxe5 Bxg2 23. Rh5 Qxh5 24. Qd4+ Kg8 25. Kxg2 Rf7 26. Qd5 Qh6 27. Rh1 Qd2+ 28. Ne2 Kf8 29. Rh4 Re8 30. Re4 Rxe4 31. Qxe4 Qxb2 32. a4 h5 33. c5 Qa3 34. Nf4 Qb2+ 35. Kh3 Qf6 36. Ng6+ Kg7 37. Nh4 Kf8 38. Bc4 Rg7 39. Qxb7 Qe7 40. Nf5 Qd8 41. cxd6 Rd7 42. Qb2 Rh7 43. Qg2 Rf7 44. Bxf7 Kxf7 45. Qg7+ Ke6 46. dxc7 Qc8 47. Qe7+ Kxf5 48. Qd8 1-0

Standing After Round Five (Men)

Nakamura 4
So 3.5
Kamsky 3
Robson 3
Troff 3
Sevian 2.5
Akobian 2.5
Onischuk 2.5
Shankland 2
Gareev 1.5
Holt 1.5
Naroditsky 1.5

Standing After Round Five (Women)

Nemcova 4.0
Krush 3.5
Goletiani 3
Paikidze 3
Folsor 3
Abrahamyan 2.5
Virkud 2.5
Ni 2
Sharevich 2
Melekhina 2
Yu 1.5

[Gary Ruben]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

I always like to see a gambit like that one in a high level game.

I've thought of playing some gambits on the Social Chess App I use on my Ipad but the ideas during the game don't seem to flow as easily as they did when I was younger. They seem to have players from all over the world who use that app.

[Jack Maguire]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

Daniel Naroditsky in last place isnt playing particularly bad. His rating at 2633 is very respectable and he has been the victim of some very nice play. He started with two losses and his last two games have been draws. Maybe he can follow up with two consecutive wins.

Daniel is 71/10 today against Naka (with 8/5 draw odds), if you think he can notch the 1st of those 2 wins, Hans (:

https://www.marathonbet.com/en/betting/Chess/

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

Speaking of Daniel Naroditsky even tho he is still only a teenager he has already made quite a name for himself in the chess world and not in the usual way. Youngest author of a serious book on chess he has already authored several books and seems to have an unique formula. Whatever he is currently learning from in chess he writes about. His endgame book was so well received he has taken over from the legendary Pal Benko with an endgame column at US Chess Life!

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

Daniel Naroditsky in last place isnt playing particularly bad. His rating at 2633 is very respectable and he has been the victim of some very nice play. He started with two losses and his last two games have been draws. Maybe he can follow up with two consecutive wins.

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

The youngsters Sam Sevian, Kayden Troff, and Conrad Holt are all bottom rated within one point of each other (FIDE rating). You could label them under dogs or black horses. After 4 rounds they are doing very well. None of them is in last place. Sam has the sensational upset of Wesley So to his credit and an equal score. Kayden also is equal and Conrad has come back after his sensational loss to Nakamura in round 1 and is sitting at minus one.

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

Gata Kamsky has also been off form but has been extremely resourceful when needed to survive and also with some luck. Net result 4 draws in four games but still in the race with an outside chance to win depending on further upsets.

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

According to Yasser Ray Robson had the ideal position against V Akobian and should have played on - everything to play for and nothing to lose. Alex Onischuk has been off form - I have seen him convert similar positions in the past but he couldnt convert against Conrad Holt.

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

Sometimes in chess tournaments the draw factor raises its ugly head. And in round 4 thats what happened - all draws! Mostly not planned - Wesley So was pressing against Hikaru Nakamura but Hikaru held, Timur Gareev missed a rather simple win against Gata Kamsky. Gata was lucky. Luck you say it doesnt exist in chess. Well imo if your opponent misses a simple win you are lucky. End of story.

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

GM Fabio Caruana has been following the US Championships online and has tweeted several times. When I heard that I thought at first get a life but then it occurred to me that what would a chessplayer do (even number two in the world!) if he loves the game? If he cant be playing then he's watching an exciting event!

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

Maurice talks further on funky opening choices. Apparently in Sharevich - Ni Victoria Ni chose to play the Czech Benoni and at move 11 after answering Bb5+ with Kf8 and reaching a position where no pieces are developed Maurice points out that Anna Sharevich says to herself so you want to play that way and 0-0 and plays f4 opening the F-file directly at the king. At this point White has 5 pieces developed attacking and Black has no pieces developed. White should play Morphy style. Yasser adds (calmly and rationally explaining): I used to play these openings my self (referring to blacks defence) - it looks awful but if black can find something against the e5 push and d6 then black should be ok.

If you want entertainment watch the US Championship! This game featured further eye popping maneuvers throughout. After obtaining a position with 5 developed pieces vs 0 White allowed a strong black knight on e5 and it seemed to be keeping at bay the entire white army. But black was not content to leave it on e5 and further she allowed white to obtain a strong knight outpost on f5. However white in turn was not content to keep her knight there. This game could be labelled in and out of the outpost. At some point both sides seemed to be refusing to win.

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

Speaking of funky it seems to have become the watch word of the US Championships. Even GM Josh Friedel is using it in his annotations of US Championship games on chessbase.

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

In the note to the Wing Gambit by Gareev against Kamsky above. Why not indeed? Seems fairly simple for a 2600 grandmaster to find. However Gareev in applying psychology to his opponents seems to have been messing with his own mind. His funky opening choices should have led to success but its mixed success because he hasnt been able to finish.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: US Chess Championship starts

U.S. Chess Championship 2015
St. Louis, MO
Round Four, April 4, 2015
Gareev, Timur – Kamsky, Gata
B20 Sicilian, Wing Gambit

1. e4 c5 2. b4 cxb4 3. Nf3 d6 4. d4 Nf6 5. Bd3 g6 6. a3 bxa3 7. O-O Bg7 8. h3 O-O 9. Bg5 Nc6 10. Nc3 Nd7 11. Nd5 h6 12. Bh4 Nb6 13. c3 Bd7 14. Rxa3 Re8 15. Re1 Rc8 16. Re3 Nxd5 17. exd5 Na5 18. Nd2 Bf6 19. Bg3 b6 20. Qf3 Rc7 21. Bf4 Bg7 22. c4 e5 23. dxe6 Rxe6 24. d5 Rxe3 25. Qxe3 Qf8 26. Rxa5 bxa5 27. Ne4 a4 28. Bxd6 Qd8 29. c5 a3 30. Bc4 Bf5 31. Ng3 Rd7 32. Nxf5 gxf5 33. Qxa3 Rxd6 34. cxd6 Be5 35. Qxa7 Qxd6 36. Qe3 Kg7 37. Qf3 f4 38. Bd3 Qf6 39. Qe4 Bd6 40. Kf1 Qa1+ 41. Bb1 Qf6 42. Qh7+ Kf8 43. Qd3 Kg7 44. Qe4 Kf8 ½-½

Why not 31. Bxc7 Qxc7 32.d6 Qb7 33.Ng3 Kh7 34. Qxa3 Bd7 35.Bxf7?

Round 4, April 4, 2015
Nakamura, Hikaru – So, Wesley
D58 QGD, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) System

1. c4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 O-O 7. e3 b6 8. Bd3 Bb7 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Bg3 c5 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Nxd5 Bxd5 13. Qe2 cxd4 14. Nxd4 Bf6 15. Rfd1 Bxd4 16. exd4 Nb8 17. Rac1 Nc6 18. Bb5 Rc8 19. Rc3 Ne7 20. Ba6 Rxc3 21. bxc3 Nf5 22. Bf4 Qh4 23. Bc1 Rd8 24. f3 Rd7 25. Bd3 Rc7 26. Bd2 Qd8 27. Rc1 Qf6 28. a4 g5 29. f4 gxf4 30. Qf2 Nh4 31. Bxf4 Nf3+ 32. gxf3 Qxf4 33. Qg3+ Qxg3+ 34. hxg3 Bxf3 35. Kf2 Bc6 36. Ra1 f6 37. a5 b5 38. c4 bxc4 39. Bxc4 Kf7 40. Ke3 Ke7 41. Rb1 Rc8 42. g4 Kd6 43. Ba6 Rg8 44. Rf1 Rxg4 45. Rxf6 Re4+ 46. Kd3 Rh4 47. Bc4 Bd5 48. Bxd5 Kxd5 49. Rf7 Rxd4+ 50. Ke3 Ra4 51. Rxa7 Ra3+ 52. Kf2 Ke4 53. Rh7 Ra2+ 54. Kf1 Kf3 55. Rf7+ Ke3 56. Re7 ½-½

When So played 30…Nh4, Nakamura could have played the strong 31. Qxf4 but instead took with the bishop, Bxf4 and then shook his head until the end of the game, with regret. Still, he was happy enough to give an interview at the end.

The rest of the games in the men’s section were also drawn.

Shankland said in an interview he keeps starting off tournaments with Black. In the first four rounds he has been on the Black side here three times!

Standing After Round Four (Men)

Nakamura 3.0
Robson 3.0
So 2.5
Akobian 2.0
Kamsky 2.0
Onischuk 2.0
Sevian 2.0
Troff 2.0
Gareev 1.5
Shankland 1.5
Holt 1.5
Naroditsky 1.0

The Round 5 Pairings are:

Naroditsky-Nakamura
Kamsky-Robson
So-Gareev
Akobian-Onischuk
Shankland-Sevian
Holt-Troff

Standing After Round Four (Women)

Nemcova 3.5
Goletiani 3.0
Paikidze 2.5
Krush 2.5
Foisor 2.5
Abrahamyan 2.0
Virkud 1.5
Sharevich 1.5
Melekhina 1.5
Yu 1.5
Wang 1.0
Ni 1.0

The names of most of the women players are unfamiliar to me. I had heard that two ladies were from Georgia. Looking at their bios, I found these as their birth countries:

Krush (Ukraine), Abrahamyan (Armenia), Sharevich (Belarus), Foisor (Romania), Nemcova (Czech Republic), Paikidze (Georgia), Melekhina (Ukraine), Goletiani (Georgia), Ni (Latvia), Wang (U.S.A.), Virkud (U.S.A.), Yu (U.S.A.)

Round Five Pairings (Women)

Krush-Goletiani
Nemcova-Abrahamyan
Paikidze-Sharevich
Foisor-Melekhina
Yu-Virkud
Ni-Wang

Round 5 takes place tomorrow, Sunday April 5

Monday is a Rest Day and Round 6 commences on Tuesday, April 7.