US Championships 2018

[Wayne Komer]

Re: US Championships 2018

U.S. Championships 2018

April 25, 2018

Round Seven

Round 7, Apr. 25
Shankland, Samuel - So, Wesley
D71 Neo-Grunfeld

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.g3 Bg7 6.Bg2 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c5 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.O-O O-O 10.Rb1 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nxd4 12.cxd4 Qxd4 13.Be3 Qc4 14.Qd2 Be6 15.Rfc1 Rad8 16.Qxd8 Rxd8 17.Rxc4 Bxc4 18.Bxa7 b5 19.Bc6 Bxa2 20.Rxb5 Bc4 21.Rb7 Bf6 22.Bf3 Rd1+ 23.Kg2 Re1 24.Be3 Bxe2 25.Bxe2 Rxe2 26.Bh6 Rb2 27.Rd7 Rb8 28.h4 Re8 29.Bg5 Bxg5 30.hxg5 Kf8 31.f4 Rc8 32.Ra7 Rc6 33.Ra8+ Kg7 34.Ra7 Re6 35.Kf3 Re1 36.Kf2 Re4 37.Kf3 Re6 38.g4 f6 39.gxf6+ Kxf6 40.g5+ Kf7 41.Ra1 Rd6 42.Rh1 Kg7 43.Re1 Rd3+ 44.Kg4 Rd7 45.Re2 Kf8 46.Rh2 e6 47.Re2 Ke7 48.Rh2 Kd6 49.Rd2+ Ke7 50.Rh2 Kd6 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Apr. 25
Caruana, Fabiano - Akobian, Varuzhan
C11 French, Steinitz variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 b6 9.Bb5 Qc7 10.O-O-O a6 11.Bxc6 Qxc6 12.f5 c4 13.f6 gxf6 14.exf6 Bxf6 15.Rhf1 b5 16.Qf2 b4 17.Ne2 b3 18.Ne5 Bxe5 19.Qxf7+ Kd8 20.dxe5 bxa2 21.Kd2 Rf8 22.Qxh7 Rxf1 23.Rxf1 d4 24.Qg8+ Kc7 25.Nxd4 Qd5 26.Qxe6 Qa5+ 27.c3 Nxe5 28.Rf7+ Nxf7 29.Bf4+ Kb7 30.Qxf7+ 1-0

- CAPATASTIC!
- Nice game fabi!
- Total destruction of black, what a game!

Round 7, Apr. 25
Izoria, Zviad - Nakamura, Hikaru
B06 Robatsch Defence

1.Nf3 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Qe2 O-O 6.O-O Nc6 7.e5 Ng4 8.h3 Nh6 9.Nc3 Kh8 10.Rd1 a6 11.a3 b5 12.Bd5 Bb7 13.Bf4 Qc8 14.Be4 Rb8 15.Re1 dxe5 16.dxe5 Nd8 17.Rad1 Ne6 18.Bc1 Ng8 19.Bxb7 Rxb7 20.Qe4 c5 21.Nd5 c4 22.Ng5 Nxg5 23.Bxg5 Qf5 24.Nc3 Rfb8 25.Bc1 a5 26.g4 Qc8 27.Qf3 e6 28.Bf4 Ne7 29.Ne4 Rc7 30.Bg3 Qf8 31.Nf6 Rbc8 32.Rd6 g5 33.Nd7 Qe8 34.Nf6 Qf8 35.Red1 h6 36.Nd7 Qe8 37.Nf6 Bxf6 38.exf6 Ng6 39.Qe4 c3 40.b3 a4 41.bxa4 bxa4 42.Ra6 e5 43.Qxa4 Qxa4 44.Rxa4 Rc6 45.Ra5 Re8 46.Rdd5 Rxf6 47.Rxe5 Nxe5 48.Bxe5 Rxe5 49.Rxe5 Ra6 50.Rc5 Rxa3 51.Kf1 Kg7 52.Ke2 Kf6 53.Kd3 Ra6 54.Rxc3 Ke6 55.Ke4 Ra4+ 56.Ke3 f6 57.f3 Ra1 58.f4 gxf4+ 59.Kxf4 Ra4+ 60.Kg3 Kf7 61.Rc5 Ra3+ 62.c3 Ra1 63.Kf4 Rh1 64.Kg3 Rg1+ 65.Kf2 Rh1 66.Kg2 Rc1 67.h4 Ke6 68.h5 Kd6 69.Rf5 Ke6 70.Rf3 Ke5 71.Kf2 Rc2+ 72.Kg3 Ke6 73.Kf4 Kf7 74.Ke4 Rd2 75.c4 Ke6 76.Rc3 Rg2 77.Kf3 Rg1 78.c5 Kd7 79.c6+ Kc7 80.Kf4 Rf1+ 81.Ke4 Rf2 82.Rf3 Re2+ 83.Kf5 Re5+ 84.Kxf6 Rg5 85.Kf7 Rxg4 86.Rf6 Rg5 87.Rxh6 Rc5 88.Rh8 Rxc6 89.Kg7 Rc1 90.h6 Rg1+ 91.Kh7 Kd7 92.Rg8 Re1 1-0

Naka loses on time

- Naka flagged in a dead lost position
- Look at naka, still having to face the top 4 and he's already at -1

Final position in Izoria-Nakamura



Endgame database: White wins in 24 moves after 93.Rg6

Round 7, Apr. 25
Xiong, Jeffery - Zherebukh, Yaroslav
E04 Catalan, open

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 dxc4 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.Qa4 Bb4+ 7.Bd2 Nd5 8.Bxb4 Nxb4 9.Nc3 Bd7 10.O-O a5 11.Nb5 Ra6 12.Qd1 Ne7 13.a4 O-O 14.Ne5 Bc6 15.Nxc6 Nexc6 16.Rc1 Qe7 17.Rxc4 Raa8 18.Qc1 Rfd8 19.Rd1 Rd7 20.e3 Rad8 21.h4 h5 22.Rc5 g6 23.Qc4 e5 24.Bxc6 bxc6 25.Nc3 exd4 26.exd4 Ra8 27.Re5 Qd8 28.Ne2 Kg7 29.Nf4 Nd5 30.Nxd5 Rxd5 31.Rc1 Rxd4 32.Qxc6 Qf6 33.Qxf6+ Kxf6 34.Re3 Rxa4 35.Rf3+ Kg7 36.Rxc7 Rf8 37.Rb7 Rd4 38.b3 Re4 39.Kg2 Rd4 40.Re3 Rd5 41.Rf3 Re5 42.Rf4 Rd5 43.Kf1 Re5 44.Kg1 Rd5 45.Kg2 Rc5 46.Kg1 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Apr. 25
Liang, Awonder - Robson, Ray
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.O-O Bd7 6.c3 g6 7.Re1 Bg7 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.Ba4 Nh5 10.Nf1 Kh8 11.Bb3 Qe8 12.Ne3 f5 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Nd5 Rc8 15.d4 e4 16.Ng5 Na5 17.Bc2 c6 18.Nf4 Nf6 19.b3 b6 20.Ba3 Nb7 21.f3 h6 22.Ngh3 c5 23.dxc5 dxc5 24.c4 Bc6 25.Bb2 Qf7 26.fxe4 fxe4 27.Qe2 Nd6 28.Rad1 Rcd8 29.Kh1 Nfe8 30.Bxg7+ Nxg7 31.Qg4 Kh7 32.Nd5 Bxd5 33.Rxd5 Qe6 34.Qh4 Kh8 35.Bxe4 Rde8 36.Re5 Qf6 37.Qxf6 Rxf6 38.Rxe8+ Ngxe8 39.Bc6 Nc7 40.Re7 Rf7 41.Re1 Rf6 42.Bf3 Ne6 43.Nf2 Nd4 44.Ng4 Nxf3 45.Re3 Rf4 46.gxf3 Nf5 47.Re8+ Kg7 48.Kg2 Rd4 49.Kf2 Rd3 50.Re5 Nd4 51.Re7+ Kf8 52.Rxa7 Rxf3+ 53.Kg2 Rf5 54.Nxh6 Rg5+ 55.Kf2 Rg6 56.Rf7+ Ke8 57.Rh7 Rf6+ 58.Kg2 Re6 59.Ng4 Re2+ 60.Kg3 Rxa2 61.Nf6+ Kf8 62.Nd7+ Kg8 63.Nf6+ Kf8 64.Rb7 Nxb3 65.h4 Na5 66.Rxb6 Nxc4 67.Rc6 Ne5 68.Rxc5 Ra3+ 69.Kg2 Ra2+ 70.Kg3 Ra3+ 71.Kg2 Ra2+ 72.Kg3 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Apr. 25
Lenderman, Aleksandr - Onischuk, Alexander
A28 English, Four Knights, Nimzowitsch variation

1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e4 Bb4 5.d3 d6 6.h3 O-O 7.g3 Nd4 8.Bg2 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 c6 10.O-O a6 11.Be3 b5 12.cxb5 axb5 13.a3 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Ra4 15.Rfb1 Re8 16.Rb4 Qa5 17.Rxa4 Qxa4 18.Qd1 Be6 19.c4 Qxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Ra8 21.cxb5 cxb5 22.d4 h6 23.dxe5 dxe5 24.Bc5 Rc8 25.Bb4 Bb3 26.Rd2 Rc1+ 27.Kh2 Kh7 28.f3 Bc4 29.h4 Be6 30.Bh3 Bxh3 31.Kxh3 Rc7 32.Rd8 Rb7 33.g4 Rb6 34.Kg3 Rb7 35.Kf2 Kg6 36.h5+ Kh7 37.Ke2 g6 38.Rd6 Kg7 39.hxg6 fxg6 40.Re6 Kf7 41.Rxe5 h5 42.g5 Ne8 43.f4 1-0

Round 7, Apr. 25
Sharevich, Anna - Wang, Annie
D58 QGD, Tartakower System

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 d5 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 O-O 7.e3 b6 8.g4 Ne4 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Rg1 Bb7 11.g5 hxg5 12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.Nxg5 f6 14.Nh3 e5 15.c5 Bd5 16.dxe5 Qxe5 17.Nf4 Bf7 18.Ng6 Qxb2 19.Ne7+ Kh8 20.Be2 Qc3+ 21.Kf1 Qxc5 22.Ng6+ Bxg6 23.Rxg6 Qf5 24.Rg4 g6 25.Rc1 c5 26.Qd6 Kg7 27.Rd1 Rf7 28.Rf4 Qh3+ 29.Kg1 Na6 30.Bxa6 Rh8 31.Rxe4 Rh5 32.Rd5 f5 33.Qe5+ Kh7 34.Be2 Rg5+ 35.Rg4 Rxg4+ 36.Bxg4 Qxg4+ 37.Kf1 Qh4 38.Qe6 Qe7 39.Qxe7 Rxe7 40.Ke2 Kh6 41.f3 Kg5 42.Rd6 f4 43.e4 Rh7 44.Rd5+ Kf6 45.Rd6+ Ke5 46.Rxg6 Rxh2+ 47.Kd3 Rf2 48.Rg5+ Ke6 49.Rg6+ Kf7 50.Rh6 Rxf3+ 51.Kc4 Ra3 52.Kd5 Rxa2 53.e5 f3 54.Rf6+ Ke7 55.Rxf3 Rd2+ 56.Ke4 b5 57.Rh3 a5 58.Rh7+ Ke6 59.Rh6+ Kf7 60.Rh7+ Kg6 61.Rb7 Rd4+ 62.Ke3 Rb4 63.e6 Kf6 64.e7 Kf7 65.Rc7 Rc4 66.Rb7 b4 67.Kd3 Rd4+ 68.Kc2 a4 69.Ra7 Ke8 70.Rxa4 Kxe7 71.Kb3 Kd6 72.Ra8 Rd3+ 73.Kc2 Rc3+ 74.Kb2 Kd5 75.Rh8 Re3 76.Kc2 Kc4 77.Rh4+ Kb5 78.Rh5 b3+ 79.Kb2 Kb4 80.Rh4+ c4 81.Rg4 Re2+ 82.Kc1 Rh2 83.Rf4 Ka3 0-1

- Anna throwing it away
- Coffeehouse since move 8
- What a collapse
- No endgame expert but this is totally won for black
- 3 connected passers = 1 rook

Position in Wang's game after 58.Rh7+



Round 7, Apr. 25
Paikidze, Nazi - Zatonskih, Anna
D00 Queen's Pawn, Chigorin variation

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4 e6 4.Nb5 Na6 5.e3 Be7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.Ne5 Ne4 8.Bd3 f6 9.Nf3 c6 10.Nc3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 c5 12.h4 Qa5 13.Kd2 cxd4 14.exd4 e5 15.dxe5 Nc5 16.Ke2 Bg4 17.Kf1 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Rac8 20.Rd1 Rxc3 21.Qxd5+ Qxd5 22.Rxd5 fxe5 23.Bxe5 Rcxf3 24.Bd4 b6 25.h5 h6 26.Rg1 Bg5 27.Rdxg5 hxg5 28.Rxg5 R8f7 29.h6 g6 30.Rxg6+ Kh7 31.Re6 Ra3 32.Ke2 Rd7 33.c3 Rxa2+ 34.Kf3 Ra1 35.Kg2 Rf7 36.f4 Ra5 37.Be5 Ra2+ 38.Kg3 Ra1 39.Kg2 Ra2+ 40.Kg3 Ra1 41.Kg2 Rd7 42.Kf3 Rh1 43.Re8 Kxh6 44.Rh8+ Rh7 45.Rg8 Re1 46.Bd4 Rd7 47.Rh8+ Kg6 48.Kg4 Re4 49.Be5 Re7 50.Bd4 Rd7 51.Be5 Re7 52.Bd4 Rd7 53.Be5 Re7 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Apr. 25
Krush, Irina - Foisor, Sabina-Francesca
D10 QGD Slav Defence, Exchange variation

1.c4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bf4 Bd6 7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.e3 Nge7 9.Bd3 f6 10.O-O O-O 11.Rc1 Bd7 12.a3 Be8 13.Qc2 h6 14.b4 Bh5 15.Nd2 e5 16.b5 Na5 17.Qa4 b6 18.Qb4 Rfd8 19.Qxd6 Rxd6 20.Rfe1 Rdd8 21.Na2 Rac8 22.Nb4 Kf7 23.Bb1 Ke6 24.Ba2 Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Kd6 26.f3 exd4 27.exd4 Be8 28.a4 Bf7 29.g4 h5 30.Kf2 Be6 31.h3 g5 32.Nf1 Ng6 33.gxh5 Nf4 34.Ng3 Rh8 35.Bb1 Nxh5 36.Nf5+ Bxf5 37.Bxf5 Ng7 38.Rc8 Rxc8 39.Bxc8 Kc7 40.Ba6 Kd6 41.f4 Nf5 42.fxg5 fxg5 43.Kf3 Nb3 44.Kg4 Nbxd4 45.Kxg5 Ke5 46.Nc6+ Ke4 47.Nxd4 Nxd4 48.h4 Nf3+ 49.Kg4 Ne5+ 50.Kg3 d4 51.Bb7+ Ke3 52.Bd5 d3 53.h5 Kd4 54.Bb3 Kc3 55.Bd1 Kd2 56.Bb3 Kc3 57.Bd1 Kd2 58.Bb3 Kc3 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Apr. 25
Yu, Jennifer - Feng, Maggie
A00 Sokolsky (Polish/Orangutan) Opening

1.b4 Nf6 2.Bb2 e6 3.a3 d5 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.e3 Nbd7 6.c4 c6 7.Be2 e5 8.d4 e4 9.Nfd2 Nf8 10.Nc3 Ng6 11.Rc1 O-O 12.O-O Be6 13.b5 Ne8 14.g3 Qg5 15.Qb3 h5 16.Ncxe4 dxe4 17.Nxe4 Qh6 18.f4 Ne7 19.Ng5 cxb5 20.Qxb5 a6 21.Qa4 Bc7 22.e4 Bg4 23.Bxg4 hxg4 24.Qd7 Qb6 25.Rf2 Nc6 26.c5 Qb3 27.d5 Ne5 28.fxe5 Qe3 29.Qxg4 Bd8 30.h4 Bxg5 31.hxg5 g6 32.Qf4 Qxf4 33.gxf4 Ng7 34.f5 Rac8 35.f6 Nh5 36.Kg2 Rfe8 37.e6 Kf8 38.e7+ Rxe7 39.fxe7+ Kxe7 40.c6 bxc6 41.Rxc6 Rxc6 42.dxc6 Kd6 43.Rc2 Nf4+ 44.Kf3 Ne6 45.c7 Nxc7 46.Be5+ Kxe5 47.Rxc7 Ke6 48.Rc6+ Ke7 49.Rxa6 Kd7 50.Rb6 Kc7 51.Rb1 Kd7 52.a4 Kc7 53.a5 Kd7 54.a6 Kc7 55.a7 Kd7 56.a8=Q Ke7 57.Rb7+ Kd6 58.Qd8+ Kc5 59.Qd5# 1-0

Round 7, Apr. 25
Derakhshani, Dorsa - Abrahamyan, Tatev
C18 French, Winawer, Advance

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.Qg4 cxd4 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 Qc7 10.Ne2 Nbc6 11.h4 Qxe5 12.Bf4 Qf5 13.Qxf5 Nxf5 14.cxd4 Nfxd4 15.Nxd4 Nxd4 16.O-O-O Nc6 17.Bg5 Kf8 18.Bf6 Rg6 19.Bc3 f6 20.h5 Rh6 21.Bd2 Rh8 22.Bc3 Kf7 23.f4 Bd7 24.g4 e5 25.g5 fxg5 26.fxg5 Bg4 27.g6+ Kf6 28.g7 Rxh5 29.Rxh5 Bxh5 30.Rxd5 Kxg7 31.Bxe5+ Nxe5 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Apr. 25
Gorti, Akshita - Goletiani, Rusudan
A04 Reti

1.Nf3 e6 2.c4 f5 3.g3 b6 4.Bg2 Bb7 5.O-O Nf6 6.d3 g6 7.Nc3 Bg7 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.a3 O-O 10.b4 Qe7 11.Rb1 a5 12.Qb3 Kh8 13.Bd2 d6 14.Rfc1 Ng4 15.Nb5 axb4 16.axb4 e5 17.h3 Nf6 18.Ne1 e4 19.c5 Ba6 20.cxd6 cxd6 21.Rxc6 Bxb5 22.Rcc1 d5 23.Bc3 f4 24.Bd4 fxg3 25.fxg3 Qd6 26.g4 Rae8 27.Qc3 Re7 28.Nc2 exd3 29.exd3 Qg3 30.Rf1 Rc7 31.Qb2 Rc6 32.Rf3 Qc7 33.Na3 Bxd3 34.Rxd3 Ne8 35.Re1 Bxd4+ 36.Qxd4+ Ng7 37.Nb5 Qc8 38.Na7 Rc1 39.Nxc8 Rxe1+ 40.Kh2 Rxc8 41.Rf3 1-0

Standings After Round Seven

1-2 Shankland, Caruana 5
3 So 4.5
4-7 Akobian, Lenderman, Izoria, Zerebukh 3.5
8-10 Nakamura, Xiong, Liang 3
11 Robson 2.5
12 Onischuk 2

1 Wang 6
2 Paikidze 5
3 Krush 4.5
4-5 Zatonskih, Abrahamyan 4
6-7 Yu, Feng 3.5
8-10 Sharevich, Foisor, Gorti 3
11 Derakhshani 1.5
12 Goletiani 1

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Championships 2018

Fab Fabi's lovely attack and finish earns him a nice win and a tie for first with Sam Shankland. Wesley So a half point back.

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Championships 2018

After a string of 6 draws Nakamura finally - - - loses! and is effectively (note not mathematically) out of the race for first.

[Wayne Komer]

Re: US Championships 2018

U.S. Championships 2018

April 26, 2018

Round Eight

The longest victory in U.S. Championship history.

Round 8, Apr. 26
Robson, Ray - Akobian, Varuzhan
C11 French, Steinitz, Boleslavsky variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 Qb6 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 c4 10.b4 Qc7 11.Be2 Be7 12.O-O O-O 13.Qd2 f5 14.exf6 Nxf6 15.Qc2 b6 16.Ne5 Bb7 17.Nb2 b5 18.a4 a6 19.Bf3 Bd6 20.Rae1 Ne7 21.a5 Nf5 22.Nd1 Ne4 23.Bc1 Qe7 24.g3 Rad8 25.Bg4 Ba8 26.Nf2 Nxc3 27.Bxf5 exf5 28.Qxc3 Bxb4 29.Qb2 Bxe1 30.Rxe1 b4 31.Ned3 Qc7 32.Nxb4 Qxa5 33.Bd2 Qb5 34.Qa1 a5 35.Nc2 a4 36.Nd1 Qb3 37.Nce3 Rb8 38.Nc3 Qb2 39.Qxb2 Rxb2 40.Bc1 Rb3 41.Nxa4 Bc6 42.Nc5 Rb1 43.Kf2 g6 44.Nc2 Ra8 45.Ba3 Rxe1 46.Kxe1 Kf7 47.Kd2 h6 48.h4 Kf6 49.Bb2 Rb8 50.Bc3 Rb1 51.Nb4 Ba8 52.Nca6 Rg1 53.Nc7 Bb7 54.Nbxd5+ Bxd5 55.Nxd5+ Kf7 56.Ne3 Rxg3 57.d5 g5 58.hxg5 hxg5 59.fxg5 Rxg5 60.Be5 Ke7 61.Bf4 Rh5 62.Nxc4 Rh3 63.Ke2 Rc3 64.Ne3 Kf6 65.Bd6 Rb3 66.Kf3 Rd3 67.Bc7 Rd4 68.Bd8+ Ke5 69.Bc7+ Kf6 70.Bb6 Ra4 71.Bd8+ Ke5 72.Bc7+ Kf6 73.Bf4 Rd4 74.Bg3 Ra4 75.Bh2 Rd4 76.Bc7 Ra4 77.Bd6 Rd4 78.Bc7 Ra4 79.Ng2 Rc4 80.Bb8 Rb4 81.Bc7 Rc4 82.Bg3 Rd4 83.Ne3 Ra4 84.Bd6 Rd4 85.Ba3 Ra4 86.Bb2+ Kg6 87.Be5 Ra3 88.Ke2 Kf7 89.Nc4 Ra4 90.Kd3 Ra2 91.Kd4 Rf2 92.Bg3 Rg2 93.Bf4 Re2 94.Kc5 Kf6 95.Be5+ Ke7 96.Bg3 Rc2 97.Kd4 Re2 98.Ne3 Rd2+ 99.Ke5 Re2 100.Bf4 Kd7 101.Kxf5 Rd2 102.Ke5 Re2 103.Kd4 Rf2 104.Be5 Rd2+ 105.Kc5 Re2 106.Nc4 Rc2 107.Bf4 Rc3 108.Kd4 Rb3 109.Kc5 Rc3 110.Kb4 Rh3 111.Nb6+ Ke7 112.Bc7 Rh1 113.d6+ Ke6 114.d7 Rb1+ 115.Kc3 Rd1 116.d8=Q Rxd8 117.Bxd8 Kd6 118.Kd4 Kc6 119.Nc4 Kd7 120.Bg5 Kc6 121.Bf4 Kb7 122.Kd5 Ka7 123.Kc6 Ka8 124.Be3 Kb8 125.Nd6 Ka8 126.Nb5 Kb8 127.Nc7 Kc8 128.Ba7 Kd8 129.Nd5 Ke8 130.Kd6 Kf7 131.Ne7 Kf6 132.Be3 Kf7 133.Bg5 Ke8 134.Nc6 Kf7 135.Ne5+ Ke8 136.Ke6 Kf8 137.Kd7 Kg7 138.Ke7 Kg8 139.Bh6 Kh7 140.Bf8 Kg8 141.Ng4 Kh7 142.Kf7 Kh8 143.Bg7+ Kh7 144.Nf6# 1-0

Mate on the board



Round 8, Apr. 26
So, Wesley - Caruana, Fabiano
C42 Petrov's Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Bd3 d5 6.O-O Be7 7.Re1 Nd6 8.c3 O-O 9.Bc2 c6 10.d4 Bf5 11.Bf4 Bxc2 12.Qxc2 Na6 13.Nbd2 Nc7 14.Re2 Re8 15.Rae1 Bf8 16.Ne5 Qf6 17.Bg3 Qf5 18.Qxf5 Nxf5 19.Nd3 Nxg3 20.hxg3 f6 21.g4 Kf7 22.Nf3 Rxe2 23.Rxe2 Ne6 24.g3 a5 25.Kg2 a4 26.Re1 Re8 27.Rh1 h6 28.Re1 Nc7 29.Rxe8 Kxe8 30.Ng1 b6 31.b3 axb3 32.axb3 g5 33.Ne2 Kd7 34.Kf1 Ke6 35.f3 Nb5 36.Nb2 Bd6 37.Kf2 Bc7 38.Nd1 Nd6 39.Ne3 f5 40.gxf5+ Nxf5 41.Nxf5 Kxf5 42.g4+ Ke6 43.Ke3 b5 44.Kf2 Bd6 45.b4 Bf4 46.Nxf4+ gxf4 1/2-1/2

- Can't believe these two are still playing
- Both want to see if Shankland wins

Round 8, Apr. 26
Nakamura, Hikaru - Shankland, Sam
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Modern variation

1.b3 e5 2.Bb2 Nc6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Bb5 e4 5.f3 a6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Qe2 Bf5 8.fxe4 Bxe4 9.d3 Bg6 10.Nc3 Bc5 11.O-O-O Qe7 12.e4 Ba3 13.g4 a5 14.g5 Nh5 15.Qe3 O-O 16.Nge2 b5 17.Bxa3 Qxa3+ 18.Kb1 a4 19.Nc1 Rfb8 20.Rhe1 c5 21.Ka1 axb3 22.cxb3 c4 23.Nb1 Qa6 24.Rd2 f5 25.exf5 Bxf5 26.b4 Qg6 27.Rf1 c6 28.Nc3 Re8 29.Qf3 Bxd3 30.Nxd3 Rf8 31.Qd1 cxd3 32.Rxf8+ Rxf8 33.Rxd3 Qxg5 34.Rd6 Qf4 35.Rxc6 Qxb4 36.Qd5+ Kh8 37.Qxb5 Qf4 38.Qc5 1/2-1/2

- I think with best play, this should be won for black. A pawn up plus weak white king
- It seems to me 23..Qe7 would have had several unpleasant threats against White.

Round 8, Apr. 26
Liang, Awonder - Lenderman, Aleksandr
C42 Petrov, Classical Attack, Marshall variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.O-O O-O 8.c4 c6 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 dxc4 11.Bxc4 Bf5 12.Re1 Nd7 13.Bg5 Qa5 14.Nh4 Nb6 15.Bb3 Bd7 16.Bd2 Rae8 17.Rxe8 Rxe8 18.Rb1 Qa6 19.Qh5 Nc4 20.Nf3 h6 21.h3 Be6 22.Re1 Qb5 23.Qh4 Nxd2 24.Nxd2 Qd3 25.Ne4 Bc7 26.f3 b6 27.Qf2 Kf8 28.Rd1 Qb5 29.Qb2 Bxb3 30.axb3 Kg8 31.c4 Qb4 32.d5 cxd5 33.cxd5 Be5 34.Qc2 f5 35.Qc6 Kf8 36.d6 fxe4 37.d7 Rd8 38.Qe6 Qc5+ 39.Kh1 e3 40.f4 Bf6 0-1

Round 8, Apr. 26
Zherebukh, Yaroslav- Izoria, Zviad
E10 Dzindzikhashvili Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.g3 b5 5.b3 Bb7 6.Bg2 c5 7.O-O cxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6 9.Qf4 Ne7 10.Nc3 Ng6 11.Qd4 bxc4 12.bxc4 Rc8 13.Rb1 Bc5 14.Qd1 Bc6 15.Na4 Ba7 16.Nd2 Bxg2 17.Kxg2 O-O 18.Bb2 e5 19.e4 d6 20.Nc3 Nd7 21.Nd5 Ne7 22.Ba3 Bc5 23.Qa4 Bxa3 24.Qxa3 Nc5 25.Rfe1 f5 26.Nxe7+ Qxe7 27.exf5 Rxf5 28.Qe3 Rcf8 29.Rf1 Qc7 30.f3 Qc6 31.Ne4 Nxe4 32.Qxe4 Qxe4 33.fxe4 Rxf1 34.Rxf1 Rc8 35.Rc1 Kf7 1/2-1/2

I don't think I have ever seen a game score with 5 "Z"s in it!

Round 8, Apr. 26
Onischuk, Alexander - Xiong, Jeffery
D85 Grunfeld, Exchange variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Qa4+ Qd7 8.Bb5 c6 9.Be2 O-O 10.Qa3 b6 11.Nf3 c5 12.O-O Bb7 13.d5 e6 14.Be3 exd5 15.Rad1 Nc6 16.exd5 Ne7 17.c4 Nf5 18.Bf4 Rfe8 19.Bd3 Nd4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Rb1 Qg4 22.Qc1 Bc8 23.Qd2 Bd7 24.Rbe1 Bc3 25.Qxc3 Qxf4 26.Qa3 Qg5 27.Be4 Qf4 28.Bd3 Qg5 29.Be4 Qf4 30.Bd3 Qg5 1/2-1/2

Round 8, Apr. 26
Wang, Annie - Krush, Irina
E38 Nimzo-Indian, Classical

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 Qc7 6.e3 Bxc5 7.Nf3 a6 8.Bd3 b6 9.b3 Bb7 10.Bb2 Be7 11.O-O d6 12.Rfd1 Nbd7 13.Rac1 Nc5 14.Be2 O-O 15.Nd4 Rfd8 16.Ba1 Rac8 17.Bf3 Bxf3 18.Nxf3 Qb7 19.Qe2 Nfe4 20.Nxe4 Nxe4 21.Nd2 Nf6 22.e4 Rd7 23.Rc3 b5 24.Rg3 e5 25.Re3 Bd8 26.Re1 Bb6 27.Rd3 Bc5 28.Bc3 h6 29.Qf3 Rdd8 30.h3 Nh7 31.Qg4 Ng5 32.Rg3 Qe7 33.Rf1 Ne6 34.Kh1 g6 35.Qf3 Nf4 36.Rg4 Nh5 37.Qd3 Kh7 38.cxb5 axb5 39.Ba5 Rf8 40.Qxb5 Qa7 41.Kg1 Bd4 42.Nc4 Rxc4 43.bxc4 Rb8 44.Qd5 Rb2 45.Bd8 Qd7 46.Qa8 Ba7 47.Bh4 Rxa2 48.Qf8 Bc5 49.Rb1 Ba7 50.Kh2 Ra4 51.Be7 Qe6 52.Rb7 Bxf2 53.Rb8 1-0

Round 8, Apr. 26
Foisor, Sabina - Paikidze, Nazi
D39 QGD, Ragozin, Vienna variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 dxc4 6.e4 c5 7.e5 cxd4 8.exf6 gxf6 9.Bh4 Nc6 10.a3 Ba5 11.Nxd4 Nxd4 12.Bxc4 Nf5 13.Bb5+ Ke7 14.Qa4 Nxh4 15.Qxh4 Qd5 16.b4 Qe5+ 17.Kd2 Rd8+ 18.Kc2 Bb6 19.Qxh7 Bd4 20.Rad1 Qc7 21.Rd3 e5 22.f4 Be6 23.fxe5 Bxe5 24.Re1 Rac8 25.Ree3 a6 26.Ba4 Qc4 27.Rxd8 Qa2+ 28.Kd1 Rxd8+ 29.Rd3 Bg4+ 0-1

Round 8, Apr. 26
Feng, Maggie - Zatonskih, Anna
A07 Reti, King's Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 Nf6 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O c5 5.c4 d4 6.e3 Nc6 7.exd4 cxd4 8.d3 Bd6 9.Na3 O-O 10.Nc2 e5 11.b4 Re8 12.Rb1 a6 13.Ng5 Bf5 14.f4 Qd7 15.Ne4 Bxe4 16.dxe4 exf4 17.gxf4 Nxe4 18.Bb2 d3 19.Ne1 Nxb4 20.a3 Bc5+ 21.Kh1 Nf2+ 22.Rxf2 Bxf2 23.Nf3 Nc6 24.Ne5 Nxe5 25.fxe5 Rad8 26.Bd5 Qf5 27.Qf1 d2 28.Kg2 Re6 29.Bxe6 fxe6 30.Rd1 Qg4+ 31.Kxf2 Rf8+ 32.Ke3 Rxf1 33.Rxf1 d1=Q 34.Rxd1 Qxd1 35.Bd4 Kf7 36.c5 Kg6 37.Ke4 Kg5 38.Be3+ Kg4 39.h3+ Kxh3 40.Kf4 Qg4# 0-1

Round 8, Apr. 26
Abrahamyan, Tatev - Sharevich, Anna
B15 Caro-Kann, Tartakower variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bd6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Qc2 Re8+ 9.Ne2 h6 10.O-O Qc7 11.h3 Nd7 12.Be3 Nf8 13.c4 Ne6 14.Rac1 Bd7 15.Qd2 c5 16.d5 Ng5 17.Qc2 f5 18.Bxf5 Bxf5 19.Qxf5 Re4 20.Bxg5 Re5 21.Qd3 hxg5 22.Rfe1 Rae8 23.Qd2 Qe7 24.Kf1 g4 25.Ng1 gxh3 26.Nxh3 Qf6 27.b3 R8e7 28.Rcd1 g5 29.Rxe5 Rxe5 30.Re1 Rxe1+ 31.Kxe1 Qa1+ 32.Qd1 Qe5+ 33.Kf1 Qf5 34.g4 Qe5 35.Qe2 Qh2 36.Qe8+ Kg7 37.Nxg5 Qf4 38.Ne4 Be5 39.Ng3 Qc1+ 40.Kg2 Bxg3 41.Kxg3 Qg1+ 42.Kf3 Qd1+ 43.Qe2 Qh1+ 44.Ke3 Qh6+ 45.Kd3 Qf6 46.Qe3 Qa1 47.Qe2 b5 48.Ke3 bxc4 49.bxc4 Qc1+ 50.Ke4 Qb1+ 51.Kf3 Qh1+ 52.Kf4 Qh2+ 53.Kf5 Qh7+ 54.Kf4 Qh2+ 55.Ke4 Qh1+ 56.f3 Qa1 57.Qd2 f6 58.f4 Qh1+ 59.Kd3 Qb1+ 60.Ke2 Qg1 61.g5 Qg2+ 62.Kd3 Qf1+ 63.Kc3 Qb1 64.d6 Qb4+ 65.Kd3 Qb1+ 66.Ke2 Qh1 67.d7 Qg2+ 68.Kd3 Qf3+ 69.Kc2 Qe4+ 70.Qd3 Qg2+ 71.Kc3 1-0

Round 8, Apr. 26
Yu, Jennifer - Gorti, Akshita
A14 English, Neo-Catalan

1.c4 e6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.b3 c5 7.Bb2 b6 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.d4 Bb7 10.Nbd2 Nf6 11.Nc4 Nbd7 12.e3 Rc8 13.Qe2 Qc7 14.Rac1 Qb8 15.Nfe5 Bxg2 16.Kxg2 b5 17.Nxd7 Nxd7 18.Ne5 Qb7+ 19.Qf3 Qxf3+ 20.Kxf3 Nb6 21.dxc5 Rxc5 22.Bd4 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Rc8 24.Nc6 Kf8 25.Bxb6 axb6 26.Rc2 Ke8 27.Ke2 Bf6 28.Kd3 Kd7 29.Na7 Rxc2 30.Kxc2 b4 31.Kd3 h5 32.h3 g5 33.g4 hxg4 34.hxg4 Be7 35.Kc4 f5 36.gxf5 exf5 37.Kd5 g4 38.Nc6 Bh4 39.Ne5+ Kc7 40.Nd3 g3 41.fxg3 Bxg3 42.Ke6 Bd6 43.Kxf5 Kc6 44.Ke6 Bf8 45.e4 Kb5 46.Kd7 1-0

Round 8, Apr. 26
Goletiani, Rusudan - Derakhshani, Dorsa
A16 English

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Qa4+ c6 6.Qd4 Nf6 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.e4 Bg7 9.d4 b5 10.a3 Be6 11.Ng5 Bb3 12.d5 Rf8 13.dxc6 a6 14.Be3 Nxc6 15.Rc1 Kd7 16.Be2 Rfc8 17.O-O Ke8 18.f4 h6 19.Nh3 Na5 20.Bd4 Nc4 21.e5 Nd7 22.Bf3 Rab8 23.Ne4 a5 24.Nhf2 Rc7 25.Rfe1 Kf8 26.Nd2 Nc5 27.Re2 Rd8 28.Bc3 Ra7 29.Nfe4 Nxd2 30.Rxd2 Ne6 31.Rxd8+ Nxd8 32.Bd4 Rd7 33.Bb6 Bc4 34.b3 Be6 35.Rc8 Ke8 36.Rb8 1-0

Ranking after Round Eight

1-2 Shankland, Caruana 5.5
3 So 5
4 Lenderman 4.5
5-6 Izoria, Zherebukh 4
7-10 Robson, Xiong, Nakamura, Akobian 3.5
11 Liang 3
12 Onischuk 2.5

1 Wang 7
2 Paikidze 6
3-4 Zatonskih, Abrahamyan 5
5-6 Krush, Yu 4.5
7 Feng 3.5
8-10 Sharevich, Foisor, Gorti 3
11 Goletiani 2
12 Derakhshani

[Wayne Komer]

Re: US Championships 2018

U.S. Championships 2018

April 27, 2018

Round Nine

Two guys from the former Yugoslavia come in, who are the editors of American Chess Magazine - Josip Asik and Dusan Krunic.

Their first thoughts were for the layout and the paper and when they were settled, the writers and annotators. Next issue will be about the present U.S. Championships and Caruana's success in Berlin. In the Spring issue they said that they covered the rise of Annie Wang in the article The Crown Jewel: WIM Annie Wang by Yuanling Yuan.

Yasser said that he was an editor of a chess magazine for 12 years and he wants to know how they got Vassily Ivanchuk to write for them?

Asik and Krunic didn't give up the secret but said there is an Ivanchuk-annotated game in each issue. Well, not in the last because it came in late.

See:

http://forum.chesstalk.com/showthrea...194#post122194
_______

A phone caller asks who was the oldest player to play in the U.S. Championship? Yasser opines Samuel Reshevsky, Robert Byrne, Boris Gulko and possibly Pal Benko.

Later on, Mike Klein comes through with the answer - Anatoly Lein, who played in the U.S. Championship of 2005, when he was 74. That tourney was co-won by Nakamura and Stripunsky, each with 7/9.

The games:

Round 9, Apr. 27
Caruana, Fabiano - Nakamura, Hikaru
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 O-O 6.O-O Re8 7.Nbd2 a6 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.Nc4 Bd6 10.Bg5 b5 11.Ne3 Qe7 12.Nh4 Qe6 13.Nhf5 Bf8 14.f4 Nd7 15.Ng3 f6 16.f5 Qf7 17.Bh4 Bb7 18.Qe2 Rad8 19.Nh1 Nc5 20.Rfd1 Rd6 21.Nf2 Red8 22.Rd2 a5 23.g4 g5 24.Bg3 Ba6 25.Rad1 b4 26.c4 b3 27.a3 R6d7 28.Qe1 Nb7 29.Nh1 Nc5 30.Qe2 Rd4 31.Be1 R8d6 32.Nf2 Qd7 33.Kg2 Qd8 34.h3 Rd7 35.Nf1 Na4 36.Nh2 Bc5 37.Nf3 R4d6 38.Rc1 Bxf2 39.Qxf2 c5 40.Qe2 Rxd3 41.Rxd3 Rxd3 42.Bxa5 Bb7 43.Kf2 Qd7 44.Re1 Rd6 45.Rc1 Qc6 46.Re1 Rd8 47.h4 h6 48.hxg5 hxg5 49.Kg3 Rd7 50.Qh2 Rh7 51.Qd2 Rd7 52.Qh2 Rh7 53.Qd2 1/2-1/2

Position after White's 46.Re1. Nakamura saw 46..Qxe4 but didn't play the winning line.



Round 9, Apr. 27
Shankland, Sam - Zherebukh, Yaroslav
A15 English Opening

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 Nbd7 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 O-O 8.Rc1 c6 9.a3 a6 10.c5 e5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 Nd7 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Qd4 Nxe5 15.Be2 Qg5 16.g3 Qe7 17.O-O Bh3 18.Rfe1 f5 19.f3 Rae8 20.Nd1 Qf7 21.Nf2 Qh5 22.Qh4 Qxf3 23.Qxh3 Qxe3 24.Bh5 Nf3+ 25.Bxf3 Qxf3 26.Qg2 Qb3 27.Nh3 Re4 28.Qd2 b6 29.Nf2 Rxe1+ 30.Qxe1 bxc5 31.Rxc5 Qxb2 32.Qc3 Qb8 33.Nd3 Qb1+ 34.Kg2 f4 35.Nxf4 Qe4+ 36.Kg1 g5 37.Ng2 Qf5 38.Qe1 Qf6 39.Rc1 d4 40.Qe2 c5 41.Ne1 Rc8 42.Nd3 c4 43.Qe4 Qd6 44.Ne5 c3 45.Nd3 Kg7 46.Kg2 Rc7 47.Re1 c2 48.h4 Qc6 49.Qxc6 Rxc6 50.Kf3 gxh4 51.gxh4 Rc3 52.Ke4 Rxa3 53.Rc1 Rc3 54.Kxd4 Rc8 55.Nc5 Kg6 56.Rxc2 Kh5 57.Rh2 Rg8 58.Ne4 Rg1 59.Nf6+ Kg6 60.Ke5 Re1+ 61.Ne4 Kh5 62.Kf4 Rf1+ 63.Kg3 Re1 64.Nf6+ Kg6 65.Nd5 Rd1 66.Nf4+ Kf5 67.Ra2 Rg1+ 68.Ng2 Rb1 69.Rxa6 Rb3+ 70.Kh2 Kg4 71.Rxh6 1-0

Round 9, Apr. 27
Lenderman, Aleksandr - Robson, Ray
D90 Grunfeld, Three Knights variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bg5 c5 7.Rc1 Nxc3 8.bxc3 Qa5 9.Qd2 Bg4 10.e4 Nd7 11.d5 h6 12.Be3 b5 13.Be2 e6 14.c4 b4 15.O-O Bc3 16.Qc2 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 e5 18.Bg4 Nf6 19.Bh3 Qb6 20.a3 a5 21.Rb1 Qd6 22.f3 Kf8 23.Qa4 Kg7 24.axb4 axb4 25.Qc6 Qxc6 26.dxc6 Ra7 27.Bxc5 Rc7 28.Bxb4 Bd4+ 29.Kh1 Rxc6 30.Rbc1 Rb8 31.Bd2 Rb7 32.Rc2 Ne8 33.Rfc1 Nd6 34.c5 Nb5 35.Bb4 Be3 36.Rd1 Nd4 37.Rc4 Nc2 38.Bc3 Bd4 39.Bd2 Rxc5 40.Rxc5 Bxc5 41.g3 Bd4 42.Rc1 Rb2 43.Bf1 g5 44.Bd3 Ne3 45.Bxe3 Bxe3 46.Rb1 Rf2 47.Rf1 Rd2 48.Bc4 h5 49.Re1 Bd4 50.Rf1 Kg6 51.Ba6 h4 52.Bc8 Bf2 53.Bf5+ Kf6 54.Rc1 Be3 55.Ra1 Ke7 56.Ra6 Bd4 57.Rc6 Kf8 58.gxh4 gxh4 59.h3 Be3 60.Bg4 Kg7 61.Ra6 f6 62.Ra8 Kf7 63.Rc8 Rb2 64.Ra8 Kg6 65.Rg8+ Kh7 66.Rc8 Kh6 67.Rg8 Rf2 68.Bf5 Rxf3 69.Rh8+ Kg5 70.Rg8+ Kh6 71.Rh8+ Kg5 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Apr. 27
Izoria, Zviad - Onischuk, Alexander
D58 QGD, Tartakower System

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Be7 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 O-O 7.e3 b6 8.Be2 Bb7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.b4 c5 12.bxc5 bxc5 13.Rb1 Bc6 14.O-O Nd7 15.Bb5 Qc7 16.Qd2 Rab8 17.Bxc6 Qxc6 18.dxc5 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 Qxc5 20.Qxc5 Nxc5 21.Nd4 Rfc8 22.g3 Ne4 23.Rb3 Nd2 24.Rxb8 Rxb8 25.Rc1 Rb2 26.a4 Ra2 27.Rc8+ Kh7 28.Rc7 Rxa4 29.Rxf7 Ne4 30.f3 Ra1+ 31.Kg2 Ra2+ 32.Kg1 Ng5 33.Rd7 a5 34.Rxd5 a4 35.Ra5 Nf7 36.Nf5 a3 37.f4 Nd8 38.Nd4 Nb7 39.Ra7 Nd6 40.f5 Kg8 41.g4 Nc4 42.Nb5 Rb2 43.Nxa3 Nxe3 44.h3 h5 45.gxh5 Rg2+ 46.Kh1 Rg3 47.Kh2 Rg2+ 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Apr. 27
Xiong, Jeffery - Liang, Awonder
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 c5 6.Be3 Qb6 7.Nc3 Nc6 8.Na4 Qa5+ 9.c3 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Ne7 12.Qb3 Qc7 13.Nc5 Nc6 14.Qxb7 Qxb7 15.Nxb7 Nxd4 16.cxd4 Bb4+ 17.Kd1 Rb8 18.Ba6 Bd3 19.Bxd3 Rxb7 20.Rc1 Kd7 21.Ke2 Ba5 22.Rc2 Rhb8 23.b3 Rb4 24.Rhc1 Rxd4 25.g3 Rdb4 26.Rc6 R4b7 27.Rd6+ Ke7 28.Rdc6 Kd7 29.Rd6+ Ke7 30.Rdc6 Kd7 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Apr. 27
Paikidze, Nazi - Wang, Annie
D35 QGD, Exchange variation

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.e3 O-O 7.Bd3 c6 8.Qc2 Nbd7 9.Nf3 Re8 10.h3 Nf8 11.O-O-O Qa5 12.Kb1 Bb4 13.Rc1 Ne4 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Nb3 Qd8 17.Rhd1 Bxc3 18.Qxc3 Qb6 19.Na5 Nd7 20.b3 Qa6 21.Qb4 Nb6 22.Bg3 Rad8 23.Rc5 Rd7 24.Qd2 Bd5 25.Qe1 Nc8 26.Rc2 Nb6 27.Rc5 Nc8 28.Rc2 Nb6 29.Rc5 Nc8 30.Rc2 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Apr. 27
Zatonskih, Anna - Foisor, Sabina
D11 QGD Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nf3 a6 5.Bd2 g6 6.Bd3 Bg7 7.O-O O-O 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 e5 11.dxe5 Nfd7 12.cxd5 Nxe5 13.Qe2 cxd5 14.Rfd1 Nbc6 15.Be1 Nxd3 16.Qxd3 d4 17.exd4 Qxd4 18.Qxd4 Nxd4 19.Rac1 Rfe8 20.Kf1 Rad8 21.Na4 Ne6 22.Bc3 b5 23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.Nc3 Nf4 25.h4 h5 26.g3 Ne6 27.Ne4 Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Rd8 29.Rxd8 Nxd8 30.Ke2 Nc6 31.Ke3 Kf8 32.f3 Ke7 33.f4 f5 34.Nc5 a5 35.a4 1/2-1/2

Round 9, Apr. 27
Krush, Irina - Abrahamyan, Tatev
E51 Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 O-O 5.Nf3 d5 6.Bd2 b6 7.Rc1 Ba6 8.Qa4 Be7 9.cxd5 Bxf1 10.Kxf1 exd5 11.g3 c5 12.Kg2 Nbd7 13.Rhd1 a6 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Qd4 Qd6 16.Ne2 Rfe8 17.Bc3 Rad8 18.Nf4 Bf8 19.Qb4 Nce4 20.Qxd6 Rxd6 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.Rc7 h6 23.Rdc1 g5 24.Ne2 Ne4 25.g4 h5 26.h3 hxg4 27.hxg4 Nf6 28.Nxg5 Nxg4 29.R1c6 Rxc6 30.Rxc6 Re5 31.Nf3 Re6 32.Rxe6 fxe6 33.Nf4 Bg7 34.b3 Kf7 35.Ng5+ Ke7 36.Ngxe6 Be5 37.Kf3 Nf6 38.Ng5 Bb2 39.Ke2 Kd6 40.Nd3 Bc3 41.f4 b5 42.Kf3 a5 43.f5 Bd2 44.Ne6 Ne4 45.Nd4 b4 46.Kf4 Nc3 47.f6 Nd1 48.Nf5+ Ke6 49.Kg5 Nxe3 50.Nf4+ 1-0

Round 9, Apr. 27
Derakhshani, Dorsa - Yu, Jennifer
B06 Robatsch Defence

1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Bc4 Nbd7 6.Nf3 O-O 7.O-O Nb6 8.Bb3 a5 9.a4 Nbxd5 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.Re1 e6 12.Ne5 c6 13.c3 Qc7 14.Qf3 b6 15.h4 Bb7 16.h5 c5 17.h6 Bh8 18.Ng4 c4 19.Bc2 f5 20.Ne5 Nb4 21.Qe2 Bxe5 22.dxe5 Nxc2 23.Qxc2 f4 24.Qd1 Rf5 25.Qg4 Raf8 26.Bd2 Qe7 27.g3 Rh5 28.f3 Rg5 0-1

Round 9, Apr. 27
Gorti, Akshita - Feng, Maggie
A06 Reti Opening

1.Nf3 d5 2.e3 e6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 f5 5.b3 Nf6 6.Bb2 Bd6 7.Be2 O-O 8.O-O Qe7 9.d3 e5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.h3 Nd7 12.Rc1 N7f6 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Nd2 Ba3 15.Qc2 Bxb2 16.Qxb2 Bd7 17.Rfe1 Rf6 18.Bf1 Rg6 19.Kh1 Re8 20.e4 fxe4 21.Nxe4 Nf4 22.Ng3 Rd6 23.Qa3 a6 24.Qb4 Bc8 25.Ne4 Rd4 26.Qxe7 Rxe7 27.Nc5 Bf5 28.Rc4 Rxc4 29.dxc4 Kf7 30.Kh2 e4 31.g4 Bg6 32.Kg3 Nd3 33.Bxd3 exd3 34.Rxe7+ Kxe7 35.Kf3 b5 36.Ke3 bxc4 37.bxc4 Kd6 38.Nxd3 c5 39.f4 Bf7 40.Ne5 Be8 41.Ke4 Ba4 42.f5 Bc2+ 43.Kf4 Bb1 44.a3 g5+ 45.fxg6 hxg6 46.h4 Ke6 47.Nf3 Bd3 48.Nd2 Be2 49.g5 Kd6 50.Ke3 Bg4 51.Ne4+ Kc6 52.Ng3 Kd6 53.Ne4+ Kc6 54.Nf6 Be6 55.Kd3 Kd6 56.Ne4+ Kc6 57.Kc3 Bf5 58.Nf2 Kd6 59.Nd3 Be4 60.Kd2 Bf5 61.Nf4 Ke5 62.Ke3 Bc2 63.h5 gxh5 64.Nxh5 Kf5 65.Ng3+ Kxg5 66.Ne4+ Kf5 67.Nxc5 a5 68.Kd4 Kf6 69.Kd5 Ke7 70.Kc6 Bd1 71.Nb7 a4 72.c5 Bf3+ 73.Kb6 Kd7 74.Na5 Bd5 75.c6+ Kd6 76.Nb7+ Ke5 77.Nc5 Bf3 78.Nxa4 Kd6 79.c7 Bg4 80.Nc5 Bc8 81.a4 Kd5 82.a5 Kd6 83.a6 Bxa6 84.Nxa6 Kd7 85.Kb7 Kd6 86.c8=Q Ke7 87.Kc7 Kf7 88.Kd6 Kf6 89.Qf8+ Kg5 90.Ke5 Kg6 91.Qg8+ Kh5 92.Kf5 1-0

Round 9, Apr. 27
Sharevich, Anna - Goletiani, Rusudan
A40 Queen's Pawn game

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5 3.Bf4 Nf6 4.e3 g6 5.Be2 Bg7 6.h3 d6 7.c4 Qe7 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.Bh2 O-O 10.O-O Kh8 11.Rb1 e5 12.c5 Ne4 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.d5 Nxc3 15.bxc3 Na5 16.Nd2 b6 17.Nb3 Nb7 18.a4 Qc7 19.c4 Bd7 20.Ra1 Nc5 21.Nxc5 Qxc5 22.Qb3 Rac8 23.Ra2 Qa5 24.f3 Qc5 25.Kh1 Qc7 26.Qa3 Qc5 27.Qb3 Qc7 28.Bg1 g5 29.e4 fxe4 30.fxe4 Rf4 31.a5 bxa5 32.Qe3 a4 33.Rc1 h6 34.Bd1 Qa5 35.Qxa7 Qxa7 36.Bxa7 Ra8 37.Bg1 Rxe4 38.c5 dxc5 39.Rxc5 Re1 40.Bh5 e4 41.Rc7 Bb5 42.Rxg7 Kxg7 43.Kh2 e3 44.Ra3 e2 45.Bd4+ Kg8 46.Re3 Rd1 47.Bc3 Rd3 48.Rxd3 Bxd3 49.Bg4 a3 50.Be6+ Kh7 51.d6 a2 0-1

Standings after Round Nine

1 Shankland 6.5
2 Caruana 6
3 So 5.5
4 Lenderman 5
5 Izoria 4.5
6-10 Zherebukh, Robson, Nakamura, Xiong, Akobian 4
11 Liang 3.5
12 Onischuk 3

1 Wang 7.5
2 Paikidze 6.5
3-5 Krush, Zatonskih, Yu 5.5
6 Abrahamyan 5
7 Gorti 4
8-9 Feng, Foisor 3.5
10-11 Goletiani, Sharevich 3
12 Derakhshani 1.5

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Championships 2018

Sam Shankland played a long endgame and was the only winner of round 9. He was rewarded with clear first a half point ahead of Fab Fabi.

[Hans Jung]

Re: US Championships 2018

Fab Fabi was lucky not to lose to Nakamura and is one half point back of Shankland. Wesley So is one point back with two rounds to go. These are the only two that have a chance to catch Sam Shankland for first.