2020 US Championship

[Hans Jung]

The US championship has started. 3 way tie for first after first round. Wesley So, Jeffrey Xiong, Ray Robson. Best game:https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2020...wiercz_Dariusz They played fighting chess, went at it - no quarter. Awonder Liang must be regretting his loss in the endgame to Wesley So. He had a marvelous position for most of the game. Why would Sam Shankland play a Sicilian against Ray Robson? Its what Ray knows best. Well Sam did and he lost - got crushed.

[Hans Jung]

After three rounds Wesley So is perfect with 3 and Ray Robson with a very hot start has 2.5

Nakamura has not been accurate and has drawn all his games.

[Hans Jung]

Jeffrey Xiong also has 2.5 after three rounds.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 4 https://www.chessbomb.com/arena/2020..._Sam-So_Wesley Nice attacking game by Wesley So, many in-between moves. So leads with a perfect 4 out of 4. Still close behind are Xiong and Robson both with 3.5. Nakamura scored his first win and has 2.5.

[Wayne Komer]

2020 US Championship

October 27, 2020

Round One

Round 1, Oct. 26
Dominguez, Leinier – Nakamura, Hikaru
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Rd1+ Ke8 10.Nc3 Ne7 11.a4 Bg4 12.a5 Ng6 13.Ra4 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Be7 15.f4 f5 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Ne4 Rd8 18.Rxd8+ Kxd8 19.Be3 b6 20.axb6 axb6 21.f5 Ne7 22.Ra8+ Nc8 23.Kg2 Bxb2 24.c3 Re8 25.Kf3 Kd7 26.f6 Nd6 27.Rxe8 Kxe8 28.fxg7 Kf7 29.Bd4 Nxe4 30.Kxe4 c5 31.Be5 b5 32.Kd3 b4 33.f4 Bxc3 34.Bxc3 bxc3 35.Kxc3 Kxg7 36.Kc4 Kf6 37.Kxc5 Kf5 38.Kc6 Kxf4 39.Kxc7 h5 40.Kd6 Kf3 41.h4 Kg4 42.Ke5 Kxh4 43.Kf4 Kh3 44.Kf3 h4 45.Kf2 Kh2 46.Kf1 h3 47.Kf2 Kh1 48.Kf1 h2 49.Kf2 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Oct. 26
Sevian, Samuel – Swiercz, Dariusz
B33 Sicilian, Pelikan variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Nd5 Nxd5 8.exd5 Nb8 9.a4 Be7 10.Be2 O-O 11.O-O Nd7 12.Bd2 a6 13.Na3 a5 14.Nb5 f5 15.f4 Nf6 16.Kh1 Ne4 17.Be3 exf4 18.Bxf4 Bd7 19.Bd3 Bxb5 20.axb5 Bg5 21.Qc1 Bxf4 22.Qxf4 Qe7 23.Rae1 Rae8 24.Re2 Qe5 25.Qxe5 Rxe5 26.Kg1 g6 27.Bxe4 fxe4 28.Rxf8+ Kxf8 29.c4 e3 30.b3 Re4 31.Kf1 a4 32.bxa4 Rxc4 33.Ra2 Rc5 34.Ke2 Ke7 35.Kxe3 Rxd5 36.Rc2 Kd7 37.Ke4 Rh5 38.g3 Re5+ 39.Kd4 h5 40.Rf2 Ke7 41.Rf3 b6 42.Rb3 Kd7 43.Rc3 Re1 44.Rc6 Rd1+ 45.Ke4 Re1+ 46.Kf4 Ra1 47.Rc4 d5 48.Rc6 Rxa4+ 49.Ke5 h4 50.Rxg6 hxg3 51.hxg3 Rb4 52.Rxb6 Rg4 53.Rb7+ Kc8 54.Rh7 Rxg3 55.Kxd5 Rg5+ 56.Kc6 Rg6+ 57.Kc5 Kb8 58.Rd7 Rh6 59.Rd6 Rxd6 60.Kxd6 Kb7 61.Kc5 Kc7 62.b6+ Kb7 63.Kb5 Kb8 64.Ka6 Ka8 65.b7+ Kb8 66.Kb6 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Oct. 26
Moradiabadi, Elshan – Shankland, Sam
A48 King’s Indian, Torre Attack

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 O-O 5.e4 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.c3 h6 8.Bh4 c5 9.dxc5 Nf4 10.Bg3 Qc7 11.Bxf4 Qxf4 12.Bc4 Nd7 13.Qe2 e6 14.Nb3 Qc7 15.O-O Nxc5 16.Nxc5 Qxc5 17.Rad1 a6 18.Rfe1 b5 19.Bd3 Ra7 20.Be4 Rc7 21.Nd4 Qb6 22.Nc2 Kh7 23.g3 Rd7 24.Rxd7 Bxd7 25.Rd1 Bc8 26.Qe3 Qc7 27.Qd3 f5 28.Bg2 Bf6 29.Qd6 Rf7 30.Nb4 Rd7 31.Qxc7 Rxc7 32.Rd6 Be7 33.Rc6 Rxc6 34.Nxc6 Bc5 35.b4 Bb6 36.Ne7 Bd7 37.Bb7 a5 38.Bc8 axb4 39.cxb4 Bd8 40.Bxd7 Bxe7 41.Bxe6 Bxb4 42.Bd7 Kg7 43.Bxb5 Ba3 44.Kf1 Kf6 45.Ke2 g5 46.f4 gxf4 47.gxf4 Bd6 48.Kf3 Ba3 49.Bd7 Kg6 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Oct. 26
Xiong, Jeffery – Liang, Awonder
A48 King’s Indian, East Indian Defence

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 g6 3.Nbd2 d5 4.b4 Bg7 5.e3 O-O 6.Be2 c6 7.O-O a5 8.b5 c5 9.c3 Nbd7 10.a4 b6 11.Ba3 Bb7 12.c4 Rc8 13.Rc1 Re8 14.cxd5 Nxd5 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Bxc5 bxc5 17.Qb3 Nb6 18.Rfd1 Qc7 19.Nc4 Bd5 20.Nfd2 Red8 21.Qc2 e6 22.Nxa5 Ra8 23.Ndc4 Bxc4 24.Nxc4 Nxa4 25.Bf3 Rxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Ra7 27.Rd6 Nc3 28.b6 Ra1+ 29.Rd1 Nxd1 30.bxc7 Nxe3+ 31.Bd1 Nxc2 32.c8=Q+ Bf8 33.Qd8 Kg7 34.h4 Nd4 35.Ne3 Nf5 36.h5 Nxe3 37.fxe3 Ra6 38.Bb3 Rd6 39.Qg5 Rd7 40.Qe5+ Kg8 41.Bc4 Rd1+ 42.Kf2 Rc1 43.Qf4 Kg7 44.g4 Be7 45.Qe5+ Kg8 46.Qb8+ Kg7 47.Qb2+ 1-0

Round 1, Oct. 26
Robson, Ray – Ramirez, Alejandro
B46 Sicilian, Taimanov variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Qd2 e5 8.Nf5 d5 9.exd5 Bxf5 10.dxc6 Qc7 11.Bd3 Rd8 12.Qe2 Bxd3 13.cxd3 Qxc6 14.O-O Be7 15.Bg5 O-O 16.Qxe5 Rfe8 17.Qf5 g6 18.Qh3 Nd5 19.Bxe7 Rxe7 20.Qh4 Qf6 21.Qxf6 Nxf6 22.Rfd1 Red7 23.Kf1 Rxd3 24.Rxd3 Rxd3 25.Ke2 Rd7 26.Rd1 Rxd1 27.Nxd1 Kf8 28.Kd3 Ke7 29.Kd4 Kd6 30.Nc3 b6 31.h3 h6 32.Ne4+ Nxe4 33.Kxe4 Ke6 34.Kd4 Kd6 35.h4 Ke6 36.b4 Kd6 37.f3 Ke6 38.Ke4 Kd6 39.g4 f6 40.Kd4 Ke6 41.Ke4 Kd6 42.h5 gxh5 43.gxh5 Ke6 44.Kf4 f5 45.Ke3 Ke5 46.f4+ Kd5 47.Kd3 b5 48.a3 Kc6 49.Ke3 Kc7 50.Kd3 Kc6 51.Ke3 Kd5 52.Kd3 Kc6 1/2-1/2

Round 1, Oct. 26
So, Wesley – Lenderman, Aleksandr
C41 Philidor, Improved Hanham variation

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 e5 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.Bc4 Be7 6.O-O O-O 7.a4 c6 8.Re1 a5 9.h3 Nb6 10.Bf1 exd4 11.Qxd4 d5 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 dxe4 14.Nxe4 Qxd4 15.Nxd4 Nbd5 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxf6 Nxf6 18.Bc4 Rd8 19.c3 Kf8 20.Re5 Bd7 21.Rae1 Re8 22.f4 b6 23.Kf2 Rad8 24.Nf3 c5 25.Bb3 Bc6 26.Rxe8+ Bxe8 27.Re2 b5 28.axb5 Bxb5 29.Re5 Bc6 30.Bc4 a4 31.Re2 Ne4+ 32.Ke3 Nd6 33.Bd3 Re8+ 34.Kf2 Rxe2+ 35.Kxe2 f6 36.g3 Ke7 37.Nh4 g5 38.Nf5+ Nxf5 39.Bxf5 gxf4 40.gxf4 Kd6 41.Ke3 Be8 42.Be4 Bd7 43.h4 Be8 44.Bb1 Bc6 45.Kd3 Bb5+ 46.Ke4 Bd7 47.Ba2 Bc8 48.Bf7 Bd7 49.Bc4 Kc6 50.Be2 Kd6 51.Bd1 f5+ 52.Kd3 Bb5+ 53.Kc2 Bc4 54.Kd2 Bb5 55.Kc1 Kd5 56.Bc2 Bd7 57.Kb1 Kc4 58.Ka2 Kb5 59.Ka3 Ka5 60.Bd1 Bb5 61.Bf3 Bd7 62.Bh5 Bc6 63.Be2 Bb5 64.Bf3 Bd7 65.Bd5 Kb5 66.Bf7 Ka5 67.Bc4 Bc8 68.Be2 Bd7 69.Bd3 Be6 70.Be2 Bd7 71.Bf3 Bb5 72.Bd5 Bd7 73.Ba2 Bc8 74.Bb1 Be6 75.Bc2 Bd7 76.h5 Be8 77.Bxf5 Bxh5 78.Bh7 Kb6 79.f5 Kc7 80.Kxa4 Kd6 81.Bg6 Bf3 82.f6 h5 83.Kb5 h4 84.Bf5 Bg2 85.f7 Ke7 86.Kxc5 h3 87.Bxh3 Bxh3 88.c4 Kxf7 89.Kd6 Ke8 90.Kc7 Bg2 91.b4 Bf1 92.c5 Bb5 93.c6 Ba4 94.Kb7 Ke7 95.c7 Bd7 96.c8=Q Bxc8+ 97.Kxc8 Kd6 98.Kb7 Kd7 99.b5 1-0

Round Two

Round 2, Oct. 26
Nakamura, Hikaru – Lenderman, Aleksandr
B10 Caro-Kann, Two Knight’s variation

1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Qe2 Nxe4 6.Qxe4 Be6 7.b3 Nd7 8.Bb2 Nf6 9.Qe3 Bf5 10.Nd4 Bg6 11.f4 Qa5 12.Bc4 e6 13.f5 Bxf5 14.O-O O-O-O 15.Nxf5 exf5 16.Bxf7 Rxd2 17.Kh1 Ng4 18.Qe6+ Kb8 19.h3 Rd6 20.Qxf5 Qxf5 21.Rxf5 Nh6 22.Rf2 Nxf7 23.Rxf7 Rd2 24.Bxg7 Bxg7 25.Rxg7 Rxc2 26.Rf1 Rxa2 27.Rff7 b5 28.Rb7+ Ka8 29.Rbc7 h5 30.Rxc6 h4 31.b4 Ra4 32.Rcc7 Rxb4 33.Rxa7+ Kb8 34.Ra5 Rh5 35.Ra6 Rc4 36.Rb6+ Kc8 37.Kh2 Rcc5 38.Rg4 Rhg5 39.Rxh4 Rc2 40.Rg4 Rxg4 41.hxg4 Rc5 42.Kh3 Kc7 43.Rf6 b4 44.Rf4 Rb5 45.g5 b3 46.g6 b2 47.g7 Rg5 48.Rb4 Rxg7 49.Rxb2 Kd6 50.Re2 Rh7+ 51.Kg4 Rg7+ 52.Kf5 Rg3 53.Kf4 Rg8 54.g4 Rf8+ 55.Kg3 Rg8 56.Re1 Kd5 57.Re7 Kd6 58.Re2 Kd5 59.Re3 Kd6 60.Re2 Kd5 61.Re7 Kd6 62.Re4 Kd5 63.Kf3 Rf8+ 64.Rf4 Rg8 65.Rf5+ Ke6 66.Kf4 Ra8 67.Kg3 Rg8 68.Kh4 Rh8+ 69.Rh5 Rg8 70.Ra5 Kf6 71.Rf5+ Ke6 72.Rf4 Ke5 73.Kg3 Ke6 74.Rf5 Ra8 75.Kf4 Rb8 76.Kg5 Rg8+ 77.Kh4 Rh8+ 78.Rh5 Rg8 79.Rh7 Kf6 80.Rh6+ Kg7 81.Ra6 Rc8 82.Kh5 Rc5+ 83.g5 Rc7 84.Rb6 Ra7 85.Rg6+ Kh7 86.Rb6 Kg7 87.Rb5 Kh7 88.Rd5 Kg7 89.Rd4 Kh7 90.Re4 Kg7 91.Re3 Kh7 92.Rf3 Kg7 93.Rf2 Kh7 94.Rg2 Kg7 95.Rg1 Kh7 96.Rh1 Kg7 97.Rh4 Rb7 98.Rf4 Ra7 99.Rb4 Kh7 100.Rb3 Kg7 101.Rb2 Kh7 102.Rb1 Kg7 103.Rc1 Kh7 104.Rd1 Kg7 105.Rd2 Kh7 106.Re2 Kg7 107.Re3 Kh7 108.Rd3 Kg7 109.Rd4 Kh7 110.Rc4 Kg7 111.Rc5 Kh7 112.Rb5 Kg7 113.Rb6 Kh7 114.Rb8 Kg7 115.Rc8 Kh7 116.Rd8 Kg7 117.Re8 Kh7 118.Rf8 Kg7 119.Rf4 Kh7 120.Rf3 Kg7 121.Rg3 Kh7 122.Rg4 Kg7 123.Rh4 Rb7 124.Rh3 Ra7 125.Rf3 Kh7 126.Re3 Kg7 127.Rd3 Kh7 128.Rc3 Kg7 129.Rb3 Kh7 130.Rb4 Kg7 131.Rb5 Kh7 132.g6+ Kg7 133.Kg5 Rc7 134.Ra5 Rb7 135.Rd5 Ra7 136.Re5 Rb7 137.Kf5 Ra7 138.Rb5 Rc7 139.Ra5 Rb7 140.Re5 Ra7 141.Kg5 Rb7 142.Rf5 Ra7 143.Rf7+ Rxf7 144.gxf7 Kxf7 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 111.Rc5



Round 2, Oct. 26
Ramirez, Alejandro – So, Wesley
B92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be2 e5 7.Nb3 Be7 8.O-O O-O 9.Qd3 Be6 10.Bd2 Nc6 11.Nd5 a5 12.a4 Bxd5 13.exd5 Nb4 14.Bxb4 axb4 15.Qb5 Rc8 16.Rac1 Qd7 17.Rfd1 Qxb5 18.Bxb5 Rc7 19.c4 bxc3 20.bxc3 Ne4 21.c4 f5 22.f3 Nc5 23.Nxc5 Rxc5 24.Kf2 g6 25.Ke2 h5 26.Kd3 Bd8 27.Rb1 Ba5 28.Bd7 Rc7 29.Be6+ Kg7 30.c5 Rxc5 31.Rxb7+ Kf6 32.Rb5 Rc3+ 33.Kd2 Rc5+ 34.Kd3 Rxb5 35.axb5 Bb6 36.Ra1 g5 37.h3 Rb8 38.Bd7 g4 39.hxg4 hxg4 40.fxg4 e4+ 41.Ke2 f4 42.g5+ Ke5 43.g6 Rg8 44.Ra6 Bc5 45.b6 Rxg6 46.Bh3 Rg3 47.b7 Rb3 48.Bc8 Rb2+ 49.Kd1 e3 50.Kc1 Bd4 51.Bg4 Rxb7 52.Bf3 Bc3 53.Ra4 Bb4 54.Kd1 Kd4 55.Ke2 Kc3 56.Ra1 Bc5 57.Rc1+ Kd4 58.Rc2 Rb1 59.Ra2 Bb4 60.Bh5 Re1+ 61.Kf3 Rf1+ 62.Kg4 Rf2 0-1

Round 2, Oct. 26
Liang, Awonder – Robson, Ray
B10 Caro-Kann, Two Knights variation

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Qe2 Nxe4 6.Qxe4 Nd7 7.Bc4 Nf6 8.Ne5 e6 9.Qe2 b5 10.Bd3 Qc7 11.a4 Bd6 12.Nxc6 b4 13.Nd4 a6 14.Nf5 Bb7 15.Nxg7+ Kf8 16.Nh5 Nxh5 17.Qxh5 Rg8 18.Bxh7 Rxg2 19.d4 Bf4 20.Qh4 Bxc1 21.Rxc1 f5 22.Kd2 Rg4 23.Qf6+ Qf7 24.Qh8+ Ke7 25.Qe5 Rxd4+ 26.Qxd4 Rd8 27.Qxd8+ Kxd8 28.Rhd1 Qxh7 29.c3 Qxh2 30.Ke2+ Ke7 31.cxb4 Qe5+ 32.Kf1 Bf3 0-1

Round 2, Oct. 26
Shankland, Sam – Xiong, Jeffery
D23 QGA (Neo-Mannheim)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Qa4+ c6 5.Qxc4 Bg4 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.e4 Bxf3 8.gxf3 e6 9.Be3 Be7 10.Be2 O-O 11.Qb3 c5 12.d5 exd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Qc7 15.O-O-O Rad8 16.Qf5 Bf6 17.f4 g6 18.Qh3 Bd4 19.Kb1 Qc6 20.Qf3 Nf6 21.Bxd4 Rxd4 22.Rxd4 cxd4 23.Bd3 Rc8 24.Rd1 Nh5 25.Qg4 Nf6 26.Qe2 Nh5 27.Qg4 Nf6 28.Qe2 Nh5 29.Qg4 1/2-1/2

Round 2, Oct. 26
Swiercz, Dariusz – Moradiabadi, Elshan
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 Be7 8.a3 a6 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Be2 O-O 11.O-O b5 12.Qe1 b4 13.axb4 Nxb4 14.Nd4 Bd7 15.Nd1 a5 16.Nf2 f5 17.Kh1 Ne4 18.c3 Nc6 19.Nxe4 dxe4 20.Nb5 Qb8 21.c4 Nb4 22.Rd1 Rd8 23.Qf2 Bxb5 24.cxb5 Nd5 25.Bc4 Qb7 26.b3 a4 27.bxa4 Rxa4 28.Bxd5 exd5 29.b6 Rc4 30.Bd4 Qc6 31.Qe3 Rb8 32.Rc1 Bd8 33.Rxc4 dxc4 34.Rb1 c3 35.Qxc3 Qxc3 36.Bxc3 Rxb6 37.Rxb6 Bxb6 38.g3 Kf7 39.Kg2 Ke6 40.Kf1 Kd5 41.Ke2 g6 42.h3 Bd8 43.Bd2 h6 44.h4 h5 1/2-1/2

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

2020 US Championship

October 27, 2020

Round Two (continued)

Round 2, Oct. 26
Dominguez, Leinier – Sevian, Samuel
A20 English Opening

1.c4 e5 2.g3 c6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Nd4 d5 5.cxd5 Qxd5 6.Nc2 Nf6 7.Nc3 Qe5 8.Bg2 Na6 9.a3 Nc5 10.b4 Nb3 11.Rb1 Nxc1 12.Qxc1 Be7 13.Ne3 Be6 14.Qc2 Bd5 15.Ncxd5 cxd5 16.Qa4+ Kf8 17.O-O g6 18.d3 a6 19.dxe4 dxe4 20.Nc4 Qe6 21.Qb3 Re8 22.Nd2 Bd8 23.Qxe6 Rxe6 24.e3 Kg7 25.Rfc1 Rhe8 26.Rc8 Rd6 27.Nb3 Re7 28.a4 Nd5 29.Rd1 Bc7 30.Nc5 Nb6 31.Rxd6 Bxd6 32.Rd8 Bxc5 33.bxc5 Nxa4 34.Rc8 a5 35.c6 bxc6 36.Rxc6 Nb2 37.Ra6 a4 38.Bf1 Rb7 39.Be2 Rb3 40.Kf1 a3 41.Ke1 Nd3+ 42.Bxd3 Rxd3 43.g4 Rb3 44.g5 Rb1+ 45.Ke2 Ra1 46.Ra7 Kf8 47.Ra4 a2 48.h4 Kg7 49.Ra7 h5 50.Ra6 Rh1 51.Rxa2 Rxh4 52.Ra5 Rg4 53.Re5 h4 54.Ra5 h3 55.Ra1 Rxg5 56.Rh1 Rh5 57.Kf1 Kf6 58.Kg1 Kf5 59.Kh2 Kg4 60.Rc1 Kf3 61.Rc2 f5 62.Ra2 g5 63.Rb2 g4 64.Ra2 Rh8 65.Kg1 Rd8 66.Ra1 Rd2 67.Ra5 Rd1+ 68.Kh2 Kxf2 69.Rxf5+ Kxe3 70.Rf8 Rd2+ 0-1

Round Three

Round 3, Oct. 26
Sevian, Samuel – Nakamura, Hikaru
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Ke8 10.h3 h5 11.Bf4 Be7 12.Rad1 Be6 13.Ne4 Rd8 14.b3 Rxd1 15.Rxd1 Bd5 16.Re1 h4 17.Nf6+ gxf6 18.exf6 Bxf3 19.gxf3 Rg8+ 20.Kf1 Rg6 21.fxe7 Nd4 22.Re4 Nxf3 23.Be3 Rf6 24.Ke2 Ng1+ 25.Kf1 Nf3 26.c3 a6 27.Ke2 Ng1+ 28.Kf1 Nf3 29.Ke2 Ng1+ 30.Kf1 Nf3 1/2-1/2

Round 3, Oct. 26
Moradiabadi, Elshan – Dominguez, Leinier
D02 Queen’s Bishop game

1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bf4 e6 4.Nbd2 Bd6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 c5 7.e3 Nc6 8.c3 O-O 9.Bb5 Qb6 10.a4 cxd4 11.exd4 Nh5 12.O-O a6 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Ne5 Nf4 15.Bg3 Bxe5 16.dxe5 Ng6 17.b4 a5 18.bxa5 Qxa5 19.Qc2 c5 20.Nb3 Qc7 21.f4 Bd7 22.f5 exf5 23.e6 f4 24.exf7+ Kxf7 25.Bf2 Rxa4 26.Nxc5 Rxa1 27.Rxa1 Ne7 28.Qe2 Bf5 29.Bd4 Nc6 30.Qf3 Qd6 31.Nb7 Qe6 32.Qxf4 Kg8 33.Nc5 Qg6 34.Rf1 Rf7 35.Qg3 1/2-1/2

Round 3, Oct. 26
Xiong, Jeffery – Swiercz, Dariusz
B33 Sicilian, Sveshnikov variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.Ndb5 d6 7.Bg5 a6 8.Na3 b5 9.Bxf6 gxf6 10.Nd5 f5 11.c3 Bg7 12.Bd3 Be6 13.Qh5 O-O 14.exf5 Bxd5 15.f6 e4 16.fxg7 Re8 17.Be2 Ne5 18.O-O Qf6 19.Nc2 Nf3+ 20.Bxf3 Re5 21.Qh3 exf3 22.Ne3 fxg2 23.Rfd1 Be6 24.Qg3 h5 25.Rd4 Kh7 26.Rad1 Rg8 27.f4 Rc5 28.f5 Bxf5 29.Nd5 Qh6 30.Qf2 Rxd5 31.Rxd5 Be6 32.Rxd6 Rxg7 33.Rxa6 Rg6 34.Qd2 Qg7 35.Rd6 Rg5 36.Qd3+ Bf5 37.Qd4 Qg8 38.Qf4 Be6 39.Qe4+ Rg6 40.R1d2 Kh6 41.Rxg2 Rxg2+ 42.Qxg2 Qc8 43.Qd2+ Kh7 44.Qd3+ Kh6 45.Qe3+ Kh7 46.Qg5 Qc4 47.Qxh5+ Kg7 48.Qg5+ Kh7 49.Rd4 1-0

Round 3, Oct. 26
Robson, Ray – Shankland, Sam
B67 Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Defence

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bg5 e6 7.Qd2 a6 8.O-O-O Bd7 9.f3 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 Be7 11.h4 Qc7 12.Kb1 b5 13.g4 O-O 14.Qd2 b4 15.Ne2 Rfc8 16.Ng3 a5 17.Nh5 a4 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Nxf6+ gxf6 20.Bd3 a3 21.e5 Kf8 22.exf6 Ke8 23.b3 Qb6 24.Bxh7 d5 25.h5 Bc6 26.Bg8 Kd7 27.Bxf7 Rf8 28.Bg6 Rxf6 29.f4 Raf8 30.f5 e5 31.g5 Rxf5 32.Bxf5+ Rxf5 33.h6 d4 34.h7 Bxh1 35.h8=Q Be4 36.Qe2 Qc6 37.Qc4 Qxc4 38.bxc4 Rf2 39.Qxe5 Bxc2+ 40.Kc1 1-0

Round 3, Oct. 26
So, Wesley – Liang, Awonder
B12 Caro-Kann, Tartakower (fantasy) variation

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3 g6 4.e5 c5 5.dxc5 e6 6.Be3 Nd7 7.Bb5 Qc7 8.f4 Bxc5 9.Bxc5 Qxc5 10.Nc3 a6 11.Bxd7+ Bxd7 12.Nf3 Qe3+ 13.Qe2 Qxf4 14.g3 Qh6 15.h4 Ne7 16.Qf2 O-O 17.Ne2 f6 18.Nf4 g5 19.exf6 Rxf6 20.Ne5 gxf4 21.Nxd7 Rf7 22.g4 Qg7 23.O-O-O Nc6 24.Nc5 Re8 25.Rhe1 Ne5 26.Qd4 Nxg4 27.Rxe6 Rxe6 28.Nxe6 Qe5 29.Qxd5 Qxd5 30.Rxd5 Rf6 31.Ng5 h6 32.Nf3 Ne3 33.Rd7 Rf7 34.Rd4 Kg7 35.Kd2 Rf8 36.h5 Rf5 37.c4 b5 38.b3 bxc4 39.bxc4 Nf1+ 40.Kd3 Ng3 41.Rd7+ Rf7 42.Rd6 Re7 43.Rg6+ Kf7 44.Kd4 Nxh5 45.Rxa6 Nf6 46.Ne5+ Kg7 47.c5 h5 48.c6 h4 49.Rb6 Kh6 50.Nd7 h3 51.Nxf6 h2 52.Ng4+ 1-0

Round 3, Oct. 26
Lenderman, Aleksandr – Ramirez, Alejandro
D15 QGD Slav Accepted

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 a6 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Bf4 Nc6 7.Rc1 Bg4 8.Ne5 Nxe5 9.Bxe5 e6 10.Qb3 Bd6 11.Bxd6 Qxd6 12.e3 O-O 13.Bd3 Rfc8 14.O-O b5 15.a4 b4 16.Ne2 a5 17.f3 Bh5 18.Bb5 Bg6 19.Nf4 Rc7 20.Nxg6 hxg6 21.Rc2 Rac8 22.Rfc1 e5 23.dxe5 Qxe5 24.Rxc7 Rxc7 25.Rxc7 Qxc7 26.Qd1 Qc5 27.Qd2 g5 28.h3 Nh5 29.Qd4 Qxd4 30.exd4 Kf8 31.Kf2 Nf4 32.g3 Ne6 33.Ke3 Ke7 34.Bd3 g6 35.Bc2 f5 36.f4 gxf4+ 37.gxf4 Ng7 38.Bd1 Ke6 39.b3 Kd6 40.h4 Nh5 41.Bxh5 gxh5 42.Kd3 1/2-1/2

Round Four

Round 4, Oct. 27
Nakamura, Hikaru – Ramirez, Alejandro
B46 Sicilian, Taimanov variation

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Qf3 d5 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.Be2 d4 10.e5 dxc3 11.exf6 gxf6 12.O-O Bd6 13.Qxc3 Bb7 14.Bf3 Qc7 15.g3 Be5 16.Qc5 Bd6 17.Qc4 c5 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.Be3 Qb5 20.Qe4 Rc8 21.Rad1 Qc6 22.Qh4 Ke7 23.Rd2 Be5 24.c3 Rcd8 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 26.Qxh7 c4 27.Qh5 Rd3 28.Re1 Qb5 29.Qe2 Qd5 30.h4 f5 31.h5 f4 32.gxf4 Bf6 33.Qg4 Qb5 34.f5 e5 35.h6 Rd8 36.Bg5 Qd5 37.Bxf6+ Kxf6 38.Qg7+ Kxf5 39.h7 1-0

Round 4, Oct. 27
Liang, Awonder – Lenderman, Aleksandr
A39 Reti/English, symmetrical, main line Knight Exchange

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.O-O O-O 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Qa5 9.Nc2 d6 10.Bd2 Qh5 11.e4 Qxd1 12.Rfxd1 Nd7 13.Ne3 Nc5 14.Rab1 Be6 15.Ncd5 a5 16.b3 Rfd8 17.a3 Kf8 18.Nc7 Rac8 19.Ned5 a4 20.b4 Nd7 21.Nxe6+ fxe6 22.Nf4 Kf7 23.Bh3 Nf8 24.c5 Ne5 25.Bc3 Nf3+ 26.Kg2 Ng5 27.Bxg7 Kxg7 28.Bg4 h5 29.h4 Nxe4 30.Bxe6 Rb8 31.Re1 Nf6 32.Rbc1 Kh6 33.cxd6 exd6 34.Rc7 Re8 35.Re3 b5 36.Rf7 N6h7 37.f3 Nxe6 38.Rxe6 Rxe6 39.Nxe6 Re8 40.Nd4 Re5 41.g4 Rd5 42.g5+ Nxg5 43.hxg5+ Rxg5+ 44.Kf2 Rd5 45.Ke3 Re5+ 46.Kf2 Rd5 47.Ne6 Rd3 48.Rf8 Kh7 49.Ng5+ Kg7 50.Rf7+ Kg8 51.Rb7 Rxa3 52.Rxb5 Rb3 53.Rb7 a3 54.Kg3 a2 55.Ra7 Rxb4 56.Rxa2 Rb5 57.f4 Rb3+ 58.Kh4 Rb4 59.Ra8+ Kg7 60.Ra7+ Kh8 61.Nf7+ Kg7 62.Kg5 Kf8 63.Nxd6 Rd4 64.Rf7+ Kg8 65.Rd7 h4 66.Rd8+ Kh7 67.Rd7+ Kg8 68.Kxg6 Rxf4 69.Nf7 Rg4+ 70.Ng5 Kf8 71.Rh7 Ke8 72.Kf5 Rg1 73.Ne4 Re1 74.Ke5 h3 75.Rxh3 Ke7 76.Rh7+ Ke8 77.Kd5 Kd8 78.Nc5 Rd1+ 79.Ke6 Re1+ 80.Kd6 Rd1+ 81.Kc6 Ke8 82.Ne4 Kd8 83.Rg7 Ke8 84.Nd6+ Kf8 85.Rb7 Rd2 86.Kd7 Re2 87.Rb3 Kg7 88.Rg3+ Kf6 89.Rf3+ Ke5 90.Rf8 Rd2 91.Re8+ Kd4 92.Rh8 Re2 93.Rh4+ Kd3 94.Kc6 Rg2 95.Rh3+ Kd4 96.Nf5+ Ke4 97.Nd6+ Kd4 98.Rh4+ Kd3 99.Kc5 Rg5+ 100.Kb4 Rd5 101.Nc4 Rd4 102.Rh3+ Ke2 103.Kc3 Rd8 104.Ne5 Rd5 105.Nd3 Rd8 106.Kc4 Rc8+ 107.Kd4 Rd8+ 108.Ke4 Re8+ 109.Ne5 Re7 110.Rh2+ Ke1 111.Rh8 Ke2 112.Kd4 Re6 113.Nd3 Rd6+ 114.Ke4 Re6+ 115.Ne5 Re7 116.Kf4 Kd2 117.Rd8+ Kc3 118.Ke4 Rh7 119.Rc8+ Kb3 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 100.Kb4



Round 4, Oct. 27
Shankland, Sam – So, Wesley
E25 Nimzo-Indian, Samisch, Keres variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.e4 Ne7 10.Be3 O-O 11.Qb3 Qc7 12.Bb5 e5 13.Ne2 Be6 14.c4 Nbc6 15.Nc3 Na5 16.Qb4 Nec6 17.Qa4 a6 18.Bxc6 Nxc4 19.Bxb7 Nxe3 20.Bxa8 Qxc5 21.Nd5 Nxg2+ 22.Kf1 Nf4 23.Qc6 Qa5 24.Rd1 Bxd5 25.exd5 Qxa3 26.d6 Qb2 27.Qe4 Qg2+ 28.Ke1 Qxh1+ 29.Kd2 Qxh2+ 30.Kc3 Ne2+ 31.Kc4 Nd4 32.d7 Qa2+ 33.Kc5 Qa3+ 34.Kb6 Qb3+ 0-1

Round 4, Oct. 27
Swiercz, Dariusz – Robson, Ray
E94 King’s Indian, Orthodox variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 O-O 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.O-O exd4 8.Nxd4 Re8 9.f3 c6 10.Kh1 Nbd7 11.Bg5 Qb6 12.Nb3 a5 13.Na4 Qb4 14.Nc1 Nc5 15.Nxc5 Qxc5 16.Qd2 Nd7 17.Rb1 f5 18.Nd3 Qd4 19.Be3 Qf6 20.Nf2 Nc5 21.Bf4 fxe4 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.fxe4 Rxe4 24.Bd3 Re8 25.Bh6 Qd4 26.Bxg7 Qxg7 27.Qf4 Be6 28.Qxd6 Rad8 29.Qa3 Qd4 30.Rbd1 Bxc4 31.Bxc4+ Qxc4 32.Qxa5 Rxd1 33.Rxd1 Qc2 34.Rf1 Qxb2 35.Qc7 Qf2 36.Rg1 Re1 37.Qd8+ Kg7 38.Qd7+ Kh6 39.Qh3+ Kg5 40.Qg3+ Qxg3 41.hxg3 Rxg1+ 42.Kxg1 Kg4 0-1

Round 4, Oct. 27
Dominguez, Leinier – Xiong, Jeffery
A30 English, symmetrical

1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Qb6 5.Nb3 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.e4 Bb4 8.Bd3 O-O 9.O-O Bxc3 10.bxc3 d6 11.Bg5 Ne5 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Kh1 Bd7 14.f4 Ng6 15.Qh5 Kh8 16.Qh6 Qd8 17.Rad1 Qe7 18.Bc2 Rg8 19.Nd2 Rac8 20.Bb3 a5 21.a3 Rc5 22.e5 dxe5 23.Ne4 Bc6 24.Nxc5 Nxf4 25.Rxf4 Bxg2+ 26.Kg1 Qxc5+ 27.Rfd4 Rg6 28.Qe3 exd4 29.Rxd4 Qf5 30.Rf4 Qb1+ 0-1

Round 4, Oct. 27
Sevian, Samuel – Moradiabadi, Elshan
C67 Ruy Lopez, open Berlin Defence

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 h6 10.h3 Bd7 11.b3 Kc8 12.Bb2 b6 13.Rad1 c5 14.Nd5 a5 15.c4 a4 16.Rd2 Be6 17.Rfd1 g5 18.Nh2 Kb7 19.Ng4 axb3 20.axb3 h5 21.Ngf6 Bh6 22.Nxh5 g4 23.hxg4 Bxd2 24.gxf5 Bxd5 25.cxd5 Rxh5 26.Rxd2 Rxf5 27.f3 Re8 28.Kf2 Rfxe5 29.Bxe5 Rxe5 30.f4 Re4 31.Kf3 Rb4 32.Rd3 Kc8 33.Kg4 Kd7 34.Kf5 Kd6 35.g4 Rd4 36.Rxd4 cxd4 37.Ke4 d3 38.Kxd3 Kxd5 39.g5 c5 40.f5 b5 41.g6 fxg6 42.fxg6 Ke6 43.Ke4 c4 44.bxc4 bxc4 45.Kd4 Kf6 46.Kxc4 Kxg6 1/2-1/2

Standings after Round Four

1 So 4
2-3 Xiong, Robson 3.5
4-5 Nakamura, Sevian 2.5
6 Moradiabadi 2
7-11 Lenderman, Dominguez, Swiercz, Shankland, Ramirez 1
12 Liang 0.5

(to be continued)

[Hans Jung]

Rd 5 Wesley So continues to win! A perfect 5. Robson and Xiong 1 point back.

[Frank Dixon]

Thanks so much for posting these games!!!

[Hans Jung]

Rd 6 The knights had a great workout in this round. (actually in all the games!) So drew with Dominguez and Xiong and Robson won fighting games to get back in the race. Awonder Liang beat Nakamura to put Hikaru back to 50%.

[Wayne Komer]

2020 US Championship

October 27, 2020

Round Five

Round 5, Oct. 27
Moradiabadi, Elshan – Nakamura, Hikaru
E12 Queen’s Indian, Miles variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.Bf4 Bb7 5.e3 Bb4+ 6.Nfd2 O-O 7.a3 Be7 8.Nc3 c5 9.d5 d6 10.e4 exd5 11.cxd5 Ba6 12.Bc4 Ne8 13.O-O Bf6 14.Re1 Bb7 15.Nf3 Nd7 16.Bb5 a6 17.Bxd7 Qxd7 18.e5 dxe5 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Bxe5 Nd6 21.Qh5 Rae8 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 23.Qg5+ Kh8 24.Qf6+ Kg8 25.Qg5+ Kh8 26.Qf6+ Kg8 27.Qg5+ Kh8 1/2-1/2

Round 5, Oct. 27
Xiong, Jeffery – Sevian, Samuel
A20 English Opening

1.c4 e5 2.g3 c6 3.d4 e4 4.Nc3 d5 5.Bg2 Nf6 6.Bg5 Bb4 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.e3 Nd7 9.Ne2 Nb6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Qb3 Qd6 12.O-O Bd7 13.a3 Bxc3 14.Nxc3 O-O 15.Rfc1 Rfc8 16.Bf1 Rc7 17.Qb4 Qf8 18.Qa5 Qd6 19.Na2 h5 20.Rc5 Rcc8 21.Rac1 h4 22.Rxc8+ Bxc8 23.Nb4 hxg3 24.hxg3 Be6 25.Qc5 Qf8 26.Na2 Rc8 27.Qa5 Rxc1 28.Nxc1 Qb8 29.Na2 Nd7 30.Nc3 Nf6 31.Qc5 a6 32.Be2 g6 33.a4 Nd7 34.Qe7 Qf8 35.Qxf8+ Kxf8 36.Kf1 1/2-1/2

Round 5, Oct. 27
Robson, Ray – Dominguez, Leinier
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 O-O 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.c3 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 c6 13.Bf4 Ne8 14.Nd2 d5 15.Bd3 g6 16.h3 Ng7 17.Nf3 Bf5 18.Bxf5 Nxf5 19.Qd2 Qd7 20.Re1 Re8 21.Rxe8+ Qxe8 22.Qe1 Qxe1+ 23.Nxe1 Ng7 24.Nd3 Ne6 25.Bd6 h5 26.g4 hxg4 27.hxg4 g5 28.f3 Kh7 29.Kf2 Kg6 30.Ke3 Bg7 31.a4 f5 32.b4 f4+ 33.Kf2 a6 34.b5 axb5 35.axb5 Kf7 36.bxc6 bxc6 37.Nc5 Nxc5 38.Bxc5 Bf6 39.Ke2 Ke6 40.Kd3 Kd7 41.Kc2 Bd8 42.Kb3 Ba5 43.Bf8 Bd8 44.Kb4 Bb6 45.Bc5 Bd8 46.Ka4 Bc7 47.Bf8 Bd8 48.Kb4 Bb6 49.Bg7 Bd8 50.Be5 Be7+ 51.Ka5 Bd8+ 52.Ka6 Be7 53.Ka5 Kc8 54.Kb6 Kd7 55.Ka5 1/2-1/2

Round 5, Oct. 27
So, Wesley – Swiercz, Dariusz
D85 Grunfeld, Exchange variation

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Be3 c5 8.Rc1 O-O 9.Nf3 Qa5 10.Qd2 Bg4 11.d5 b5 12.Bd3 Nd7 13.c4 b4 14.O-O Qc7 15.Ne1 Nb6 16.f4 Bd7 17.f5 Na4 18.Nf3 Nc3 19.Bh6 a5 20.e5 Bxe5 21.Nxe5 Qxe5 22.Rce1 Qd4+ 23.Be3 Qg7 24.Bh6 Qd4+ 25.Be3 Qg7 26.Bxc5 Rfc8 27.Bxe7 Qd4+ 28.Kh1 Bxf5 29.Rxf5 gxf5 30.Qg5+ Qg7 31.Qxf5 Re8 32.d6 Rad8 33.c5 a4 34.Re3 Ne2 35.Bxe2 1-0

Round 5, Oct. 27
Lenderman, Aleksandr – Shankland, Sam
E60 King’s Indian

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.e3 O-O 5.Be2 d6 6.O-O Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.Qc2 Re8 9.b4 e4 10.Nd2 Qe7 11.Bb2 Nf8 12.Rfc1 Bf5 13.Qd1 h5 14.Nb3 N8h7 15.d5 Ng4 16.h3 Ne5 17.Nd4 Qh4 18.Nxf5 gxf5 19.Rc2 Ng5 20.Qf1 f4 21.exf4 Qxf4 22.Kh1 Nef3 23.g3 Qf5 24.h4 Nd4 25.Rd2 Ngf3 26.Bxf3 Nxf3 27.Re2 Bxc3 28.Bxc3 Qg4 29.Bf6 Kh7 30.Re3 Rg8 31.c5 Rg6 32.Bg5 Re8 33.cxd6 Rxd6 34.Rc1 Rxd5 35.Kg2 c6 36.Qc4 Qf5 37.Bf4 a6 38.Rh1 Kg8 39.a4 Rd4 40.Qc3 Red8 41.Bh6 Kh7 42.Bf4 Rd1 43.Rxf3 Rxh1 44.g4 exf3+ 45.Qxf3 hxg4 0-1

Round 5, Oct. 27
Ramirez, Alejandro – Liang, Awonder
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Qc7 4.g3 Nf6 5.Qe2 dxe4 6.dxe4 e5 7.Bg2 Be7 8.O-O O-O 9.b3 Bg4 10.Nbd2 Nbd7 11.Bb2 Rfe8 12.h3 Bh5 13.a4 a5 14.Nc4 Bc5 15.Kh1 Bd4 16.c3 Bc5 17.Rad1 Bf8 18.Qe3 Nc5 19.Ba3 b6 20.g4 Bg6 21.Nh4 Bxe4 22.Bxe4 Nfxe4 23.Nf5 Nf6 24.Ncd6 Re6 25.Bxc5 bxc5 26.Ne4 Nd5 27.Qg3 g6 28.Rd2 Kh8 29.Rg1 f6 30.Ne3 Nf4 31.Rgd1 Qf7 32.g5 f5 33.Nf6 Be7 34.Rd7 Ne2 35.Qh4 Nxc3 36.R1d3 Ne2 37.Nc4 Nd4 38.Rb7 e4 39.Rd1 Qg7 40.Qf4 Rf8 41.Ne5 Rd6 42.Nc4 Rdd8 43.Nd7 Bxg5 44.Qd6 Rfe8 45.Qxc5 Nf3 46.Kg2 Nh4+ 47.Kf1 Re7 48.Qxc6 Qc3 49.Nce5 Qxh3+ 50.Ke2 Ng2 51.Qc7 Nf4+ 52.Ke1 Qh1+ 53.Kd2 Ne6+ 54.Kc2 Qxd1+ 55.Kxd1 Nxc7 56.Rxc7 Rxe5 0-1

Amazing fact mentioned by @MauriceAshley: the last time a player started 4-0 in an invitational #USChessChamps was Bobby Fischer's historic 11-0 run in the 1963/64 U.S. Championships!

Wesley So is crushing again and is looking to go 5-0!

17-year-old Awonder Liang picks up an over-due first win, though Alejandro could have crashed through here with 42.Rxe7! Qxe7 43.Nxg6+! hxg6 44.Qh4+!

After draws for Ray Robson and Jeffery Xiong, Wesley So now leads by a full point!

Round Six

Round 6, Oct. 27
Nakamura, Hikaru – Liang, Awonder
B19 Caro-Kann, Classical

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 e6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Nf6 10.Bf4 Qa5+ 11.c3 Be7 12.Nf1 c5 13.N1d2 Qa6 14.Nc4 O-O 15.g4 Nd5 16.Be5 Nc6 17.g5 h5 18.g6 cxd4 19.Nxd4 Nxd4 20.Qxd4 Rac8 21.Ne3 Bc5 22.Qe4 Bxe3 23.fxe3 fxg6 24.Bd4 Rf5 25.a3 Rcf8 26.O-O-O Kh7 27.Rhg1 Nf6 28.Qc2 Ng4 29.e4 Rf1 30.c4 R1f3 31.e5 Rc8 32.c5 Rcf8 33.Kb1 Rf1 34.Ka2 Rxd1 35.Rxd1 Rd8 36.Rd2 Qc6 37.b4 Rd5 38.Bc3 Ne3 39.Qc1 Nf5 40.Qe1 Rxd2+ 41.Bxd2 Qd5+ 42.Kb2 Qd3 43.Bg5 Nd4 44.Qc3 Qe2+ 45.Kb1 Qxe5 46.a4 a6 47.Kb2 Qe2+ 48.Qd2 Qe4 49.Qc3 e5 50.Qc4 Qg2+ 51.Kb1 Qc6 52.a5 Nb5 53.Kc1 Qh1+ 54.Kd2 Nd4 55.Qd3 Qg2+ 56.Kc3 Qa2 57.Qd1 0-1

Round 6, Oct. 27
Shankland, Sam – Ramirez, Alejandro
D12 QGD Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qb3 Ra7 7.Nh4 Bc8 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.Bd3 e6 10.Nf3 Nc6 11.O-O Bd6 12.e4 dxe4 13.Nxe4 Nd5 14.Bg5 Be7 15.Bxe7 Ncxe7 16.Qa4+ Bd7 17.Nd6+ Kf8 18.Qa3 f6 19.Rfe1 g6 20.Ne4 b6 21.Bc4 Kg7 22.Nc3 Bc8 23.Qb3 Qd6 24.Rac1 Rd8 25.Bxd5 exd5 26.Na4 Rb7 27.Rc3 a5 28.h3 Bf5 29.Rce3 Rdd7 30.Nc3 g5 31.a3 h6 32.Ne2 Rdc7 33.Ng3 Bg6 34.Re6 Qd8 35.Rxb6 Bc2 36.Qb5 Bd3 37.Qxa5 Rc8 38.Ra6 Qxa5 39.Rxa5 Kf7 40.b4 Rc3 41.Ne2 Rc2 42.Ng3 Rc3 43.Kh2 Rc2 44.Re3 Bc4 45.Kg1 Rc1+ 46.Re1 Rc3 47.Ra1 Nc6 48.Rc5 Nd8 49.Nf5 Kg6 50.Ne3 Rd7 51.b5 Nb7 52.Rc6 Kf7 53.a4 Na5 54.Rc8 Nb3 55.Re1 Na5 56.h4 Ra3 57.b6 Rxa4 58.Rc7 Bb5 59.Nxd5 1-0

Round 6, Oct. 27
Swiercz, Dariusz – Lenderman, Aleksandr
A81 Dutch (Stonewall & Ilyin-Genevsky)

1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d5 5.O-O Bd6 6.c4 O-O 7.b3 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Ba3 Bb7 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.Nc3 a6 12.Qc1 Ne4 13.e3 Nd7 14.Qb2 Rae8 15.Rac1 Re7 16.b4 b5 17.a4 c6 18.a5 h6 19.Rc2 g5 20.Ne2 Qf6 21.Nc1 Nd6 22.Nd3 Nc4 23.Qc3 Qg7 24.Re1 Bc8 25.Nfe5 Ndxe5 26.Nxe5 Bd7 27.f4 Be8 28.Rf2 g4 29.h4 gxh3 30.Bxh3 Kh8 31.Kh2 Qf6 32.Rg2 Rg7 33.Reg1 Nd6 34.Qe1 h5 35.Rc2 Ne4 36.Bf1 Rfg8 37.Rcg2 Rh7 38.Bd3 Qe7 39.Bxe4 fxe4 40.Rh1 Bd7 41.Kg1 Bg4 42.Rh4 Bf3 43.Rgh2 Qe8 44.Kf2 Rgg7 45.Nxf3 exf3 46.Qh1 Qg6 47.Qxf3 Qd6 48.Rxh5 Qxb4 49.Rxh7+ Rxh7 50.Rxh7+ Kxh7 51.Qh5+ Kg7 52.Qe5+ Kg8 53.Qb8+ Kf7 54.Qc7+ Kf8 55.Kf3 Qb1 56.Qd6+ Kf7 57.Qd7+ Kf8 58.Qc8+ Kf7 59.Qc7+ Kf8 60.Qd6+ Kf7 61.Kg4 Qg6+ 62.Qxg6+ Kxg6 63.Kf3 Kh5 64.e4 dxe4+ 65.Kxe4 Kg4 66.f5 Kg5 67.g4 Kf6 68.Kf4 Kf7 69.g5 Kg7 70.Ke5 b4 71.Ke4 1-0

Round 6, Oct. 27
Dominguez, Leinier – So, Wesley
C67 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence, open variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.Re1 Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 O-O 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8 11.c3 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Ne8 13.Bd3 d5 14.Bf4 g6 15.Nd2 Ng7 16.Nf3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 Nxf5 18.Qe2 c6 19.Re1 Ng7 20.Be5 Bxe5 21.Nxe5 Qd6 22.Qf3 f6 23.Nd3 Re8 24.Rxe8+ Nxe8 25.Qe3 Kf7 26.Qh6 Kg8 27.Qe3 Kf7 28.Qh6 Kg8 29.Qe3 1/2-1/2

Round 6, Oct. 27
Sevian, Samuel – Robson, Ray
E73 King’s Indian, Semi-Averbakh System

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 O-O 6.Be3 Nc6 7.d5 Ne5 8.h3 e6 9.f4 Ned7 10.dxe6 fxe6 11.g4 b6 12.Qc2 Bb7 13.O-O-O Nc5 14.Bf3 Nfd7 15.e5 Qe7 16.exd6 cxd6 17.Bxb7 Nxb7 18.Nge2 Rac8 19.Qd3 Ndc5 20.Qc2 Na5 21.Bd4 Nxc4 22.Kb1 d5 23.f5 Bxd4 24.Rxd4 Ne3 25.Qd2 exf5 26.Nf4 Nc4 27.Qg2 Ne4 28.Ncxd5 Ncd2+ 29.Ka1 Qc5 30.Ne2 f4 31.b4 Qc2 32.Rc1 Qxc1+ 33.Nxc1 Rxc1+ 34.Kb2 f3 35.Qh2 Rb1+ 36.Ka3 f2 37.Ne7+ Kf7 38.Qf4+ Ke8 39.Qe5 Rf3+ 40.Ka4 b5+ 41.Ka5 Ra3+ 42.Kxb5 f1=Q+ 43.Kc6 Qf6+ 0-1

Round 6, Oct. 27
Moradiabadi, Elshan – Xiong, Jeffery
A48 King’s Indian, Torre Attack, main line

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bg5 Bg7 4.Nbd2 O-O 5.c3 d6 6.e4 c5 7.dxc5 dxc5 8.Bc4 Nc6 9.O-O Qc7 10.Qe2 h6 11.Be3 b6 12.h3 Bb7 13.Ba6 Rad8 14.Bxb7 Qxb7 15.a4 Rd7 16.Bf4 Rfd8 17.Rfe1 Ne8 18.Nc4 Nc7 19.Bxc7 Qxc7 20.e5 Rd5 21.e6 f5 22.h4 Rd3 23.h5 Qf4 24.Ne3 g5 25.Rad1 Rxd1 26.Rxd1 Qe4 27.Rxd8+ Nxd8 28.Nd2 Qxa4 29.Nxf5 Bf8 30.Qd3 Qd1+ 31.Kh2 Qxh5+ 32.Kg1 Qd1+ 33.Kh2 Nxe6 34.Ng3 Nf4 35.Qc4+ e6 36.Nde4 Bg7 37.b4 Qd5 38.Qa6 cxb4 39.Qc8+ Kh7 40.cxb4 h5 41.Qc2 Kh6 42.f3 Be5 43.Kh1 Qd3 44.Qc6 Qd1+ 45.Kh2 Qd8 46.Kh1 h4 47.Nf5+ Kg6 48.Ne3 Qc7 49.Qe8+ Kg7 50.Ng4 Qc1+ 51.Kh2 Ne2+ 52.Nxe5 Qg1+ 53.Kh3 Qh1+ 0-1

A famous win by 17-year-old Awonder Liang leaves Hikaru Nakamura's chances of a 6th US Championship in tatters!

Wesley So leads the US Championship on 5.5/6 after Day 2, but Ray Robson and Jeffery Xiong are just half a point behind! Hikaru Nakamura is 2 points adrift

Awonder Liang on beating Nakamura: "Whatever way you slice it, it's probably one of the best games I've ever played!"

Standings after Round Six

1 So 5.5
2-3 Xiong, Robson 5
4-6 Nakamura, Shankland, Sevian 3
7-8 Moradiabadi, Liang 2.5
9-10 Dominguez, Swiercz 2

[Hans Jung]

That should give Awonder plenty of inspiration to get to the next level! (he's already made 2600)
On another note in rd 6 Ray Robson played a very entertaining queen sacrifice against Sam Sevian.

[Hans Jung]

Rd 7 Ray Robson played an absolutely magnificent game ending in Rxf7checkmate! Oh those knights. He's now tied for first with Wesley So with 6 out of 7.

[Hans Jung]

Jeffery Xiong crushed Nakamura to also tie for first. Hikaru drops to minus one and now has zero chance of winning the championship with 4 rounds to go. So, Robson and Xiong are playing sizzling hot chess! Very exciting!!
Coming up Xiong vs Robson!

[Wayne Komer]

2020 US Championship

October 28, 2020

Round Seven

Round 7, Oct. 28
Xiong, Jeffery – Nakamura, Hikaru
B08 Pirc, Classical (Two Knights) System

1.e4 g6 2.d4 d6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.Be3 c6 6.Qd2 b5 7.Bd3 Nbd7 8.h3 e5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.a4 b4 11.Ne2 a5 12.c3 c5 13.O-O O-O 14.Ng3 Bb7 15.Rfd1 Qe7 16.Rac1 Rfc8 17.cxb4 cxb4 18.Bc4 Nf8 19.Qd6 Qxd6 20.Rxd6 Rc7 21.Rb6 Re8 22.Ng5 Ba8 23.Ra6 Bb7 24.Rxa5 Ba8 25.Bb3 Rd7 26.Ra6 h6 27.Nxf7 Rxf7 28.Bxf7+ Kxf7 29.Rc7+ Kg8 30.Rca7 Bxe4 31.Rxf6 Bxf6 32.Nxe4 Bd8 33.Ra8 Ne6 1-0

Jeffery Xiong smoothly beats Hikaru Nakamura and is going to join Wesley So and Ray Robson in the #USChessChamps lead with 4 rounds to go!

Round 7, Oct. 28
Robson, Ray – Moradiabadi, Elshan
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 Be7 8.Qd2 a6 9.Bd3 b5 10.a3 Qb6 11.Qf2 c4 12.Be2 g6 13.O-O a5 14.a4 b4 15.Nb5 Na7 16.Bxc4 dxc4 17.d5 Bc5 18.Bxc5 Nxc5 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Nxc4 Qc7 21.d6 Qc6 22.Nxa5 Qb6 23.Nc4 Qc6 24.Nd4 Qa6 25.b3 Bb7 26.Qh4 Nc6 27.Nb5 Rd8 28.Qh6+ Kg8 29.Rae1 Na5 30.Ne3 Qc6 31.Nd4 Qe8 32.Ng4 Nd7 33.f5 Nc6 34.fxe6 fxe6 35.Nb5 g5 36.Qxg5+ Qg6 37.Nh6+ 1-0

Round 7, Oct. 28
So, Wesley – Sevian, Samuel
C83 Ruy Lopez, open, Classical

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 Be7 10.Nbd2 O-O 11.Bc2 f5 12.Nb3 Qd7 13.Nbd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 c5 15.Ne2 Rad8 16.Nf4 d4 17.cxd4 Bc4 18.d5 Bxd5 19.f3 Ng5 20.Nxd5 Qxd5 21.Qxd5+ Rxd5 22.Bxg5 Bxg5 23.f4 Be7 24.Rfd1 Rxd1+ 25.Rxd1 g6 26.Rd7 Kf7 27.Kf2 Rd8 28.Rxd8 Bxd8 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Oct. 28
Lenderman, Aleksandr – Dominguez, Leinier
C00 Reti, King’s Indian Attack

1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 Nc6 6.Nbd2 Be7 7.e4 O-O 8.Re1 Qc7 9.e5 Nd7 10.Qe2 b5 11.Nf1 Bb7 12.Bf4 Rfc8 13.c3 a5 14.h4 a4 15.a3 b4 16.Ne3 Qd8 17.c4 Nd4 18.Nxd4 cxd4 19.Ng4 Nb6 20.h5 h6 21.axb4 Bxb4 22.Rec1 Be7 23.Qd2 Rab8 24.cxd5 Rxc1+ 25.Qxc1 Bxd5 26.Bxd5 Qxd5 27.Qd1 Rc8 28.Rc1 Rxc1 29.Bxc1 Qc6 30.Bd2 Nd7 31.f4 Qb5 32.Bc1 Nc5 33.Nf2 Qb3 34.Qe2 Qa2 35.Qe1 Qb1 36.Kg2 Nb3 37.Bd2 Qxb2 38.Bb4 a3 39.Bxa3 Qxa3 40.Qe4 Qa6 41.Qf3 Nc5 42.Kh3 Qb7 43.Qe2 Qd5 44.g4 Qb7 45.Kg3 Qb1 46.Qf3 Qg1+ 47.Kh3 Qe1 48.Qa8+ Kh7 49.Qf3 Qe3 50.Kg2 Bh4 51.Ne4 Nxe4 52.Qxe4+ Qxe4+ 53.dxe4 d3 54.Kf3 Bg3 55.Kxg3 d2 0-1

Round 7, Oct. 28
Ramirez, Alejandro – Swiercz, Dariusz
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Qc7 4.Nbd2 e5 5.Qe2 dxe4 6.Qxe4 Bd6 7.Nc4 Nd7 8.d4 Ngf6 9.Nxd6+ Qxd6 10.dxe5 Nxe4 11.exd6 Nxd6 12.Bf4 Ne4 13.Nd2 Nxd2 14.Bxd2 Nb6 15.O-O-O Be6 16.b3 f6 17.Bd3 Kf7 18.c4 Nd7 19.Be3 a6 20.Kb2 Rhe8 21.h3 h5 22.Be2 g6 23.Rd6 Ne5 24.Rhd1 Kg7 25.Kc3 Nf7 26.R6d2 h4 27.Bb6 Ng5 28.f3 Nf7 29.Bf1 Bf5 30.Kb4 g5 31.Re2 Ne5 32.Bc7 Nd7 33.Red2 Re7 34.Bd6 Ree8 35.c5 a5+ 36.Kc3 Ne5 37.a4 Nf7 38.Bc7 Re7 39.Bb6 Re3+ 40.Kb2 Ne5 41.Re2 Rd3 42.Ree1 Rxd1 43.Rxd1 Kf7 44.Kc3 Ke7 45.Bc7 Be6 46.Re1 Ng6 47.Bc4 Nf8 48.Bd6+ Kf7 49.Bd3 Re8 50.Bc7 Ra8 51.f4 Rc8 52.Bd6 gxf4 53.Bxf4 Bd5 54.Re2 Ne6 55.Bd6 Rg8 56.Bf5 Rg5 57.Bg4 f5 58.Bf3 Bxf3 59.gxf3 f4 60.b4 Rg3 61.bxa5 Rxf3+ 62.Kc4 Ra3 63.Kb4 Rxh3 64.Rb2 Rd3 65.Kc4 Rd4+ 66.Kc3 Rxa4 67.Rxb7+ Kg6 68.a6 Rxa6 69.Rb6 Rxb6 70.cxb6 Nd8 71.Bxf4 Kf5 72.Bc7 Nb7 73.Kd4 h3 74.Bh2 Kg4 75.Ke4 Nc5+ 76.Kd4 Nb7 77.Ke4 c5 78.Kd5 Kf3 79.Be5 Kg2 80.Kc6 c4 81.Kxb7 c3 82.Ka7 c2 83.Bf4 h2 84.b7 h1=Q 85.b8=Q Qa1+ 86.Kb7 Qb2+ 87.Ka7 Qa3+ 88.Kb7 Qb4+ 89.Ka7 Qa4+ 90.Kb7 Qb5+ 91.Ka7 Qc5+ 92.Kb7 Qb5+ 93.Ka7 Qxb8+ 94.Kxb8 Kf3 95.Bc1 Ke2 96.Kc7 Kd1 97.Bh6 c1=Q+ 98.Bxc1 1/2-1/2

Round 7, Oct. 28
Liang, Awonder – Shankland, Sam
A49 King’s Indian, Fianchetto

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2 Bg7 4.O-O O-O 5.d4 d6 6.Re1 b5 7.c3 Bb7 8.a4 bxa4 9.Qxa4 Nbd7 10.Nbd2 c5 11.e4 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Nc5 13.Qc2 Qc8 14.N2b3 Nfd7 15.Na5 Ba6 16.Bg5 Re8 17.Ndc6 Kf8 18.Qd2 Nd3 19.Re3 N7e5 20.Bxe7+ Rxe7 21.Nxe7 Kxe7 22.f4 Bh6 23.Rd1 Qc5 24.Nb3 Qb6 25.Nd4 Nxf4 26.gxf4 Bxf4 27.Qf2 Bxe3 28.Qxe3 Kf8 29.Kh1 Kg8 30.Qg5 Nd3 31.Rf1 Re8 32.h4 Ne5 33.Rf6 Bc8 34.b4 a6 35.h5 Qd8 36.hxg6 fxg6 37.Nf5 Bxf5 38.exf5 Kg7 0-1

...Kg7! and the rook is trapped as Shankland picks up his third win in a row!

Standings after Round Seven

1-3 So, Xiong, Robson 6
4 Shankland 4
5 Sevian 3.5
6-7 Nakamura, Dominguez 3
8-10 Swiercz, Moradiabadi, Liang 2.5
11-12 Lenderman, Ramirez 1.5

[Wayne Komer]

2020 US Championship

October 28, 2020

Round Eight

Round 8, Oct. 28
Nakamura, Hikaru – Shankland, Sam
A00 Benko Opening

1.g3 d5 2.Bg2 e5 3.d3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bd6 5.Nc3 c6 6.e4 O-O 7.O-O h6 8.Nh4 Be6 9.Nf5 Bc7 10.Qf3 Re8 11.g4 dxe4 12.dxe4 Nh7 13.Rd1 Nd7 14.h4 Qf6 15.Qg3 g5 16.hxg5 hxg5 17.Rd3 Rad8 18.Rf3 Qg6 19.Be3 Ndf6 20.Bf1 Bb6 21.Bd3 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Bxf5 23.Rxf5 Nd7 24.Bc4 Re7 25.Raf1 Rf8 26.a4 Kg7 27.Ne2 Nhf6 28.Qg2 Ne8 29.Ng3 f6 30.Rd1 Rh8 31.Nh5+ Rxh5 32.gxh5 Qxh5 33.Be2 Qh4 34.Bg4 Nc5 35.Rf3 Qh7 36.Bf5 Qh5 37.Rd2 Qh4 38.Rh3 Qe1+ 39.Kh2 Kf7 40.b4 Ne6 41.Bxe6+ Kxe6 42.Rd8 Ng7 43.Qf3 Re8 44.Rd1 Qxb4 45.Rh6 Qf8 46.Qh3+ Kf7 47.Rd7+ Re7 48.Rh8 1-0

Round 8, Oct. 28
Swiercz, Dariusz – Liang, Awonder
B10 Caro-Kann Defence

1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.d3 Qc7 4.exd5 cxd5 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.g3 Bb4 8.Bf4 Qe7 9.d4 O-O 10.c5 Ne4 11.Qb3 Nc6 12.Bd3 e5 13.Bxe4 exf4 14.O-O dxe4 15.Nd5 Qd8 16.Nxb4 Nxb4 17.Qxb4 exf3 18.Rfe1 Qd7 19.Qc4 fxg3 20.hxg3 Qh3 21.Qf1 Qh6 22.Re4 Be6 23.Rd1 Rad8 24.Rh4 Qg6 25.Re1 Bg4 26.Qc4 h5 27.d5 Rfe8 28.Rf1 Qe4 0-1

Round 8, Oct. 28
Dominguez, Leinier – Ramirez, Alejandro
D12 QGD Slav

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 Bf5 5.Nc3 a6 6.Qb3 Ra7 7.Nh4 Bc8 8.Qc2 g6 9.Bd3 Bg7 10.O-O O-O 11.Nf3 dxc4 12.Bxc4 b5 13.Be2 Bg4 14.e4 Nbd7 15.Be3 Rc7 16.Rfd1 Rc8 17.Rac1 Nb6 18.Ne5 Bxe2 19.Nxe2 Qe8 20.b3 Nfd7 21.Nxc6 f5 22.d5 Kh8 23.Nf4 fxe4 24.Qxe4 Rf5 25.Nxe7 Re5 26.Nexg6+ hxg6 27.Nxg6+ Kg8 28.Nxe5 Qxe5 29.Qxe5 Bxe5 30.Rc6 Rb8 31.d6 Bf6 32.Bxb6 Nxb6 33.d7 Bd8 34.Rdc1 Nxd7 35.Rc8 Kf7 36.Rxb8 Nxb8 37.Rc8 1-0

Round 8, Oct. 28
Moradiabadi, Elshan – So, Wesley
A13 English, Neo-Catalan

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 d4 5.O-O c5 6.e3 Nc6 7.exd4 cxd4 8.d3 Bd6 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.a3 a5 12.Nbd2 Qe7 13.Rc1 O-O 14.Re1 a4 15.Qc2 Rd8 16.Ne4 Bc7 17.c5 Bd7 18.Nfd2 Na5 19.Nc4 Nb3 20.Ned6 Nxc1 21.Qxc1 Bxd6 22.cxd6 Qg5 23.f4 Qc5 24.Bxb7 Rab8 25.Re5 Qa7 26.Be4 Bb5 27.f5 exf5 28.Qf4 Bxc4 29.Qxf5 g6 30.Qf6 Qb6 31.dxc4 Rxd6 32.Qf4 d3+ 33.c5 d2 0-1

Round 8, Oct. 28
Xiong, Jeffery – Robson, Ray
C45 Scotch, Schmidt variation

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.Bd3 d5 7.Qe2 dxe4 8.Nc3 Bb4 9.Bxe4 O-O 10.Bxc6 Rb8 11.O-O Qd6 12.Bb5 Ng4 13.g3 Qc5 14.Bd3 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Ne5 16.Ba3 Qxa3 17.Qxe5 Be6 18.Rfe1 Qd6 19.a4 Rfd8 20.Rad1 Qc6 21.Bb5 Qb7 22.Rd4 g6 23.Rh4 Qf3 24.Rf4 Qb7 25.Qf6 c6 26.Bd3 Re8 27.Bxg6 fxg6 28.Rxe6 c5 29.Qe5 Qd7 30.Rxe8+ Rxe8 31.Qxc5 Qd1+ 32.Kg2 Qxc2 33.Qxa7 Qb3 34.Qd7 Ra8 35.c4 Qxa4 36.Qe6+ Kh8 37.Rf7 Qa1 38.Qe7 Kg8 39.Rxh7 Rf8 40.Rh4 Qa8+ 41.Qe4 Qa6 42.Qd5+ Kg7 43.Qe5+ Rf6 44.Rf4 Qa8+ 45.Kg1 Qf8 46.Qxf6+ Qxf6 47.Rxf6 1-0

Round 8, Oct. 28
Sevian, Samuel – Lenderman, Aleksandr
C10 French, Rubinstein variation

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nxf6+ Nxf6 7.Be3 Bd6 8.Bd3 O-O 9.O-O b6 10.Re1 Bb7 11.h3 Nd5 12.Bg5 Be7 13.Bd2 c5 14.dxc5 Bxc5 15.Be4 Qc7 16.c4 Nf6 17.Bxb7 Qxb7 18.Qc2 Be7 19.Bc3 Rfc8 20.Qe2 a6 21.a4 Nd7 22.Rad1 Bf6 23.Bxf6 Nxf6 24.Ne5 a5 25.Rd6 Rd8 26.Red1 Rxd6 27.Rxd6 h6 28.Qe3 Rb8 29.f3 Qc7 30.Qd4 Kh7 31.Rc6 Qb7 32.Qd6 Ne8 33.Qd7 Kg8 34.Qxb7 Rxb7 35.Rc8 Kf8 36.c5 bxc5 37.Nc4 Rb4 38.Nd6 Ke7 39.Nxe8 g6 40.Ra8 Rb7 41.b3 h5 42.h4 f6 43.Kf2 e5 44.Ke2 f5 45.Rxa5 Kxe8 46.Rxc5 Rxb3 47.Rxe5+ Kd7 48.Rb5 Ra3 49.a5 Ra2+ 50.Kf1 Ke7 51.Rb7+ Kf6 52.Rb6+ Kg7 53.a6 f4 54.Rb7+ Kf6 55.a7 g5 56.hxg5+ Kxg5 57.Kg1 Kh4 58.Kh2 Ra1 59.Rf7 Kg5 60.Rg7+ Kh4 61.Rf7 Kg5 62.g3 Ra2+ 63.Kh3 fxg3 64.Kxg3 h4+ 65.Kh3 Ra3 66.Kg2 Ra2+ 67.Kh1 h3 68.Kg1 h2+ 69.Kh1 Kh4 70.Rh7+ Kg3 71.Rg7+ Kh3 72.Rh7+ Kg3 73.Rg7+ Kh3 74.Rh7+ Kg3 1/2-1/2

Final Position



Standings after Round Eight

1-2 So, Xiong 7
3 Robson 6
4-7 Nakamura, Dominguez, Shankland, Sevian 4
8 Liang 3.5
9-10 Swiercz, Moradiabadi 2.5
11 Lenderman 2
12 Ramirez 1.5

Co-leaders Wesley So & Jeffery Xiong now play in Round 9 of the #USChessChamps. Apart from them only Ray Robson still has a mathematical chance of winning the event!

Nakamura wins after 2 losses in a row, Shankland loses after 3 wins in a row... but neither former US Champion is in contention this time around!