Tweet
Big win for Jeffery Xiong! Know when to give up the bishops! I really liked Awonder Liang's game. Confuse your opponent in the opening, nasty pawn play in the center, and then trap the rook so you are playing a rook up.
-
-
Rd 9 Awonder Liang must be kicking himself after missing a big win against Dominguez. Ray Robson, Im sure, is smiling after beating Nakamura. Jeffery Xiong lost a technical ending to So.
The big question is: Who is going to beat Wesley So?Comment
-
2020 US Championship
October 28, 2020
Round Nine
Round 9, Oct. 28
Robson, Ray – Nakamura, Hikaru
B42 Sicilian, Kan
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.O-O Qc7 7.Qe2 d6 8.c4 Nbd7 9.Nc3 Ne5 10.f4 Nxd3 11.Qxd3 Be7 12.b3 O-O 13.Bb2 b6 14.Rae1 Bb7 15.Kh1 Nd7 16.f5 Nc5 17.Qg3 Bf6 18.Ndb5 axb5 19.Nd5 exd5 20.Bxf6 g6 21.Qh4 Nd7 22.Be7 f6 23.fxg6 hxg6 24.Bxf8 Rxf8 25.exd5 Ne5 26.Rxf6 Qe7 27.Rxf8+ Qxf8 28.Kg1 bxc4 29.bxc4 Ba6 30.Re4 Qf5 31.Qd8+ Qf8 32.Qc7 g5 33.h3 Qf5 34.Re1 Bxc4 35.Qxd6 Nf7 36.Qxb6 g4 37.hxg4 Qxd5 38.a4 Qd7 39.Qg6+ Kf8 40.Qf6 Qxa4 41.g5 Qa7+ 42.Kh1 Qa6 43.Qd4 Bd3 44.Ra1 Qg6 45.Ra8+ Ke7 46.Ra7+ Kf8 47.Ra8+ Ke7 48.Qc5+ Qd6 49.Ra7+ Ke6 50.Qc8+ Ke5 51.Qe8+ Kf4 52.Qxf7+ Kg4 53.Qd7+ Qxd7 54.Rxd7 Bf5 55.Rg7 Bb1 56.Kg1 Bf5 57.Kf2 Bb1 58.Ke3 Bc2 59.Rc7 Bf5 60.g6 Bxg6 61.Rg7 Kf5 62.Rxg6 Kxg6 63.Kf4 1-0
Round 9, Oct. 28
So, Wesley – Xiong, Jeffery
B33 Sicilian, Pelikan, Chelyabinsk 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.Nd5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.c3 Bg5 12.Nc2 Rb8 13.a3 O-O 14.h4 Bh6 15.g4 Bf4 16.Qf3 Bb7 17.g5 Re8 18.Nxf4 exf4 19.O-O-O b4 20.axb4 Nxb4 21.Nxb4 Bxe4 22.Qxf4 Rxb4 23.Bd3 Bxh1 24.Qxb4 Bf3 25.Rd2 d5 26.Bxa6 h6 27.gxh6 Re4 28.Qc5 Rxh4 29.Qc8 Qxc8 30.Bxc8 Rxh6 31.Bb7 Rh5 32.b4 Kf8 33.Kb2 Rf5 34.Kb3 Ke7 35.Ka4 g5 36.b5 Rf4+ 37.Ka5 Kd6 38.b6 Rc4 39.Rd3 Rc5+ 40.Kb4 Rc4+ 41.Kb3 Rf4 42.c4 Kc5 43.cxd5 Rb4+ 44.Kc3 Rxb6 45.d6 Rxb7 46.d7 Rxd7 47.Rxd7 f5 48.Kd3 Be4+ 49.Ke3 g4 50.Kf4 Kc6 51.Rf7 Kd6 52.Rxf5 1-0
Position after White’s 44.Kc3
A brilliant sacrificial line by 19-year-old Jeffery Xiong seems to have bamboozled Wesley So!
Wesley So wins an absolutely thriller against Jeffery Xiong and on 8/9 goes into tomorrow's final two rounds of the #USChessChamps with a 1-point lead!
Round 9, Oct. 28
Lenderman, Aleksandr – Moradiabadi, Elshan
A01 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack, Indian variation
1.b3 Nf6 2.Bb2 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nf3 d6 6.d4 a5 7.c4 a4 8.O-O axb3 9.axb3 Rxa1 10.Bxa1 Bf5 11.Nc3 c6 12.Nh4 Bc8 13.e4 e5 14.Nf3 exd4 15.Nxd4 Na6 16.Re1 Re8 17.Bb2 Qa5 18.Na4 Bg4 19.f3 Bd7 20.Bc3 Qd8 21.Qd2 b6 22.Nc2 b5 23.cxb5 cxb5 24.Nb2 Qb8 25.b4 Rc8 26.Bd4 Nc7 27.Nd3 Ne6 28.Bb2 Qa7+ 29.Ne3 Ne8 30.Ra1 Qb6 31.Bxg7 Kxg7 32.Nf4 Nxf4 33.gxf4 Nf6 34.Kh1 Be6 35.f5 Bc4 36.f4 Re8 37.Qc3 Kg8 38.Nxc4 bxc4 39.Qxf6 Qxb4 40.fxg6 hxg6 41.Qd4 Qb3 42.Rc1 Rc8 43.e5 dxe5 44.fxe5 c3 45.Bd5 Qb2 46.Bxf7+ 1-0
Round 9, Oct. 28
Ramirez, Alejandro – Sevian, Samuel
C77 Ruy Lopez, Four Nights (Tarrasch) variation
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Nc3 b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.Nd5 Bb7 8.O-O Na5 9.d4 Nxb3 10.cxb3 exd4 11.Bg5 Bxd5 12.exd5 O-O 13.Rc1 Be7 14.Qxd4 Ne8 15.h4 h6 16.Be3 Bf6 17.Qg4 Bxb2 18.Rc2 f5 19.Qg3 Qf6 20.Bxh6 Qxh6 21.Rxb2 Qd6 22.Qxd6 cxd6 23.Rc2 Nf6 24.Rfc1 g6 25.Ng5 Rfe8 26.g3 a5 27.a3 b4 28.a4 Re5 29.Rd2 Rae8 30.Kf1 Kg7 31.Nf3 Rxd5 32.Rxd5 Nxd5 33.Rd1 Nf6 34.Rxd6 Rc8 35.Rd3 Rc2 36.Ne5 Ne4 37.Rxd7+ Kf6 38.f4 Nxg3+ 39.Ke1 Nh5 40.Rd6+ Ke7 41.Rc6 Rb2 42.Nxg6+ Kd8 43.Rc5 Ng3 44.h5 Rxb3 45.Rd5+ Kc7 46.h6 Rb1+ 47.Rd1 Rb2 48.Rc1+ Kd6 49.h7 Re2+ 50.Kd1 Rh2 51.h8=Q Rxh8 52.Nxh8 Kd5 53.Ng6 Kd4 54.Rc8 Ne4 55.Kc2 Nc5 56.Rxc5 Kxc5 57.Kb3 Kd4 58.Ne7 Ke4 59.Nc6 Kxf4 60.Nxa5 Ke4 61.Nc4 f4 62.a5 Kd5 63.Kxb4 f3 64.Kb5 f2 65.Nd2 Kd6 66.Kb6 Kd7 67.Kb7 1-0
Round 9, Oct. 28
Liang, Awonder – Dominguez, Leinier
A08 Reti, King’s Indian Attack
1.Nf3 d5 2.g3 c5 3.Bg2 e6 4.O-O Nf6 5.c4 d4 6.e3 Nc6 7.exd4 cxd4 8.d3 h6 9.Re1 Bd6 10.Na3 O-O 11.Nc2 a5 12.b3 e5 13.Na3 Bb4 14.Re2 Re8 15.Nb5 Bf5 16.a3 Bc5 17.Re1 Qd7 18.Ra2 Rad8 19.Nh4 Bh7 20.Rd2 g5 21.Nf3 e4 22.dxe4 Nxe4 23.Rd3 Nf6 24.Rd2 d3 25.Nc3 Qf5 26.Bb2 Nd4 27.Nxd4 Bxd4 28.Nd5 Bxb2 29.Rxb2 Kg7 30.Rd2 Rxe1+ 31.Qxe1 Re8 32.Qd1 Nxd5 33.Bxd5 b6 34.Kg2 Qe5 35.b4 axb4 36.axb4 Qc3 37.b5 Re7 38.h4 Bg6 39.h5 Bh7 40.Kh2 Ra7 41.Qe1 Ra1 42.Qe3 Qf6 43.Be4 Bxe4 44.Qxe4 Rc1 45.Qxd3 Rc3 46.Qd4 Qxd4 47.Rxd4 Kf6 48.Rd6+ Kg7 49.Rc6 g4 50.Kg2 Rc1 51.f4 Rc3 52.Kf2 Rf3+ 53.Ke2 Rc3 54.f5 Kf8 55.Rxh6 Rxc4 56.Rxb6 Kg7 57.Ke3 f6 58.Rb8 Rc3+ 59.Kf2 Rc2+ 60.Ke1 Rc5 61.b6 Rxf5 62.h6+ Kh7 63.b7 Rb5 64.Ke2 Rb3 65.Kd2 f5 66.Kc2 Rb6 67.Kd3 Rb1 68.Ke3 Rb4 69.Ke2 Rb3 70.Kd2 Rb1 71.Kc2 Rb6 72.Kd3 Rb1 73.Ke3 Rb4 74.Rf8 Rxb7 75.Kf4 Kxh6 76.Kxf5 Kg7 77.Ra8 Rb5+ 78.Kxg4 Rb4+ 79.Kh5 Rb5+ 80.Kh4 Rb4+ 81.g4 Rb5 82.Ra7+ Kg6 83.g5 Rb4+ 1/2-1/2
Round 9, Oct. 28
Shankland, Sam – Swiercz, Dariusz
B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nf3 e6 5.Be2 Ne7 6.O-O c5 7.Na3 Nec6 8.c4 Be4 9.Nb5 a6 10.Nc3 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nxd4 12.Qxd4 Nc6 13.Qe3 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 d4 15.Qe4 dxc3 16.bxc3 Qc7 17.Rb1 Bc5 18.Bg5 Rc8 19.h4 b6 20.Bf4 Ne7 21.h5 g5 22.hxg6 fxg6 23.Bg5 O-O 24.Bf6 Nf5 25.Bg4 Be7 26.Bxf5 gxf5 27.Qh4 Bxf6 28.exf6 Kh8 29.Rh1 Rf7 30.Kf1 f4 31.Rg1 Qxc4+ 32.Kg2 f3+ 33.Kh3 Qxh4+ 34.Kxh4 Rxf6 35.Rg4 b5 36.Rd1 Rh6+ 37.Kg3 Rg6 38.Rxg6 hxg6 39.Rd6 a5 40.Rxe6 Rxc3 41.Re5 Ra3 42.Rxb5 Rxa2 43.Kxf3 Kg7 44.Kg4 Kh6 45.f4 a4 46.Ra5 a3 47.Kg3 Ra1 48.Kg2 Kg7 49.Ra6 Kf7 50.Kh2 a2 51.Kg2 Ke7 52.Kh2 Kd7 53.Kg2 Kc7 54.Kh2 Kb7 55.Ra3 Kb6 56.Kg2 Kc5 57.Ra8 Kd4 58.Ra7 Ke4 59.Ra8 Kxf4 60.Ra7 g5 61.Ra8 Kf5 62.Ra7 Ke4 63.Ra8 Kd4 64.Ra7 g4 65.Ra8 Kc4 66.Ra7 Kb3 67.Rb7+ Kc3 68.Rc7+ Kd4 69.Ra7 g3 70.Ra8 Kd3 71.Rd8+ Kc3 72.Rc8+ Kb4 73.Rb8+ Kc4 74.Rc8+ Kd5 75.Rd8+ Kc6 76.Ra8 Kb7 77.Ra3 Kb6 78.Ra8 Kc7 79.Ra3 Kb7 80.Ra4 Rb1 81.Rxa2 Rb6 82.Kxg3 Ra6 83.Rxa6 Kxa6 1/2-1/2
Wesley So goes into tomorrow's final two rounds of the #USChessChamps with a 1-point lead, but Ray Robson and Jeffery Xiong are still in contention... a gaping 2.5 points ahead of the rest!
Standings after Round Nine
1 So 8
2-3 Xiong, Robson 7
4-5 Dominguez, Shankland 4.5
6-8 Nakamura, Sevian, Liang 4
9-10 Swiercz, Lenderman 3
11-12 Ramirez Moradiabadi 2.5
Pairings in Rounds Ten and Eleven
Round Ten
Nakamura-Swiercz
Dominguez-Shankland
Sevian-Liang
Moradiabadi-Ramirez
Xiong-Lenderman
Robson-So
Round Eleven
So-Nakamura
Lenderman-Robson
Ramirez-Xiong
Liang-Moradiabadi
Shankland-Sevian
Swiercz-Dominguez
Comment
-
Rd 10 Wesley So draws one of his main rivals Ray Robson and goes into the last round with a full point lead. Alex Lenderman initiated sharp tactics against Xiong and Jeffery mishandled them and had to settle for a draw. Can Nakamura stop Wesley So in the last round?Comment
-
2020 US Championship
October 29, 2020
Round Ten
Round 10, Oct. 29
Nakamura, Hikaru – Swiercz, Dariusz
A00 Sokolsky Opening
1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.Bxe5 Nf6 4.Nf3 O-O 5.e3 d5 6.c4 Nc6 7.Bb2 Re8 8.a3 Bd6 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Be2 Qd7 11.Qc2 Qf5 12.Qxf5 Bxf5 13.Nc3 Nxc3 14.Bxc3 Ne5 15.Nh4 Be4 16.d4 Ng6 17.Nxg6 Bxg6 18.Bf3 Rab8 19.Bb4 Rec8 20.Rc1 a5 21.Bxd6 cxd6 22.Kd2 b5 23.Bb7 Rc4 24.Bd5 Ra4 25.Ra1 b4 26.axb4 Raxb4 27.Rhc1 a4 28.Ke1 h5 29.Bc6 Rc8 30.d5 Rc7 31.Rc3 Be4 32.Rca3 Ra7 33.f3 Bc2 34.Kd2 Bb3 35.e4 g5 36.Rc1 Kg7 37.Ke3 Re7 38.Rb1 Rc4 39.Kd3 Rc2 40.Bxa4 Bxa4 41.Rxa4 Rxg2 42.Rb6 Rd7 43.Raa6 Rxh2 44.Rxd6 Rxd6 45.Rxd6 h4 46.Rc6 h3 47.d6 Rh1 48.Rc2 Rd1+ 49.Ke3 Rxd6 50.Kf2 h2 51.Kg2 Rh6 52.Kh1 Rh3 53.Rc5 Kg6 54.Rc6+ Kg7 55.Rc5 f6 56.e5 f5 57.e6 Rxf3 58.Re5 Kf8 59.e7+ Ke8 60.Kxh2 g4 61.Kg2 Rf4 62.Kg3 Re4 63.Rxf5 Kxe7 64.Ra5 Rb4 65.Rh5 Kf6 66.Ra5 Kg6 67.Rd5 Kf6 68.Ra5 Kg6 69.Rd5 Kf6 70.Ra5 1/2-1/2
Round 10, Oct. 29
Dominguez, Leinier – Shankland, Sam
D85 Grunfeld, Modern Exchange variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 Bg7 7.Nf3 c5 8.h3 O-O 9.Be2 b6 10.Be3 Bb7 11.Qd3 cxd4 12.cxd4 Nc6 13.O-O e6 14.Rac1 Rc8 15.Rfd1 Qd6 16.h4 h5 17.Bg5 Nb4 18.Qb1 Rxc1 19.Rxc1 Nc6 20.e5 Qd7 21.Bb5 Rc8 22.Ba4 Qd5 23.Bb3 Qd7 24.Ba4 Qd5 25.Bb3 Qd7 26.Ba4 1/2-1/2
Round 10, Oct. 29
Sevian, Samuel – Liang, Awonder
B13 Caro-Kann, Exchange variation
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Qc7 6.h3 g6 7.Nf3 Bf5 8.Be2 Bg7 9.O-O Nf6 10.Be3 O-O 11.Nbd2 Ne4 12.Re1 a6 13.Nb3 Rad8 14.Qc1 Rfe8 15.Bf4 Qc8 16.Bf1 b5 17.a3 Nd6 18.Nc5 Na5 19.b4 Nac4 20.a4 Qc6 21.axb5 axb5 22.Ra6 Qc8 23.Ra7 Bf6 24.Be5 Be4 25.Bxf6 exf6 26.Nh2 h5 27.f3 Bf5 28.g4 hxg4 29.hxg4 Qb8 30.Rae7 Be6 31.Rxe8+ Rxe8 32.Qf4 Qd8 33.Nxe6 Rxe6 34.Rxe6 fxe6 35.Qh6 Qe8 36.Bd3 f5 37.Nf1 Qf7 38.Qg5 Kh7 39.Ng3 Qg7 40.Ne2 Nf7 41.Qh4+ Qh6 42.Qxh6+ Kxh6 43.Nf4 Ng5 44.Kf2 Kg7 45.Kg3 Kf6 46.Ne2 Nf7 47.gxf5 gxf5 48.Kf4 Nh8 49.Bxc4 dxc4 50.Ke3 Ng6 51.Nf4 Ne7 52.Kf2 Nc8 53.Ke3 Nb6 54.Nh5+ Ke7 55.Nf4 Kd6 56.Kd2 Ke7 57.Ng6+ Kd6 58.Nf4 Ke7 59.Ng6+ Kd6 60.Nf4 1/2-1/2
Round 10, Oct. 29
Moradiabadi, Elshan – 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.a4 b6 9.Be2 e6 10.O-O c5 11.a5 Rb7 12.axb6 Rxb6 13.Qc2 cxd4 14.exd4 dxc4 15.Nf3 Nc6 16.Bxc4 Nb4 17.Qe2 Be7 18.Be3 Nfd5 19.Na4 Rb8 20.Nc5 O-O 21.Nxa6 Nxa6 22.Bxa6 Qb6 23.Bc4 1/2-1/2
Round 10, Oct. 29
Xiong, Jeffery – Lenderman, Aleksandr
D26 QGA, Classical variation
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.O-O Nc6 7.a3 a6 8.dxc5 Qxd1 9.Rxd1 Bxc5 10.b4 Be7 11.Bb2 O-O 12.Nbd2 Rd8 13.Nb3 Bd7 14.Rdc1 Rac8 15.Nfd4 Ne4 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.Na5 Nxf2 18.Bd4 Ng4 19.h3 Bg5 20.hxg4 Rxd4 21.exd4 Bxc1 22.Rxc1 Bd5 23.Rc2 b6 24.Bd3 Rxc2 25.Bxc2 bxa5 26.bxa5 h6 27.Bd3 Bb7 28.Kf2 Kf8 29.g3 Ke7 30.Ke3 Kd6 31.Be2 f6 32.Bd3 Ke7 33.Kd2 Kd6 34.Ke3 Ke7 35.Kd2 Kd6 36.Ke3 1/2-1/2
Round 10, Oct. 29
Robson, Ray – So, Wesley
C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.Bc4 Qd6 8.b4 Bb6 9.a4 O-O 10.Nbd2 Bf5 11.Ba3 e4 12.dxe4 Nxe4 13.Nxe4 Bxe4 14.Qxd6 cxd6 15.O-O-O Rac8 16.Bd5 Bxd5 17.Rxd5 Ne5 18.Nxe5 dxe5 19.Kb2 Rfd8 20.Rhd1 e4 21.R5d2 Rxd2+ 22.Rxd2 Rd8 23.Re2 f5 24.Kc2 Kf7 25.f3 exf3 26.gxf3 Re8 27.Rd2 Rd8 28.Re2 Re8 29.Rd2 Rd8 30.Re2 1/2-1/2
Standings after Round Ten
1 So 8.5
2-3 Xiong, Robson 7.5
4-6 Dominguez, Shankland 5
7-8 Liang, Sevian, Nakamura 4.5
9-10 Swiercz, Lenderman 3.5
11-12 Ramirez, Moradiabadi 3
Wesley So will now go into the final round of the #USChessChamps knowing that a draw with White against Hikaru Nakamura guarantees him a 2nd title!
Comment
-
2020 US Championship
October 29, 2020
Round Eleven
Round 11, Oct. 29
So, Wesley – Nakamura, Hikaru
E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 O-O 5.e4 d5 6.e5 Ne4 7.Bd3 c5 8.Nf3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 Nd7 10.Bf4 Qh4 11.g3 Qh5 12.O-O g5 13.cxd5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 exd5 15.Bxe4 dxe4 16.e6 gxf4 17.exd7 Bxd7 18.Qxe4 fxg3 19.fxg3 b6 20.Nf5 Rae8 21.Qd5 Bxf5 22.Rxf5 Qe2 23.Raf1 Qe3+ 24.R1f2 Qe1+ 25.Kg2 Qe4+ 26.Qxe4 Rxe4 27.Rg5+ Kh8 28.Rgf5 Kg8 29.Rg5+ Kh8 30.Rgf5 Kg8 1/2-1/2
Congratulations to Wesley So on winning his 2nd US Chess Championship with an amazing 9/11!
Chess24 gives this historical record:
Another fun fact, here are the top three scores ever in U.S. Championships with 12 players:
1. Bobby Fischer - 11/11
2. Bobby Fischer - 9.5/11
3. Bobby Fischer - 9/11
Fischer fans may dispute the equivalence of the 2020 Championship with these records!
Round 11, Oct. 29
Lenderman, Aleksandr – Robson, Ray
E62 King’s Indian, Fianchetto, Uhlmann variation
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 O-O 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.O-O e5 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Bg5 h6 10.Qxd8 Rxd8 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Nd5 Kg7 13.Nxc7 Rb8 14.Nd5 e4 15.Nd2 e3 16.fxe3 Bxb2 17.Rab1 Ba3 18.Rb3 Bf8 19.Nf3 Bc5 20.Ne1 Bg4 21.Nd3 Bf8 22.Bf3 Be6 23.Rc3 g5 24.Nf6 Kxf6 25.Bxc6+ Kg7 26.Bd5 Bxd5 27.cxd5 Rbc8 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.e4 f6 30.Kf2 Bd6 31.Rc1 Re8 32.Rc4 Kg6 33.Kf3 h5 34.h3 a6 35.a4 Kg7 36.a5 Kg6 37.e3 Kf7 38.Nc5 Bxc5 39.Rxc5 Re7 40.h4 Kg6 41.Rc8 Rd7 42.hxg5 fxg5 43.Rg8+ Kf6 44.Re8 Kf7 45.Re6 Kg7 46.d6 Kf7 47.Rh6 Kg7 48.Rxh5 Kg6 49.Kg4 Rxd6 50.Rxg5+ Kf7 51.Rd5 Rg6+ 52.Kf5 Rf6+ 53.Ke5 Re6+ 54.Kd4 b6 55.Rf5+ Kg6 56.Kd5 Re8 57.axb6 a5 58.b7 a4 59.Rf1 1-0
Round 11, Oct. 29
Ramirez, Alejandro – Xiong, Jeffery
B50 Sicilian
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Qc2 Qc7 5.g3 b6 6.Bg2 Bb7 7.d3 c4 8.dxc4 Qxc4 9.Nbd2 Qc7 10.O-O Nbd7 11.Re1 g6 12.a4 Bg7 13.a5 Rc8 14.axb6 axb6 15.Nd4 Qb8 16.b3 O-O 17.Nc4 Rfe8 18.Ba3 Nxe4 19.Rxe4 Bxe4 20.Qxe4 Nc5 21.Qe3 Nxb3 22.Nxb3 Rxc4 23.Nd4 b5 24.Bd5 Ra4 25.Bb3 Ra6 26.Nc2 e6 27.Re1 Qa7 28.Qxa7 Rxa7 29.Bxd6 Bxc3 30.Rb1 Rd8 31.Bf4 Rad7 32.Na3 b4 33.Nc4 Ra7 34.Kf1 Ra1 35.Rxa1 Bxa1 36.Ke2 Bc3 37.Ne5 Ra8 38.Kd3 g5 0-1
Position after 37…Ra8 and before 38.Kd3?
A horrible blunder by Alejandro Ramirez and Jeffery Xiong has ensured himself 2nd place in the US Championship (he earlier came 2nd in the US Junior Championship as well) just before his 20th birthday tomorrow!
Round 11, Oct. 29
Liang, Awonder – Moradiabadi, Elshan
C53 Giuoco Piano
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.O-O d6 7.Nbd2 a5 8.h3 h6 9.Re1 Be6 10.b3 Re8 11.Bb2 Ba7 12.Qc2 Nh5 13.d4 Nf4 14.d5 Bxh3 15.gxh3 Nxh3+ 16.Kh2 Nxf2 17.dxc6 Qc8 18.Ng1 bxc6 19.Ndf3 d5 20.exd5 Qg4 21.Re2 Qh5+ 22.Kg2 e4 23.Rxf2 Bxf2 24.Qxf2 exf3+ 25.Nxf3 Re4 26.Rg1 cxd5 27.Bd3 Rg4+ 28.Kf1 Rf4 29.Be2 Re8 30.Qg3 Qe5 31.Rg2 g5 32.Bc1 Rf6 33.Bd2 Qf5 34.Rf2 Qb1+ 35.Kg2 Qxa2 36.Bd3 1-0
Round 11, Oct. 29
Shankland, Sam – 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.Rb1 Nb4 10.O-O Nxc2 11.Qxc2 Bf5 12.Qb3 Qc7 13.Qa4 Qe5 14.d3 Bc5 15.dxe4 Bg6 16.Bf4 Qd4 17.Rbd1 Qxa4 18.Nxa4 Be7 19.Nc3 Nd7 20.Bd6 Bxd6 21.Rxd6 Ke7 22.Rfd1 Nb6 23.f4 f6 24.Bh3 Rhe8 25.Kf2 Bf7 26.b3 Kf8 27.Bd7 Re7 28.Bf5 g6 29.Rd8+ Re8 30.Rxa8 Rxa8 31.Bg4 a5 32.Rd4 Ke7 33.b4 Bc4 34.bxa5 Rxa5 35.a4 h5 36.Bh3 Ke8 37.Rd6 Ke7 38.e5 fxe5 39.Rxg6 exf4 40.gxf4 Nxa4 41.Ne4 Bd5 42.Nd6 Nc3 43.Bf5 Nd1+ 44.Kg3 Ne3 45.Bd3 c5 46.Nxb7 Bxb7 47.Rg7+ Kd6 48.Rxb7 c4 49.Be4 Ra3 50.Kh4 c3 51.Kg5 c2 52.Rb6+ Kd7 53.Rc6 Ra4 54.Rxc2 Rxe4 55.Rc5 Ng2 56.Re5 Rxf4 57.Kxh5 Kd6 58.Re8 Rf2 59.Kg4 Kd7 60.Re4 Rf1 61.h4 Rh1 62.Kg5 Nxh4 63.Rxh4 Rxh4 64.Kxh4 Ke6 65.Kg4 Ke5 66.Kf3 Kf5 67.Ke3 Ke5 1/2-1/2
Round 11, Oct. 29
Swiercz, Dariusz – 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.a4 Be7 7.Nc3 a6 8.Bf1 f6 9.d4 Nf7 10.Bc4 d6 11.Nd5 O-O 12.c3 Kh8 13.b4 Be6 14.Bb3 Qd7 15.Rb1 Bd8 16.c4 Ne7 17.Ne3 Nh6 18.c5 Bxb3 19.Qxb3 e4 20.Nd2 d5 21.f4 c6 22.Ndf1 Bc7 23.g3 g5 24.Ng2 Nhf5 25.Qc3 Rg8 26.fxg5 fxg5 27.Nfe3 Raf8 28.Rb2 Nh4 29.gxh4 gxh4 30.Nf1 h3 31.Ng3 hxg2 32.Rxg2 Nf5 33.Rxe4 Nxg3 34.hxg3 dxe4 35.d5+ Qg7 36.Bb2 Bd8 37.Qxg7+ Rxg7 38.Bxg7+ Kxg7 39.dxc6 bxc6 40.Re2 Re8 41.Rd2 e3 42.Re2 Bf6 43.Kg2 Bc3 0-1
Final Standings
1 So 9
2 Xiong 8.5
3 Robson 7.5
4 Dominguez 6
5-6 Shankland, Liang 5.5
7-8 Nakamura, Sevian 5
9 Lenderman 4.5
10 Swiercz 3.5
11-12 Ramirez, Moradiabadi 3
Wesley So takes first place and $40,000
Jeffery Xiong is second, winning $25,000
Ray Robson is third, winning $16,000
Comment
-
Awonder Liang must be happy with his performance of equal score in a very strong field. Probably a lot of the other players are unhappy.
Congratulations to Wesley So on winning his 2nd US Championship.
Alejandro Ramirez played a very creative opening (Qc2) in the c3 Sicilian but got away with it and had a much better game until he missed tactics (Nxb3) and then the final blunder.
Congratulations to Jeffery Xiong for a nice pay cheque from the comfort of his home and 2nd place.Comment
Comment