Fabiano Caruana and Alexander Donchenko win Saint Louis Masters

by André Schulz
12/10/2024 – At the beginning of December Fabiano Caruana was the sole winner of the U.S. Masters in Charlotte, but at the Saint Louis Masters he had to share victory with German Grandmaster Alexander Donchenko. With one round to go, Caruana led the field by one point, but in the final round he lost to Donchenko with White and both finished with 6.5/9. | Photo: (from left to right) Tony Rich, Fabiano Caruana, Alexander Donchenko, Sabina Foisor | Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club
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From 3 to 7 December, the Saint Louis Chess Club held its Saint Louis Chess Masters, an open tournament with almost 60 players, almost all of them titled players, including numerous grandmasters. The tournament was a 9-round-Swiss, with four of the five days of play featuring two rounds per day.

Top seed was Fabiano Caruana, followed by several other top US grandmasters, including Ray Robson, Samuel Sevian and Sam Shankland. 

By participating in open tournaments Caruana hopes to improve his standing in the FIDE Circuit before the end of the year. In the FIDE Circuit, FIDE awards points for results in listed tournaments and the winner of the 2024 FIDE Circuit will qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. Currently Arjun Erigaisi and Caruana fight for the number one spot.

Among the players who travelled from the US Masters in Charlotte to Saint Louis was Alexander Donchenko, who is apparently warming up in the USA for the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York at the end of the year.

The prize money of $100,000 was no doubt another good argument for many players to take part in the Saint Louis Masters. The tournament was not held at the Saint Louis Chess Club - it wouldn't be big enough for 60 players - but in the Maryland Ballroom of the Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza Hotel in Saint Louis.

Caruana started with two wins, then drew with Aram Hakoyan and then beat Sam Shankland. In round five Caruana drew against Nikolas Theodorou, the only player to beat Caruana at the U.S. Masters. After two more wins and a draw against Grigoriy Oparin in round 8, Caruana had 6.5/8 and was one point ahead of his closest rivals with one round to go.

Fabiano Caruana

Alexander Donchenko's tournament also went well, but not quite as well as Caruana's. The German grandmaster took a bye in the first round and then had three wins and four draws.

Alexander Donchenko

Going into the final round Donchenko was part of a group of six players with 5.5/8 each, one point behind Caruana. In the final round Donchenko had to play Caruana with Black and won with energetic play.  

With this win Donchenko caught up with Caruana and as none of the other players with 5.5/8 could win in the last round, Caruana and Donchenko were declared joint winners of the tournament.

Though sole victory at the Saint Louis Masters would have given Caruana even more FIDE Circuit points, he still managed to overtake Erigaisi and now leads the Circuit. However, Erigaisi is likely to pick up points at the Qatar Masters and the race will probably only be decided at the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York at the end of the year.

FIDE Circuit 2024

Source: FIDE...

Final standings

Rk. Name Pts.
1 Caruana, Fabiano 6,5
Donchenko, Alexander 6,5
3 Sevian, Samuel 6
Saric, Ivan 6
Oparin, Grigoriy 6
Hakobyan, Aram 6
Zhou, Jianchao 6
Can, Isik 6
9 Robson, Ray 5,5
Shankland, Sam 5,5
Bok, Benjamin 5,5
Quesada Perez, Yasser 5,5
Khanin, Semen 5,5
Woodward, Andy 5,5
Kacharava, Nikolozi 5,5
16 Mishra, Abhimanyu 5
Swiercz, Dariusz 5
Kevlishvili, Robby 5
Kantor, Gergely 5
Cordova, Emilio 5
Harsha, Bharathakoti 5
Dudin, Gleb 5
Heimann, Mark 5
24 Theodorou, Nikolas 4,5
Vazquez, Guillermo 4,5

59 players...

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1.d4 48 Nf6 8 2.c4 8 e6 5 3.Nc3 20 d5 21 4.Bg5 3:27 Nbd7 4:54 5.e3 1:31 h6 2:52 6.Bh4 15 Be7 1:38 7.Qc2 4:01 0-0 4:53 8.cxd5 10:37 exd5 15 9.Bd3 29 c6 6 10.Nge2 1:45 Re8 5:12 11.a4 6:33       Ne4 16:14 12.Bxe7 2:55 Qxe7 12 The position is equal. 13.Bxe4 8 dxe4 3 14.a5 14 Nf6 8 15.0-0 3:52 Bf5 30 16.Qa4 2:58 Rad8 7:27 17.Qa3 4:03 Qd7 3:04 18.a6 18:31 b6 19 19.Qa4 3:01 h5 12:54 20.Rfc1 6:46 20.h4= 20...h4 48 21.d5 21:40
21...c5 1:42 21...cxd5?! 22.Qxd7 Bxd7 23.Nd4= 21...Nxd5?! 22.Nxd5 Qxd5 22...cxd5 23.Qxd7 Rxd7 24.Nd4± 23.Qxc6= 22.Rd1 3:18 h3 14:28 ...Qe7 would now be deadly. 23.Rd2 3:17 23.Qxd7 Rxd7 24.Ng3 23...Qe7-+ 2:12 24.Ng3 1:14 Bd7 46 25.Qc4 34 Qe5 3:54 26.d6 33 hxg2 2:43 27.Nd5 23 Nxd5 5:01 Don't play 27...Qxd6 28.Rad1 Ng4 29.h3 28.Rxd5 20
28.Qxd5 was the only defense. Qxd5 29.Rxd5 28...Qxb2 20 29.Rad1 47 Bb5 1:12 Weighted Error Value: White=0.28 (precise) /Black=0.03 (flawless) . Mistake: White=3 --- Inaccurate: White=3 Black=1 OK: White=6 Black=7 Best: --- Black=2 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Dudin,G2510Caruana,F28050–12024D36Saint Louis Masters 20241.1
Robson,R2700Budisavljevic,L2488½–½2024B45Saint Louis Masters 20241.2
Ghazarian,K2495Sevian,S2696½–½2024E60Saint Louis Masters 20241.3
Shankland,S2672Hardaway,B24901–02024D02Saint Louis Masters 20241.4
Chandra,A2474Saric,I2668½–½2024A15Saint Louis Masters 20241.5
Oparin,G2653Heimann,M24590–12024C50Saint Louis Masters 20241.6
Stearman,J2445Aryan Chopra2637½–½2024B22Saint Louis Masters 20241.7
Hakobyan,A2623Bilych,O24291–02024E11Saint Louis Masters 20241.8
Chen,R2435Mishra,A2616½–½2024C07Saint Louis Masters 20241.9
Theodorou,N2612Chasin,N2412½–½2024E10Saint Louis Masters 20241.10
Caruana,F2805Kevlishvili,R25561–02024B51Saint Louis Masters 20242.1
Kantor,G2554Shankland,S26720–12024E94Saint Louis Masters 20242.2
Chirila,I2530Hakobyan,A26230–12024C02Saint Louis Masters 20242.3
Moradiabadi,E2515Zhou,J25810–12024B52Saint Louis Masters 20242.4
Vazquez,G2569Woodward,A2525½–½2024B53Saint Louis Masters 20242.5
Mikaelyan,A2508Khanin,S2568½–½2024D32Saint Louis Masters 20242.6
Stremavicius,T2545Kacharava,N2525½–½2024A17Saint Louis Masters 20242.7
Nyzhnyk,I2576Heimann,M2459½–½2024D38Saint Louis Masters 20242.8
Abrahamyan,T2304Robson,R27000–12024B90Saint Louis Masters 20242.9
Sevian,S2696Harsha Bharathakoti25311–02024D35Saint Louis Masters 20242.10
Hakobyan,A2623Caruana,F2805½–½2024D37Saint Louis Masters 20243.1
Shankland,S2672Zhou,J25811–02024B90Saint Louis Masters 20243.2
Robson,R2700Stremavicius,T2545½–½2024B12Saint Louis Masters 20243.3
Cordova,E2525Sevian,S26961–02024A06Saint Louis Masters 20243.4
Woodward,A2525Saric,I2668½–½2024C44Saint Louis Masters 20243.5
Theodorou,N2612Mikaelyan,A25081–02024E94Saint Louis Masters 20243.6
Can,I2508Vazquez,G2569½–½2024B12Saint Louis Masters 20243.7
Khanin,S2568Nyzhnyk,I2576½–½2024D43Saint Louis Masters 20243.8
Heimann,M2459Mishra,A2616½–½2024D45Saint Louis Masters 20243.9
Oparin,G2653Hardaway,B24901–02024A08Saint Louis Masters 20243.10
Caruana,F2805Shankland,S26721–02024B92Saint Louis Masters 20244.1
Cordova,E2531Hakobyan,A2625½–½2024D32Saint Louis Masters 20244.2
Saric,I2669Theodorou,N2600½–½2024B30Saint Louis Masters 20244.3
Nyzhnyk,I2564Robson,R2700½–½2024A28Saint Louis Masters 20244.4
Kantor,G2550Oparin,G2653½–½2024E16Saint Louis Masters 20244.5
Moradiabadi,E2512Donchenko,A2618½–½2024E11Saint Louis Masters 20244.6
Quesada Perez,Y2577Kevlishvili,R2556½–½2024C54Saint Louis Masters 20244.7
Zhou,J2572Woodward,A25301–02024A29Saint Louis Masters 20244.8
Vazquez,G2569Dudin,G2506½–½2024B53Saint Louis Masters 20244.9
Kacharava,N2510Khanin,S25681–02024C58Saint Louis Masters 20244.10
Theodorou,N2612Caruana,F2805½–½2024E06Saint Louis Masters 20245.1
Shankland,S2672Cordova,E25310–12024C11Saint Louis Masters 20245.2
Hakobyan,A2623Heimann,M2459½–½2024D38Saint Louis Masters 20245.3
Robson,R2700Zhou,J2572½–½2024B47Saint Louis Masters 20245.4
Vazquez,G2569Sevian,S2696½–½2024B22Saint Louis Masters 20245.5
Kevlishvili,R2556Saric,I26681–02024B90Saint Louis Masters 20245.6
Oparin,G2653Stremavicius,T25671–02024C00Saint Louis Masters 20245.7
Donchenko,A2618Nyzhnyk,I25641–02024D45Saint Louis Masters 20245.8
Antipov,M2594Kantor,G25500–12024C54Saint Louis Masters 20245.9
Dudin,G2510Bok,B2593½–½2024A28Saint Louis Masters 20245.10
Caruana,F2805Cordova,E25251–02024B30Saint Louis Masters 20246.1
Can,I2508Oparin,G2653½–½2024C47Saint Louis Masters 20246.2
Kantor,G2554Hakobyan,A26230–12024E04Saint Louis Masters 20246.3
Donchenko,A2618Kevlishvili,R2556½–½2024D36Saint Louis Masters 20246.4
Heimann,M2459Theodorou,N26121–02024B31Saint Louis Masters 20246.5
Zhou,J2581Kacharava,N2525½–½2024A21Saint Louis Masters 20246.6
Swiercz,D2574Robson,R2700½–½2024B52Saint Louis Masters 20246.7
Sevian,S2696Khanin,S25681–02024C54Saint Louis Masters 20246.8
Woodward,A2525Shankland,S26720–12024A62Saint Louis Masters 20246.9
Bok,B2593Vazquez,G2569½–½2024A28Saint Louis Masters 20246.10
Caruana,F2805Heimann,M24591–02024A13Saint Louis Masters 20247.1
Hakobyan,A2623Sevian,S2696½–½2024D38Saint Louis Masters 20247.2
Shankland,S2672Can,I25080–12024A07Saint Louis Masters 20247.3
Oparin,G2653Kevlishvili,R25561–02024A13Saint Louis Masters 20247.4
Kacharava,N2525Donchenko,A2618½–½2024B12Saint Louis Masters 20247.5
Dudin,G2506Zhou,J2581½–½2024E73Saint Louis Masters 20247.6
Cordova,E2525Saric,I2668½–½2024A07Saint Louis Masters 20247.7
Robson,R2700Quesada Perez,Y25771–02024D78Saint Louis Masters 20247.8
Vazquez,G2569Mishra,A2616½–½2024B53Saint Louis Masters 20247.9
Theodorou,N2612Nyzhnyk,I2576½–½2024E18Saint Louis Masters 20247.10
Oparin,G2653Caruana,F2805½–½2024C49Saint Louis Masters 20248.1
Can,I2499Hakobyan,A2625½–½2024C13Saint Louis Masters 20248.2
Heimann,M2459Robson,R2700½–½2024B90Saint Louis Masters 20248.3
Sevian,S2696Kacharava,N25101–02024A34Saint Louis Masters 20248.4
Donchenko,A2618Dudin,G25061–02024E06Saint Louis Masters 20248.5
Zhou,J2572Cordova,E25311–02024E14Saint Louis Masters 20248.6
Nyzhnyk,I2564Shankland,S26720–12024B51Saint Louis Masters 20248.7
Saric,I2669Kantor,G25501–02024C50Saint Louis Masters 20248.8
Mishra,A2616Batsuren,D2531½–½2024C54Saint Louis Masters 20248.9
Kevlishvili,R2556Theodorou,N2600½–½2024C54Saint Louis Masters 20248.10
Caruana,F2805Donchenko,A26180–12024B51Saint Louis Masters 20249.1
Zhou,J2572Sevian,S2696½–½2024Saint Louis Masters 20249.2
Hakobyan,A2625Oparin,G2653½–½2024Saint Louis Masters 20249.3
Robson,R2700Can,I2499½–½2024D11Saint Louis Masters 20249.4
Shankland,S2672Bok,B2593½–½2024E05Saint Louis Masters 20249.5
Saric,I2669Heimann,M24591–02024A13Saint Louis Masters 20249.6
Cordova,E2531Mishra,A2616½–½2024A06Saint Louis Masters 20249.7
Theodorou,N2600Woodward,A25300–12024A30Saint Louis Masters 20249.8
Batsuren,D2531Quesada Perez,Y25770–12024D31Saint Louis Masters 20249.9
Harsha Bharathakoti2531Swiercz,D2574½–½2024D45Saint Louis Masters 20249.10

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André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.
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