U.S. Champ Final: Who else?!

[Event "U.S. Championship 2015"] [Site "Saint Louis"] [Date "2015.04.12"] [Round "11"] [White "Gareev, Timur"] [Black "Robson, Ray"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D01"] [WhiteElo "2604"] [BlackElo "2656"] [Annotator "Josh Friedel"] [PlyCount "65"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceDate "2015.02.07"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Bg5 {Timur likes to put his bishop here early in the game.} c5 $5 {An ambitious move, opting to play a reverse chigorin. Ray knew he'd have to win to catch Nakamura, and fighting chess certainly isn't outside of his comfort zone.} 4. Bxf6 gxf6 5. e4 {White tries to open things up.} dxe4 6. dxc5 Qa5 7. Bb5+ $6 {This check seems to help Black develop. Qd5 and Qh5 look like better moves.} Bd7 8. a4 (8. Bxd7+ Nxd7 {might be best, but this was clearly not the idea of Bb5+.}) 8... a6 $6 (8... e6 {looks direct and strong.}) 9. Ra3 $2 {Timur's crazyness can sometimes throw off his opponents, but this time he does it to himself. This move looks like complete nonsense.} Nc6 10. Nge2 e6 {Black threatens Bxc5, which incidentally hits a rook now.} 11. b4 $2 { Another insane move, which gives away more material.} (11. Nd4 {looks like the best try, but after} O-O-O 12. O-O f5 {Black's position is still to be preferred.}) 11... Qxb4 12. Rb3 Qa5 {c5 is still going to fall, and White has no compensation whatsoever.} 13. O-O {Cause why not?} axb5 {I'm not sure I'd even bother taking this.} (13... f5 {followed by taking on c5 looks easy and allows no chances for a slip up.}) 14. Nxe4 Be7 15. axb5 Ne5 16. N2c3 Rc8 $2 { This gives White a chance to get back in it.} (16... Qc7 17. Nd6+ Kf8 {and White's compensation will evaporate quickly.}) 17. Qd4 $6 (17. Nd6+ Bxd6 18. Qxd6 Qc7 19. Ne4 {looks best, and after} Qxd6 20. Nxd6+ Ke7 21. Nxb7 {White has some counterplay, though Black is still much better.}) 17... Qc7 18. c6 $6 (18. f4 Ng6 19. c6 {is more accurate, since now Nxf6 can be throw in at any time.}) 18... bxc6 19. b6 c5 $1 {Ray finds a key move, and should be easily won again.} 20. Nxf6+ Bxf6 21. Qf4 Qd8 22. Ne4 Ng6 $6 (22... Bg7 {was best according to the computer, laughing at White's Nd6+.}) 23. Qf3 $2 {This move is almost comical.} (23. Nxf6+ Ke7 24. Qg5 {is necessary, and after} h6 25. Nd5+ Kf8 26. Qxd8+ Rxd8 {Black is still much better, but the game can continue. }) 23... Be5 {Now the game is over.} 24. Rd1 Qe7 25. b7 Rb8 26. Rb6 O-O 27. g3 f5 28. Ng5 Bc7 29. Rxd7 Qxd7 30. Rxe6 Bd8 31. Qb3 Kh8 32. Qc3+ Qd4 33. Nf7+ { I really looked forward to this matchup, but it was a bit of a letdown since Timur was basically lost right out of the opening. Congrats to Ray on a very nice tournament.} 0-1

[Event "U.S. Championship 2015"] [Site "Saint Louis"] [Date "2015.04.12"] [Round "11"] [White "Nakamura, Hikaru"] [Black "Onischuk, Alexander"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C55"] [WhiteElo "2798"] [BlackElo "2665"] [Annotator "Josh Friedel"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceDate "2015.02.07"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 {Safe to say that the Scotch Gambit was not what Onischuk expected in this game.} Nf6 5. e5 d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bc5 $5 {An interesting line that attemps to make the game more double-edged.} (7... Bd7 {is the main line.}) 8. Be3 {Best.} (8. O-O O-O $1 {and Bd7 is unnecessary, since the c6 pawn can't safely be grabbed.} 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bxc6 Ba6 $1 {with an initiative.}) 8... O-O {A risky choice by Onischuk, who clearly was trying to mix up the game.} (8... Bd7 {transposes into normal lines.}) 9. Nxc6 bxc6 10. Bxc5 Nxc5 11. Bxc6 Rb8 {The saner choice.} (11... Ba6 {is a move I used to play myself, but unfortunately after} 12. Nc3 $1 {Black's ideas just don't lead anywhere.}) 12. O-O {This leads to a very drawish endgame.} (12. Qxd5 Qe7 13. O-O {is more ambitious for White, but after} Rxb2 14. Nc3 Rxc2 {the game isn't far from equality.}) 12... Rxb2 13. Qxd5 Qxd5 14. Bxd5 Rxc2 15. Na3 { This ending is quite equal. Both the e and c pawns are weak.} Re2 16. Rac1 Nd3 (16... Ne6 {is a simpler way to draw, but Onischuk's move is fine as well.}) 17. Rxc7 Be6 18. Bb3 $1 {Naka keeps the tension, forcing Alex to find acccurate moves.} a5 19. Ra7 Bxb3 20. axb3 Rxe5 $6 {Still drawn, but this makes it more complicated.} (20... g6 {Nd3 was an active move, and it should be followed up actively.} 21. Rxa5 Rb8 22. Rb5 Rxb5 23. Nxb5 Rxe5 {and the b-pawn will be collected in short order.}) 21. Nc4 Rb5 22. Rb1 {It is still well within the draw zone, but black has to play with precision.} Nc5 (22... a4 23. Rxa4 Nc5 24. Ra3 Rfb8 25. Nd2 g6 {and White's chances of winning are pretty slim due to his passive pieces.}) 23. Nxa5 Re8 $2 {Onischuk really starts to slip. The rook just doesn't do enough here.} (23... g6 {followed by Rfb8 is still very drawish.}) 24. g3 g6 25. b4 {White's extra pawn isn't so shabby anymore.} Nd3 26. Nc6 Re2 27. Rd7 Nxf2 $2 {This loses immediately.} ( 27... Rb6 {was forced, and after} 28. Ne7+ Kg7 29. Nf5+ gxf5 30. Rxd3 {White has excellent winning chances, but at least Black can fight on.}) 28. Nd4 Nh3+ 29. Kh1 Nf2+ 30. Kg2 Nd1+ 31. Nxe2 {An abrupt end to the tournament. Onischuk got an easily drawn position, which is perhaps not what he was searching for, but all it takes is a couple inaccuracies to make life difficult. Congrats to Hikaru, who while not playing up to his standards, played well enough to win the event.} 1-0

[Event "U.S. Womens Championship 2015"] [Site "Saint Louis"] [Date "2015.04.12"] [Round "11"] [White "Ni, Viktorija"] [Black "Virkud, Apurva"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A06"] [WhiteElo "2188"] [BlackElo "2132"] [Annotator "Josh Friedel"] [PlyCount "93"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceDate "2015.02.07"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 e6 3. b3 Nf6 4. g3 Be7 5. Bg2 O-O 6. O-O c5 7. Bb2 Nc6 8. e3 b6 9. Qe2 Bb7 10. Rd1 dxc4 11. bxc4 Qc8 $6 {Not the right square for the queen.} ( 11... Qc7 {Is the main move, allowing the rook on a8 to get out.}) 12. d3 {Not a bad move, but I'd try to punish Black a bit more.} (12. Nc3 Rd8 13. Rac1 { followed by d4 would give White a highly favorable hanging pawns structure.}) 12... Rd8 13. Nbd2 {I'm not sure what the knight is doing here.} (13. Nc3) 13... Qc7 {Apurva fixes her queen. Strong players are always willing to admit their mistakes.} 14. e4 $6 {This is entirely the wrong idea, in my opinion.} ( 14. Ne1 {followed by f4 is a very reti-esque idea.}) 14... e5 {The problem is that Nd4 comes before Nd5.} 15. Nf1 Nd4 16. Nxd4 $6 (16. Qe1 {is actually a better choice, in my opinion. The idea is that on} Nc2 17. Bxe5 Qd7 18. Qe2 Nxa1 19. Bxa1 {and White has excellent compensation.}) 16... cxd4 {Black has an excellent reversed King's Indian now. White's attack hasn't started yet, and the queenside is already opened up.} 17. Bc1 Nd7 18. f4 Bd6 $6 {There is no reason to allow White to break up your pawns.} (18... f6 {is better..}) 19. f5 $6 (19. fxe5 Nxe5 20. Bf4 {gives White reasonable counterplay, although I'd still prefer Black.}) 19... f6 20. g4 Nc5 21. Ng3 Be7 22. h4 Bc6 23. g5 {These moves all make sense. I still like Black, but she has to be careful here.} Be8 $6 (23... Ba4 {was a clever move, forcing the rook to move away from defending d3.} 24. Rf1 b5 {and White's pawns are getting broken up.}) 24. Nh5 Bxh5 { Giving up the bishop isn't ideal, but otherwise White was going to crash through.} 25. Qxh5 Bf8 {Black wants to guard against g6 and sacs on h6.} 26. Bf1 Kh8 27. Rd2 Rd7 28. Rg2 {White is building and Black's queenside counterplay hasn't gone anywhere. I'd take White now, and by quite a wide margin.} Qd8 29. Bd2 Qe8 30. Qg4 {The ending even looks good for White, but there is no reason to trade queens.} Qd8 31. Be2 Rb8 (31... b5 {I might even sac a pawn to open up lines, but this is clearly desperation.}) 32. Kh2 Rbb7 33. Rag1 Qe7 34. Qg3 {After building up her position well, Vika gets too cautious.} (34. h5 {wins pretty straightforwardly, as h6 is a huge threat as well as simply taking on f6.} fxg5 35. Bxg5 Qd6 36. h6 {and Black won't survive long.}) 34... Rdc7 (34... Qd6 {is a better defense, saving a tempo in the h5 lines.} 35. gxf6 Qxf6 36. Bg5 Qd6 37. f6 Rf7 {and at least Black can fight.}) 35. Bh5 $2 {This I just don't understand.} (35. h5 {wins.}) 35... Qd6 (35... b5 {I'd try to get in this move while I had the chance, just so White has to think about it}) 36. Qf3 {She wants Bg6-Qh5.} Kg8 (36... fxg5 37. hxg5 g6 {is the better defensive try.}) 37. Be8 {Too intricate.} (37. gxf6 Qxf6 38. Bg5 {and f6 is winning.}) 37... Rc8 38. Bh5 Rcc7 39. Rg3 Qc6 (39... b5 {just to do something.}) 40. Bg6 {Vika finally completes her idea.} (40. gxf6 Qxf6 41. Bg5 {still wins.}) 40... hxg6 41. fxg6 Nxe4 $2 {This just loses.} (41... Qe6 42. Qh5 Be7 43. Qh7+ Kf8 44. Rf1 {and White will crash through pretty easily.}) 42. Qh5 Bd6 43. dxe4 Qxc4 44. Qh7+ Kf8 45. gxf6 Qxa2 46. R1g2 Qg8 47. f7 {Vika completes a superb second half of the event with this powerful attacking game.} 1-0

[Event "U.S. Womens Championship 2015"] [Site "Saint Louis"] [Date "2015.04.12"] [Round "11"] [White "Sharevich, Anna"] [Black "Abrahamyan, Tatev"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A64"] [WhiteElo "2267"] [BlackElo "2322"] [Annotator "Josh Friedel"] [PlyCount "87"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] [EventCountry "USA"] [SourceDate "2015.02.07"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Nf3 Bg7 8. Bg2 O-O 9. O-O a6 {Tatev varies from the Sharevich-Krush game from earlier in the tournament.} (9... Re8 10. Bf4 Ne4 11. Nxe4 Rxe4 12. Nd2 Rxf4 {was Sharevich-Krush.}) 10. a4 Re8 11. Nd2 {Anna stops Ne4 for good.} Nbd7 12. h3 Nh5 (12... Rb8 {is the main line.} 13. Nc4 Ne5 14. Na3 Nh5 {with a complex game.}) 13. Nc4 (13. Nce4 {is an option for White that isn't allowed in the 12. .. Rb8 line.}) 13... Ne5 14. Na3 $6 {I actually don't like playing this way now, since Black can find more useful moves than Rb8.} (14. Nxe5 {is nothing for White, but at least the game is relatively even.}) 14... Bd7 (14... f5 {is also a good option for Black.}) 15. Bd2 {I'm not sure I like the bishop here, but it is difficult to suggest good moves for White.} b5 $6 {A typical pawn sac for this line, but there was no reason to rush it.} (15... f5 {once again looks best, asking White what the plan is. I already prefer Black.}) 16. axb5 axb5 17. Ncxb5 Bxb5 (17... Qb6 18. Nc3 Qxb2 19. Ra2 Qb6 {is about equal.}) 18. Nxb5 Qb6 19. Nc3 Nc4 {Black has great compensation here, but White keeps the pawn for a little while.} 20. Rb1 Rab8 21. g4 Nxd2 $1 {Accurate.} (21... Nf6 22. Bf4 {gives White too much play.}) 22. Qxd2 Nf6 23. b3 $6 {This creates some awkwardness.} (23. Rfc1 {looks more solid.}) 23... Qb4 24. Qc2 Rb6 $6 { Tatev misses a chance to cause problems.} (24... Nxg4 25. Ne4 (25. Na2 $2 Qb5 26. hxg4 Rxe2 {and the a2 knight falls.}) 25... Nf6 26. Nxd6 Red8 27. Ne4 Nxd5 {and I'd take Black due to her better king position, although it is still pretty close to equal.}) 25. Rfc1 Reb8 26. e3 Qa3 27. Bf1 Rxb3 $2 {One of many last round blunders. Tatev misses Anna's reply.} (27... Qa7 {and it is still pretty even.}) 28. Nb5 $1 {White snags an exchange, for which there isn't much compensation.} R3xb5 29. Rxb5 Rxb5 30. Bxb5 Nxd5 {Black has a pawn for the exchange, but White's pawn structure is more solid and Sharevich can go after the Black king.} 31. Rb1 Nc3 $6 {Tempting, but Black's activity is artificial.} (31... Nb4 {keeps White's pieces out, and after} 32. Qa4 (32. Qd2 d5 {isn't so clear.}) 32... Qxa4 33. Bxa4 d5 {offers Black some drawing chances.}) 32. Rb3 Qa1+ 33. Bf1 d5 34. Rb8+ Bf8 35. Kg2 $6 (35. Qd2 {immobilizing Black's pieces is immediately strong.}) 35... Qe1 $6 (35... Kg7 {offers better chances.}) 36. Rd8 $1 {stopping Black's from moving anything. The rest is easy.} Kg7 37. Rd7 $6 (37. Qb2 {is a bit more accurate.}) 37... c4 $6 (37... Qa1 {with the idea of Qa8! keeps Black in it for a few moves.}) 38. Qb2 {Now it is really over.} Kg8 39. Qb8 Ne4 40. Qf4 Nd6 41. Rxd6 Bxd6 42. Qxd6 c3 43. Qxd5 {White calculates accurately.} c2 44. Bc4 {White's mate trumps Black's queen. Anna finishes her tournament on a high note, while Tatev will likely want to forget this year's event as soon as possible.} 1-0