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Today, the US 2018 Championships and Women's Championships kicks off at the Chess & Scholastic Center in Saint Louis. Both tournaments are twelve-player single round-robins in which the competitors play not only for the national title but also considerable prize funds.
In the open tournament, in which only men participate this year, the total prize fund is just under $200,000; the women's tournament has a prize fund roughly half as rich. In addition to the trophy, the overall U.S. Champion will also take home a $50,000 winner's check. The new U.S. Women's Champion can look forward to $25,000.
Fabiano Caruana chats with GMs Robert Hess and Alejandro Ramirez
The games will be played from today through April 29th, with a possible tiebreak playoff match on April 30th, if necessary. The one rest day is April 24th. Each round starts at 13.00 local time, which is 20.00 CEST.
Opening package: 1.b3 and Black Secrets in the Modern Italian
Wesley So published two new opening DVDs: 1.b3, the so called Nimzo-Larsen-Attack, for White and his black secrets in the modern Italian. Get them in a package and save money!
Lennart Ootes and Wesley So
In the open championship all three of the top American grandmasters are playing: Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura and Wesley So, the defending Champion. After the impressive performances in the Candidates Tournament and in the Grenke Classic Caruana is perhaps the top favorite. Rising stars Awonder Liang and Jeffery Xiong are two other names to watch closely.
Interestingly, five-time U.S. Champion Gata Kamsky declined his invitation this year and will miss his first Championship since the tournament has been held in St. Louis.
Fabiano Caruana
Hikaru Nakamura
Wesley So
Alex Onischuk
Ray Robson
Sam Shankland
Varuzhan Akobian
Jeffery Xiong
Alex Lenderman
Awonder Liang
Yaroslav Zherebukh
Zviad Izoria
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | $50,000 | 7. | $9,000 |
| 2. | $35,000 | 8. | $8,000 |
| 3. | $25,000 | 9. | $7,000 |
| 4. | $20,000 | 10. | $6,000 |
| 5. | $15,000 | 11. | $5,000 |
| 6. | $10,000 | 12. | $4,000 |
| Total prize fund | $ 194,000 | ||
The women's championship for many years (between 2006 and 2015) was a fight between Irina Krush and Anna Zatonskih. But that changed in 2016 when the Nazi Paikidze won, and last year Sabina Foisor was the Cinderella story of sorts. This year, with Jennifer Yu, Annie Wang, Maggie Feng and Akshita Gorti — four teenagers are also in the mix.
Irina Krush and Rex Sinquefield
Tatev Abrahamyan, Alejandro Ramirez and Dorsa Derakshani
Irina Krush
Anna Zatonskih
Tatev Abrahamyan
Nazi Paikidze
Sabina Foisor
Jennifer Yu
Annie Wang
Maggie Feng
Anna Sharevich
Dorsa Derakhshani
Akshita Gorti
Rusudan Goletiani
| Place | Prize | Place | Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | $25,000 | 7. | $5,000 |
| 2. | $18,000 | 8. | $4,000 |
| 3. | $13,000 | 9. | $3,500 |
| 4. | $10,000 | 10. | $3,000 |
| 5. | $8,000 | 11. | $2,500 |
| 6. | $6,000 | 12. | $2,000 |
| Total prize fund | $100,000 | ||
| Tuesday | 17. April | 18.30 | Opening ceremony |
| Mittwoch | 18. April | 13.00 | Round 1 |
| Donnerstag | 19. April | 13.00 | Round 2 |
| Freitag | 20. April | 13.00 | Round 3 |
| Samstag | 21. April | 13.00 | Round 4 |
| Sonntag | 22. April | 13.00 | Round 5 |
| Montag | 23 April | 13.00 | Round 6 |
| 23. April | "Chess After Dark" | ||
| Dienstag | 24. April | Rest day | |
| Mittwoch | 25. April | 13.00 | Round 7 |
| Donnerstag | 26. April | 13.00 | Round 8 |
| Freitag | 27. April | 13.00 | Round 9 |
| Samstag | 28. April | 13.00 | Round 10 |
| Sonntag | 29. April | 13.00 | Round 11 |
| Montag | 30.April | 13.00 | Possible playoff |
| 30. April | 18.30 | Closing ceremony |
All local times in St. Louis (UTC -5)
Translation from German: Macauley Peterson
