
All photos by official site
The US championship is one of the most exciting events in the chess world. The event attracts top players in the country and fans from all over the United States. It receives a great deal of attention - well deserved for a chess event of this caliber - which encourages close battles. It is all being done in the world famous St Louis chess club, where the “big three” – Wesley So, Fabiano Caruana, and Hikaru Nakamura, meet several young well-established 2600s or experienced figures such as the legendary Gata Kamsky and the ‘always in shape’ Alexander Onischuk.
Round two’s biggest name game was of course the encounter between Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura, bringing back memories of the titanic enounter from last year’s event when Fabiano had won with white, a key victory in his overall title win. This year, the sparks were fewer and they drew.
One win and one draw, Nakamura has nothing to complain about
Another big game was of course Wesley So against Sam Shankland, but there too a peaceful result was the conclusion. This isn’t to say the round was dry of decisive results, just from the biggest names. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day was Kamsky’s loss against Akobian, when he succumbed to a basic tactic in a rich fighting position.
Another, no less tragic, though less abrupt, was the game between Shabalov and Onischuk. It was a fascinating battle with a wild situation on the board.
Alexander Shabalov vs Alexander Onischuk
Above is a snapshot to give you an idea
The notation shows the tension of the game as the calm well-formed letters degenerate as the game advances
The battle of the US prodigies Jeffery Xiong (right) and Ray Robson ended in a draw
Still, if the game above surprising by its middlegame pawn structure, take a look at this opening play by Daniel Naroditsky. The undergraduate student from Stanford played a very interesting line in the Najdorf with a very early (and not easy to understand) 6.h4!?? to surprise Yaroslaw Zherebukh.
Daniel Naroditsky vs Yaroslav Zherebukh
Position after 6.h4!?
In social media during the game, some called this an odd novelty, but Magnus Carlsen’s second, Peter Heine Nielsen, also following the game, tweeted back:
Many thought that there might be a bug in the transmission while others joked that he probably meant to play h3 and had mistakenly pushed the pawn one square too far. This was compared by many to what Carlsen did against Karjakin in the world championship when he moved his rook back to e2 instead of the normal e1 in the third game of the world championship.
In the women’s section, the ladies showed that white pieces are indeed better, unlike the Open section where Black had the upper hand and scored valuable wins. This saw one exception when the defending champion Nazi Paikidze out-prepared Olympic team member Katerina Nemcova to score an important win with black. Top seed Anna Zatonskih played an attacking game against Emiley Nguyen to beat the youngster early after a huge opening mistake.
Great preparation by reigning champion Nazi Paikidze laid the groundwork for a smooth victory
Irina Krush got a better position out of the opening against Sabina Foisor but then started to play poorly and Sabina gradually equalized and got even a winning position in the endgame. However, in the ensuing time pressure Irina manage to turn the tables thanks to a passed pawn, and the seven-time champion came out the unexpected victor.
What might have beena disaster for Irina Krush, turned into an unexpected windfall in the time scramble
US Championship pairings/results
Round 1 on 2017/03/29 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 1 | 2666 | GM | Shankland Samuel L | ½ - ½ | GM | Caruana Fabiano | 2817 | 12 |
2 | 2 | 2822 | GM | So Wesley | 1 - 0 | GM | Shabalov Alexander | 2556 | 11 |
3 | 3 | 2667 | GM | Onischuk Alexander | ½ - ½ | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | 2646 | 10 |
4 | 4 | 2605 | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | ½ - ½ | GM | Kamsky Gata | 2659 | 9 |
5 | 5 | 2645 | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | ½ - ½ | GM | Xiong Jeffery | 2674 | 8 |
6 | 6 | 2668 | GM | Robson Ray | 0 - 1 | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | 2793 | 7 |
Round 2 on 2017/03/30 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2817 | GM | Caruana Fabiano | ½ - ½ | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | 2793 | 7 |
2 | 8 | 2674 | GM | Xiong Jeffery | ½ - ½ | GM | Robson Ray | 2668 | 6 |
3 | 9 | 2659 | GM | Kamsky Gata | 0 - 1 | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | 2645 | 5 |
4 | 10 | 2646 | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | ½ - ½ | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | 2605 | 4 |
5 | 11 | 2556 | GM | Shabalov Alexander | 0 - 1 | GM | Onischuk Alexander | 2667 | 3 |
6 | 1 | 2666 | GM | Shankland Samuel L | ½ - ½ | GM | So Wesley | 2822 | 2 |
Round 3 on 2017/03/31 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 2 | 2822 | GM | So Wesley | GM | Caruana Fabiano | 2817 | 12 | |
2 | 3 | 2667 | GM | Onischuk Alexander | GM | Shankland Samuel L | 2666 | 1 | |
3 | 4 | 2605 | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | GM | Shabalov Alexander | 2556 | 11 | |
4 | 5 | 2645 | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | 2646 | 10 | |
5 | 6 | 2668 | GM | Robson Ray | GM | Kamsky Gata | 2659 | 9 | |
6 | 7 | 2793 | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | GM | Xiong Jeffery | 2674 | 8 | |
Round 4 on 2017/04/01 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2817 | GM | Caruana Fabiano | GM | Xiong Jeffery | 2674 | 8 | |
2 | 9 | 2659 | GM | Kamsky Gata | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | 2793 | 7 | |
3 | 10 | 2646 | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | GM | Robson Ray | 2668 | 6 | |
4 | 11 | 2556 | GM | Shabalov Alexander | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | 2645 | 5 | |
5 | 1 | 2666 | GM | Shankland Samuel L | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | 2605 | 4 | |
6 | 2 | 2822 | GM | So Wesley | GM | Onischuk Alexander | 2667 | 3 | |
Round 5 on 2017/04/02 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 3 | 2667 | GM | Onischuk Alexander | GM | Caruana Fabiano | 2817 | 12 | |
2 | 4 | 2605 | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | GM | So Wesley | 2822 | 2 | |
3 | 5 | 2645 | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | GM | Shankland Samuel L | 2666 | 1 | |
4 | 6 | 2668 | GM | Robson Ray | GM | Shabalov Alexander | 2556 | 11 | |
5 | 7 | 2793 | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | 2646 | 10 | |
6 | 8 | 2674 | GM | Xiong Jeffery | GM | Kamsky Gata | 2659 | 9 | |
Round 6 on 2017/04/04 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2817 | GM | Caruana Fabiano | GM | Kamsky Gata | 2659 | 9 | |
2 | 10 | 2646 | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | GM | Xiong Jeffery | 2674 | 8 | |
3 | 11 | 2556 | GM | Shabalov Alexander | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | 2793 | 7 | |
4 | 1 | 2666 | GM | Shankland Samuel L | GM | Robson Ray | 2668 | 6 | |
5 | 2 | 2822 | GM | So Wesley | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | 2645 | 5 | |
6 | 3 | 2667 | GM | Onischuk Alexander | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | 2605 | 4 | |
Round 7 on 2017/04/05 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 4 | 2605 | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | GM | Caruana Fabiano | 2817 | 12 | |
2 | 5 | 2645 | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | GM | Onischuk Alexander | 2667 | 3 | |
3 | 6 | 2668 | GM | Robson Ray | GM | So Wesley | 2822 | 2 | |
4 | 7 | 2793 | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | GM | Shankland Samuel L | 2666 | 1 | |
5 | 8 | 2674 | GM | Xiong Jeffery | GM | Shabalov Alexander | 2556 | 11 | |
6 | 9 | 2659 | GM | Kamsky Gata | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | 2646 | 10 | |
Round 8 on 2017/04/06 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2817 | GM | Caruana Fabiano | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | 2646 | 10 | |
2 | 11 | 2556 | GM | Shabalov Alexander | GM | Kamsky Gata | 2659 | 9 | |
3 | 1 | 2666 | GM | Shankland Samuel L | GM | Xiong Jeffery | 2674 | 8 | |
4 | 2 | 2822 | GM | So Wesley | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | 2793 | 7 | |
5 | 3 | 2667 | GM | Onischuk Alexander | GM | Robson Ray | 2668 | 6 | |
6 | 4 | 2605 | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | 2645 | 5 | |
Round 9 on 2017/04/07 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 5 | 2645 | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | GM | Caruana Fabiano | 2817 | 12 | |
2 | 6 | 2668 | GM | Robson Ray | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | 2605 | 4 | |
3 | 7 | 2793 | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | GM | Onischuk Alexander | 2667 | 3 | |
4 | 8 | 2674 | GM | Xiong Jeffery | GM | So Wesley | 2822 | 2 | |
5 | 9 | 2659 | GM | Kamsky Gata | GM | Shankland Samuel L | 2666 | 1 | |
6 | 10 | 2646 | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | GM | Shabalov Alexander | 2556 | 11 | |
Round 10 on 2017/04/08 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2817 | GM | Caruana Fabiano | GM | Shabalov Alexander | 2556 | 11 | |
2 | 1 | 2666 | GM | Shankland Samuel L | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | 2646 | 10 | |
3 | 2 | 2822 | GM | So Wesley | GM | Kamsky Gata | 2659 | 9 | |
4 | 3 | 2667 | GM | Onischuk Alexander | GM | Xiong Jeffery | 2674 | 8 | |
5 | 4 | 2605 | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | 2793 | 7 | |
6 | 5 | 2645 | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | GM | Robson Ray | 2668 | 6 | |
Round 11 on 2017/04/09 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 6 | 2668 | GM | Robson Ray | GM | Caruana Fabiano | 2817 | 12 | |
2 | 7 | 2793 | GM | Nakamura Hikaru | GM | Akobian Varuzhan | 2645 | 5 | |
3 | 8 | 2674 | GM | Xiong Jeffery | GM | Zherebukh Yaroslav | 2605 | 4 | |
4 | 9 | 2659 | GM | Kamsky Gata | GM | Onischuk Alexander | 2667 | 3 | |
5 | 10 | 2646 | GM | Naroditsky Daniel | GM | So Wesley | 2822 | 2 | |
6 | 11 | 2556 | GM | Shabalov Alexander | GM | Shankland Samuel L | 2666 | 1 |
US Women's Championship pairings/results
Round 1 on 2017/03/29 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 1 | 2257 | WGM | Sharevich Anna | ½ - ½ | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | 2359 | 12 |
2 | 2 | 2162 | WCM | Feng Maggie | ½ - ½ | GM | Krush Irina | 2444 | 11 |
3 | 3 | 2272 | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | 1 - 0 | WFM | Yip Carissa | 2234 | 10 |
4 | 4 | 2364 | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | 1 - 0 | WFM | Virkud Apurva | 2262 | 9 |
5 | 5 | 2196 | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | 1 - 0 | IM | Zatonskih Anna | 2451 | 8 |
6 | 6 | 2173 | WIM | Nguyen Emily | ½ - ½ | IM | Paikidze Nazi | 2369 | 7 |
Round 2 on 2017/03/30 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2359 | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | 0 - 1 | IM | Paikidze Nazi | 2369 | 7 |
2 | 8 | 2451 | IM | Zatonskih Anna | 1 - 0 | WIM | Nguyen Emily | 2173 | 6 |
3 | 9 | 2262 | WFM | Virkud Apurva | 1 - 0 | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | 2196 | 5 |
4 | 10 | 2234 | WFM | Yip Carissa | ½ - ½ | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | 2364 | 4 |
5 | 11 | 2444 | GM | Krush Irina | 1 - 0 | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | 2272 | 3 |
6 | 1 | 2257 | WGM | Sharevich Anna | ½ - ½ | WCM | Feng Maggie | 2162 | 2 |
Round 3 on 2017/03/31 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 2 | 2162 | WCM | Feng Maggie | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | 2359 | 12 | |
2 | 3 | 2272 | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | WGM | Sharevich Anna | 2257 | 1 | |
3 | 4 | 2364 | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | GM | Krush Irina | 2444 | 11 | |
4 | 5 | 2196 | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | WFM | Yip Carissa | 2234 | 10 | |
5 | 6 | 2173 | WIM | Nguyen Emily | WFM | Virkud Apurva | 2262 | 9 | |
6 | 7 | 2369 | IM | Paikidze Nazi | IM | Zatonskih Anna | 2451 | 8 | |
Round 4 on 2017/04/01 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2359 | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | IM | Zatonskih Anna | 2451 | 8 | |
2 | 9 | 2262 | WFM | Virkud Apurva | IM | Paikidze Nazi | 2369 | 7 | |
3 | 10 | 2234 | WFM | Yip Carissa | WIM | Nguyen Emily | 2173 | 6 | |
4 | 11 | 2444 | GM | Krush Irina | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | 2196 | 5 | |
5 | 1 | 2257 | WGM | Sharevich Anna | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | 2364 | 4 | |
6 | 2 | 2162 | WCM | Feng Maggie | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | 2272 | 3 | |
Round 5 on 2017/04/02 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 3 | 2272 | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | 2359 | 12 | |
2 | 4 | 2364 | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | WCM | Feng Maggie | 2162 | 2 | |
3 | 5 | 2196 | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | WGM | Sharevich Anna | 2257 | 1 | |
4 | 6 | 2173 | WIM | Nguyen Emily | GM | Krush Irina | 2444 | 11 | |
5 | 7 | 2369 | IM | Paikidze Nazi | WFM | Yip Carissa | 2234 | 10 | |
6 | 8 | 2451 | IM | Zatonskih Anna | WFM | Virkud Apurva | 2262 | 9 | |
Round 6 on 2017/04/04 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2359 | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | WFM | Virkud Apurva | 2262 | 9 | |
2 | 10 | 2234 | WFM | Yip Carissa | IM | Zatonskih Anna | 2451 | 8 | |
3 | 11 | 2444 | GM | Krush Irina | IM | Paikidze Nazi | 2369 | 7 | |
4 | 1 | 2257 | WGM | Sharevich Anna | WIM | Nguyen Emily | 2173 | 6 | |
5 | 2 | 2162 | WCM | Feng Maggie | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | 2196 | 5 | |
6 | 3 | 2272 | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | 2364 | 4 | |
Round 7 on 2017/04/05 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 4 | 2364 | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | 2359 | 12 | |
2 | 5 | 2196 | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | 2272 | 3 | |
3 | 6 | 2173 | WIM | Nguyen Emily | WCM | Feng Maggie | 2162 | 2 | |
4 | 7 | 2369 | IM | Paikidze Nazi | WGM | Sharevich Anna | 2257 | 1 | |
5 | 8 | 2451 | IM | Zatonskih Anna | GM | Krush Irina | 2444 | 11 | |
6 | 9 | 2262 | WFM | Virkud Apurva | WFM | Yip Carissa | 2234 | 10 | |
Round 8 on 2017/04/06 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2359 | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | WFM | Yip Carissa | 2234 | 10 | |
2 | 11 | 2444 | GM | Krush Irina | WFM | Virkud Apurva | 2262 | 9 | |
3 | 1 | 2257 | WGM | Sharevich Anna | IM | Zatonskih Anna | 2451 | 8 | |
4 | 2 | 2162 | WCM | Feng Maggie | IM | Paikidze Nazi | 2369 | 7 | |
5 | 3 | 2272 | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | WIM | Nguyen Emily | 2173 | 6 | |
6 | 4 | 2364 | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | 2196 | 5 | |
Round 9 on 2017/04/07 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 5 | 2196 | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | 2359 | 12 | |
2 | 6 | 2173 | WIM | Nguyen Emily | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | 2364 | 4 | |
3 | 7 | 2369 | IM | Paikidze Nazi | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | 2272 | 3 | |
4 | 8 | 2451 | IM | Zatonskih Anna | WCM | Feng Maggie | 2162 | 2 | |
5 | 9 | 2262 | WFM | Virkud Apurva | WGM | Sharevich Anna | 2257 | 1 | |
6 | 10 | 2234 | WFM | Yip Carissa | GM | Krush Irina | 2444 | 11 | |
Round 10 on 2017/04/08 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 12 | 2359 | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | GM | Krush Irina | 2444 | 11 | |
2 | 1 | 2257 | WGM | Sharevich Anna | WFM | Yip Carissa | 2234 | 10 | |
3 | 2 | 2162 | WCM | Feng Maggie | WFM | Virkud Apurva | 2262 | 9 | |
4 | 3 | 2272 | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | IM | Zatonskih Anna | 2451 | 8 | |
5 | 4 | 2364 | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | IM | Paikidze Nazi | 2369 | 7 | |
6 | 5 | 2196 | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | WIM | Nguyen Emily | 2173 | 6 | |
Round 11 on 2017/04/09 at 2 PM (EST) | |||||||||
Bo. | No. | Rtg | Name | Result | Name | Rtg | No. | ||
1 | 6 | 2173 | WIM | Nguyen Emily | WGM | Nemcova Katerina | 2359 | 12 | |
2 | 7 | 2369 | IM | Paikidze Nazi | WIM | Yu Jennifer R | 2196 | 5 | |
3 | 8 | 2451 | IM | Zatonskih Anna | WGM | Abrahamyan Tatev | 2364 | 4 | |
4 | 9 | 2262 | WFM | Virkud Apurva | WGM | Foisor Sabina-Francesca | 2272 | 3 | |
5 | 10 | 2234 | WFM | Yip Carissa | WCM | Feng Maggie | 2162 | 2 | |
6 | 11 | 2444 | GM | Krush Irina | WGM | Sharevich Anna | 2257 | 1 |
LinksThe games are being broadcast live on the official web site and on the chess server Playchess.com. If you are not a member you can download a free Playchess client there and get immediate access. You can also use ChessBase 14 or any of our Fritz compatible chess programs. |