U.S. Championships: Niemann beats Sevian, shares the lead with Abhimanyu

Two co-leaders on plus-one

Abhimanyu Mishra won easily against Andrew Tang when the latter made a serious miscalculation while opening up the position.

Mishra, Abhimanyu2599

1–0

Tang, Andrew2504

USA Championship 2023 Saint Louis06.10.2023[Besenthal,Klaus-Günther]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.0-0 d6 6.a4 0-0 7.Re1 Kh8 8.Nc3 Bg4 9.h3 Bh5 10.Be3 Qd7 11.a5 a6 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Nb4 14.Bb3 f5 15.Nxe5 Qe8 16.Nf3 fxe4 17.dxe4 Bxf3 18.gxf3 Qh5 19.Kg2 Bg5 20.f4 Qxd1 21.Raxd1 Bxf4 22.Ba4

White cannot prevent the black bishop from being exchanged, but he reckons he has attacking chances against the black queenside, which is already fixed by the a5-pawn and where, in addition, a double pawn could appear. 22...Be5 This bishop is better than its colleague on e3... 23.Bd4 ...so White now offers the exchange himself. Rad8? It looks good, but surprisingly does not work at all. Better was 23...Bxd4 24.Rxd4 Nc6 25.Bxc6 bxc6 26.b4 Rf4 This double rook endgame, in which the c6-pawn cannot be covered, is difficult to judge, but in any case, Black has possibilities to play actively himself. 24.Re3 Also strong was 24.Bxe5 dxe5 25.f4! exf4 26.e5+- 24...c5? 24...Bf4± offered chances of survival. 25.Bxe5 dxe5 26.Rf3! Tang had probably overlooked this idea. In any case, White now gets the much better rook - no matter what Black does. Rg8 27.Rxd8 Rxd8 28.Rf5 g6 29.Rxe5 Rc8 30.Re7 Nc6 31.Bxc6 bxc6 32.Ra7 Rb8 33.b3 1–0

Key Concepts of Chess - Pawn Structures Vol.1 and 2

In this two-part course the emphasis will be on typical pawn-structures.

Abhimanyu Mishra | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Sam Sevian came close to celebrating his second win in a row in the game against Hans Niemann, but was unable to convert his advantage.

Near the end of the game, Sevian did not find an only move that would have saved the draw and lost the game.

Sevian, Samuel2698

0–1

Niemann, Hans Moke2667

USA Championship 2023 Saint Louis06.10.2023[Besenthal,Klaus-Günther]

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qa4 a6 8.Qxc4 b5 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Bd2 Ra7 11.a4 b4 12.Bg5 Nbd7 13.Nbd2 Qa8 14.Ne1 Bxg2 15.Nxg2 c5 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Nb3 cxd4 18.Rac1 Ne5 19.Nxd4 Rd8 20.Nb3 Rad7 21.Nf4 Kg7 22.Nh5+ Kh6 23.Nf4 f5 24.Ng2 Kg7 25.Qb1 Bf6 26.Rc5 Ng6 27.Rc4 Be7 28.Qc2 h5 29.h4 Qb8 30.Qc1 Bf6 31.Na5 Qb6 32.Nb3 Qb8 33.Na5 Qb6 34.Nb3 Kh7 35.Nf4 Ne5 36.Rc5 Qb7 37.Nxh5 Bh8 38.Qc2 Rg8 39.Nf4 Ng6 40.Nxg6 Rxg6 41.Rc1 Qb6 42.Rd1 Rxd1+ 43.Qxd1 Bxb2 44.Qd7 Rg7 45.e3 Qb8 46.Kg2 Qa8+ 47.Rc6 Be5 48.Qc8 Qa7 49.Rxa6 Qe7 50.Ra8 Rg4 51.Kf1 Qd6 52.Qb7 Qd1+ 53.Kg2 Qxb3 54.Qxf7+ Kh6

Sevian, who had a winning position earlier in the game, has lost his advantage again. He is now even a piece down, but Niemann also has a problem on his part - namely, king security. 55.Qf8+? But now Sevian makes a mistake and even loses. 55.Ra5‼ would have been the only saving move. This realisation is based on the fact that because of the uncovered b3-queen, Rxf5 would be possible if the e5-bishop leaves its post. 55...Bg7 56.Qd6 Qc4 57.Re8 b3! This pawn now just runs off. 57...Rg6-+ covering e6 first was also good. 58.Rxe6+ Kh7 The king is very secure here. 59.Qd7 b2 60.Rb6 Qe4+ 61.f3 Qc2+ 62.Kh3 b1Q 63.Rxb1 Qxb1 64.fxg4 Qh1# 0–1

Hans Niemann | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Round 2 results

Standings after round 2

All games

Women’s: Three decisive results

There is no real favourite in the women's category so far...

...but Irina Krush, who has already won the title eight times in the past 25 years, would certainly like to triumph a ninth time | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Attack & Master Advanced Tactics and Calculations like a Super Grandmaster

Two Super Grandmasters from India explain the ins & outs of Attack, Tactics an Calculations in these two video courses.

Ashritha Eswaran bounced back from his round-1 loss by beating Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Tatev Abrahamyan is sharing the lead now — she beat Alice Lee in the second round | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Carissa Yip got the better of defending champion Jennifer Yu | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Round 2 results

Standings after round 2

All games

Links

• Official site
• Reports from previous editions: 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019