One day to go
Press release by the Saint Louis Chess Club
By IM Kostya Kavutskiy
It was a volatile day at the top of the standings as GM Irina Krush first lost the lead before regaining it during a dramatic third day at the 2020 U.S. Women’s Championship. Things were looking good for the recent U.S. Girls’ Junior Champion, WGM Carissa Yip, who grabbed the lead after winning her first two games of the day, but a critical Round 9 loss to WIM Ashritha Eswaran left Carissa in a tie for second with IM Dorsa Derakhshani.
In this first part, the emphasis is on themes and ideas as the viewer is armed with tactical and positional motifs and concepts after 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6.

Round 7
In the first round of the penultimate day, GM Irina Krush squandered a large advantage and drew against IM Annie Wang, opening the door for WGM Carissa Yip to catch up with a win. Carissa did manage to defeat WGM Sabina Foisor, winning a pawn in the opening and never looking back, converting into a full point.
The 2020 U.S. Girls’ Junior Champion started off strong with two wins today.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.0-0 d6 6.c3 a5 7.a4 h6 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.Re1 Ne7 10.Nf1 Ng6 11.Ng3 c6 12.Bb3 12...d5N 12...Re8 13.h3 d5 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.d4 exd4 16.Rxe8+ Qxe8 17.Bxd5 cxd5 18.Nxd4 Bd7 13.exd5 cxd5 14.d4 exd4 15.Nxd4 Bg4 16.f3 Bd7 17.Bc2 Nh4 18.Qd3 Qb6 19.Be3 Rfe8 20.Bf2 Ng6 21.Qd2 Nh7 21...Rxe1+= 22.Qxe1 Re8 22.Bf5 22.Rxe8+ Rxe8 23.Nb3 Bxf2+ 24.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 25.Kxf2 b6 26.Nd4 22...Bxf5 23.Ndxf5 23.Ngxf5 Ng5 24.Rad1 Ne6 25.Nb5 Rad8 26.b3 23...Bxf2+ 24.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 25.Kxf2 Nf4 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.Rd1 Nf6 28.Ne3 Re6 28...b5 29.Rd4 g5 30.Ngf5 30.Ne2± 30...Rb6! 31.Nd1 Kh7 32.g3 Ne6 33.Rd2 Nc5 34.Rd4 Ne6 35.Rd2 g4 36.Nfe3 Ng5 37.Nxd5 Nxd5 38.Rxd5 Nxf3 39.h3 39.Rxa5 Rd6 39...Rf6 39...Kg6± 40.hxg4+- Ne5+ 41.Ke2 Re6 42.Kd2 b6 43.Ne3 Nf3+ 44.Ke2 44.Kd3± 44...Ne5 44...Ng5! 45.Kf2 Kg6 46.Rd4 Kg5 47.b4 47.b3± 47...Rc6 48.bxa5 bxa5 49.Rd5 f6! 50.c4 Kg6 51.Rd4 Rc5 52.Ke1? 52.Kg2= 52...Nf3+ 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
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Eswaran,A | 2244 | Cervantes Landeiro,T | 2311 | 0–1 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 7.1 |
Zatonskih,A | 2420 | Nguyen,E | 2280 | ½–½ | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 7.2 |
Yip,C | 2421 | Foisor,S | 2228 | 1–0 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 7.3 |
Yu,J | 2315 | Abrahamyan,T | 2358 | 0–1 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 7.4 |
Samadashvili,M | 2215 | Derakhshani,D | 2270 | ½–½ | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 7.5 |
Krush,I | 2429 | Wang,A | 2384 | ½–½ | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 7.6 |
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Select an entry from the list to switch between games
Round 8
The second round of the day saw Carissa continue to surge, slowly grinding down WIM Emily Nguyen in a Fianchetto Grunfeld. Meanwhile, Krush was held to a draw by IM Dorsa Derakhshani, allowing Carissa to take the clear lead heading into Round 9.
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Carissa used her slightly better structure to grind out another point in the endgame.
Another highlight saw WGM Tatev Abrahamyan sacrifice a piece for a decisive attack against WFM Martha Samadashvili:
Abrahamyan vs. Samadashvili
After 26.Bxg6!, opening up Black’s king for good.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Qa4+ Nc6 8.e3 0-0 9.Rc1 Bd7 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Qb3 Rfe8 12.a3N 12.Be2 12.Be2 Qg6 13.0-0 Bh3 14.Ne1 Rad8 15.Kh1 Bf5 16.Bf3 Be6 17.Ne2 Bd6 18.Nd3 12...Bd6 12...Bxc3+!= 13.Qxc3 Bg4 13.Nxd5 Qe6 14.Qa2 Qg4 15.Be2 Qg6 16.Kf1 16.0-0= 16...Be6 17.b4 Bxb4 18.Nf4 Bxa2 19.Nxg6 Bxa3 20.Ra1 Nb4 21.Nge5 Bb2 22.Rxa2! Nxa2 23.Bc4! Nc3 24.Bxf7+ Kf8 25.Bxe8 Kxe8 26.Ke1 a5 27.Kd2 Ne4+ 28.Kc2 Ba3 29.Rb1 b6 30.Nd3 Bd6 31.Nh4 a4 32.f3 Nf6 33.Nf5 Bf8 34.e4 a3 35.Ne3 c6 36.Nc1 36.Kb3 36...b5 36...a2?! 37.Ra1± 37.Na2 Ra4 38.d5 Kd7 39.e5? 39.dxc6+= Kxc6 40.Nc3 39...Nxd5-+ 40.Nxd5 cxd5 41.Rxb5 Ke6 42.Kb3 42.Rb8 Bc5 43.Re8+ Kf5 44.h3 42...Rd4 43.Rb8 43...Be7! 44.Rb7? 44.Kc2 44...Rd2 45.g4 Rb2+ 0–1 - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
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Cervantes Landeiro,T | 2311 | Wang,A | 2384 | 0–1 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 8.1 |
Derakhshani,D | 2270 | Krush,I | 2429 | ½–½ | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 8.2 |
Abrahamyan,T | 2358 | Samadashvili,M | 2215 | 1–0 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 8.3 |
Foisor,S | 2228 | Yu,J | 2315 | 0–1 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 8.4 |
Nguyen,E | 2280 | Yip,C | 2421 | 0–1 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 8.5 |
Eswaran,A | 2244 | Zatonskih,A | 2420 | 1–0 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 8.6 |
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Round 9
The final round of the day saw a complete turnaround as WGM Carissa Yip misplayed her position and ended up losing to WIM Ashritha Eswaran, despite a hail-mary attempt in the late middlegame:
Carissa tried to turn the tables with 28.Rxg7+!?, but Eswaran was able to defend after 28...Kxg7 29.Bh6+ Kxh6 30.Rxe4 Qxh3!
Yip’s loss opened the door for Krush to overtake the lead, which she managed to do thanks to a fantastic attacking game against WGM Tatev Abrahamyan, where the 7-time champion sacrificed a full rook to checkmate Black’s king:
GM Krush bounced back with a nice demonstration of the power of two bishops.
In the meantime IM Dorsa Derakhshani won her game against IM Annie Wang, continuing the 12th seed’s remarkable run in this year’s championships to tie for second with just two rounds left to go.
IM Dorsa Derakhshani won her 4th game of the event to stay within half a point of first place.
Replay and check the LiveBook here |
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1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 d5 5.0-0 0-0 6.c4 dxc4 7.Na3 c3 8.bxc3 c5 9.Re1 Nc6 10.Bb2 Bf5 11.Nc4N 11.d5 Na5 12.c4 Be4 13.Bh3 Bxf3 14.exf3 Ne8 15.Bxg7 Nxg7 16.Re5 b6 17.Qe2 Re8 18.Re1 Kf8 19.Qe3 Nb7 20.Qh6 f6 21.Qxh7 e6 11...Rc8 12.Nfe5 12.d5!? b5 13.Ne3= 13.dxc6 bxc4 14.Qxd8 Rfxd8= 12...cxd4 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.cxd4 Be4 15.f3 Bd5 16.Ne5 Nd7 17.e4 Nxe5 18.dxe5 Be6 19.f4 Qb6+ 20.Qd4 Rfd8 21.Qxb6 axb6 22.Bc3 Rd3 23.Rec1 Ra8 24.a4 f6 24...g5 25.Bf1 Re3 26.Bg2 gxf4 27.gxf4 Rd3 25.exf6 exf6 26.a5 bxa5 27.Rxa5 Rxa5 28.Bxa5 Bd7 29.Bc3 Kf7 30.e5 Bf8 31.exf6 Ba3 32.Rc2 c5 32...Bf5 33.Bd2 Bb4 33.Be4 Rd1+ 34.Kf2 c4 34...Be6= 35.Rd2? 35.Ke2!± Rc1 36.Rxc1 Bxc1 37.Kf3 35...Bc5+ 36.Ke2 Bg4+ 37.Bf3 Bxf3+ 38.Kxf3 Rxd2 39.Bxd2 Kxf6= 40.Ke4 Bg1 41.h3 h5 42.g4 hxg4 43.hxg4 Ke6! 44.Bc3 Bb6 45.Bd2 Ba7 46.Ba5 Bc5 47.Bc3 Ba7 48.Bd4 Bb8 49.Be3 Bc7 50.Bd4 Bb8 51.Be3 Bc7 52.Bd2 Bb6! 53.Bc1 Ba7 54.Bb2 Bb6 55.Bd4 Bc7 56.Ke3 Kd5 57.Bc3 Bb6+ 58.Kf3 Bd4 59.Bxd4 Kxd4 60.Ke2 Ke4 61.f5! gxf5 62.gxf5 Kxf5 63.Kd2 Ke4 64.Kc3 Kd5 65.Kc2 Kd4 66.Kd2 c3+ 67.Kc2 Kc4 68.Kc1 Kb3 68...Kd3!? 69.Kd1 Ke4= 69.Kb1 c2+ 70.Kc1 Kc3 ½–½ - Start an analysis engine:
- Try maximizing the board:
- Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
- Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
- Drag the split bars between window panes.
- Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
- Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
- Create an account to access the games cloud.
Zatonskih,A | 2420 | Cervantes Landeiro,T | 2311 | ½–½ | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 9.1 |
Yip,C | 2421 | Eswaran,A | 2244 | 0–1 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 9.2 |
Yu,J | 2315 | Nguyen,E | 2280 | ½–½ | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 9.3 |
Samadashvili,M | 2215 | Foisor,S | 2228 | ½–½ | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 9.4 |
Krush,I | 2429 | Abrahamyan,T | 2358 | 1–0 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 9.5 |
Wang,A | 2384 | Derakhshani,D | 2270 | 0–1 | 2020 | | USA-ch Women 2020 | 9.6 |
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The final two rounds of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Championship will take place tomorrow, October 24, with live coverage from WGM Jennifer Shahade, GM Yasser Seirawan, and GM Maurice Ashley starting at 12:50 PM CDT on USChessChamps.com, YouTube, and Twitch.
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