English Chess Forum

This is the strongest US Championship line up I've seen for a very long time. Nakamura and Wesley So are undoubtedly the favourites but they had great difficulties winning their Round 1 games. Nakamura in particular was probably lost.

Round 1 (of 11) results:

1 GM Robson, Ray 2656 GM Troff, Kayden W 2532 1-0
2 GM Onischuk, Alexander 2665 GM Gareev, Timur 2604 ½-½
3 GM Holt, Conrad 2530 GM Nakamura, Hikaru 2798 0-1
4 GM Akobian, Varuzhan 2622 GM Sevian, Samuel 2531 1-0
5 GM Kamsky, Gata 2683 GM Shankland, Samuel L 2661 ½-½
6 GM So, Wesley 2788 GM Naroditsky, Daniel 2633 1-0

http://en.chessbase.com/post/u-s-champ- ... -of-errors
http://www.chess.com/news/leaders-chall ... eners-8459
http://www.uschesschamps.com/

In Round 2 both the favourites won. They were significant wins as Nakamura is now equal second in the world with Caruana at 2804 and So is now No 5.

1 GM Troff, Kayden W 0.0 2532 GM Naroditsky, Daniel 0.0 2633 1-0
2 GM Shankland, Samuel L 0.5 2661 GM So, Wesley 1.0 2788 0-1
3 GM Sevian, Samuel 0.0 2531 GM Kamsky, Gata 0.5 2683 ½-½
4 GM Nakamura, Hikaru 1.0 2798 GM Akobian, Varuzhan 1.0 2622 1-0
5 GM Gareev, Timur 0.5 2604 GM Holt, Conrad 0.0 2530 0-1
6 GM Robson, Ray 1.0 2656 GM Onischuk, Alexander 0.5 2665

Round 3 pairings: (I believe games start at 7pm GMT - Kamsky v Nakamura looks a bit tasty)

1 GM Onischuk, Alexander 1.0 2665 GM Troff, Kayden W 1.0 2532
2 GM Holt, Conrad 1.0 2530 GM Robson, Ray 1.5 2656
3 GM Akobian, Varuzhan 1.0 2622 GM Gareev, Timur 0.5 2604
4 GM Kamsky, Gata 1.0 2683 GM Nakamura, Hikaru 2.0 2798
5 GM So, Wesley 2.0 2788 GM Sevian, Samuel 0.5 2531
6 GM Naroditsky, Daniel 0.0 2633 GM Shankland, Samuel L 0.5 2661



http://en.chessbase.com/post/u-s-champ- ... es-perfect
http://www.chess.com/news/top-seeds-nak ... und-2-9153

Let's not forget the ladies:

Round 1

Table White Score Rating Black Score Rating Result
1 FM Melekhina, Alisa 0.0 2235 WCM Virkud, Apurva 0.0 2132 0-1
2 WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev 0.0 2322 WIM Wang, Annie 0.0 1901 0-1
3 WFM Yu, Jennifer R 0.0 2180 WGM Sharevich, Anna 0.0 2267 0-1
4 WGM Nemcova, Katerina 0.0 2279 IM Goletiani, Rusudan 0.0 2311 ½-½
5 WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 0.0 2276 GM Krush, Irina 0.0 2477 ½-½
6 WIM Ni, Viktorija 0.0 2188 IM Paikidze, Nazi 0.0 2333 ½-½

Round 2

Table White Score Rating Black Score Rating Result
1 WCM Virkud, Apurva 1.0 2132 IM Paikidze, Nazi 0.5 2333 ½-½
2 GM Krush, Irina 0.5 2477 WIM Ni, Viktorija 0.5 2188 1-0
3 IM Goletiani, Rusudan 0.5 2311 WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 0.5 2276 1-0
4 WGM Sharevich, Anna 1.0 2267 WGM Nemcova, Katerina 0.5 2279 0-1
5 WIM Wang, Annie 1.0 1901 WFM Yu, Jennifer R 0.0 2180 0-1
6 FM Melekhina, Alisa 0.0 2235 WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev 0.0 2322 1-0

Pairings round 3

Table White Score Rating Black Score Rating Result
1 WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev 0.0 2322 WCM Virkud, Apurva 1.5 2132
2 WFM Yu, Jennifer R 1.0 2180 FM Melekhina, Alisa 1.0 2235
3 WGM Nemcova, Katerina 1.5 2279 WIM Wang, Annie 1.0 1901
4 WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 0.5 2276 WGM Sharevich, Anna 1.0 2267
5 WIM Ni, Viktorija 0.5 2188 IM Goletiani, Rusudan 1.5 2311
6 IM Paikidze, Nazi 1.0 2333 GM Krush, Irina 1.5 2477

In Round 3 Nakamura outplayed Kamsky for virtually the entire game according to the reports but Kamsky defended tenaciously and Nakamura couldn't fnd the killer blow. There were some very interesting games but without doubt the story of the day was Sam Sevian at 14 years old and 3 months beating the World No 5 Wesley So. Big win for him demonstrated by the fact that for the last few moves when he knew he was going to win his body was shaking. It appears he's the youngest player ever to beat a current top 10 player.

1 GM Onischuk, Alexander 1.0 2665 GM Troff, Kayden W 1.0 2532 ½-½
2 GM Holt, Conrad 1.0 2530 GM Robson, Ray 1.5 2656 0-1
3 GM Akobian, Varuzhan 1.0 2622 GM Gareev, Timur 0.5 2604 ½-½
4 GM Kamsky, Gata 1.0 2683 GM Nakamura, Hikaru 2.0 2798 ½-½
5 GM So, Wesley 2.0 2788 GM Sevian, Samuel 0.5 2531 0-1
6 GM Naroditsky, Daniel 0.0 2633 GM Shankland, Samuel L 0.5 2661 ½-½

Wesley So had better get over this result quickly as the game of the tournament is in Round 4:

1 GM Troff, Kayden W 1.5 2532 GM Shankland, Samuel L 1.0 2661
2 GM Sevian, Samuel 1.5 2531 GM Naroditsky, Daniel 0.5 2633
3 GM Nakamura, Hikaru 2.5 2798 GM So, Wesley 2.0 2788
4 GM Gareev, Timur 1.0 2604 GM Kamsky, Gata 1.5 2683
5 GM Robson, Ray 2.5 2656 GM Akobian, Varuzhan 1.5 2622
6 GM Onischuk, Alexander 1.5 2665 GM Holt, Conrad 1.0 2530

Not wishing to upset Loz here are the women's round 3 results. The shock here was Paikidze beating the reigning US Champion Irina Krush:

1 WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev 0.0 2322 WCM Virkud, Apurva 1.0 2132 1-0
2 WFM Yu, Jennifer R 0.0 2180 FM Melekhina, Alisa 0.0 2235 ½-½
3 WGM Nemcova, Katerina 0.5 2279 WIM Wang, Annie 1.0 1901 1-0
4 WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 0.5 2276 WGM Sharevich, Anna 1.0 2267 1-0
5 WIM Ni, Viktorija 0.5 2188 IM Goletiani, Rusudan 0.5 2311 0-1
6 IM Paikidze, Nazi 0.5 2333 GM Krush, Irina 0.5 2477 1-0

Round 4 pairings:

1 WCM Virkud, Apurva 1.5 2132 GM Krush, Irina 1.5 2477
2 IM Goletiani, Rusudan 2.5 2311 IM Paikidze, Nazi 2.0 2333
3 WGM Sharevich, Anna 1.0 2267 WIM Ni, Viktorija 0.5 2188
4 WIM Wang, Annie 1.0 1901 WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 1.5 2235
5 FM Melekhina, Alisa 1.5 2235 WGM Nemcova, Katerina 2.5 2279
6 WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev 1.0 2322 WFM Yu, Jennifer R 1.5 2180


http://en.chessbase.com/post/us-champ-r ... ts-top-ten
http://www.chess.com/news/bad-day-for-b ... louis-6367

Round 4 (April 4, 2015)
Nakamura, Hikaru - So, Wesley ½-½ 56 D58 Queens Gambit Tartakover
Robson, Ray - Akobian, Varuzhan ½-½ 27 C42 Petroff's Defence
Onischuk, Alexander - Holt, Conrad ½-½ 70 D19 Slav Defence
Sevian, Samuel - Naroditsky, Daniel ½-½ 30 C89 Ruy Lopez Marshall
Troff, Kayden W - Shankland, Samuel L ½-½ 30 E12 Queens Indian Petrosian
Gareev, Timur - Kamsky, Gata ½-½ 44 B20 Sicilian Wing Gambit

Round 4 (April 4, 2015)
Goletiani, Rusudan - Paikidze, Nazi ½-½ 57 A14 Reti Opening
Abrahamyan, Tatev - Yu, Jennifer R 1-0 60 C41 Philidor's Defence
Melekhina, Alisa - Nemcova, Katerina 0-1 57 B22 Sicilian Alapin
Virkud, Apurva - Krush, Irina 0-1 39 E32 Nimzo Indian 4.Qc2
Sharevich, Anna - Ni, Viktorija ½-½ 77 A44 Old Benoni
Wang, Annie - Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 0-1 58 D13 Slav Exchange

Nakumura & Robson 3
So 2.5

Nemcova 3.5
Goletiani 3

Quite liking this Timur Gareev character. In Round 3 he was Black and drew with 1.d4 d6 2.Nf3 h6!?!? 3.e4 g5!? In Round 4 he's White vs Kamsky and drew with a very strangely played Wing Gambit. After 1 e4 c5 2 b4? Kamsky say back and laughed. Not entirely sure whether it was the moves or Gareev's choice of attire which in this and previous rounds has also been a bit bizarre. http://www.chess.com/news/us-champs-rou ... -lead-9933

An unadorned question mark for 2b4 is arguably slightly harsh.

All the more so since Gareev obtained a winning advantage before messing it up!

26.Qd6+ in Onischuk v. Holt looked strong to me...Apparently Carlsen beat Shirov at age 14yrs 1 month

White's 43rd move in Holt-Troff was somewhat unfortunate.

Round 5

GM Naroditsky, Daniel vs GM Nakamura, Hikaru [0-1]
GM Kamsky, Gata vs GM Robson, Ray [1-0]
GM So, Wesley vs GM Gareev, Timur [1-0]
GM Akobian, Varuzhan vs GM Onischuk, Alexander [1/2-1/2]
GM Shankland, Samuel L vs GM Sevian, Samuel [1/2-1/2]
GM Holt, Conrad vs GM Troff, Kayden W [0-1]

Round 5

GM Krush, Irina vs IM Goletiani, Rusudan [1-0]
WGM Nemcova, Katerina vs WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev [1/2-1/2]
IM Paikidze, Nazi vs WGM Sharevich, Anna [1/2-1/2]
WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca vs FM Melekhina, Alisa [1/2-1/2]
WFM Yu, Jennifer R vs WCM Virkud, Apurva [1/2-1/2]
WIM Ni, Viktorija vs WIM Wang, Annie [1-0]

Round 6 pairings:

1 GM Troff, Kayden W 3.0 2532 GM Sevian, Samuel 2.5 2531
2 GM Nakamura, Hikaru 4.0 2798 GM Shankland, Samuel L 2.0 2661
3 GM Gareev, Timur 1.5 2604 GM Naroditsky, Daniel 1.0 2633
4 GM Robson, Ray 3.0 2656 GM So, Wesley 3.5 2788
5 GM Onischuk, Alexander 2.5 2665 GM Kamsky, Gata 3.0 2683
6 GM Holt, Conrad 1.5 2530 GM Akobian, Varuzhan 2.5 2622

1 WCM Virkud, Apurva 2.5 2132 IM Goletiani, Rusudan 3.0 2311
2 WGM Sharevich, Anna 2.0 2267 GM Krush, Irina 3.5 2477
3 WIM Wang, Annie 1.0 1901 IM Paikidze, Nazi 3.0 2333
4 FM Melekhina, Alisa 2.0 2235 WIM Ni, Viktorija 2.0 2188
5 WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev 2.5 2322 WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 3.0 2235
6 WFM Yu, Jennifer R 1.5 2180 WGM Nemcova, Katerina 4.0 2279

LawrenceCooper wrote:White's 43rd move in Holt-Troff was somewhat unfortunate.

That's a bit like saying the Titanic's collision with an iceberg was a mild setback.

Apparently Holt bolted out of the room after resigning. Poor sod. Here's the game. 43 Kh3?? looked a sensible enough move till you see Black's reply:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/us-champ-r5-bloody-easter

Round 6 (April 7, 2015)
Nakamura, Hikaru - Shankland, Samuel L ½-½ 31 B12 Caro Kann Advanced
Robson, Ray - So, Wesley 1-0 42 C67 Ruy Lopez Berlin
Onischuk, Alexander - Kamsky, Gata 1-0 88 D15 Slav Defence
Troff, Kayden W - Sevian, Samuel 0-1 83 A34 English Symmetrical
Holt, Conrad - Akobian, Varuzhan 1-0 51 E11 Bogo Indian Defence
Gareev, Timur - Naroditsky, Daniel ½-½ 31 E10 Blumenfeld Counter Gambit

Nakumura 4.5
Robson 4