2022 U.S. Championships, Round 7: The Gloves Come Off

A wild day of exciting games characterized the seventh round of the 2022 U.S. Championships. In the Open Championship there were four decisive results, and Women’s Championship went one better with five decisive games.

As we pass the halfway point, the majority of players are still within realistic reach of a top finish, but time is running out for some of the pre-tournament favorites. Each round is assuming more importance as we enter the stretch.

In the Open, two tendencies prevailed: it was good to have the White pieces, and games were decided by gross defensive letdowns. The first shock of the round took place with GM Leinier Dominguez Perez as White versus GM Elshan Moradiabadi. Black chose the Petroff but was unfamiliar with White’s move order and paid a drastic price:

Another short game that took a disastrous turn for the defender was GM Dariusz Swiercz versus GM Hans Niemann.

GM Fabiano Caruana kept his lead at a full point by defeating GM Alex Lenderman.

courtesy SLCC / Lennart Ootes

As White, Caruana played a tricky gambit in the opening, one he had previously faced as Black against Firouzja. White maintained compensation throughout the game, but Black defended well until, just when Lenderman got his chance to head for a draw, he blundered:

The game between GMs Ray Robson and Wesley So was a critical matchup that elevated Robson to sole second place and put So practically out of contention for the top prize.

courtesy SLCC / Lennart Ootes

White was extremely well-prepared and used an enterprising pawn sacrifice in the opening to gain attacking chances. Uncharacteristically, So faltered badly in defense at the key juncture.

Other games ended peacefully. GMs Christopher Yoo and Levon Aronian tested a slightly unusual line of the Italian Gambit which quickly devolved into a draw by repetition of moves. GMs Jeffrey Xiong and Awonder Liang contested a well-known reversed Grünfeld variation which Liang apparently knew better, judging by the clocks. It was drawish from start to finish.

And GMs Sam Shankland and Sam Sevian (‘the Battle of Sams’) was well-played and interesting, but stayed withing drawing bounds throughout.

In the Women’s Championship, GM Irina Krush as White maintained her tie for the lead by drawing FM Ruiyang Yan.

courtesy SLCC / C. Fuller

After a well-played and balanced theoretical battle in a Sveshnikov Sicilian, the game seemed headed for a draw when Black suddenly blundered. Krush missed her chance, however:

A very exciting game took place between WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova and WGM Tatev Abrahamyan. After a contentious and unclear opening, Tokhirjonova as White played a bold attacking idea which should have been unsound. But once Black missed her chance to attack, White’s own kingside initiative proved too strong.

WIM Megan Lee displaced FM Jennifer Yu as the co-leader with Krush.

courtesy SLCC / Lennart Ootes

Lee defeated Yu in a Scotch Game where White had the advantage most of the way, although Black had her chances.

FM Alice Lee was ground down by FM Rochelle Wu in a game where Wu stood better, but Lee might have been able to hold the draw. IM Nazi Paikidze as Black beat WFM Sophie Morris-Suzuki in a game where White gave up material without enough cause.

FM Ashritha Eswaran won her third straight game when WGM Sabina Foisor became too ambitious. Finally, Thalia Cervantes Landeiro drew Anna Zatonskih in a lengthy and well-played Queen’s Gambit Declined.