Can You Play Like a U.S. Championship Contender?

As the U.S. Championships pass the midway point, test your own abilities with the critical moments and key tactics in the event so far.

After her victory against Irina Krush today, defending U.S. Women's Champion Nazi Paikidze is the clear leader by half a point. Photo: U.S. Championship Official Website

Tactic #1

Irina Krush vs. Nazi Paikidze

Position after 37. Nge4

Black to move.

Level: Warm-Up

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "US Championship (Women)"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2017.04.04"]
[Round "6"]
[White "Irina Krush"]
[Black "Nazi Paikidze"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E15"]
[WhiteElo "2444"]
[BlackElo "2369"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3r4/p3kp2/4pn2/2p5/1n2NPp1/1PN1P1P1/P3K3/7R b - - 0 37"]
[PlyCount "33"]
[EventDate "2017.03.29"]37... Nxa2 $1 {Simple, but effective. Paikidze wins a clear pawn, which she
eventually converts into a win. The game finished with:} 38. Ra1 Nxc3+ 39. Nxc3
Rd7 40. Ra5 Rb7 41. Rxc5 Rxb3 42. Rc7+ Kf8 43. Kd1 Ra3 44. Kc2 Ra1 45. Kd3 Rg1
46. Rxa7 Rxg3 47. Ne4 Nxe4 48. Kxe4 Rf3 49. Ra5 f5+ 50. Ke5 Kf7 51. e4 Re3 52.
Ra7+ Kg6 53. Ra4 Rxe4+ 0-1[/pgn]

Although World Junior Champion Jeffery Xiong went undefeated as Black against two Top 10 players, Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana, five-time U.S. Champion Gata Kamsky finally broke his defense. Photo: US Championship Official Website

Tactic #2

Jeffery Xiong vs. Gata Kamsky

Position after 65. Ne3

Black to move.

Level: Intermediate

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "US Championship"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2017.04.02"]
[Round "5.5"]
[White "Jeffery Xiong"]
[Black "Gata Kamsky"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "A40"]
[WhiteElo "2674"]
[BlackElo "2659"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3r4/1kp5/1p6/pPp2Qp1/P3Pn1p/4NPqP/5RP1/3r1RK1 b - - 0 65"]
[PlyCount "15"]
[EventDate "2017.03.29"]65... R1d3 $1 66. Nd5 Rxf3 $1 {winning a key pawn and breaking White's defense.
Kamsky went on to win in the endgame:} 67. Qg4 Rxf2 68. Rxf2 Qxg4 69. hxg4 Nxd5
70. exd5 Rxd5 71. Kh2 Rd4 72. Kh3 Rd3+ 0-1[/pgn]

Tatev Abrahamyan, one of the tournament favorites, has had a slow start with an even score after 6 rounds. Will she make a fight for the lead in the second half of the tournament? Photo: US Championship Official Website

Tactic #3

Tatev Abrahamyan vs. Apurva Virkud

In a sharp Sicilian Defense, Virkud played inaccurately against the more experienced Abrahamyan. How can White take advantage of Black's misplaced pieces?

Position after 20...Bd6

White to move.

Level: Advanced

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "US Championship (Women)"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2017.03.29"]
[Round "1"]
[White "Tatev Abrahamyan"]
[Black "Apurva Virkud"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B80"]
[WhiteElo "2364"]
[BlackElo "2262"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1r2k2r/1bR2ppp/pP1bp3/3q2P1/3N4/4BP2/1PPQ3P/4K2R w Kk - 0 21"]
[PlyCount "27"]
[EventDate "2017.03.29"]21. c4 $1 {A key move because after} Qe5 22. Rxb7 $1 {is crushing:} Rxb7 23.
Nc6 Qf5 24. Qxd6 {and Abrahamyan went on to convert her superior position and
material advantage. The game finished with:} f6 25. O-O Rf8 26. Nd4 Qd3 27.
Qxe6+ Re7 28. Qc6+ Kf7 29. Qd5+ Kg6 30. Bf4 Rff7 31. gxf6 gxf6 32. Nc6 Rd7 33.
Qxd3+ Rxd3 34. Na5 {and White's b-pawn cannot be stopped.} 1-0[/pgn]

Wesley So is the current sole leader of the U.S. Championship and reached 62 games without a loss today. Photo: U.S. Championship Official Website

Endgame #1

Wesley So vs. Fabiano Caruana

One of the most important games of the entire event between Top Seed Wesley So vs. Defending U.S. Champion Fabiano Caruana featured a critical endgame battle. Caruana has been pressing a small edge throughout the game, how did So fight for equality?

Position after 40...Kh6

White to move.

Level: Intermediate

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "US Championship"]
[Site "0:29:33-0:23:33"]
[Date "2017.03.31"]
[Round "3"]
[White "Wesley So"]
[Black "Fabiano Caruana"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C67"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/1pp2p2/2p3kP/2P2N2/6P1/1b4K1/8/8 w - - 0 41"]
[PlyCount "18"]
[EventDate "2017.03.28"]41. g5 $1 {So secures his kingside, giving him time to neutralize Black's
queenside pawns. The game soon ended in a draw:} Bc2 42. Nd4 Bb1 43. Kf4 f6 44.
gxf6 Kxf6 45. Nb3 b6 46. Nd4 bxc5 47. Nxc6 Kg6 48. Ke5 Kxh6 49. Kd5 c4 1/2-1/2[/pgn]

Defending Champion Fabiano Caruana won his first game of the event today against Gata Kamsky. He trails So by half a point along with Hikaru Nakamura, Varuzhan Akobian, Daniel Naroditsky, and Yaroslav Zherebukh. Photo: U.S. Championship Official Website

Standings

U.S. Championship

U.S. Women's Championship

Round 7 Pairings

U.S. Championship

U.S. Women's Championship

Live games and commentary by GM Yasser Seirawan, WGM Jennifer Shahade, and GM Maurice Ashley are featured at the U.S. Championship Official Website. Rounds are everyday at 1 p.m. CST from March 29th-April 10th. For live updates during rounds, follow our Twitter account: @USChess