No More Searching For Bobby Fischer Prize

The Fischer Prize is safe for another year and journalists will have to find new storylines. Round 3 of the 2026 U.S. Championships saw all four remaining players with 2/2 settle for draws.

In the Open, GMs Awonder Liang and Wesley So drew a quiet game and remain in joint first. In the Women’s, WGM Thalia Cervantes and FM Megan Paragua each drew (mostly) uneventful games, allowing IM Alice Lee to join them in joint first after a tactical oversight by IM Nazi Paikidze.

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Women’s: Lee Joins Leaders

Paragua and Cervantes remain atop the leaderboard after draws on Sunday, but their games could have went in opposite directions.

Megan Paragua had chances to improve to 3/3 but still enjoys a share of first place. (Photo courtesy SLCC/Lennart Ootes)

Paragua built a nice edge against WGM Jennifer Yu but missed the one chance to capitalize:

Cervantes appeared to be coasting to a draw against IM Rose Atwell, but one step in the wrong direction provided Atwell with a surprisingly concrete winning chance:

Rose Atwell had a brief chance to shake up the standings. (Photo courtesy SLCC/Lennart Ootes)

Lee did not miss her chance to strike in her game against Paikidze, turning a pleasant position into an extra piece to reach a 2½/3 score:

Alice Lee seized the opportunity to join the leaders. (Photo courtesy SLCC/Lennart Ootes)

IM Anna Zatonskih and WIM Rachael Li are a half-point back at 2/3 apiece. Zatonskih drew her game against longtime rival GM Irina Krush, while Li moved up the standings after out-calculating IM Anna Sargsyan:

Finally, IM Tatev Abrahamyan defeated IM Carissa Yip in a sharp Najdorf Sicilian. After having to play defense in the previous two rounds, Abrahamyan seemed to relish the opportunity to go after Yip’s king.

Graphic courtesy of SLCC.

Today, Lee – Paragua is critical for the standings, as is Cervantes – Zatonskih.

Open: Woodward, Shankland Make Moves

So and Liang remain ahead of the field after drawing their head-to-head game on Sunday.

Wesley So (L) and Awonder Liang discuss their draw. (Photo courtesy SLCC/Lennart Ootes)

The only winners were GMs Andy Woodward and Sam Shankland, with Woodward moving up to a 2/3 score to join Caruana in a tie for third.

Graphic courtesy of SLCC.

Shankland’s win over GM Jeffery Xiong was a model game for anybody who struggles with Jobava London-style set-ups. As Black, Shankland punched through in the center and never relented:

Woodward’s win over GM Ray Robson was much more double-edged, particularly after Woodward’s enterprising Exchange sacrifice paid off:

Today, So has the White pieces against GM Levon Aronian while Liang is Black against Xiong. Shankland – Woodward and Caruana – Robson will also impact the top half of the standings.