Round 9: Li and So in Control

As we reach the final stage of the 2026 U.S. Championships, each tournament now has a clear frontrunner. Round 9 featured several key matchups that had a massive impact on the standings and now, with just two rounds to go, GM Wesley So and WIM Rachael Li each boast full point leads.

U.S Championship: So Survives, Oparin Climbs

The most important matchup of the round was clearly between So and GM Fabiano Caruana. Caruana entered the round trailing by a full point but, with the white pieces, had a shot to shake things up.

Fabiano Caruana (L) tried to surprise Wesley So with the Dubov Italian, but So found a way to neutralize Caruana's initiative. (Photo courtesy SLCC/Lennart Ootes)

Despite some great preparation from Caruana, So managed to maintain his solid form and held a draw without too many difficulties.

The round’s only winner was 2026 U.S. Open champion GM Grigoriy Oparin, who took down GM Sam Shankland to move into joint second with Caruana!

Caruana's second, GM Fabiano Caruana, has joined his boss in a tie for second! (Photo courtesy SLCC/Lennart Ootes)

Graphic courtesy of SLCC.

With two draws, So will clinch at least a share of first place, so it is unlikely he will take many risks as White today against GM Hans Niemann. But Oparin (as White against GM Abhimanyu Mishra) and Caruana (as Black against GM Jeffery Xiong) each hope to close the gap.

U.S Women’s Championship: Li Laps Lee

For the first time this year, all six games ended decisively! GM Irina Krush entered a point behind Li and IM Alice Lee, but she had a chance to move up the leaderboard with the white pieces against Lee.

With yesterday's win, Irina Krush moved up the standings and kept her outside shot at a ninth U.S. Women's Championship title alive. (Photo courtesy SLCC/Crystal Fuller)

After one early strategic error from Lee, Krush took control and indeed secured the full point.

With Lee’s loss, Li seized her opportunity and defeated IM Nazi Paikidze in a tense endgame to move into sole first and preserve her full-point lead over the field.

With yet another impressive victory, Li now controls her own tournament destiny. (Photos courtesy SLCC/Lennart Ootes)

This was an extremely important win for Li who, with this victory, secured her final WGM norm (and the title) as well as her first IM norm with two rounds to spare!

Graphic courtesy of SLCC.

Other winners yesterday included (from left) Megan Paragua, Jennifer Yu, and Tatev Abrahamyan. (Photos courtesy SLCC/Crystal Fuller)

Other winners yesterday included (from left) Megan Paragua, Jennifer Yu, and Tatev Abrahamyan. (Photos courtesy SLCC/Crystal Fuller)

Li will need just one point over her final two games to secure at least a share of first place, and today she has the white pieces against IM Rose Atwell. Krush and Lee will both be playing for wins today, as Black against FM Megan Paragua and as White against WGM Thalia Cervantes, respectively. Curiously, Cervantes and Paragua are the only two other players with even a mathematical chance of tying for first.