So Tallies Five Straight Wins in U.S. Championship; Robson, Xiong Still Chase

Photo: Lennart Ootes

Halfway through the 2020 US Chess Championship, where a 5/6 score is not even good enough for clear second.

To this point, GMs Ray Robson and Jeffery Xiong have each turned in championship-worthy performances, both tallying four wins and two draws against America’s top chess players. But if worrying about one hot opponent wasn’t enough, both of their efforts are still just second best: GM Wesley So has set a blistering pace to the event, solely in front with 5.5/6 after opening the tournament with five straight wins.

The three players have absolutely left the rest of America’s top chess players behind, including reigning champion GM Hikaru Nakamura, tied for a respectable fourth place in the standings yet sitting a stunning 2.5 points off leader So. The event has quickly turned into feast-or-famine, as four players remain without a victory after six rounds.

2020 US Chess Championship Standings after Day 2

courtesy SLCC / uschesschamps.com

This year’s championship event is being held online as a 12-player round-robin tournament, featuring three games per day with a Rapid G/25+5 time control and a $150,000 prize. And if So’s perfect 3-0 start to the event on Monday could have been attributed in part to a few fortunate mistakes by his opponents, his dominance over this field was far-more convincing on Tuesday.

So extended his winning streak to five games and had even pulled a full point ahead of Robson and Xiong in the standings, before the Minnesota super-GM's pace was slowed by a draw to GM Leinier Dominguez in the sixth round. In Tuesday’s opening fourth round, So steamrolled 2018 US Champion Sam Shankland in a wild Nimzo that, at 20 moves into the game, saw Shankland ahead by a full rook, according to the board – but alarmingly behind, according to the engines.

In exchange for that rook at 20. Bxa8, Shankland found his bishop forgotten on a8 and an absolutely naked king left behind on its starting square. And So’s ensuing attack was surgical, without even the need of recapture: He passed on a one-move knight fork to win back the rook, instead attacking in the other direction with 21. … Ng2+ and then settling into an important outpost with Nf4. Shankland desperately tried to throw his d-pawn passer up the board, but So chased the white king to its doom with impressive queen-and-knight teamwork.

[pgn][Event "2020 U.S. Championship"] [Site "https://lichess.org/QClt7IFB"] [Date "2020.10.27"] [Round "4.3"] [White "Sam Shankland"] [Black "Wesley So"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E25"] [WhiteElo "2735"] [BlackElo "2801"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/broadcaster"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [TimeControl "1500+5"] [WhiteClock "0:00:12"] [BlackClock "0:02:44"] 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:01]} e6 {[%emt 0: 00:06]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Bb4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 4. f3 {[%emt 0:00:01]} d5 {[%emt 0:01:26]} 5. a3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Bxc3+ {[%emt 0:00:11]} 6. bxc3 { [%emt 0:00:02]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:00: 00]} 8. dxc5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Qa5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 9. e4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Ne7 { [%emt 0:00:03]} 10. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:08]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:02]} 11. Qb3 {[%emt 0: 02:11]} Qc7 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 12. Bb5 {[%emt 0:01:36]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 13. Ne2 {[%emt 0:00:30]} Be6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 14. c4 {[%emt 0:03:43]} Nbc6 { [%emt 0:01:09]} 15. Nc3 {[%emt 0:01:54]} Na5 {[%emt 0:01:42]} 16. Qb4 {[%emt 0: 00:17]} Nec6 {[%emt 0:01:41]} 17. Qa4 $6 {[%emt 0:02:03] Inaccuracy. Qb2 was best.} (17. Qb2) 17... a6 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 18. Bxc6 {[%emt 0:00:10]} Nxc4 { [%emt 0:01:35]} 19. Bxb7 $4 {[%emt 0:01:20] Blunder. Nd1 was best.} (19. Nd1 bxc6) 19... Nxe3 {[%emt 0:03:10]} 20. Bxa8 {[%emt 0:00:35]} Qxc5 {[%emt 0:00: 59]} 21. Nd5 {[%emt 0:03:22]} Nxg2+ $4 {[%emt 0:05:58] Blunder. Nc2+ was best.} (21... Nc2+ 22. Kd2 Nxa1 23. Bb7 Bxd5 24. Bxd5 Rc8 25. Ke2 Nc2 26. Rd1 Ne3 27. Rb1 g6 28. g3) 22. Kf1 {[%emt 0:02:06]} Nf4 $6 {[%emt 0:00:05] Inaccuracy. Rb8 was best.} (22... Rb8 23. Bb7 Ne3+ 24. Ke2 Bxd5 25. exd5 Nc2 26. Kd3 Nxa1 27. Rxa1 Rxb7 28. Qe8+ Qf8 29. Qxf8+) 23. Qc6 {[%emt 0:02:47]} Qa5 {[%emt 0:02:47]} 24. Rd1 $4 {[%emt 0:01:38] Blunder. Ra2 was best.} (24. Ra2 Rd8) 24... Bxd5 { [%emt 0:01:01]} 25. exd5 {[%emt 0:01:12]} Qxa3 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 26. d6 { [%emt 0:00:35]} Qb2 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 27. Qe4 {[%emt 0:00:20]} Qg2+ {[%emt 0:00: 24]} 28. Ke1 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Qxh1+ {[%emt 0:00:01]} 29. Kd2 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Qxh2+ {[%emt 0:00:12]} 30. Kc3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Ne2+ {[%emt 0:01:00]} 31. Kc4 $6 {[%emt 0:00:04] Inaccuracy. Kd3 was best.} (31. Kd3) 31... Nd4 {[%emt 0:00: 03]} 32. d7 {[%emt 0:00:22]} Qa2+ {[%emt 0:00:03]} 33. Kc5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Qa3+ {[%emt 0:00:36]} 34. Kb6 $6 {[%emt 0:00:21] Checkmate is now unavoidable. Kd5 was best.} (34. Kd5 Qa5+ 35. Kd6 Nb5+ 36. Kxe5 Nc3+ 37. Bd5 Nxe4 38. fxe4 Qc7+ 39. Kd4 Rd8 40. Rd3 Rxd7) 34... Qb3+ {[%emt 0:00:05] Normal} 0-1 [/pgn]

So followed up with more heavy lifting in the fifth round against GM Dariusz Swiercz, where he dominated this Grunfeld right from the start, pushing his heavily occupied center into a crushing assault on the kingside castle and a complete collapse of the black defense. The last player to start 5-0 in a U.S. Championship invitational was Bobby Fischer in his historic 11-0 run of the 1963-64 event.

[pgn][Event "2020 U.S. Championship"] [Site "https://lichess.org/mD8zabga"] [Date "2020.10.27"] [Round "5.4"] [White "Wesley So"] [Black "Dariusz Swiercz"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D85"] [WhiteElo "2801"] [BlackElo "2708"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/broadcaster"] [PlyCount "69"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [TimeControl "1500+5"] [WhiteClock "0:12:17"] [BlackClock "0:00:21"] 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:01]} g6 {[%emt 0: 00:01]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:11]} d5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 4. cxd5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Nxd5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 5. e4 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Nxc3 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 6. bxc3 { [%emt 0:00:01]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 7. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} c5 {[%emt 0:00:05] } 8. Rc1 {[%emt 0:00:01]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:05]} 9. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qa5 { [%emt 0:00:02]} 10. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:04]} Bg4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 11. d5 {[%emt 0: 00:07]} b5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 12. Bd3 {[%emt 0:00:43]} Nd7 {[%emt 0:00:46]} 13. c4 {[%emt 0:00:16]} b4 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 14. O-O {[%emt 0:00:08]} Qc7 {[%emt 0: 10:06]} 15. Ne1 {[%emt 0:02:01]} Nb6 $6 {[%emt 0:02:09] Inaccuracy. f5 was best.} (15... f5 16. exf5) 16. f4 {[%emt 0:00:32]} Bd7 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 17. f5 {[%emt 0:02:05]} Na4 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 18. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:23]} Nc3 $6 {[%emt 0: 00:24] Inaccuracy. Be5 was best.} (18... Be5 19. Bh6 Rfd8 20. fxg6 hxg6 21. Qg5 Bf6 22. Qe3 Be5 23. Nxe5 Qxe5 24. Bf4 Qd4 25. Qxd4) 19. Bh6 {[%emt 0:00:07]} a5 $6 {[%emt 0:01:52] Inaccuracy. Be5 was best.} (19... Be5 20. Rce1) 20. e5 $6 { [%emt 0:00:36] Inaccuracy. Rce1 was best.} (20. Rce1) 20... Bxe5 $2 {[%emt 0: 00:20] Mistake. Bxf5 was best.} (20... Bxf5 21. Bxf5 Ne2+ 22. Qxe2 Bxh6 23. Bc2 Bxc1 24. Rxc1 a4 25. Qe3 f6 26. Qh6 Rf7 27. Rd1) 21. Nxe5 {[%emt 0:01:25]} Qxe5 {[%emt 0:00:00]} 22. Rce1 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qd4+ {[%emt 0:02:33]} 23. Be3 { [%emt 0:00:04]} Qg7 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 24. Bh6 {[%emt 0:00:57]} Qd4+ {[%emt 0:00: 07]} 25. Be3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Qg7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 26. Bxc5 {[%emt 0:00:17]} Rfc8 $6 {[%emt 0:00:14] Inaccuracy. Rfe8 was best.} (26... Rfe8 27. Qe3 gxf5 28. Rf3 Ra6 29. d6 Qg6 30. Bd4 Rxd6 31. Rg3 e5 32. Bxc3 bxc3 33. Rxg6+) 27. Bxe7 {[%emt 0:03:05]} Qd4+ {[%emt 0:00:07]} 28. Kh1 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Bxf5 { [%emt 0:00:19]} 29. Rxf5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} gxf5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 30. Qg5+ { [%emt 0:00:02]} Qg7 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 31. Qxf5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Re8 {[%emt 0:05: 24]} 32. d6 {[%emt 0:01:00]} Rad8 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 33. c5 {[%emt 0:00:18]} a4 { [%emt 0:00:42]} 34. Re3 {[%emt 0:00:31]} Ne2 {[%emt 0:01:03]} 35. Bxe2 { [%emt 0:00:20] Normal} 1-0 [/pgn]

2020 US Chess Championship So vs. Sweircz

courtesy SLCC / uschesschamps.com

Despite So’s muscle, Robson just may be the shiniest player in this year’s championship event. After handing in a couple brilliancies in the first day of play, the 25-year-old was dazzling again on Tuesday. Robson’s trademark time pressure seemed to have no effect on his tactical prowess, as he dispatched Swiercz with some major-piece tricks while playing off the increment in round 4, and then went beast-mode in a frantic endgame against GM Sam Sevian in the sixth round.

There, Robson applied heavy pressure down the c-file in a Kings Indian that blew up into a wide-open center, otherwise occupied by all four knights. Sevian’s 32. Rc1 lit the fuse, bringing Robson’s queen sac for a rook and knight, and kicking off an increment-fueled race of an endgame.

“It would have been a real shame if I had lost this game at the end, because I was still winning and I was even ahead on time for most of the game,” Robson said. “I know Sam, he’s incredibly tricky, and in blitz he’s really, really strong. Even when he has a bad position, he always finds a way to wriggle out and come back, win the game or flag his opponent. So I knew even when I had a winning position that he was going to try every single trick, and he almost got me.”

[pgn][Event "2020 U.S. Championship"] [Site "https://lichess.org/5mq2urNi"] [Date "2020.10.27"] [Round "6.5"] [White "Sam Sevian"] [Black "Ray Robson"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E73"] [WhiteElo "2705"] [BlackElo "2711"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/broadcaster"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [TimeControl "1500+5"] [WhiteClock "0:00:17"] [BlackClock "0:00:16"] 1. d4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Nf6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. c4 {[%emt 0:00:07]} g6 {[%emt 0: 00:06]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Bg7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 4. e4 {[%emt 0:00:13]} d6 {[%emt 0:00:08]} 5. Be2 {[%emt 0:00:12]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:09]} 6. Be3 {[%emt 0: 00:01]} Nc6 $6 {[%emt 0:01:08] Inaccuracy. c5 was best.} (6... c5 7. d5 e6 8. Nf3 exd5 9. cxd5 b5 10. e5 dxe5 11. Bxb5) 7. d5 {[%emt 0:01:15]} Ne5 {[%emt 0: 00:08]} 8. h3 {[%emt 0:00:24]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:29]} 9. f4 $6 {[%emt 0:00:37] Inaccuracy. Nf3 was best.} (9. Nf3 Nxf3+) 9... Ned7 {[%emt 0:00:16]} 10. dxe6 { [%emt 0:00:03]} fxe6 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 11. g4 $6 {[%emt 0:02:19] Inaccuracy. h4 was best.} (11. h4 Nh5) 11... b6 {[%emt 0:01:39]} 12. Qc2 {[%emt 0:02:29]} Bb7 {[%emt 0:00:39]} 13. O-O-O {[%emt 0:00:18]} Nc5 {[%emt 0:01:14]} 14. Bf3 { [%emt 0:00:34]} Nfd7 {[%emt 0:00:35]} 15. e5 $6 {[%emt 0:03:33] Inaccuracy. h4 was best.} (15. h4 Qe7) 15... Qe7 {[%emt 0:02:04]} 16. exd6 {[%emt 0:02:49]} cxd6 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 17. Bxb7 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Nxb7 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 18. Nge2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rac8 {[%emt 0:01:11]} 19. Qd3 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Ndc5 {[%emt 0: 04:04]} 20. Qc2 $4 {[%emt 0:02:34] Blunder. Bxc5 was best.} (20. Bxc5 Rxc5) 20... Na5 {[%emt 0:00:49]} 21. Bd4 $6 {[%emt 0:02:08] Inaccuracy. b3 was best.} (21. b3 d5 22. cxd5 exd5 23. Nxd5 Ncxb3+ 24. Kb1 Qa3 25. Nec3 Rfd8 26. Qb2 Qf8 27. axb3 Rxd5) 21... Nxc4 {[%emt 0:00:49]} 22. Kb1 {[%emt 0:00:02]} d5 { [%emt 0:02:11]} 23. f5 {[%emt 0:00:19]} Bxd4 {[%emt 0:01:01]} 24. Rxd4 { [%emt 0:00:18]} Ne3 $6 {[%emt 0:00:17] Inaccuracy. Qf6 was best.} (24... Qf6) 25. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:29]} exf5 $6 {[%emt 0:00:13] Inaccuracy. Nc4 was best.} ( 25... Nc4 26. Qc2) 26. Nf4 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Nc4 {[%emt 0:03:45]} 27. Qg2 $2 { [%emt 0:03:12] Mistake. Qd1 was best.} (27. Qd1 Ne4 28. Nfxd5 Nxc3+ 29. Nxc3 Ne3 30. Qd3 Rfd8 31. gxf5 Nxf5 32. Rd5 Ne3 33. Re1 Nxd5) 27... Ne4 {[%emt 0:00: 15]} 28. Ncxd5 $2 {[%emt 0:01:05] Mistake. Nfxd5 was best.} (28. Nfxd5 Qc5) 28... Ncd2+ {[%emt 0:00:29]} 29. Ka1 $2 {[%emt 0:00:32] Mistake. Rxd2 was best. } (29. Rxd2 Nxd2+ 30. Ka1 Qe4 31. gxf5 Qxg2 32. Nxg2 Rce8 33. Rd1 Ne4 34. fxg6 hxg6 35. h4 Nf6) 29... Qc5 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 30. Ne2 {[%emt 0:00:07]} f4 { [%emt 0:01:25]} 31. b4 {[%emt 0:01:02]} Qc2 $6 {[%emt 0:00:36] Inaccuracy. Qd6 was best.} (31... Qd6) 32. Rc1 $2 {[%emt 0:00:28] Mistake. Rxd2 was best.} (32. Rxd2 Nxd2 33. Ndxf4 Qe4 34. Qxe4 Nxe4 35. Re1 Rce8 36. Rd1 Nf2 37. Rd2 Re4 38. Nd5 Nxh3) 32... Qxc1+ {[%emt 0:00:58]} 33. Nxc1 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Rxc1+ { [%emt 0:00:06]} 34. Kb2 {[%emt 0:00:01]} f3 $6 {[%emt 0:00:06] Inaccuracy. Rb1+ was best.} (34... Rb1+) 35. Qh2 $6 {[%emt 0:00:04] Inaccuracy. Qxd2 was best.} (35. Qxd2 Nxd2 36. Kxc1 f2 37. Ne3 Nf3 38. Re4 Nh2 39. g5 Rf3 40. Re8+ Kf7 41. Re4 Rxe3) 35... Rb1+ {[%emt 0:00:12]} 36. Ka3 {[%emt 0:00:01]} f2 { [%emt 0:00:03]} 37. Ne7+ {[%emt 0:00:01]} Kf7 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 38. Qf4+ { [%emt 0:00:15]} Ke8 $4 {[%emt 0:00:11] Blunder. Kg7 was best.} (38... Kg7 39. Qe5+) 39. Qe5 $4 {[%emt 0:00:18] Blunder. Nf5 was best.} (39. Nf5 Rxf5 40. gxf5 Kf7 41. fxg6+ Kxg6 42. Rxe4 Nxe4 43. Qxe4+ Kg5 44. Qxb1 Kf4 45. Qd3 b5) 39... Rf3+ {[%emt 0:00:03]} 40. Ka4 {[%emt 0:00:03]} b5+ $4 {[%emt 0:00:08] Blunder. Nc3+ was best.} (40... Nc3+) 41. Ka5 $4 {[%emt 0:00:07] Blunder. Qxb5+ was best.} (41. Qxb5+ Kf8) 41... Ra3+ {[%emt 0:00:01]} 42. Kxb5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} f1=Q+ {[%emt 0:00:02]} 43. Kc6 {[%emt 0:00:01]} Qf6+ {[%emt 0:00:02] Normal} 0-1 [/pgn]

While the three tournament leaders raced away from the pack on Tuesday, there was one other unlikely player who kept pace on the day. Coming from last place after an 0-3 start to the event, the field’s youngest player GM Awonder Liang was outstanding in his second day of play. Playing off his invitation as last year’s U.S. Junior champion, the 17-year-old scored 2.5/3 on Tuesday, including a huge round 6 upset over Nakamura.

“This was just the understanding that I have nothing to lose. I’m just going to try, and maybe not just hold my own, but try and win as many games as I can,” Liang said. “It’s not just about drawing games, or just holding against the top players, but actually trying to beat them. If you do that, you’re going to end up taking some hits and taking some losses, which I probably will later in the tournament, but then you get to play some great games like this.”

2020 US Chess Championship Nakamura vs. Liang

courtesy SLCC / uschesschamps.com

In Tuesday’s final game, Nakamura – an early favorite to win this year’s crown though now sitting with just one win across six rounds – seemed prepared to confuse his young opponent in a Caro-Kann, though 12. Nf1? as well as 15. d4 did not carry the intended effect. Soon, Liang’s king was perfectly cozy on the kingside while his rook battery invaded the f-file. At its worst moment, the game saw Nakamura playing 30. e5 and then 31. c5, officially putting the bad in bad bishop.

“It was almost impossible not to win this position,” Liang said. “I’ve certainly botched my fair share of winning positions so far this tournament, but his bishop was just boxed in by his own pawns, the light-squared domination ... not even from a perspective of winning the game, just aesthetically my position was so nice, everything was just going right this game.”

[pgn][Event "2020 U.S. Championship"] [Site "https://lichess.org/Anf6W4RV"] [Date "2020.10.27"] [Round "6.1"] [White "Hikaru Nakamura"] [Black "Awonder Liang"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B18"] [WhiteElo "2788"] [BlackElo "2640"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/broadcaster"] [PlyCount "113"] [EventDate "2020.??.??"] [TimeControl "1500+5"] [WhiteClock "0:03:40"] [BlackClock "0:03:37"] 1. e4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} c6 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 2. d4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} d5 {[%emt 0: 00:01]} 3. Nc3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} dxe4 {[%emt 0:00:04]} 4. Nxe4 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Bf5 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 5. Ng3 {[%emt 0:00:07]} Bg6 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 6. h4 { [%emt 0:00:06]} h6 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 7. Nf3 {[%emt 0:00:10]} e6 {[%emt 0:00:30]} 8. Bd3 {[%emt 0:02:29]} Bxd3 {[%emt 0:00:18]} 9. Qxd3 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Nf6 { [%emt 0:00:01]} 10. Bf4 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Qa5+ {[%emt 0:00:24]} 11. c3 {[%emt 0: 00:07]} Be7 {[%emt 0:00:17]} 12. Nf1 $6 {[%emt 0:00:02] Inaccuracy. Ne4 was best.} (12. Ne4 Nbd7 13. Nd6+ Bxd6 14. Bxd6 Qd5 15. Ba3 Qe4+ 16. Qxe4 Nxe4 17. Ke2 O-O-O 18. Nd2 Ndf6) 12... c5 {[%emt 0:01:12]} 13. N1d2 {[%emt 0:03:52]} Qa6 {[%emt 0:00:13]} 14. Nc4 {[%emt 0:00:51]} O-O {[%emt 0:00:47]} 15. g4 $2 { [%emt 0:01:05] Mistake. dxc5 was best.} (15. dxc5 Rd8) 15... Nd5 $6 {[%emt 0: 00:11] Inaccuracy. Nxg4 was best.} (15... Nxg4 16. Rg1) 16. Be5 $6 {[%emt 0:00: 48] Inaccuracy. Bg3 was best.} (16. Bg3 Nd7 17. Qe2 cxd4 18. Nxd4 Rfd8 19. Ne3 Qxe2+ 20. Kxe2 Nxe3 21. fxe3 Rac8 22. Rad1 Nc5) 16... Nc6 {[%emt 0:01:12]} 17. g5 {[%emt 0:00:05]} h5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 18. g6 $4 {[%emt 0:00:41] Blunder. dxc5 was best.} (18. dxc5) 18... cxd4 {[%emt 0:01:01]} 19. Nxd4 {[%emt 0:01:35] } Nxd4 {[%emt 0:07:59]} 20. Qxd4 $6 {[%emt 0:00:18] Inaccuracy. Bxd4 was best.} (20. Bxd4) 20... Rac8 {[%emt 0:00:02]} 21. Ne3 {[%emt 0:01:21]} Bc5 {[%emt 0: 00:27]} 22. Qe4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Bxe3 $6 {[%emt 0:03:03] Inaccuracy. fxg6 was best.} (22... fxg6 23. Qxg6) 23. fxe3 {[%emt 0:00:57]} fxg6 $6 {[%emt 0:00:01] Inaccuracy. f6 was best.} (23... f6 24. Bf4 Rfd8 25. O-O-O Qxa2 26. Qxe6+ Kh8 27. Rxd5 Qxd5 28. Qxd5 Rxd5 29. Kc2 a6 30. Ra1) 24. Bd4 $2 {[%emt 0:01:37] Mistake. Qxg6 was best.} (24. Qxg6 Rf7 25. Bd4 e5 26. Qxa6 bxa6 27. Bxe5 Nxe3 28. Ke2 Nc4 29. Bd4 Re8+ 30. Kd3 Nxb2+) 24... Rf5 {[%emt 0:00:35]} 25. a3 { [%emt 0:00:03]} Rcf8 $2 {[%emt 0:00:30] Mistake. Rc4 was best.} (25... Rc4 26. Rg1 Kh7 27. b3 Rc8 28. Qg2 e5 29. Qxd5 exd4 30. Qxd4 Re8 31. c4 Rf3 32. Ke2) 26. O-O-O {[%emt 0:00:03]} Kh7 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 27. Rhg1 {[%emt 0:00:13]} Nf6 { [%emt 0:00:25]} 28. Qc2 $6 {[%emt 0:00:20] Inaccuracy. Qd3 was best.} (28. Qd3) 28... Ng4 {[%emt 0:00:06]} 29. e4 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Rf1 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 30. c4 {[%emt 0:00:41]} R1f3 $6 {[%emt 0:00:37] Inaccuracy. Rxd1+ was best.} (30... Rxd1+ 31. Rxd1 e5 32. Bg1 Rf4 33. Kb1 Nf6 34. Re1 Rxh4 35. Bh2 Qa5 36. Bg3 Rg4 37. Bf2) 31. e5 $6 {[%emt 0:01:22] Inaccuracy. Rge1 was best.} (31. Rge1 Rc8 32. Qe2 Rh3 33. c5 Qxe2 34. Rxe2 Rxh4 35. b4 Rh3 36. Kb2 e5 37. Bc3 Rf3) 31... Rc8 {[%emt 0:00:25]} 32. c5 {[%emt 0:00:02]} Rcf8 {[%emt 0:00:01]} 33. Kb1 { [%emt 0:00:11]} Rf1 {[%emt 0:00:24]} 34. Ka2 {[%emt 0:00:05]} Rxd1 {[%emt 0:00: 12]} 35. Rxd1 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Rd8 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 36. Rd2 {[%emt 0:01:27]} Qc6 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 37. b4 {[%emt 0:00:40]} Rd5 {[%emt 0:00:26]} 38. Bc3 $6 { [%emt 0:00:10] Inaccuracy. Qc3 was best.} (38. Qc3 a6) 38... Ne3 {[%emt 0:00: 44]} 39. Qc1 $6 {[%emt 0:00:05] Inaccuracy. Qb3 was best.} (39. Qb3 a5) 39... Nf5 {[%emt 0:00:07]} 40. Qe1 $6 {[%emt 0:01:50] Inaccuracy. Bb2 was best.} (40. Bb2 Nxh4) 40... Rxd2+ {[%emt 0:00:03]} 41. Bxd2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qd5+ {[%emt 0: 00:06]} 42. Kb2 {[%emt 0:00:00]} Qd3 {[%emt 0:01:00]} 43. Bg5 {[%emt 0:00:14]} Nd4 {[%emt 0:00:14]} 44. Qc3 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qe2+ {[%emt 0:00:01]} 45. Kb1 { [%emt 0:00:22]} Qxe5 {[%emt 0:00:09]} 46. a4 {[%emt 0:00:01]} a6 {[%emt 0:00: 15]} 47. Kb2 {[%emt 0:00:12]} Qe2+ {[%emt 0:00:04]} 48. Qd2 {[%emt 0:00:03]} Qe4 {[%emt 0:00:10]} 49. Qc3 {[%emt 0:00:29]} e5 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 50. Qc4 { [%emt 0:00:02]} Qg2+ {[%emt 0:00:06]} 51. Kb1 {[%emt 0:00:06]} Qc6 {[%emt 0:00: 22]} 52. a5 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Nb5 {[%emt 0:00:15]} 53. Kc1 $6 {[%emt 0:00:17] Inaccuracy. Qd3 was best.} (53. Qd3 Qg2) 53... Qh1+ {[%emt 0:00:04]} 54. Kd2 { [%emt 0:00:01]} Nd4 {[%emt 0:00:05]} 55. Qd3 {[%emt 0:00:09]} Qg2+ {[%emt 0:00: 03]} 56. Kc3 $6 {[%emt 0:00:06] Inaccuracy. Kd1 was best.} (56. Kd1 Qd5) 56... Qa2 {[%emt 0:00:03]} 57. Qd1 {[%emt 0:00:01] Normal} 0-1 [/pgn]

The 2020 US Chess Championship continues with rounds 7-9 on Wednesday, with first moves kicking off at 1:00 p.m. central. Spectators may watch the games along with expert commentary by GMs Yasser Seirawan and Maurice Ashley, along with WGM Jennifer Shahade on uschesschamps.com or of the SLCC YouTube and TwitchTV channels.