Thanksgiving Weekend Wrap-Up

Editor’s note: Since becoming Digital Editor for Chess Life Online, I have dreamt of publishing more regular wrap-ups of the sorts of events that are eligible for our Plan Ahead Calendar (as well as invitational tournaments).

Do you want coverage of your tournament on Chess Life Online for future reporting or roundups?

If so, email Click here to show email address with information of upcoming or recently concluded (i.e. within 1-2 weeks) events.

For concluded tournaments, please include links to or screenshots of final standings, as well as links to DGT games or attached, transcribed game scores from 1-3 games of winners. Photos of the tournament and of winners are also a plus (cell phone photos are fine for online publication).

Charlotte Chess Center Fall Norm Invitational

Games | Results | Official Website | MUIR

In Charlotte, the lead-up to the U.S. Masters (see below) saw many participants come into town early for four concurrent norm invitational Round Robins held from Nov. 21 through 25.

Two players earned their first IM norms: New York’s 11-year-old FM Linxi Zhu in the GM-A section and Delaware’s 13-year-old FM Andrew Jing in GM-B. Below are a game each from the two norm-winners:

11-year-old Linxi Zhu earned an IM norm in Charlotte. (Photo courtesy of CCC/Kelly Centrelli)

13-year-old Andrew Jing also earned an IM norm in Charlotte. (Photo courtesy of CCC/Kelly Centrelli)

Read more about this event on CCC’s Chess.com blog.

U.S. Masters

Games | Results | Official Website | MUIR

Photo courtesy of CCC/Kelly Centrelli

251 players competed in the nine-round Super Swiss, with almost 60% of them being FIDE-titled players (148 in total: including 38 GMs and 36 IMs). Players came from 36 states, 30 countries, and five continents to compete for the $25,000 guaranteed prize fund.

GM Awonder Liang and GM Andrew Hong tied for first with 7½/9 scores, and Liang won the U.S. Masters Cup and an additional $500 in a blitz playoff, giving him a total of $5,750 and Hong $5,250. Five players tied for third with 7/9 scores, netting $1,420 apiece.

The two winners drew their head-to-head game in the seventh round after Liang drifted from a promising position in the opening, but Hong was unable to make significant inroads. Enjoy a win from each of the two top finishers below:

Four players earned norms: FMs Avi Kaplan, Seth Homa, and Evan Sammons each earned an IM norm and WFM Martyna Starosta earned a WIM norm.

Below is a sample of games from the norm-winners:

Additionally, FM Bryan Lin, who already has all of his IM norms, crossed 2400 in the live FIDE ratings during the event, making him eligible for the IM title. His draw with Liang speaks volumes:

Reigning U.S. Women’s Champion IM Carissa Yip won the prize for top female player for a 6/9 score, and GM Alexander Shabalov won the top senior prize ahead of reigning U.S. Senior Champion GM Alex Fishbein, earning $600 each. Shabalov also earned $350 for a share of the top Under-2500 prize for his 6½/9 score.

The event was held concurrently with the North Carolina Open, which featured another 400+ participants (not counting the blitz sections). Between these events, 671 unique players competed in Charlotte for just shy of $40,000 in prizes.

More reporting, photos, and annotated games (including Liang’s win in the blitz playoff) can be found on CCC’s excellent Chess.com blog.

60th Annual American Open

Games | Results | Official Website | MUIR

GM Arman Mikaelyan won the 60^th Annual American Open in Garden Grove, CA with a 7½/9 score, a half-point ahead of GM Mark Heimann and IM Oleksii Bilych. Mikaelyan earned $3,500 for his victory, and the players tied for second pocketed $1,250 each.

The race for first place was hotly contested, ultimately coming down to one move in an equal endgame between Mikaelyan and Heimann:

2025 XTX Markets London Chess Classic

Games | Results | Official Website

Across the pond, IM Nico Werner Chasin earned his final GM norm in London with a 6/9 score, tying for ninth with a 2608 performance rating. Chasin is already over 2500 FIDE, meaning he is “GM-Elect” and eligible for the GM title at the next FIDE Congress.

The 2025 K-12 Co-Champion was able to show off his ability to grind throughout the event in London.

Chasin even had an opportunity to compete against a top 10 player in the world, taking GM Praggnanandha Rameshbabu deep into an endgame after displaying fantastic defensive fortitude:

Three players, including Praggnanandhaa, tied for first.

9th Annual Sevan Memorial

Results | Official Website | MUIR

Almost 200 players competed in Schaumburg, IL, just north of Chicago, for the 9^th Annual Sevan Memorial tournament, where FM Ochirbat Lkhagvajamts swept the field to go 5/5 and finish ahead of IM Sam Schmakel and FM Tugstumur Yesuntumur, who tied for second with 4½/5 apiece.

56^th Annual National Chess Congress

Results | Official Website | MUIR

The 56^th Annual National Chess congress was held in Philadelphia, PA, and three players tied for first with 5/6 scores to take home $2,533 each: IM Jason Liang and FMs Sharvesh Deviprasath and Danila Poliannakov.