Thrice! Carissa Yip Again America's Top Girl

2020 U.S. Junior Girls Champion IM Carissa Yip / courtesy SLCC

Carissa Yip, the 17-year old International Master from Massachusetts has secured herself as a U.S. mainstay, threepeating as the nation’s top junior female. For her third straight crown, Yip won the 2020 U.S. Girls Junior Championship in convincing fashion last weekend, this time with an undefeated 7.5/9 score over America’s top U20 female players. In fact, this marks Yip’s second consecutive undefeated performance against the U20 female field, not having lost a game in the Junior Girls championship since 2018.

Yip updated her title over the weekend of Oct. 9-11 in the first of five 2020 U.S. Championship events being hosted online by the Saint Louis Chess Club over the month of October. The events have been organized pandemic-friendly, featuring online round-robin formats and all Rapid games with a 25-minute time control and 5-second increment.

Along with the crown, Yip also won $3,000 as the lion’s share of the tournament prize fund. In clear second was IM Annie Wang with 6/9, and WIM Rochelle Wu finished clear third with 5.5/9.

2020 U.S. Junior Girls Final Standings / courtesy SLCC

Any suggestion that Yip was not in control of the weekend was based off a mirage. With three Rapid games per day in the nine-round robin format, she began with a solid 2/3 on Friday and held an appearance of second place behind IM Annie Wang, who finished Day 1 with 2.5/3. But that was righted immediately when the two met in Saturday’s opening round four, and Yip took decisive control of the field with this win as black.

[pgn][Event "U.S. Girls Junior Championship"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2020.10.10"] [Round "4"] [White "Wang, Annie"] [Black "Yip, Carissa"] [Result "0-1"] [Board "1"] [WhiteTitle "IM"] [WhiteCountry "USA"] [WhiteFideId "2053900"] [BlackTitle "IM"] [BlackCountry "USA"] [BlackFideId "2090732"] 1. d4 {[%clk 0:25:00]} Nf6 {[%clk 0:25:00]} 2. c4 {[%clk 0:25:02]} g6 {[%clk 0:25:04]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 0:25:05]} Bg7 {[%clk 0:25:08]} 4. e4 {[%clk 0:25:08]} d6 {[%clk 0:25:11]} 5. Be2 {[%clk 0:25:10]} O-O {[%clk 0:25:14]} 6. Nf3 {[%clk 0:25:09]} e5 {[%clk 0:24:56]} 7. Be3 {[%clk 0:25:13]} Na6 {[%clk 0:24:47]} 8. O-O {[%clk 0:25:14]} c6 {[%clk 0:24:46]} 9. h3 {[%clk 0:24:22]} exd4 {[%clk 0:24:32]} 10. Nxd4 {[%clk 0:23:05]} Re8 {[%clk 0:24:31]} 11. f3 {[%clk 0:23:04]} d5 {[%clk 0:18:43]} 12. cxd5 {[%clk 0:22:43]} cxd5 {[%clk 0:18:46]} 13. Bxa6 {[%clk 0:22:11]} bxa6 {[%clk 0:18:37]} 14. e5 {[%clk 0:21:51]} Nd7 {[%clk 0:18:21]} 15. f4 {[%clk 0:21:19]} Bb7 {[%clk 0:18:24]} 16. Bf2 {[%clk 0:19:55]} Rc8 {[%clk 0:18:23]} 17. Rc1 {[%clk 0:19:52]} Nc5 {[%clk 0:17:45]} 18. Nb3 {[%clk 0:19:17]} Ne6 {[%clk 0:12:51]} 19. Bxa7 {[%clk 0:17:48]} Qh4 {[%clk 0:11:56]} 20. Ne2 {[%clk 0:16:16]} Bh6 {[%clk 0:08:17]} 21. Rxc8 {[%clk 0:13:15]} Rxc8 {[%clk 0:08:10]} 22. Be3 {[%clk 0:13:13]} d4 {[%clk 0:06:37]} 23. Nbxd4 {[%clk 0:12:51]} Rd8 {[%clk 0:05:07]} 24. Qb3 {[%clk 0:11:14]} Bd5 {[%clk 0:04:07]} 25. Qb6 {[%clk 0:10:30]} Nxd4 {[%clk 0:03:57]} 26. Bxd4 {[%clk 0:09:57]} Bc4 {[%clk 0:03:30]} 27. g3 {[%clk 0:06:42]} Qe7 {[%clk 0:03:26]} 28. Re1 {[%clk 0:06:09]} Qd7 {[%clk 0:02:49]} 29. Bf2 {[%clk 0:05:38]} Rc8 {[%clk 0:02:18]} 30. Kh2 {[%clk 0:04:25]} Bf8 {[%clk 0:01:24]} 31. Nc3 {[%clk 0:03:17]} Qd2 {[%clk 0:00:25]} 32. Ne4 {[%clk 0:03:03]} Qc2 {[%clk 0:00:29]} 33. Kg1 {[%clk 0:02:42]} Be6 {[%clk 0:00:24]} 34. Ng5 {[%clk 0:02:21]} Rc6 {[%clk 0:00:13]} 35. Qb8 {[%clk 0:01:39]} Bxa2 {[%clk 0:00:11]} 36. Nf3 {[%clk 0:00:24]} Rc8 {[%clk 0:00:10]} 37. Qb6 {[%clk 0:00:26]} Bd5 {[%clk 0:00:09]} 38. Nd4 {[%clk 0:00:28]} Qd2 {[%clk 0:00:10]} 39. Qxa6 {[%clk 0:00:21]} Rc1 {[%clk 0:00:12]} 40. Rxc1 {[%clk 0:00:13]} Qxc1+ {[%clk 0:00:16]} 41. Qf1 {[%clk 0:00:18]} Qxb2 {[%clk 0:00:21]} 42. Ne2 {[%clk 0:00:12]} Ba8 {[%clk 0:00:23]} 43. Bd4 {[%clk 0:00:10]} Qb7 {[%clk 0:00:27]} 44. Kh2 {[%clk 0:00:07]} Qe4 {[%clk 0:00:29]} 45. Bb6 {[%clk 0:00:06]} Bd5 {[%clk 0:00:33]} 46. Bf2 {[%clk 0:00:08]} Bc4 {[%clk 0:00:36]} 47. Qg2 {[%clk 0:00:07]} Qxg2+ {[%clk 0:00:40]} 48. Kxg2 {[%clk 0:00:11]} Bxe2 {[%clk 0:00:44]} 49. g4 {[%clk 0:00:15]} Bc4 {[%clk 0:00:49]} 50. Kf3 {[%clk 0:00:20]} Bd5+ {[%clk 0:00:52]} 51. Ke3 {[%clk 0:00:24]} Bc5+ {[%clk 0:00:56]} 52. Ke2 {[%clk 0:00:27]} Bxf2 {[%clk 0:01:00]} 53. Kxf2 {[%clk 0:00:32]} Kf8 {[%clk 0:01:05]} 54. f5 {[%clk 0:00:35]} Be4 {[%clk 0:01:06]} 55. fxg6 {[%clk 0:00:30]} hxg6 {[%clk 0:01:02]} 56. Ke3 {[%clk 0:00:33]} Bb1 {[%clk 0:01:06]} 57. Kf4 {[%clk 0:00:36]} Ke7 {[%clk 0:01:09]} 58. h4 {[%clk 0:00:35]} Ke6 {[%clk 0:01:03]} 59. h5 {[%clk 0:00:25]} gxh5 {[%clk 0:01:06]} 60. gxh5 {[%clk 0:00:29]} Bc2 {[%clk 0:01:09]} 61. h6 {[%clk 0:00:25]} Bh7 {[%clk 0:01:12]} 62. Kg5 {[%clk 0:00:26]} Kxe5 {[%clk 0:01:16]} 0-1 [/pgn]

Yip went from strong to stronger as the weekend progressed. She finished Saturday 2.5/3 and already in clear first, though later described her first two days as unsatisfying while she adjusted to the Rapid time control. Apparently finding her groove, she was convincing on Sunday and finished the event a perfect 3/3, including this win over reigning U.S. Women’s Champion FM Jennifer Yu in the seventh round. The two will plan to meet again in two weeks for the 2020 Women’s Championship.

[pgn][Event "U.S. Girls Junior Championship"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2020.10.11"] [Round "7"] [White "Yip, Carissa"] [Black "Yu, Jennifer"] [Result "1-0"] [Board "4"] [WhiteTitle "IM"] [WhiteCountry "USA"] [WhiteFideId "2090732"] [BlackTitle "FM"] [BlackElo "1862"] [BlackCountry "USA"] [BlackFideId "2078341"] 1. e4 {[%clk 0:25:00]} e5 {[%clk 0:25:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:25:02]} Nc6 {[%clk 0:25:02]} 3. Bb5 {[%clk 0:25:06]} a6 {[%clk 0:25:03]} 4. Ba4 {[%clk 0:25:09]} Nf6 {[%clk 0:25:05]} 5. O-O {[%clk 0:25:08]} b5 {[%clk 0:25:06]} 6. Bb3 {[%clk 0:25:12]} Bb7 {[%clk 0:25:09]} 7. Re1 {[%clk 0:23:23]} Bc5 {[%clk 0:25:08]} 8. c3 {[%clk 0:23:26]} d6 {[%clk 0:25:12]} 9. a4 {[%clk 0:22:15]} O-O {[%clk 0:23:27]} 10. d4 {[%clk 0:21:59]} Bb6 {[%clk 0:21:39]} 11. Bg5 {[%clk 0:22:01]} h6 {[%clk 0:20:54]} 12. Bh4 {[%clk 0:21:25]} g5 {[%clk 0:18:00]} 13. Nxg5 {[%clk 0:19:32]} hxg5 {[%clk 0:18:05]} 14. Bxg5 {[%clk 0:19:36]} Kg7 {[%clk 0:18:09]} 15. Re3 {[%clk 0:17:27]} Ne7 {[%clk 0:15:19]} 16. Rg3 {[%clk 0:14:05]} Bxe4 {[%clk 0:12:45]} 17. Qd2 {[%clk 0:10:02]} Rg8 {[%clk 0:06:01]} 18. Bxf6+ {[%clk 0:08:18]} Kxf6 {[%clk 0:06:06]} 19. Qh6+ {[%clk 0:08:21]} Bg6 {[%clk 0:05:10]} 20. Nd2 {[%clk 0:07:45]} d5 {[%clk 0:04:10]} 21. Re1 {[%clk 0:05:09]} Ke6 {[%clk 0:01:26]} 22. Rxe5+ {[%clk 0:05:01]} Kd7 {[%clk 0:01:00]} 23. Rge3 {[%clk 0:04:35]} Re8 {[%clk 0:00:28]} 24. Bxd5 {[%clk 0:03:48]} c6 {[%clk 0:00:32]} 25. Bf3 {[%clk 0:03:23]} Nf5 {[%clk 0:00:13]} 26. Rxf5 {[%clk 0:03:01]} Rxe3 {[%clk 0:00:11]} 27. fxe3 {[%clk 0:03:05]} Bxf5 {[%clk 0:00:07]} 28. Qxc6+ {[%clk 0:03:03]} Ke7 {[%clk 0:00:12]} 29. Qxa8 {[%clk 0:03:06]} bxa4 {[%clk 0:00:09]} 30. Nc4 {[%clk 0:02:36]} Bd3 {[%clk 0:00:03]} 31. Nxb6 {[%clk 0:01:43]} Qxb6 {[%clk 0:00:13]} 32. Qb7+ {[%clk 0:01:47]} Qxb7 {[%clk 0:00:17]} 33. Bxb7 {[%clk 0:01:52]} Kd6 {[%clk 0:00:19]} 34. Kf2 {[%clk 0:01:51]} f5 {[%clk 0:00:15]} 35. Ke1 {[%clk 0:01:55]} Kc7 {[%clk 0:00:13]} 36. Bd5 {[%clk 0:01:58]} Kd6 {[%clk 0:00:17]} 37. c4 {[%clk 0:01:55]} a5 {[%clk 0:00:16]} 38. Kd2 {[%clk 0:01:53]} Bf1 {[%clk 0:00:19]} 39. h4 {[%clk 0:01:57]} 1-0 [/pgn]

Rochelle Wu vs. Carissa Yip 2020 U.S. Junior Girls Championship

WIM Rochelle Wu and IM Carissa Yip face off in the 9th round of the 2020 U.S. Junior Girls Championship. / courtesy SLCC

Despite winning the tournament with a commanding 1.5 point cushion in clear first, Yip wasn’t coasting to victory to close the event. In the ninth round, 14-year-old WIM Rochelle Wu still maintained striking distance, just one point behind in the standings and a final round matchup with the leader. Wu had finished as the 2019 Junior Girls runner-up after losing just one game – to Yip – in the event last year. The two met again for this game in the final round on Sunday, where a Wu victory would force a playoff for the 2020 Junior Girls crown.

[pgn][Event "U.S. Girls Junior Championship"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2020.10.11"] [Round "9"] [White "Yip, Carissa"] [Black "Wu, Rochelle"] [Result "1-0"] [Board "3"] [WhiteTitle "IM"] [WhiteCountry "USA"] [WhiteFideId "2090732"] [BlackTitle "WIM"] [BlackElo "2085"] [BlackCountry "USA"] [BlackFideId "30908132"] 1. e4 {[%clk 0:25:00]} c5 {[%clk 0:25:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:25:03]} d6 {[%clk 0:25:02]} 3. d4 {[%clk 0:25:07]} cxd4 {[%clk 0:25:05]} 4. Nxd4 {[%clk 0:25:11]} Nf6 {[%clk 0:25:07]} 5. Nc3 {[%clk 0:25:15]} a6 {[%clk 0:25:10]} 6. Be3 {[%clk 0:25:05]} e5 {[%clk 0:25:08]} 7. Nf3 {[%clk 0:25:09]} Be6 {[%clk 0:25:01]} 8. Ng5 {[%clk 0:25:08]} Qc7 {[%clk 0:24:50]} 9. Nxe6 {[%clk 0:25:05]} fxe6 {[%clk 0:24:53]} 10. a4 {[%clk 0:24:56]} Nbd7 {[%clk 0:24:43]} 11. a5 {[%clk 0:24:15]} Be7 {[%clk 0:24:30]} 12. Ra4 {[%clk 0:24:00]} O-O {[%clk 0:19:24]} 13. Bc4 {[%clk 0:23:50]} Kf7 {[%clk 0:18:19]} 14. Qa1 {[%clk 0:22:47]} Nc5 {[%clk 0:15:11]} 15. Bxc5 {[%clk 0:21:59]} dxc5 {[%clk 0:15:17]} 16. O-O {[%clk 0:20:59]} Rfd8 {[%clk 0:14:16]} 17. Ne2 {[%clk 0:20:15]} g6 {[%clk 0:12:25]} 18. f4 {[%clk 0:18:36]} Kg7 {[%clk 0:09:04]} 19. Bxe6 {[%clk 0:17:21]} exf4 {[%clk 0:09:01]} 20. Nxf4 {[%clk 0:16:31]} Bd6 {[%clk 0:06:22]} 21. Nd5 {[%clk 0:15:38]} Nxd5 {[%clk 0:05:03]} 22. Rf7+ {[%clk 0:15:33]} Qxf7 {[%clk 0:05:07]} 23. Bxf7 {[%clk 0:15:37]} Ne3 {[%clk 0:04:46]} 24. Bd5 {[%clk 0:15:20]} Rf8 {[%clk 0:04:11]} 25. b3+ {[%clk 0:15:14]} Kh6 {[%clk 0:04:07]} 26. e5 {[%clk 0:14:27]} Rf1+ {[%clk 0:03:10]} 27. Qxf1 {[%clk 0:14:30]} Nxf1 {[%clk 0:03:15]} 28. exd6 {[%clk 0:14:34]} Ne3 {[%clk 0:03:14]} 29. Bxb7 {[%clk 0:14:20]} Rd8 {[%clk 0:03:17]} 30. Bxa6 {[%clk 0:14:19]} Rxd6 {[%clk 0:03:20]} 31. Bd3 {[%clk 0:14:24]} 1-0 [/pgn]

Wu’s loss in that final round left her vulnerable in the standings, and Wang took advantage with this clutch win over Sophie Morris-Suzuki to grab clear second place.

[pgn][Event "U.S. Girls Junior Championship"] [Site "chess24.com"] [Date "2020.10.11"] [Round "9"] [White "Morris-Suzuki, Sophie"] [Black "Wang, Annie"] [Result "0-1"] [Board "1"] [WhiteTitle "WFM"] [WhiteElo "1969"] [WhiteCountry "USA"] [WhiteFideId "30922615"] [BlackTitle "IM"] [BlackCountry "USA"] [BlackFideId "2053900"] 1. d4 {[%clk 0:25:00]} Nf6 {[%clk 0:25:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:25:01]} e6 {[%clk 0:25:03]} 3. Bf4 {[%clk 0:25:04]} d5 {[%clk 0:25:06]} 4. e3 {[%clk 0:24:54]} Bd6 {[%clk 0:25:08]} 5. Bg3 {[%clk 0:24:56]} O-O {[%clk 0:25:12]} 6. Nbd2 {[%clk 0:24:53]} c5 {[%clk 0:25:14]} 7. c3 {[%clk 0:24:55]} b6 {[%clk 0:25:17]} 8. Bd3 {[%clk 0:24:49]} Bb7 {[%clk 0:25:19]} 9. Ne5 {[%clk 0:24:28]} Nc6 {[%clk 0:25:08]} 10. f4 {[%clk 0:24:30]} Ne7 {[%clk 0:24:59]} 11. Qb1 {[%clk 0:24:04]} g6 {[%clk 0:24:38]} 12. Bh4 {[%clk 0:22:31]} Ne8 {[%clk 0:24:37]} 13. Ndf3 {[%clk 0:18:14]} f6 {[%clk 0:23:05]} 14. Ng4 {[%clk 0:16:11]} cxd4 {[%clk 0:21:27]} 15. exd4 {[%clk 0:14:41]} Bxf4 {[%clk 0:20:10]} 16. O-O {[%clk 0:14:40]} Nf5 {[%clk 0:18:40]} 17. Bxf5 {[%clk 0:12:07]} exf5 {[%clk 0:18:23]} 18. Nfe5 {[%clk 0:11:43]} Bxe5 {[%clk 0:17:31]} 19. Nxe5 {[%clk 0:11:22]} g5 {[%clk 0:15:37]} 20. Qxf5 {[%clk 0:09:41]} Ng7 {[%clk 0:14:25]} 21. Qd7 {[%clk 0:07:21]} Ba6 {[%clk 0:13:23]} 22. Qxd8 {[%clk 0:05:19]} Raxd8 {[%clk 0:13:20]} 23. Nc6 {[%clk 0:02:40]} Bxf1 {[%clk 0:12:13]} 24. Nxd8 {[%clk 0:01:24]} Bb5 {[%clk 0:11:33]} 25. a4 {[%clk 0:00:57]} Bd7 {[%clk 0:11:30]} 26. a5 {[%clk 0:00:18]} Rxd8 {[%clk 0:11:22]} 27. Bg3 {[%clk 0:00:07]} b5 {[%clk 0:11:17]} 28. Rf1 {[%clk 0:00:06]} Kf7 {[%clk 0:11:04]} 29. Be5 {[%clk 0:00:06]} f5 {[%clk 0:10:50]} 0-1 [/pgn]

The 2020 U.S. Junior Girls Championship was the first of five major American chess championship events being hosted online through the month of October by the Saint Louis Chess Club. The championship calendar resumes Tuesday with the 2020 U.S. Junior Championship, featuring nine of the top U20 American players and defending U.S. Junior champion GM Awonder Liang.

Given the new online platform, all 2020 championship events will use a round-robin format and feature Rapid games, with time controls of 25 minutes and 5-second increments. Three rounds will be played per day, with first moves at 1:00 p.m. Central every day. The tournaments may be viewed live at uschesschamps.com or the SLCC YouTube and Twitch channels, featuring expert commentary by GMs Yasser Seirawan and Cristian Chirila, and WGM Jennifer Shahade.