US WOMEN’S CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 ROUND 11

The women’s championship will be going to playoffs thanks to a dramatic final round. Paikidze was choosing moves based on what was happening in Wang’s game. While Wang was pressing the advantage of her promising attack, Paikidze was creating complications on her board.

Then the young tournament leader stumbled for the first time in two weeks making a game losing blunder. When Wang was resigning, Paikidze was completely ignoring her own game and had turned to wait for the confirmation of the loss. The moment that the loss registered on the score board, she turned to IM Rusa Goletiani and offered a draw in their unclear position. Goletiani accepted the draw – giving us playoffs on Monday afternoon.

Krush,Irina (2422) - Yu,Jennifer (2367)

US-ch Women 2018 Saint Louis (11), 29.04.2018

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Nbd2 Nbd7 6.Bd3 Bd6 7.0–0 0–0 8.b3 b6 D30: Queen's Gambit Declined: Systems without Nc3 

9.Bb2 Bb7 10.Ne5 [10.Qe2 c5 11.Rad1 Ne4 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Ba6 Bxa6 14.Qxa6 Re8 15.dxc5 Ndxc5 16.Qe2 Rc8 17.Rc1 Bf8 18.Rfd1 Qe7 1/2–1/2 (45) Radjabov,T (2710)-Ding,L (2773) Moscow 2017] 

10...Rc8 11.f4 c5 12.Nxd7 Qxd7 [12...Nxd7= 13.Qg4 (13.cxd5 exd5 14.Qf3 c4=) 13...Nf6] 

13.dxc5!² 

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13...Be7N [Of course not 13...Bxc5?! 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qg4+ Kh8 16.Qh4+-; or: 13...Bxc5 14.Bxf6 dxc4 15.Bxh7+ 1–0 (40) Stojanovski,S (2277)-Andersen,S (2111) Ballerup 2017] 

14.cxb6 axb6 15.Qe2 g6 16.Bd4 Qd6 17.Rfd1 Nd7 18.cxd5 Bxd5 19.Nc4 Qb8 20.Ne5 Nxe5 21.Bxe5 Qa8 22.Bd4 Qa5 23.Rac1 Bb7 24.Rxc8 Rxc8 25.Bc4 Ba3 26.Qg4 [26.Ba1±] 

26...Re8 [26...Bc5²] 

27.h3± Be4 28.Kh2 h5 29.Qe2 Rc8 30.Be5 Qa8 [30...b5± was called for.] 

31.Qf2 Qb7 

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32.Bb5 Rd7 is the strong threat. 

32...Rc2 33.Rd2 Rxd2 34.Qxd2 White wants to mate with Qd8+. 

34...Qd5 35.Qxd5 exd5 Endgame KBB-KBB 

36.Bd4 Bb1 37.Bxb6 [White should try 37.Bc6± ] 

37...Bxa2² 38.Ba4 Kf8 39.Bd4 Ke7 40.g3 [Better is 40.Bc3± ] 

40...Bb4= 41.Kg2 Bb1 42.g4 hxg4 43.hxg4 Bd3 44.Kf2 Ke6 45.Be5 Ke7 46.Bc6  ½–½

SHANKLAND WINS US CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 ROUND 11

Caruana won the Candidates in Berlin with a +4 score. Likewise, +4 was enough to win the Grenke tournament. In Saint Louis he went one better and scored +5, but that was only good enough for second place. Sam Shankland went +6 to claim the title.

Shankland’s victory in round 11 was significant for more reasons. His rating goes up to 2701 the day before the next FIDE rating list is due to be published. This will move him up to number 45 on the world rankings, gain him a spot on the US Olympiad team and give him the classification of “Super GM”. Being 2700+ will likely secure Sam invitations to some Super tournaments over the coming months too.

Shankland,Samuel (2671) - Liang,Awonder (2552)

US-ch Open 2018 Saint Louis (11), 29.04.2018

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 e5  B13: Caro-Kann: Exchange Variation and Panov-Botvinnik Attack 

8.h3 exf4 9.hxg4 Qe7+ White is slightly better. 

10.Kf1 

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10...0–0–0N [10...Ne4 11.Qc2 0–0–0 12.Nd2 Re8 13.Bxe4 dxe4 14.Re1 f5 15.gxf5 1–0 (25) Demchenko,A (2671)-Yurtseven,M (2415) Lisbon 2018] 

11.Nd2 Black must now prevent Re1. 

11...g6 12.Re1 Qc7 13.g5 Nh5 14.Be2ƒ White has good play. 

14...Ng7 15.Ngf3 Ne6 16.Bb5 Bg7 17.Qa4 Rd6 18.Nb3 b6 [18...a6²] 

19.Nc1 Nb8 20.Nd3 

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20...Kb7 Black wants to play . ..a6. 

21.Nb4! Qd8 22.Ne5 Qc7 23.Qb3 Rhd8 [¹23...Bxe5 24.Rxe5 (24.Nxd5 Qd8+-) 24...Qd8 25.Nxd5 a6] 

24.Rxh7+- a6 25.Bd3 Ka7 26.Qa4 a5 27.Bb5 Kb7 28.Nbd3 Rg8 29.Nf3 Rh8 30.Rxh8 Bxh8 31.a3 Nc6 32.Bxc6+ Rxc6 33.Nde5 Bxe5 34.Nxe5 Rd6 35.Qe8 Rd8 [¹35...Nxg5 36.Nxf7 Qc4+ 37.Kg1 Nxf7] 

36.Qxf7 Nxg5 37.Qxc7+ Kxc7 38.Nxg6 KRN-KRN 

38...f3 39.Nf4 Kc6 40.gxf3 Nxf3 41.Re6+ Kb5 [41...Rd6 was necessary. 42.Rxd6+ Kxd6] 

42.Ke2 Ng1+ 43.Kd3  1–0

Caruana,Fabiano (2804) - Onischuk,Alexander (2672)

US-ch Open 2018 Saint Louis (11), 29.04.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 7.d3 Be7 8.Re1 0–0 9.a4 Re8 10.Nbd2 Bf8 11.Nf1 C88: Closed Ruy Lopez: Anti-Marshall Systems [11.c3 Na5 12.Bc2 c5 13.d4 exd4 14.cxd4 d5 15.e5 Ne4 16.axb5 axb5 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.Rxe4 Nb3 19.Rxa8 Bxa8 20.Ng5 Nxc1 21.Qh5 h6 22.Qxf7+ Kh8 23.Rg4 Qa5 24.h4 1–0 (24) Anand,V (2762)-Svidler,P (2757) Moscow 2016] 

11...Na5 12.Ba2 d5 13.axb5 White is slightly better. 

13...axb5 14.exd5 Bxd5 15.Bg5 

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15...Bxa2N [15...Nc6 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Bxd5 Qxd5 18.Qe2 Qe6 1–0 (98) Achermann,J (2203)-Donzellotti,G (2213) ICCF email 2010] 

16.Rxa2 e4 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Rxe4 Rxe4 19.dxe4 Strongly threatening Ne3. 

19...Rd8 20.Qe2 Nc4 21.c3 Bc5 22.Ra1 g6 23.e5ƒ White is in control. 

23...Qc6 24.Ng3 Re8 [Black should play 24...Qd5² ] 

25.b3± Nb6 26.Ra5 Bf8 

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27.Qxb5 White is clearly better. 

27...Qxb5 28.Rxb5 Ra8 [28...Nd7± 29.Rd5 Nb6] 

29.h4  1–0

US WOMEN’S CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 ROUND 10

Heading into the final round we have a sense of déjà vu all over again. Wang leads Paikidze by half a point, identical to the situation at the end of round 6 before the rest day.

Round 10 could have sealed tournament victory for Wang. Instead, however, Paikidze’s win and Wang’s draw closed the gap to a margin that creates the possibility of a play off for the title.

GM Irina Krush also closed the gap to Wang, moving into a clear third place. But her one and a half point deficit leaves the seven time champion out of the running for 2018.

Abrahamyan,Tatev (2366) - Paikidze,Nazi (2352)

US-ch Women 2018 Saint Louis (10), 28.04.2018

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 b5 4.Bd3 [4.a3 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Nf6 6.Bd3 g6 7.Bg5 Bg7 8.Nf3 0–0 9.Qd2 Bf5 10.Nxf6+ exf6 11.Be3 Bxd3 12.Qxd3 Nd7 13.d5 0–1 (41) Belyakov,B (2487)-Howell,D (2644) Doha 2016] 

4...b4 5.Nce2 dxe4 6.Bxe4 B15: Caro-Kann: 3 Nc3: 3...g6 and 3...dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nf6 5 Nxf6+ exf6 

6...Nf6 7.Bf3 e6 

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8.Nh3 The position is equal. 

8...Bd6N [8...Be7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Nhf4 Bb7 11.Nd3 Nbd7 1/2–1/2 (41) Abrahams,D (2080)-Garcia Albarracin,F (2374) Porto 2015] 

9.Nhf4 Qc7 10.Nd3 Nbd7 11.Bf4 Bxf4 12.Nexf4 Rb8 13.0–0 0–0 14.a3 a5 15.axb4 axb4 16.Qd2 Qd6 17.Qe3ƒ White has some pressure. 

17...Nd5 18.Bxd5! cxd5 19.b3 Ba6 20.Ra4 Rfc8 21.Rc1 Rb6 22.Qd2 Rcb8 23.Rca1 Bxd3 24.Nxd3 h6 25.Ra7 Re8 26.h3 Reb8 27.R1a4 Nf6 28.Nc5 e5 29.dxe5 Qxe5 30.Na6 Ne4 31.Qe3 [31.Qe1² Rf8 32.Nc5! (32.Rxb4 Qf6=; 32.Nxb4 Qc3³) ] 

31...d4!= 32.Qe1 Re8 33.Nxb4 Rg6 

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[33...Nc5= remains equal. 34.Qxe5 Rxe5] 

34.Ra8!± Rxa8 35.Rxa8+ Kh7 36.Ra6 f6 [36...Rxa6± was worth a try. 37.Nxa6 f5] 

37.Nd3 Qf5 Threatens to win with ...Qf3. 

38.Ra5?? [38.Qe2+- and life is good for White.] 

38...Qf3!–+ Black has strong compensation. 

39.Qf1 

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39...Nd2! 40.Ne1? [40.Kh1 Qc6 41.Qg1 (41.Nb4? Qc3–+) 41...Qxc2 42.Nf4] 

40...Qd1  0–1

Goletiani,Rusudan (2306) - Krush,Irina (2422)

US-ch Women 2018 Saint Louis (10), 28.04.2018

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.g3 d5 3.Bg2 e6 4.c4 dxc4 5.Qa4+ c6 6.Qxc4 b5 7.Qc2 Bb7 8.0–0 Nbd7 A13: English Opening: 1...e6 

9.b3 [9.d4 c5 10.Nc3 a6 11.Bg5 Rc8 12.Rad1 Qb6 13.Qd2 Be7 14.Ne5 Bxg2 15.Nxd7 Nxd7 16.Kxg2 cxd4 17.Bxe7 Kxe7 18.Qxd4 Qxd4 19.Rxd4 1/2–1/2 (55) Mamedov,R (2688)-Ghaem Maghami,E (2574) Doha 2016] 

9...Be7 10.Bb2 0–0 11.Nc3 

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11...Qb6 12.d3N [12.Ng5 h6 13.Nge4 Nd5 14.d3 Nb4 15.Qd1 c5 16.a3 0–1 (43) Skembris,S (2412)-David,A (2584) Loutraki 2015] 

12...c5 13.e4 Rac8 14.Nd2 Nb8 15.Ne2 Nc6 16.a3 Rfd8 17.Rac1 Rd7 18.Nf3 Rcd8 19.Rfd1 [19.Nf4=] 

19...b4 20.a4 Ba6 [20...h6³] 

21.Nf4= Rc8 22.Rd2 Rdc7 23.h4 Nd4 24.Qd1 Nd7 25.Bh3 [25.e5= remains equal.] 

25...Bf6µ 26.Ne1 Ne5 27.Nfg2 Nec6ƒ White is under strong pressure. 

28.Rb1 Na5 29.Bc1? [29.Bxd4µ Bxd4 30.Qe2] 

29...Naxb3–+ 30.Rxb3 Nxb3 31.Qxb3 c4 32.dxc4 Bxc4 [Resist 32...Rxc4 33.Bb2–+] 

33.Qb1? 

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[33.Qf3] 

33...Ba2! Black is clearly winning. 

34.Qxa2 b3 35.Qa3 Rxc1 36.e5 Bxe5 37.a5 

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37...Qb8! 38.Rd8+ Rxd8 39.Qxc1 b2 40.Qb1 Qc7 Strongly threatening ...Qc1. 

41.Nc2 Qxa5 42.Nge3 Qa1  0–1

US CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 ROUND 10

Back on the rest day after round 6 Shankland held a narrow half point lead over Caruana. If we fas forward to round 10 the gap between the same two players is identical. This is enough to give us a sense of déjà vu heading into the final round.

During the press briefing after round 9 Caruana stated that he felt 1.5/2 would be achievable for the final two rounds and would be enough to force a playoff match against Shankland. That was before both players won their tenth round games with the Black pieces. The net result is that Fabiano will need to go all out for a win against last placed Onischuk and then hope for the best.

Shankland also has a lot to play for in his final round game with White against Liang. Not only will a win seal his Championship title, it will also take him past the 2700 rating level for the first time. Following his round 10 victory, Shankland’s live rating moved up to 2698.

Onischuk,Alexander (2672) - Shankland,Samuel (2671)

US-ch Open 2018 Saint Louis (10), 28.04.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 0–0 D38: Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defence (4 Nf3 Bb4) 

8.e3 

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8...Bf5 9.a3N [9.Qb3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nbd7 11.Be2 c5 12.dxc5 g5 13.Nd4 Bg6 14.c6 bxc6 15.Nxc6 1/2–1/2 (46) So,W (2792)-Karjakin,S (2753) Wijk aan Zee 2018] 

9...Bxc3+! The position is equal. 

10.bxc3 Nbd7 11.Be2 c5 12.0–0 g5 13.Bg3 Ne4 14.c4 dxc4 15.Bxc4 Rc8 16.Rc1 Qe7 17.Bd3 Rfd8 18.Qe2 Nb6 [18...Ndf6 looks sharper. 19.Rfe1 cxd4 20.Rxc8 Rxc8 21.Nxd4 Bd7] 

19.Bxe4 Bxe4 20.Ne5 cxd4 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.exd4 Bf5 23.Qh5 Hoping for f4. 

23...f6 24.Ng4! Bxg4! 25.Qxg4 Qd7 26.Qf3 Nd5 27.Qh5 Kg7 28.f4? [28.Re1= and White is okay.] 

28...Qe8? [28...Nxf4–+ has better winning chances. 29.Bxf4 Qxd4+ 30.Rf2 Rc2] 

29.Qf3 Qe3+ 30.Qxe3 Nxe3µ Endgame KRB-KRN 

31.Rf3 Nd5 32.fxg5 hxg5 33.h4 gxh4 34.Bxh4 Kf7 35.Be1 b6 36.Bd2 Rc2 37.Rd3 Ke6 38.g4 Kd6 39.Kf1 Kc6! 40.Ke1 Kb5! 41.g5 fxg5 42.Bxg5 Kc4 43.Rg3 Nc3 Strongly threatening ...Ra2. 

44.d5 Nxd5 45.Kd1? 

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[45.Bd2µ was called for.] 

45...Rc3!–+ 46.Rg4+ 

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46...Kb3! 47.Rd4 [¹47.a4] 

47...Ne3+ 48.Bxe3 Rxe3 49.Kd2 Rh3  0–1

Zherebukh,Yaroslav (2640) - Caruana,Fabiano (2804)

US-ch Open 2018 Saint Louis (10), 28.04.2018

1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 a6 4.g3 b5 5.Bg2 Bb7 6.d3 Nc6 7.0–0 B40: Sicilian: 2...e6, Unusual lines 

7...d6 8.Ng5 h6 9.Nh3 Nf6 10.f4 Be7 11.f5 [11.Kh1 Qc7 12.Bd2 0–0–0 1–0 (43) Bacrot,E (2708)-Karjakin,S (2781) Paris 2017] 

11...b4 

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12.Ne2N [12.Nb1 exf5 13.Rxf5 0–0 14.c4 Nd7 15.Rf1 Bf6 16.Nf4 1/2–1/2 (43) Tripoteau,N (2258)-Bricard,E (2456) Plancoet 2003] 

12...exf5 13.Rxf5 0–0 14.c4 bxc3 15.bxc3 Ne5 16.c4 Bc8 17.Rf1 Rb8ƒ Black is more active. 

18.Nhf4 

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[18.Qc2= remains equal.] 

18...g5!µ 19.Nd5 [¹19.Nh3] 

19...Nxd5 20.cxd5 

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20...Bf6! 21.d4 cxd4 22.Nxd4 Bg4 23.Qa4 [¹23.Qe1] 

23...Nd3–+ 24.Qc4 Rb4 25.Qxd3 Bxd4+ 26.Be3 Bxa1 27.Rxa1 [27.a3 is the only way for White. 27...Ra4 28.Rxa1] 

27...Qf6 28.Re1 Rc8 29.h3 Bd7 30.Qxa6? [30.a3 was worth a try. 30...Bb5 31.Qd1] 

30...Rc2 31.Rf1  0–1

CARLSEN WINS SHAMKIR CHESS 2018 ROUND 9

Heading into the final round of the Gashimov Memorial in Shamkir we all knew that the only player standing between Carlsen and a third title was Ding. However, it would be a big challenge to topple the World Champion with the Black pieces.

They played a Rubenstein, Four Knights and after 4…Nd4 5.Nxd4 it was obvious where the game was headed and the handshake came after just 20 minutes.

Karjakin beat Topalov to claim third place after 8 consecutive draws in the earlier rounds. But it was Radjabov who secured the Giri award by securing a draw in all nine of his games.

Carlsen,Magnus (2843) - Ding,Liren (2778)

5th Shamkir Chess 2018 Shamkir (9), 28.04.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 

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4...Nd4 5.Nxd4 exd4 6.e5 dxc3 7.exf6 Qxf6 8.Qe2+ Qe7 9.dxc3 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 The position is equal. 

10...Bc5 C48: Four Knights: 4 Bb5, replies other than 4...Bb4 [10...a6 11.Bd3 d6 ½–½ (11) Sedlak,N (2547)-Indjic,A (2574) Mali Losinj 2017] 

11.Be3 [11.Kf3 with more complications. 11...c6 12.Re1+ Be7 13.Bd3 d5 14.a4] 

11...Bxe3 12.Kxe3 c6 13.Bd3 d5 14.Rae1 

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14...Ke7N [14...Be6 15.f4 0–0–0 16.Kd2 Rde8 17.Re5 Kc7 18.Rhe1 ½–½ (27) Cortlever,N-Szabo,L Zaandam 1946] 

15.c4 dxc4 16.Bxc4 Rd8 17.Rd1 Be6 18.Bxe6 Kxe6 19.Rhe1 

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19...Rxd1 20.Rxd1= Endgame KR-KR 

20...Re8 21.f4 f5 22.Kf3 Re7 23.Re1+ Kf6 24.Rd1 Ke6 25.Re1+ Kf6 26.Rd1 Ke6 27.Re1+  ½–½

US WOMEN’S CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 ROUND 9

Among the women in round 9, four of the six games were decisive – keeping the tournament average of 65% intact.

WIM Annie Wang drew her game with Black against Paikidze to maintain a full point lead over the only player who can realistically still challenge for the title.

GM Irina Krush rebounded from her shock loss to Wang in round 8 by beating Abrahamyan to join two other ladies 2 full points off the lead. But with only two rounds remaining, the chances of Krush adding an eighth title to her collection are virtually zero.

Paikidze,Nazi (2352) - Wang,Annie (2321)

US-ch Women 2018 Saint Louis (9), 27.04.2018

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Be7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bf4 Nf6 6.e3 0–0 7.Bd3 c6 8.Qc2 Nbd7 9.Nf3 Re8 10.h3 Nf8 11.0–0–0 Qa5 D35: Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation [11...Bb4 12.Kb1 Ng6 13.Bh2 Qa5 14.Rc1 Ne4 15.Bxe4 dxe4 16.Nd2 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Qf5 18.Nc4 Qb5+ 19.Qb3 0–1 (63) Vishnu,P (2518)-Ni,H (2697) Gibraltar 2016] 

12.Kb1 Bb4 13.Rc1 Ne4 14.Bxe4 [14.Nxe4? dxe4 15.Bxe4 Rxe4!–+] 

14...dxe4 

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15.Nd2 [Don't blunder 15.Nxe4? Rxe4! 16.Bc7 (16.Qxe4? too greedy. 16...Bf5–+) 16...Qd5–+] 

15...Be6N [15...Bxc3 16.Qxc3 Qd5 17.Nc4 Be6 18.Qa5 Ng6 19.Qxd5 Bxd5 20.Bd6 1/2–1/2 (20) Malisauskas,V (2459)-Zagorskis,D (2482) Vilnius 2013] 

16.Nb3 [Better is 16.Ndxe4² Rad8 17.g4] 

16...Qd8= 17.Rhd1 Bxc3 18.Qxc3 Qb6 19.Na5 Nd7 20.b3 Qa6 21.Qb4 Nb6 22.Bg3 Rad8 23.Rc5 Rd7 Hoping for ...Nd5. 

24.Qd2 Bd5 25.Qe1 Nc8 26.Rc2 Nb6 27.Rc5 Nc8 28.Rc2 Nb6 29.Rc5 Nc8 30.Rc2  ½–½

Krush,Irina (2422) - Abrahamyan,Tatev (2366)

US-ch Women 2018 Saint Louis (9), 27.04.2018

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 0–0 5.Nf3 d5 6.Bd2 b6 7.Rc1 E51: Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein: 4...0–0 5 Nf3 d5 

7...Ba6 [7...Be7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Be2 c5 10.0–0 Bb7 11.Be1 Nbd7 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Ne4 14.f4 Nxc3 15.Bxc3 1/2–1/2 (23) Riazantsev,A (2650)-Leko,P (2691) Riadh 2017] 

8.Qa4 Be7 9.cxd5 The position is equal. 

9...Bxf1 10.Kxf1 Hoping for dxe6. 

10...exd5 11.g3 

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11...c5N [11...c6 12.Kg2 Re8 13.Qc2 a5 14.e4 dxe4 15.Nxe4 Nxe4 16.Qxe4 Bb4 17.Qd3 Bxd2 18.Qxd2 Qd5 19.b3 Nd7 20.Rhe1 h6 21.Qc3 c5 1/2–1/2 (21) Concha,H (2271)-Van Enk,S (2286) ICCF email 2011] 

12.Kg2 Nbd7 13.Rhd1 a6 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Qd4 Qd6 16.Ne2 Rfe8 17.Bc3 Rad8 18.Nf4 Bf8 19.Qb4 Nce4 20.Qxd6 Rxd6 21.Bxf6 Nxf6 22.Rc7 h6 23.Rdc1 g5 24.Ne2 Ne4 25.g4 h5 26.h3 [¹26.gxh5 g4 27.Nfd4] 

26...hxg4± 27.hxg4 Nf6 28.Nxg5 Nxg4 Threatening ...Rg6. 

29.R1c6 [Inferior is 29.Rxf7 Rg6µ] 

29...Rxc6 30.Rxc6 Re5 [30...Bc5± was necessary.] 

31.Nf3+- Re6 32.Rxe6 fxe6± Endgame KBN-KNN 

33.Nf4 Bg7 34.b3 Kf7 35.Ng5+ Ke7 36.Ngxe6 Be5 37.Kf3 Nf6 38.Ng5 Bb2 39.Ke2 Kd6 40.Nd3 Bc3 41.f4 b5 42.Kf3 a5 43.f5 Bd2 [43...a4±] 

44.Ne6+- Ne4 45.Nd4 b4 46.Kf4! Nc3? 

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[46...Bc3 47.Nb5+ Kc6] 

47.f6 White is clearly winning. 

47...Nd1 48.Nf5+ Ke6 49.Kg5 Nxe3 50.Nf4+  1–0

US CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP 2018 ROUND 9

GM Sam Shankland won the only decisive game of round 9 to retake the lead by a half point over Caruana.

Caruana on the other hand was fortunate to be able to escape with a draw after Nakamura failed to correctly analyse the crushing sacrifice that he had seen on the board. Caruana was “completely shocked” and relieved that Nakamura didn’t go for the killer 46…Qxe4!  Especially when it emerged in the press briefing that Hikaru had analysed all the way to 52.Nd2. Fabio commented: “Even if you’re not sure that it’s winning, you’re two pawns up. Just go for it, and if it’s a draw – it’s bad luck!”

The biggest problem for Caruana’s US Championship ambitions is that Shankland’s final two games are against the players in the bottom two spots on the cross table.

Shankland,Samuel (2671) - Zherebukh,Yaroslav (2640)

US-ch Open 2018 Saint Louis (9), 27.04.2018

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 d5 4.d4 Nbd7 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 0–0 8.Rc1 c6 9.a3 a6 10.c5 D63: Queen's Gambit Declined: Classical: 7 Rc1 

10...e5 

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11.Nxe5N [11.Be2 e4 12.Nd2 Nh7 13.Bg3 f5 14.h4 g5 15.hxg5 hxg5 16.f4 exf3 17.Nxf3 Bf6 1–0 (33) Akobian,V (2612)-Shulman,Y (2632) Upper Lake 2009] 

11...Nxe5 12.dxe5 The position is equal. 

12...Nd7 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Qd4 Nxe5 15.Be2 Qg5 16.g3 Qe7 17.0–0 Bh3 18.Rfe1 f5 19.f3 Rae8 20.Nd1! 

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aiming for Nf2. 

20...Qf7 [20...f4!= 21.Nf2 (21.exf4 Nxf3+) 21...fxg3 22.Nxh3 Nxf3+ 23.Bxf3 Rxf3] 

21.Nf2!ƒ White has strong initiative. 

21...Qh5 22.Qh4! Qxf3 23.Qxh3 Qxe3 24.Bh5 Nf3+ 25.Bxf3! Qxf3 26.Qg2 Qb3 27.Nh3 Re4 28.Qd2 b6 [28...Rfe8± 29.Nf2 Re3] 

29.Nf2 Rxe1+ 30.Qxe1 bxc5 31.Rxc5 Qxb2 32.Qc3 [32.Rxc6+- Qd4 33.Qe6+ Kh7 34.Qg6+ Kg8 35.Rc8! (35.Rxa6 f4+-) 35...Qa1+ 36.Kg2 Qxa3 37.Qxf5] 

32...Qb8 [32...Qb1+± was necessary. 33.Kg2 f4 34.gxf4 Qg6+ 35.Qg3 Qe6] 

33.Nd3 [White should play 33.Rxc6+- Rc7 is the strong threat. 33...f4 34.Rc7] 

33...Qb1+ 34.Kg2 f4 35.Nxf4 Qe4+ 36.Kg1 g5 37.Ng2! [Inferior is 37.Rxc6 gxf4 38.Rc7 Qe3+ 39.Kh1 Qxc3µ] 

37...Qf5 38.Qe1 Qf6 39.Rc1 d4 [39...Qd4+± 40.Qe3 Qxe3+ 41.Nxe3 Rf6] 

40.Qe2+- c5 41.Ne1 [Stronger than 41.Rxc5 d3=] 

41...Rc8 42.Nd3 c4 43.Qe4 Qd6 44.Ne5 [¹44.Nb4] 

44...c3 [44...Re8 is a better defense.] 

45.Nd3 Kg7 46.Kg2 Rc7 47.Re1 c2 48.h4 [White should try 48.Kg1± ] 

48...Qc6!² 49.Qxc6! Rxc6 Endgame KRN-KR 

50.Kf3 gxh4 51.gxh4 Rc3 52.Ke4 Threatens to win with Rc1. 

52...Rxa3 53.Rc1 Rc3 54.Kxd4 Rc8 55.Nc5 Kg6 56.Rxc2 Kh5 57.Rh2 Black must now prevent Ne4. 

57...Rg8 58.Ne4 Intending Nf6+ and mate. 

58...Rg1? [58...Rc8± 59.Nf6+ Kg6] 

59.Nf6++- Kg6 60.Ke5 Re1+ 61.Ne4 Kh5 62.Kf4! Rf1+ 

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63.Kg3! Re1 

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64.Nf6+! Kg6 65.Nd5 Rd1? [65...Re5 was called for.] 

66.Nf4+ Kf5 67.Ra2 Rg1+? [67...Rd6 68.Kf3 Ke5] 

68.Ng2 White is clearly winning. 

68...Rb1 69.Rxa6 Rb3+ 70.Kh2 Kg4 71.Rxh6  1–0

Caruana,Fabiano (2804) - Nakamura,Hikaru (2787)

US-ch Open 2018 Saint Louis (9), 27.04.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 0–0 6.0–0 C65: Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defence (3...Nf6), unusual lines and 4 0–0 Bc5 

6...Re8 7.Nbd2 a6 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.Nc4 

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9...Bd6N [9...Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.g4 Bg6 14.Ncxe5 0–1 (66) Caruana,F (2802)-Nakamura,H (2786) chess.com INT 2017] 

10.Bg5 b5 11.Ne3 Qe7 12.Nh4 Qe6 13.Nhf5 Bf8 14.f4 fxe5 is the strong threat. 

14...Nd7 15.Ng3 [¹15.fxe5 Nxe5 16.a4] 

15...f6= 16.f5 Qf7 17.Bh4 Bb7 18.Qe2 Rad8 19.Nh1 Nc5 20.Rfd1 Rd6 21.Nf2 Red8 22.Rd2 a5 23.g4 g5 24.Bg3 Ba6 25.Rad1 b4 26.c4 b3 27.a3 R6d7 28.Qe1 Nb7 29.Nh1 Nc5 30.Qe2 Rd4 31.Be1 R8d6 32.Nf2 Qd7 33.Kg2 Qd8 34.h3 Rd7 [34...Bh6³] 

35.Nf1 Na4! 36.Nh2 Bc5 37.Nf3 R4d6 38.Rc1 [38.h4= h6 39.hxg5 hxg5 40.Rc1] 

38...Bxf2µ 39.Qxf2 c5 40.Qe2 Rxd3 41.Rxd3 Rxd3 42.Bxa5 Bb7 43.Kf2 [43.Bxc7³ Qd7 44.Rb1] 

43...Qd7 44.Re1 Rd6 45.Rc1? [45.h4!³] 

45...Qc6!–+ 46.Re1 

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46...Rd8 [Black should play 46...Qxe4!–+ 47.Qxe4 Bxe4 48.Bxc7 (48.Rxe4? Nxb2 49.Ke2 Nxc4–+) 48...Rd7 49.Rxe4 Nxb2 50.Nxe5 Rxc7] 

47.h4 

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[47.Kg1³] 

47...h6 [Better is 47...Qxe4!µ 48.Qxe4 Bxe4 49.Rxe4 Nxb2] 

48.hxg5= The position is equal. 

48...hxg5 49.Kg3 Rd7 50.Qh2 Threatens to win with Rh1. 

50...Rh7 51.Qd2 And now Qd8+ would win. 

51...Rd7! 52.Qh2 Strongly threatening Rh1. 

52...Rh7 53.Qd2  ½–½