2012 U.S. Championships News
American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura knocked down Armenia's Levon Aronian in the first round of their $100,000 match, the Showdown in Saint Louis.
Just give him the first swing.
American super Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura struck first in the Showdown in Saint Louis, breaking out of a dry-looking Queen’s Gambit Declined and fighting his way through a scrappy middlegame against World No. 4 Levon Aronian.
Nakamura made full profit off White’s inherent advantage in Friday’s first round, despite not finding much against Aronian’s Ragozin Defense in the game’s earlygoing. While Nakamura focused his early intentions on the queenside with 10. c5 and 11. Na4, Aronian pushed for more than equality in the position with his central break 11...e5.
But time smiled in Nakamura’s favor on Friday night, as Aronian’s ticking clock lead to some questionable decisions in the heat of battle. Aronian’s forcing a queen trade was intended to carry the opposite-colored bishop game toward a draw, but instead allowed White to focus all of its forces on the exposed f7 pawn.
And the Showdown in Saint Louis is not the time to flinch. Aronian’s demise came with 27...Rdd7, a retreating move designed to bolster f7 -- yet one that brought white rolling downhill with 28. e5!
Nakamura vs. Aronian Round 1 Analysis by GM Yasser Seirawan
In the surrounding GM norm invtitational at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, all eyes remain on 13-year-old Sam Sevian. Entering St. Louis with his three GM norms already secured and just 16 points away from FIDE’s necessary 2500 watermark, Sevian knocked down both GMs Denes Boros and Samy Shoker in the tournament’s first two rounds on Friday. The two wins push Sevian’s rating to 2493, tantalizingly close to breaking the record as the youngest American Grandmaster in history. The statistic is currently held by GM Ray Robson, at 14 years, 11 months, 16 days.
The bell rings Friday for a battle between two of the world’s heavyweights.
The United States’ super Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura is set to square off against GM Levon Aronian, the World No. 4, in the Showdown in Saint Louis, a five-round contest for the lion’s share of a $100,000 purse. The special head-to-head exhibition will include four classical games of chess and a final round featuring 16 games of Blitz. The event will run from Friday, Nov. 21 to Tuesday, Nov. 25, with each round’s first move made at 2:00 p.m. daily.
Nakamura, the top American player ranked No. 9 in the world according to FIDE’s November 2014 rating list, is in the hunt for his first Candidates Tournament appearance and today holds second place, halfway through the 2014-2015 FIDE Grand Prix cycle. Aronian, a veteran to the world ranks, has long-been regarded as the main rival to World Champion Magnus Carlsen and reached his career-peak rating of 2830 earlier this year. Along with providing both players with elite head-to-head match experience, the Showdown in Saint Louis will also settle the score from the players’ last meeting: drawing twice at the 2014 Sinquefield Cup in the U.S. Capital of Chess last September.
GM HIKARU NAKAMURA vs. GM LEVON ARONIAN, SHOWDOWN IN SAINT LOUIS
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Friday, November 21, 2:00 p.m. |
Classical Round 1 |
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Saturday, November 22, 2:00 p.m. |
Classical Round 2 |
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Sunday, November 23, 2:00 p.m. |
Classical Round 3 |
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Monday, November 24, 2:00 p.m. |
Classical Round 4 |
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Tuesday, November 25, 2:00 p.m. |
Blitz Round (16 games, one every 15 minutes) |
Alongside the Showdown are two specialized invitational tournaments designed for up-and-coming players attempting to earn chess’ elite master titles: International Master and, the superior, Grandmaster. The 2014 GM/IM Invitational events are two 10-player, round-robin tournaments designed to award title “norms,” or superior performances required by FIDE for player titles.
Of special focus in the GM norm event is Samuel Sevian and Ashwin Jayaram, two players who have already collected three Grandmaster norms and need just a handful of rating points to pass the necessary FIDE watermark of 2500. If Sevian clears the mark, the 13-year-old will become the youngest American Grandmaster in the history of chess.
The Showdown in Saint Louis will be streamed live in its entirety on www.uschesschamps.com, featuring live play-by-play commentary and analysis from the renowned commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Maurice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade. Live spectators may take in all the action as it unfolds in the upstairs tournament hall of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, with admission free-of-charge for annual, monthly and day members.
Super GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Levon Aronian return to the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis for four classical games of chess and 16 Blitz.
SAINT LOUIS (November 4, 2014) – From the same venue that hosts such high-quality events as the U.S. Championships and the global super-tournament Sinquefield Cup, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis now presents a high-stakes slugfest between two of the world’s heavyweights.
The United States’ super Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura will square off with GM Levon Aronian, the pride of Armenia, in the Showdown in Saint Louis from Nov. 21-25. The special head-to-head exhibition will go five rounds, including four classical games of chess and a final round featuring 16 games of Blitz. The two kings will fight for the lion’s share of a $100,000 purse.
Nakamura, the top American player ranked No. 9 in the world, is in the hunt for his first Candidates Tournament appearance and currently sits in second place halfway through the 2014-2015 FIDE Grand Prix cycle. Aronian, a veteran to the world ranks currently at No. 4, has long-been regarded as the main rival to World Champion Magnus Carlsen and reached his career-peak rating of 2830 earlier this year. The Showdown in Saint Louis will settle the score from the players’ last meeting, drawing twice at the 2014 Sinquefield Cup in the U.S. Capital of Chess last September.
As a special feature to the Showdown in Saint Louis, 20 high-tiered chess players will look to prove – and earn – their stripes at the CCSCSL. Surrounding the heavyweight fight will be two 10-player, round robin tournaments designed for players to earn International Master and Grandmaster title norms. The GM norm event features Grandmasters Ben Finegold, Denes Boros and Samy Shoker setting the standard against such players as IM Sam Sevian and IM Priyadharshan Kannappan, both dangerously close to earning their new titles.
The Showdown in Saint Louis and surrounding GM/IM norm tournaments will be streamed live on www.uschesschamps.com and once again feature live play-by-play and analysis from the renowned commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Maurice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade. Live spectators may take in all the action as it unfolds in the upstairs tournament hall of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, with admission free-of-charge for annual, monthly and day members.
For more information as it unfolds, visit www.uschesschamps.com.
The strongest chess room in the United States just got a lot stronger.
On Sunday night, the historical 2014 Sinquefield Cup was brought to a close after benefactor Rex Sinquefield handed his prestigious trophy and the first-prize gift of $100,000 to winner GM Fabiano Caruana -- though there was a special gift waiting for Mr. Sinquefield on his 70th birthday.
The thirteenth World Champion GM Garry Kasparov arrived in Saint Louis to personally thank Sinquefield -- and to take place in Monday afternoon's bonus event, titled "Ultimate Moves."
The exhibition will feature Kasparov, GM Magnus Carlsen and GM Veselin Topalov -- three world champions -- and the remaining 2014 Sinquefield Cup field of Caruana, GM Levon Aronian, GM Hikaru Nakamura and GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, as well as four-time U.S. Champion and commentator GM Yasser Seirawan.
The eight legendary kings of chess have been split into teams and will pair up with Mr. Sinquefield and his son Randy, who organized the birthday surprise, to compete in a series of rapid and blitz games. The Grandmasters may initiate dazzling combinations, but the Sinquefields will be tasked with completing them, as the professionals and amateurs will alternate moves across six exhibition games through a knockout bracket.
Ultimate Moves will begin at 2:00 p.m. local time and once again be broadcast live through the worldwide stream on www.uschesschamps.com, who's coverage of the 2014 Sinquefield Cup reached over 190 countries and accumulated more simultaneous viewers than the Tromso 2014 Chess Olympiad. Live viewers may also enjoy the exhibition with commentary, provided by GMs Ben Finegold and Varuzhan Akobian, at Lester's Sports Bar and Restaurant next door to the host venue Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.
Tuesday afternoon will also feature an exhibition titled "Ultimate Showdown," a six-game friendly between GMs Levon Aronian and Hikaru Nakamura playing the popular chess variant of Chess960. Both players are former World Champions to the variant, also known as FischerRandom Chess, and will play the exhibition games on iconic furniture used by Fischer and his childhood mentor Jack Collins. The furniture is currently on display at the World Chess Hall of Fame, as part of a presentation titled A Memorable Life: A Glimpse into the Complex Mind of Bobby Fischer.
GM Fabiano Caruana won seven games and drew three for a stunning 8.5/10 and a large margin over the rest of the strongest-rated field in history.
By GM Ian Rogers
Fabiano Caruana finished the 2014 Sinquefield Cup with a solid draw against Levon Aronian to end the highest-rated tournament in history with a magnificent 8.5/10 -- three points ahead of his nearest follower, the World Champion GM Magnus Carlsen.
Caruana's performance generated high praise from the other players and chess fans around the world. “Fantastico!” GM Hikaru Nakamura said. “Ruthless,” said GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. There was one dissenting voice, however, that of Carlsen who, with clear sarcasm, summed up the Italian's triumph as “Depressing...”
Carlsen’s game was the first to finish, his Berlin defense leading to a quiet draw against the only player who could challenge him for second place, GM Veselin Topalov.
Carlsen was the first to offer a surprise with 10...b6, a move Berlin pioneer Vladimir Kramnik had used in multiple blitz games. Topalov admitted that he was unprepared for this line and his minor inaccuracy, 14.Nfd2, enabled Black to equalise immediately.
On move 16 Topalov, worried that he might drift into a less comfortable position after c3, decided to repeat moves, leaving Carlsen with little choice than to draw the game by repetition.
Aronian, playing White against Caruana, tried an unusual line of the English, with 10.cxd4!? and 11.Kf1. However, Caruana came well prepared – as always.
Instead of playing calmly with 13.f4 and 14.Kf2, Aronian lashed out with 13.h4 and 14.h5 after which he “couldn't think of anything to do,” admitted the Armenian.
Caruana tried his luck in the endgame, instead of the more ambitious 18...Qf6 threatening 19...Rd8 and 20...Bd4, and was rewarded when Aronian played 20.Rd5?! instead of 20.Rd3.
However the Italian’s advantage was spoiled after exchanging bishops on move 22, the point at which when Aronian confessed he had been “petrified about 22...Bd1!”
After both sets of bishops were exchanged, Caruana was worried he might be slightly worse, so he “took the first opportunity to offer a draw.” Aronian was happy to accept and finish his disappointing tournament.
GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave fought out the longest game of the round, with the American pressing for his first win of the tournament.
Vachier-Lagrave, playing Black, returned to his favourite Najdorf Sicilian, with which Nakamura had beaten him in the past. Nakamura was ready with the unusual 6.h3, which met an equally unorthodox response, 6...e5 7.Nb3 h5!?
Nakamura took control of the d5 square and was convinced that he should have a way to clarify his small advantage. “I should never have let him play 32...Rd7 and 33...Bd8!” opined Nakamura, since afterward, Black was safe.
Nakamura could have forced a draw in style with 39.Qxd6! but instead decided to try his luck in a queen endgame. However, after thinking for 15 minutes on his 40th move, Nakamura could find nothing better than 41.b4. Vachier-Lagrave took the position to force a draw by repetition.
So ended a classic tournament, one which will be long remembered for Fabiano Caruana's career-best performance but to which all six elite Grandmasters contributed greatly.
The 2014 Sinquefield Cup had seen 14 wins in 24 games, with at least one win in each of its first eight rounds. Friday's penultimate round of the decisive event was the first afternoon in nine to see all three games finish in draws.
By GM Ian Rogers
A dramatic and protracted ninth round of the Sinquefield Cup saw the tournament leaders display unexpected frailty, each of them held to draws by the underdogs.
The game of the day was the battle between the two highest-rated players in the world, GMs Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian, which ended in a draw five hours and 84 moves after its start -- leaving only kings on the board at the finish.
The game began with Aronian choosing the solid Lasker Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. Queens came off the board early but the Norwegian maintained a slight pull, and the game exploded after Aronian broke out with 25...b5!.
Carlsen's response -- 27.f4! and 28.Nc5! -- was brilliant. But incredible defense by Aronian, highlighted by 31...Be8!, led to a rook ending a pawn down which, though complex, should have been a draw.
As usual, Carlsen managed to set continuous problems for his opponent and, after the first time control, the fun -- and the mistakes -- began.
Aronian's 41...h5! was the only way to hold the game, and he found the follow-up 46...Rb3! one move too late. It gave Carlsen a chance to win via 46.Kc2! when Black will run out of moves, have his king forced to the back rank and be forced to abandon the c3 pawn.
Instead, Carlsen's 46.h6 allowed Black to reposition his rook on b5, leading to the famous Vancura position. Aronian was three pawns down, with the computers giving White up to a +5 advantage, but Aronian had calculated that Carlsen could make no progress. Carlsen tried every trick he could find for the next 35 moves but eventually had to concede a draw.
Game Analysis by GM Varuzhan Akobian
The game between first and last, Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura was equally eventful.
Having been beaten by the Berlin against his Ruy Lopez on Thursday, Nakamura decided to try it himself with Black. Caruana followed a game between Anand and Karjakin from 2013 before Nakamura varied with 18...Rd8, a move which he speculated might have been in faulty order. Caruana began burning time, trying to find a way to exploit Nakamura's curious line and, after the American tried an original way to solve his problems with 22...Rg6!?, the Italian was able to create some threats via 23.Rd4!
Nakamura thought he was in trouble and took 23 minutes on his reply, and another 18 minutes on 25...Nd5.
Unfortunately for Nakamura, faster play ushered a flow of mistakes: 27...Kd8?! instead of 27...Kd7! 28.e6+ Kc6! and, more seriously, 29...Ne7? instead of the brave 29...Nc3!
After 32.Bh4, Nakamura knew he was in trouble, because the obvious 32...Nf5 leaves the Black rook trapped after 33.Bg5! Instead, Nakamura found his only chance with, 33...g5!, playing fast to put time-pressure on Caruana, who was running short.
Nonetheless, the tournament leader continued to pile on positional pressure but, with one minute left at the final move of the time control, he missed 40.Rxg6+! Rxg6 41.e6 to end the game.
Revitalized, Nakamura found 41...Ra4! to entice another error out of White, 42.Re6?, after which the win was soon out of reach.
Game Analysis by GM Varuzhan Akobian
The final game of the round was a sharp battle between GMs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Veselin Topalov.
A Reti Opening by Vachier-Lagrave gave Topalov the chance to occupy the center, after which Vachier-Lagrave, having eschewed the chance to play the crazy line 9.Nxe5!? Nxc3 10.Nxc6 Nxd1 11.Nxd8 etc, went for a flank attack 10.a4 and 11.a5 that looked rather futile.
Topalov gradually took control, on the board and on the clock, but his 27...e4 was too hasty and after 29...Rxe4?! 30.Rd1, any Black initiative was gone. Multiple exchanges followed and the game was drawn on move 41.
Game Analysis by GM Varuzhan Akobian