2019 U.S. Championships

SAINT LOUIS (April 2, 2019) – 24 of America’s best chess players gathered in Saint Louis, America’s Chess Capital, at the Saint Louis Chess Club for the 2019 U.S. & U.S. Women’s Chess Championships held from March 18–April 1, 2019. 17-year-old Jennifer Yu was crowned 2019 U.S. Women’s Champion with a round to spare, finishing with an incredible 10/11 score. Hikaru Nakamura claimed the 2019 U.S. Chess Championship, his fifth national title, with a victory in the final round to finish a half point ahead of super Grandmasters Fabiano Caruana and Leinier Dominguez.

While the Women’s section was decided in round 10, the U.S. Chess Championship was open to a wide array of outcomes going into the final day. All the ingredients for one of the most exciting rounds of the year were there: three of the top five were tied at the top of the standings, one of them was looking like a clear favorite to win it, and this was the championship round – anything could happen!

The penultimate round of the 2019 U.S. Championships couldn’t have been more exciting, as the players came in ready to work extra hard for their respective goals.

The U.S. Championships are quickly approaching their respective conclusions, and the battle for the title couldn’t get more exciting. The favorites are maintaining a blistering pace in both sections, and the final two days are simply going to be some of the most exciting ones in recent history. 

In yet another unpredictable day at the U.S. Championships, we saw an eclectic mix of games and outcomes. In the open section, the event’s newcomer Leinier Dominguez played a technical masterpiece and won his game against Sam Sevian. All the other games were drawn, which means that he is now in joint lead with Nakamura while a pack of chasers are following closely.

Huge day at the U.S. Championships as the open section simply caught fire, and the ladies once again provided the usual dose of sharp and tactical entertainment. Nakamura continues his great tournament by scoring another key victory against the off-form Akobian. Caruana, Dominguez, and Sevian maintain the pace with the leader, while So’s aggressive Grunfeld failed to produce more than just a draw against Xiong.

The round before the rest day is almost always the most contested. The players want to enter the second half of the event with a bang, and it is psychologically much easier to digest and rest knowing that you won. Having to deal with a loss without getting back into the game to revenge that outcome the next day is a painful and frustrating experience.

The fifth round of the U.S. Championships was a tamer affair in terms of decisive results, in both the open and the women’s section. With that being said, there were still plenty of intriguing stories written throughout the day. The games are heating up, and with every passing round, mistakes become costlier.

Another round that kept us on the edge of our seats. The players have definitely came here to play, and once again the spectacle on the chess board was one not to be missed.

 The U.S. Championship and U.S. Women’s Championship is where players come to play, and they are showcasing that ultra-competitive spirit each and every day. With the amount of attention one is exposed to during these events, it is normal that the players will do everything in their powers to play the best chess they are capable of.