Recap

Day 3 of the American Cup saw four players eliminated from the tournament, as the first matches of the Elimination Bracket took place. Aronian knocked out Sevian, while Shankland won a hotly contested playoff against Robson. Meanwhile in the Women’s Section, Abrahamyan took down Nemcova, while newcomer WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan sent Zatonskih home with a 1.5-0.5 victory.

Day 2 of the American Cup saw the end of the first stage of the Champions Bracket, with several matches (Caruana-Robson, So-Shankland, Aronian-Dominguez) all decided in a rapid playoff. Meanwhile Nakamura was able to draw the second classical game after winning yesterday, relegating Sevian to the Elimination Bracket. 

The 2023 American Cup kicked off with several decisive games on the first day of action, with Nakamura, Krush, Lee, & Tokhirjonova all taking a one-point lead in their initial matches. Their opponents (Sevian, Abrahamyan, Pourkashiyan, and Nemcova) will now have to win tomorrow’s game in order to force their match into a playoff.

With the U.S. Women’s Championship hanging in the balance, the playoff between WGM Jennifer Yu and GM Irina Krush was a thrilling fight between these fierce competitors from start to finish. In the end, Yu won the playoff in an armageddon tiebreak, gaining her second title, and becoming the 2022 U.S. Women’s Champion. 

 by NM Vanessa West

GM Fabiano Caruana is the 2022 U.S. Champion, clinching his second title with a draw in the 13th and final round of the tournament against GM Levon Aronian, a first-time competitor in the U.S. Championship. 

by NM Vanessa West

A broken king? A blundered bishop? A scrambled leaderboard in the U.S. Women’s Championship with one round to go? Chaos has erupted at the U.S. Championships. 

Fabiano Caruana and his closest competitor Ray Robson each drew, staying in first and second. Wild card GM Awonder Liang fought for 105 moves for the win to join Leiner Dominguez in a tie for third. 

by Vanessa West

GM Fabiano Caruana leads with two rounds to go. GM Ray Robson remains in second place, but GM Leinier Dominguez and GM Sam Sevian inched closer with victories. 

In the U.S. Women’s Championship, WGM Jennifer Yu won to keep her lead while GM Irina Krush and WGM Thalia Cervantes also won to remain in striking distance. Yu will face each of her closest competitors in the last two rounds, shaping up for an exciting finale. 

by NM Vanessa West

GM Hans Niemann entered the round determined to have a decisive result and was the only player to score a victory today. GM Fabiano Caruana maintains his lead with Ray Robson trailing by half a point, heading into the rest day.

 by NM Vanessa West

GM Sam Shankland was the only player to gain ground in round 9, defeating GM Christopher Yoo to join the tie for third. GM Fabiano Caruana continues to lead with GM Ray Robson trailing by half a point. 

In the U.S. Women’s Championship, WGM Jennifer Yu leapfrogged into clear first with a victory over FM Ashritha Eswaran.

 by NM Vanessa West

Fabiano Caruana remains the U.S. Championship leader, but GM Ray Robson is close on his tail, narrowing the gap to a half point with a victory. In the U.S. Women’s Championship, Megan Lee pulled into the sole lead with a win over FM Ashritha Eswaran.