2021 U.S. Championships

GM Wesley So became the 2021 U.S. Champion after winning a three-way playoff tiebreak against GM Fabiano Caruana and GM Sam Sevian with a final score of 2.0/2. 

So managed to defeat both Caruana and Sevian in the rapid round-robin, earning him the $50,000 first place prize and his third national title.

After a dramatic final round the three leaders of the 2021 U.S. Championship (GM Fabiano Caruana, GM Wesley So, and GM Sam Sevian) will battle for the title in a rapid playoff tiebreak to take place tomorrow, October 19. While Caruana was the only one with chances to secure the title outright, all three players drew their final round games to finish with 6.5/11.

IM Carissa Yip clinched victory in the 2021 U.S. Women’s Championship with a round to spare, after defeating IM Nazi Paikidze in today’s penultimate round. With an unreachable score of 8.0/10, Yip also made history by becoming the first woman ever to defeat four former champions in a U.S. Women’s Championship. Currently tied for 2nd place are GM Irina Krush and WGM Begim Tokhirjonova, with 6.5/10.

Top seed GM Fabiano Caruana closed the distance to the leaders after winning today’s game against GM Dariusz Swiercz, leaving himself just a half-point behind GM Wesley So, GM Sam Sevian, and GM Alex Lenderman with two rounds left to play in the U.S. Championship. Also in contention are GM Leinier Dominguez and GM Ray Robson, who are tied with Caruana with 5.0/9 after drawing their individual encounter today.

With all six games drawn in the U.S. Championship there was no change to the standings as GM Wesley So, GM Sam Sevian, and GM Alex Lenderman continue to lead the event with 5.0/8 heading into the final rest day. Meanwhile in the U.S. Women’s Championship, IM Carissa Yip won her third straight game to start separating from the rest of the field with a score of 6.0/8. Keeping pace was WGM Katerina Nemcova, who defeated WIM Megan Lee to stay within a half-point while GM Irina Krush is only a point behind Yip on 5.0/8 with just three rounds left to play.

Today’s round was quite dramatic with several decisive games between the two sections. In the U.S. Championship, reigning champion GM Wesley So and GM Sam Sevian both won their games to catch GM Alex Lenderman in the lead with 4.5/7. Meanwhile, previous co-leader GM Ray Robson lost a long game to GM Fabiano Caruana, who is now just a point out of first with 3.5/7. 

GM Alex Lenderman continued to surge today after winning a marathon 140-move game against GM Sam Sevian to tie GM Ray Robson at the top of the U.S. Championship standings. Meanwhile, GM Daniel Naroditsky stunned top seed GM Fabiano Caruana with the Black pieces, sending the U.S. No. 1 back to an even score.

Top-seed GM Fabiano Caruana scored his first win of the U.S. Championship, defeating GM John Burke to propel himself into shared first place along with GM Wesley So, GM Ray Robson, and GM Sam Sevian. In the U.S. Women’s Championship, tournament leader WGM Katerina Nemcova was held to a draw by WIM Ashritha Eswaran, but managed to keep a half-point lead ahead of the field.

It was another hectic day at the U.S. Championships as only WGM Katerina Nemcova remained on a perfect score in either section, defeating 2018 U.S. Women’s Champion, WGM Sabina Foisor to reach 2/2. In the open, Dominguez pressed top-seed Caruana for 108 moves, but missed his winning chances along the way. Meanwhile, the 2020 U.S. Champion, GM Wesley So picked up his first win of the event after defeating Swiercz, propelling him into a tie for first place with Robson and Burke.