by National Life Master Loal Davis
There were two decisive games in the “Final” round and one had partial affect on the playoffs which are to be played on Monday the 10th of April. There “were” three and now, because Nakamura took out Akobian, we are down to just two. The two finalists are Wesley So and Alexander Onischuk.
The two victories were from Nakamura (mentioned above) and Caruana; both effectively out of the running.
[Event “U.S. Championship 2017”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2017.04.09”]
[Round “11”]
[White “Nakamura, Hikaru”]
[Black “Akobian, Varuzhan”]
[Result “1-0”]
[PlyCount “111”]
[EventDate “2017.03.29”]
[SourceDate “2017.04.09”]
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. O-O Bg4 5. h3 Bxf3 6. Bxf3 Nbd7 7. d4 e6 8. Nd2 Be7 9. e4 dxe4 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11. Bxe4 Nf6 12. Bg2 Qb6 13. c3 O-O 14. Qe2 Rfe8 15. Kh2 Rad8 16. b4 a5 17. bxa5 Qxa5 18. Bd2 Qa4 19. Rfb1 Rd7 20. Rb3 Rc8 21. Be1 b5 22. Rc1 c5 23. d5 exd5 24. Rxb5 c4 25. Rcb1 Bd6 26. Qd1 Qxd1 27. Rxd1 Be7 28. a4 Ra8 29. a5 Bd8 30. Ra1 Rda7 31. Bxd5 Nxd5 32. Rxd5 Bxa5 33. Bd2 h6 34. Be3 Ra6 35. Ra3 Bc7 36. Rxa6 Rxa6 37. Rc5 Bd6 38. Rc8+ Kh7 39. Rxc4 Be5 40. Rc8 Ra3 41. c4 Kg6 42. Kg2 h5 43. Re8 f6 44. Re7 Rc3 45. c5 Kh7 46. Kf1 Rc4 47. Ke2 Kg6 48. Kd3 Rc3+ 49. Ke4 h4 50. g4 Bh2 51. f4 Rc2 52. Kd3 Ra2 53. c6 Ra6 54. c7 Rc6 55. Kd4 f5 56. Kd5 1-0
Final Position
[Event “U.S. Championship 2017”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2017.04.09”]
[Round “11”]
[White “Robson, Ray”]
[Black “Caruana, Fabiano”]
[Result “0-1”]
[PlyCount “80”]
[EventDate “2017.03.29”]
[SourceDate “2017.04.09”]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Nce2 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Nf3 Qa5 8. a3 cxd4 9. b4 Qc7 10. cxd4 b5 11. Nf4 Qb6 12. Rb1 a5 13. bxa5 Rxa5 14. Bd3 Ba6 15. O-O Bxa3 16. Be3 Be7 17. Qd2 g6 18. Rfc1 b4 19. h4 Ra3 20. Bxa6 Qxa6 21. Nh3 Na5 22. Bg5 Nb3 23. Rxb3 Rxb3 24. Qe2 Qa8 25. Qb5 Rc3 26. Rxc3 bxc3 27. Bxe7 Qa1+ 28. Kh2 Kxe7 29. Qb4+ Kd8 30. Nfg5 Rf8 31. Nxh7 c2 32. Nxf8 c1=Q 33. Nxd7 Kxd7 34. Qd6+ Kc8 35. Qf8+ Kb7 36. Qxf7+ Qc7 37. Qxg6 Qxd4 38. f4 Qe4 39. Qxe6 Qg7 40. g4 Qc7 0-1
Final Position
The following images are courtesy of Derrick Bartotto.
