by National Life Master Loal Davis
Alexander Shabalov
I love the way Shabalov plays. This was a masterful piece of preparation, quite in the style he likes to play with either color; in this case he conducted the Black pieces to a smashing victory. Preparation or not, this has to go down as one of the finest chess games of this tournament. Alexander stated in his post-game interview that his preparation extended well into the 21st move. Good for him.
[Event “U.S. Championship 2017”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2017.04.05”]
[Round “7”]
[White “Xiong, Jeffery”]
[Black “Shabalov, Alexander”]
[Result “0-1”]
[PlyCount “52”]
[EventDate “2017.03.29”]
[SourceDate “2017.04.05”]
1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Nc3 g6 4. d4 Bg7 5. h3 Nf6 6. e5 Ne4 7. Nxe4 dxe4 8. Ng5 c5 9. Bc4 O-O 10. c3 cxd4 11. cxd4 Nc6 12. Be3 Qa5+ 13. Kf1 h6 14. Nxe4 Rd8 15. f4 b5 16. Bb3 Nxd4 17. Bxd4 Qb4 18. Qf3 Rxd4 19. a3 Qa5 20. Nf6+ Bxf6 21. exf6 Qb6 22. f5 Bb7 23. Qg3 g5 24. fxe7 Re8 25. Re1 Rf4+ 26. Ke2 Qd4 0-1
Final Position
Yaroslav Zherebukh
Zherebukh played a masterful game against Caruana and gave Black a big Squish. Throughout Fabiano was endeavoring to exchange Queens; even “pleading”, but this wished-for exchange would have greatly simplified/eased Black’s defensive possibilities. Yaroslav was extremely aware of this, backed up (not exchanging) and keeping relentless pressure throughout. How often do we see Caruana taken apart like this; not often. Again – a masterful game which puts Yaroslav in a tie for first place with Wesley So.
[Event “U.S. Championship 2017”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2017.04.05”]
[Round “7”]
[White “Zherebukh, Yaroslav”]
[Black “Caruana, Fabiano”]
[Result “1-0”]
[PlyCount “101”]
[EventDate “2017.03.29”]
[SourceDate “2017.04.05”]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Bc2 Re8 13. Nf1 Bf8 14. Ng3 g6 15. a4 c5 16. d5 c4 17. Bg5 h6 18. Be3 Nc5 19. Qd2 h5 20. Bg5 Bg7 21. Rf1 Qc7 22. Bh6 Bh8 23. Ng5 Nh7 24. Nxh7 Kxh7 25. Be3 Qe7 26. f4 exf4 27. Bxf4 Kg8 28. Rf3 Bg7 29. Raf1 Nd7 30. Bh6 Bxh6 31. Qxh6 Qf8 32. Qd2 Ne5 33. Rf6 Rad8 34. Qg5 Qg7 35. Bd1 Bc8 36. Qh4 Kf8 37. Qf4 Qg8 38. Kh1 Re7 39. Bxh5 bxa4 40. Bd1 Qg7 41. Bxa4 Qh7 42. Qg5 a5 43. Kg1 Qh8 44. R1f4 Qg7 45. Rh4 Nd3 46. Rh6 Ne5 47. Rf4 Bd7 48. Qh4 Kg8 49. Qxe7 Re8 50. Qg5 Bxa4 51. Rf6 1-0
Final Position
Gata Kamsky
The third decisive game of Round 7 was Kamsky’s “typical” squish of the younger generation (Naroditsky).
[Event “U.S. Championship 2017”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2017.04.05”]
[Round “7”]
[White “Kamsky, Gata”]
[Black “Naroditsky, Daniel”]
[Result “1-0”]
[PlyCount “89”]
[EventDate “2017.03.29”]
[SourceDate “2017.04.05”]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. d4 Bg4 10. d5 Na5 11. Bc2 c6 12. h3 Bc8 13. dxc6 Qc7 14. Nbd2 Qxc6 15. Nf1 Nc4 16. Ng3 Re8 17. a4 Bb7 18. Qe2 Nb6 19. axb5 axb5 20. Bg5 Qd7 21. Rad1 Bd8 22. Nf5 Nc8 23. Bxf6 Bxf6 24. Bb3 Ra6 25. Qd3 Rd8 26. Nh2 Ne7 27. Ng4 Nxf5 28. exf5 Qc6 29. Ne3 Qc5 30. Bd5 Bc8 31. Be4 b4 32. Nd5 bxc3 33. b4 Qa7 34. b5 Ra3 35. b6 Qa4 36. Rc1 Ba6 37. Qg3 Kf8 38. Rxc3 Ra1 39. Rxa1 Qxa1+ 40. Kh2 Qb2 41. Rc7 Qd4 42. Nxf6 gxf6 43. Qh4 Qxb6 44. Qh6+ Kg8 45. Rc3 1-0
Final Position
| # | Name | Pts | SB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | So, Wesley | 4.5 | 15 |
| Zherebukh, Yaroslav | 4.5 | 14.5 | |
| 3 | Akobian, Varuzhan | 4 | 12.75 |
| Nakamura, Hikaru | 4 | 12.5 | |
| 5 | Shankland, Samuel L | 3.5 | 13.5 |
| Naroditsky, Daniel | 3.5 | 13 | |
| Caruana, Fabiano | 3.5 | 12 | |
| Onischuk, Alexander | 3.5 | 11.5 | |
| Robson, Ray | 3.5 | 10.25 | |
| 10 | Kamsky, Gata | 3 | 10.25 |
| 11 | Xiong, Jeffery | 2.5 | 9.25 |
| 12 | Shabalov, Alexander | 2 | 6.5 |