by National Life Master Loal Davis
There were three big victories today in round 9. The three victors were Wesley So, Varuzhan Akobian, and Alexander Onischuk. It looks doubtful whether Caruana and/or Nakamura are going to make it to the finish line in time. They are both at 4.5 with two rounds to go to catch the current co-leaders So and Akobian, both at 6.0 points. Even Onischuk, at 5.5 is right in the pack blitzing towards the championship line.
Images Courtesy Of Derrick Bartotto.
Fabiano Caruana executed a King’s Indian defense against Varuzhan Akobian; indicative of a good fight. That he had and I believe was wining handily.
[Event “U.S. Championship 2017”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2017.04.07”]
[Round “9”]
[White “Akobian, Varuzhan”]
[Black “Caruana, Fabiano”]
[Result “1-0”]
[PlyCount “157”]
[EventDate “2017.03.29”]
[SourceDate “2017.04.07”]
1. d4 d6 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. c4 g6 4. Nc3 Bf5 5. e3 Bg7 6. Bd3 Bxd3 7. Qxd3 O-O 8. O-O Nbd7 9. b3 e5 10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Ba3 Re8 12. Ne4 Nxe4 13. Qxe4 Qc8 14. Rad1 Nf6 15. Qc2 e4 16. Nd4 Ng4 17. Bb2 Ne5 18. Ne2 Qg4 19. Nf4 Qf5 20. Rd2 c6 21. Rfd1 h5 22. h3 h4 23. Rd6 Bh8 24. c5 a5 25. a3 Kh7 26. Qe2 Bg7 27. Qc2 Bh8 28. Kf1 Re7 29. Rd8 Rxd8 30. Rxd8 Bf6 31. Qd2 a4 32. Qc2 axb3 33. Qxb3 Nd7 34. Qc2 Kg7 35. Ne2 Qxc5 36. Bxf6+ Kxf6 37. Nc3 Kg7 38. Kg1 Qxa3 39. Qd2 Nf6 40. Qd4 Qa1+ 41. Kh2 Qa5 42. Kg1 Qe5 43. Qb4 b6 44. Ne2 Qc7 45. Ra8 c5 46. Qb2 Rd7 47. Ra1 Rd6 48. Nc3 Qe7 49. Nb5 Rd3 50. Rb1 Qe6
Black has got to be crushing here; up two Pawns with good/firm central control.
51. Nc7 Qd7 52. Qxb6 c4 53. Nb5 Rd1+ 54. Rxd1 Qxd1+ 55. Kh2 Qd5 56. Nd4 Nd7 57. Qd8 Qd6+ 58. Kg1 c3 59. Kh1 Qd5 60. Kg1 Qb7 61. Qe7 Kg8 62. Qe8+ Nf8 63. Qa4 Qb1+ 64. Kh2 Qe1 65. Qc6 Qd2 66. Kg1 Nh7 67. Qc8+ Kg7 68. Qc7 Qe1+ 69. Kh2 Qxf2 70. Qxc3 Kh6 71. Nc6 Qg3+ 72. Kh1 Qc7 73. Qc5 Qc8 74. Qd6 Qf5 75. Ne5
Even after multiple slips Black is better and would most likely win after say 75. …. Qe6.
Kg7 ?! 76. Qd4 f6?? 77. Qa7+ Kh6 78. Ng4+ Kg5 79. Qxh7 1-0
Ouch !
Alexander Onischuk played the Black side of a Queen’s Gambit declined and showed that despite its reputation there is a great deal of fight to be given. He did not back down in defensive consciousness but pushed steadily, eventually taking out Hikaru Nakamura in a very convincing game. For those who think White has an easy pressure game with Black ready to stumble at each turn, take a look at this game.
[Event “U.S. Championship 2017”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2017.04.07”]
[Round “9”]
[White “Nakamura, Hikaru”]
[Black “Onischuk, Alexander”]
[Result “0-1”]
[PlyCount “150”]
[EventDate “2017.03.29”]
[SourceDate “2017.04.07”]
1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 c6 6. e3 Be7 7. Bd3 Nbd7 8. Qc2 Nh5 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. O-O-O Nb6 11. h3 g6 12. Nf3 Be6 13. Kb1 O-O-O 14. Nd2 Ng7 15. g4 Kb8 16. Nb3 h5 17. f3 Bc8 18. Qf2 hxg4 19. hxg4 Ne6 20. f4 Nc7 21. f5 Qg5 22. Rhg1 Rh3 23. e4 Rdh8 24. e5 Rh2 25. Qe1 Nc4 26. Bxc4 dxc4 27. Nd2 Qf4 28. e6 gxf5 29. exf7 Be6 30. Rf1 Qxg4 31. Nf3 Rg2 32. d5 cxd5 33. Nxd5 Qg7 34. Nc3 Qxf7 35. Qe5 Re8 36. Qd6 Qf8 37. Nb5 Qxd6 38. Nxd6 Rh8 39. Rh1 Rxh1 40. Rxh1 Rg8 41. Nd4 f4 42. Rh6 Bc8 43. Nxc4 Nd5 44. Kc2 Rd8 45. Rd6 Rxd6 46. Nxd6 Bh3 47. a3 Kc7 48. Ne4 a5 49. Nd2 b6 50. Kd3 Bg2 51. Nc2 Ne7 52. b4 a4 53. Nd4 Kd7 54. Ke2 Bd5 55. Nb5 Kc6 56. Nc3 b5 57. Kd3 Nf5 58. Nd1 Kd6 59. Nc3 Bc6 60. Nce4+ Ke7 61. Ng5 Kf6 62. Nge4+ Ke7 63. Ng5 Bg2 64. Nge4 Ke6 65. Nf2 Kd5 66. Nd1 Nd6 67. Nf2 Nc4 68. Nxc4 Bf1+ 69. Kc3 Bxc4 70. Nh3 Ke4 71. Kd2 Be6 72. Ng5+ Kd5 73. Nf3 Bg4 74. Nh4 Ke4 75. Ke1 Ke3 0-1
Final Position
Wesley So showed why he is tied for the lead; sharp tactics finish this game off.
[Event “U.S. Championship 2017”]
[Site “?”]
[Date “2017.04.07”]
[Round “9”]
[White “Xiong, Jeffery”]
[Black “So, Wesley”]
[Result “0-1”]
[PlyCount “62”]
[EventDate “2017.03.29”]
[SourceDate “2017.04.07”]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O dxc4 7. Qc2 a6 8. a4 Bd7 9. Rd1 Bc6 10. Nc3 Bxf3 11. Bxf3 Nc6 12. Bxc6 bxc6 13. Bg5 Rb8 14. e3 c5 15. dxc5 Qe8 16. Rd4 Nd7 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. c6 Ne5 19. Qe4 Qc5 20. Nd5 Nd3 21. Nxc7 Nxf2 22. Kxf2 Rxb2+ 23. Kf1 Qh5 24. Qg4 Qxh2 25. Qf3 c3 26. Rc1 e5 27. Rh4 Qd2 28. Rd1
Black (So) To Move
Rd8 !
Capturing the Queen would allow two connected Rooks on the 2nd rank with mate imminent.
29. Nd5 Rxd5 30. Rd4 Rxd4 31. exd4 Qxd1+
Final Position
After the Queen is captured, then Black plays c2 followed by Rb1 and it’s lights out.
0-1
| # | Name | Pts | SB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Akobian, Varuzhan | 6 | 26.5 |
| So, Wesley | 6 | 26 | |
| 3 | Onischuk, Alexander | 5.5 | 23.25 |
| 4 | Zherebukh, Yaroslav | 5 | 21.25 |
| 5 | Caruana, Fabiano | 4.5 | 19.75 |
| Nakamura, Hikaru | 4.5 | 18.5 | |
| 7 | Naroditsky, Daniel | 4 | 18.75 |
| Shankland, Samuel L | 4 | 18.75 | |
| Robson, Ray | 4 | 16.25 | |
| Kamsky, Gata | 4 | 15.75 | |
| 11 | Xiong, Jeffery | 3.5 | 15.5 |
| 12 | Shabalov, Alexander | 3 | 12.75 |