2017 U.S. Chess Championship (St. Louis)

The U.S. Championship is set for its 9th edition at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis. With three of the world’s top ten players, five-time champion Gata Kamsky, three-time champion Alexander Shabalov, 2006 champion Alexander Onischuk and the reigning World Junior Champion, Jeffery Xiong, the tournament continues to get stronger. The women’s competition features defending champion, Nazi Paikidze, seven-time champion Irina Krush, four-time champion Anna Zatonskih and a cadre of young scholastic players attempting to start a new era in women’s chess.

Official Site: uschesschamps.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/STLChessClub
PGN Games (TWIC): Open, Women

2017 U.S. Chess Championship
USA USA USA
Chess Club & Scholastic Center of St. Louis
U.S. Overall (by FIDE Rating)
#
Name
Title
Rating
Residence
1 So, Wesley GM 2822
Minnetonka, Minnesota
2 Caruana, Fabiano GM 2817
St. Louis, Missouri
3 Nakamura, Hikaru GM 2793
New York, New York
4 Xiong, Jeffery GM 2675
Coppell, Texas
5 Robson, Ray GM 2668
St. Louis, Missouri
6 Kamsky, Gata GM 2668
Brooklyn, New York
7 Shankland, Sam GM 2667
Orinda, California
8 Onischuk, Alex GM 2667
Lubbock, Texas
10 Akobian, Varuzhan GM 2647
North Hollywood, California
9 Naroditsky, Daniel GM 2646
Foster City, California
11 Zherebukh, Yaroslav GM 2605
St. Louis, Missouri
12 Shabalov, Alexander GM 2564
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
U.S. Women (by FIDE Rating)
1 Zatonsih, Anna IM 2451
Hartsdale, New York
2 Krush, Irina GM 2444
Brooklyn, New York
3 Paikidze, Naik IM 2369
Las Vegas, Nevada
4 Abrahamyan, Tatev WGM 2364
Glendale, California
5 Nemcova, Katerina WGM 2359
St. Louis, Missouri
6 Foisor, Sabina WGM 2272
Lubbock, Texas
7 Virkud, Apurva WFM 2262
Troy, Michigan
8 Sharevich, Anna WGM 2257
St. Louis, Missouri
9 Yip, Carrisa WFM 2234
Boston, Massachusetts
10 Yu, Jennifer WIM 2196
Ashburn, Virginia
11 Nguyen, Emily WIM 2173
Austin, Texas
12 Feng, Maggie NM 2162
Columbus, Ohio
Francisco Guadeloupe, Arbiter

6 Comments

  1. 2017 U.S. Chess Championship
    USA USA USA
    St. Louis, Missouri, USA
    Final Standings (Open)
    Rank Name Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Score
    1 GM So, Wesley 2822 x 1  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  1  1  7.0
    2 GM Onischuk, Alexander 2667 0  x ½  1  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  1  1  1  7.0
    3 GM Caruana, Fabiano 2817 ½  ½  x ½  0  0  ½  1  1  1  ½  1  6.5
    4 GM Nakamura, Hikaru 2793 ½  0  ½  x 1  1  ½  ½  ½  1  ½  ½  6.5
    5 GM Akobian, Varuzhan 2645 ½  ½  1  0  x 1  1  1  0  ½  ½  ½  6.5
    6 GM Zherebukh, Yaroslav 2605 ½  ½  1  0  0  x ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  1  5.5
    7 GM Shankland, Samuel L 2666 ½  ½  ½  ½  0  ½  x ½  ½  1  0  ½  5.0
    8 GM Kamsky, Gata 2659 ½  ½  0  ½  0  ½  ½  x 1  0  1  ½  5.0
    9 GM Naroditsky, Daniel 2646 ½  ½  0  ½  1  ½  ½  0  x ½  ½  ½  5.0
    10 GM Robson, Ray 2668 ½  0  0  0  ½  ½  0  1  ½  x ½  1  4.5
    11 GM Xiong, Jeffery 2674 0  0  ½  ½  ½  ½  1  0  ½  ½  x 0  4.0
    12 GM Shabalov, Alexander 2556 0  0  0  ½  ½  0  ½  ½  ½  0  1  x 3.5
    All PGN Games (Overall)

    2017 U.S. Chess Championship
    USA USA USA
    St. Louis, Missouri, USA
    Final Standings (Women)
    Rank Name Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Score
    1 WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca 2272 x ½  0  1  1  ½  0  1  1  1  1  1  8.0
    2 IM Paikidze, Nazi 2369 ½  x 1  0  ½  0  ½  1  1  1  1  ½  7.0
    3 GM Krush, Irina 2444 1  0  x ½  ½  0  ½  1  ½  1  ½  1  6.5
    4 IM Zatonskih, Anna 2451 0  1  ½  x ½  0  1  ½  ½  1  0  1  6.0
    5 WGM Sharevich, Anna 2257 0  ½  ½  ½  x 1  ½  ½  ½  0  1  1  6.0
    6 WIM Yu, Jennifer R 2196 ½  1  1  1  0  x 0  ½  ½  0  ½  1  6.0
    7 WCM Feng, Maggie 2162 1  ½  ½  0  ½  1  x 0  ½  ½  ½  1  6.0
    8 WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev 2364 0  0  0  ½  ½  ½  1  x ½  1  ½  1  5.5
    9 WGM Nemcova, Katerina 2359 0  0  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  ½  x 1  1  ½  5.5
    10 WFM Virkud, Apurva 2262 0  0  0  0  1  1  ½  0  0  x 1  1  4.5
    11 WFM Yip, Carissa 2234 0  0  ½  1  0  ½  ½  ½  0  0  x 1  4.0
    12 WIM Nguyen, Emily 2173 0  ½  0  0  0  0  0  0  ½  0  0  x 1.0
    All PGN Games (Women)

  2. Championship shows changing face of U.S. Chess

    The recently-ended 2017 U.S. Championship was quite an exciting affair with Wesley So and Sabina Foisor winning their respective titles. There were quite a number of unexpected results as veterans Alexander Onischuk and Varuzhan Akobian scored some crucial victories to put themselves in position to win the tournament. Akobian lost the last round to Hikaru Nakamura while Onischuk won to force a playoff with Wesley So. So went on to win the playoff and thus, his first U.S. Championship. Foisor won by a full point in an emotional outpouring months after her mother passed away suddenly.

    Elshan Moradiabadi embraces Sabina Foisor after she won the 2017 U.S. Women's Championship

    GM Elshan Moradiabadi embraces his fiancee Sabina Foisor
    after she won the 2017 U.S. Women’s Championship.
    Photo by Daaim Shabazz

    While the overall championship had a similar field from last year, the women’s championship had a bit of intrigue with five juniors in the field. These girls were not just placeholders but took several scalps with Jennifer Yu beating 7-time champion Irina Krush, 4-time champion Anna Zatonskih and defending champion Nazi Paikidze. Maggie Feng scored +1 and beat Sabina Foisor. Carissa Yip upset Zatonskih while Apurva Virkud beat Anna Sharevich. These results practically changed the face of the tournament. Despite the loss to Feng, Foisor was able to win in style in the last round over Virkud. The women’s field seems to be where the “men’s” field was 20 years ago… dominated by a cadre of Eastern European immigrants. The tide is changing.

    Women's participants playing bughouse with GM Yasser Seirawan.

    Scholastic power in the house!
    Yu, Yip and Feng playing bughouse with GM Yasser Seirawan
    Photo by Daaim Shabazz

    It has been an interesting evolution in women’s chess with the rise of the number Asians competing in the championships in the past several years. Go to any given tournament and there are about 25%-30% Asian children playing. This mirrors the success of chess on the international level in China, India and Vietnam. Top-level American chess evolved from the “Fischer Boom” products (i.e., Yasser Seirawan, Mark Diesen, Larry Christiansen, John Fedorowicz, Joel Benjamin and Michael Wilder) followed by onslaught of the Soviet emigres.

    At the 2003 U.S. Championship, Alexander Shabalov made a bold prediction that Hikaru Nakamura was going to be a future champion. Photo by CCSCSL

    At the 2003 U.S. Championship, Alexander Shabalov made a bold prediction that Hikaru Nakamura was going to be a future champion. Can the same be said about Jeffery Xiong? Photo by CCSCSL

    After two decades of dominance, these naturalized citizens went on to train some of the the next stars emerging now. You have the many top American-made products near the top including Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Ray Robson, Sam Shankland and Daniel Naroditsky. Now Jeffrey Xiong has risen and will be a threat to make the Olympiad team in 2018. The men’s field look completely different from 25 years ago when the entire field were from the former Soviet Union. These championships were marred by endless draws.

    This year four expats from eastern Europe were present Gata Kamsky (Russia), Alexander Onischuk (Ukraine), Varuzhan Akobian (Armenia) and Alexander Shabalov (Latvia). They represent the veterans of the group and have performed in stellar fashion during their careers. This competitive spirit has provided lessons for up and coming stars and in some cases, coaching. As chess becomes more diverse, we will begin to see interesting stories surface. Wesley So, a Filipino representing the U.S., is an interesting story and may combine with Caruana and Nakamura to make a run in the world championship cycle.

    THE GOLD STANDARD!
    Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So
    Photo by Chris Bauer

    It appears that U.S. Chess has evolved and on the eve of Supernationals in Nashville, it seems to be headed in the right direction. This is much more impressive when you realize that Nakamura is only 29, Caruana 24 and So 23. With a pipeline of young talent coming through it appears that U.S. chess has changed literally and figuratively. Much of the talent is homegrown and U.S. chess will be a force for decades to come.

    Official Site: uschesschamps.com
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/STLChessClub
    PGN Games (TWIC): Open, Women

  3. “Triple Exclam” @ U.S. Championships!

    Triple Exclam was announced to the public March 11th and the reception has been very enthusiastic. The biography of International Master Emory Tate has won some plaudits around the country and slowly making its way around the world. It has been introduced at book parties and will be featured in upcoming book signings.

    The book made an appearance at the 2017 U.S. Chess Championships in St. Louis and was featured on the broadcast during the 11th round of the tournament. GM Maurice Ashley arranged the interview of author Daaim Shabazz and discussed aspects of the book.

    Interview at 2017 U.S. Championship

    Triple Exclam received valuable exposure and increased its profile. The book was also on display at the site of the championship where it was said a few of the participants had given it some praise. Thus far sales have been brisk and the book will make a summer tour at a few major tournaments including the Chicago Open and the World Open. Make arrangements to purchase this tribute of one of the most colorful personalities chess has ever seen!

    Retail Price: $40.00
    (full color, hard back)

    FOR PURCHASING 5 OR MORE COPIES, click here!
    FOR PURCHASING 1-4 COPIES

    The Chess Drum, LLC is a publisher of chess news content and literature. The organization’s website has continued to demonstrate the universality of chess by covering a variety of topics through news stories, essays, interviews, and photos since 2001. Visit The Chess Drum at thechessdrum.net and follow the beat on Facebook and Twitter!

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