Yesterday's round nine of the 2023 U.S. and U.S. Women's Championships delivered a number of attacking games with lots of cool ideas, occasional blunders, and some missed opportunities. It was also a significant round for the standings as it reshaped the tournament landscape, especially in the women's section.
The seventh round of the 2023 U.S. and U.S. Women’s Championships appears quite peaceful with all games in the Open section ending in a draw and half the games in the Women section following suit. However, the round was far from boring. Below I analyze four key games that were significant for the tournament standing. In the Open section, the standings remain unchanged, with GM Fabiano Caruana savoring his half-point advantage over GM Hans Niemann. Following closely behind, there's a neck-and-neck race for third place, shared by GM Leinier Dominguez and GM Wesley So.
After a thrilling fifth round on Tuesday, the sixth round on Wednesday saw just six draws. Leinier Dominguez had good chances to win, but spoiled a better position in time trouble. In the Women's Championship, things were more exciting. Carissa Yip and Begim Tokhirjonova are battling it out for the title and are winning their games in step. | Photos: Crystal Fuller, Lennart Ootes (Saint Louis Chess Center)
The first rest day at the 2023 U.S. and U.S. Women’s Championships certainly allowed players to recharge, as round five marked the bloodiest round so far. There were a total of ten decisive games, with only one draw per section. Let's take a look at the most notable moments.
At the end of a period in most sports, athletes are eager to score going into the intermission: maybe even a buzzer-beater. The 2023 U.S. and U.S. Women’s Championships were no different, as the last round before the first rest day showcased immense energy on almost every board. Players were going all-in in their opposite-side-castling pawn races, patiently squeezing in objectively drawn endgames, and even king-walking to the center of the board with queens present!