A feat not seen since the times of Fischer
Fabiano Caruana secured his fourth consecutive US Championship on Friday – the first player to achieve this since Bobby Fischer.
Friday’s final round in the open section produced six draws – a first for the tournament -bringing a relatively calm close to what had been one of the most combative editions in recent years. Caruana entered the day half a point ahead of Wesley So and one and a half clear of Levon Aronian, meaning that a draw would guarantee at least a tie for first place.
Facing Aronian with the black pieces, Caruana chose a solid line in the Ruy Lopez, playing 6…Be7 – a topical system that offers resilience.
One of the simplest openings for White to learn, and one of the most frustrating ones for Black to face! With the moves d4-Nf3-e3-Bd3 White aims for simple piece development and to slowly build up a devastating attack on the kingside!
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: e4-e5 attacking ideas
Aronian had previously used the same variation himself in Saint Louis earlier in the year and did not appear to have prepared anything specifically challenging for the game. With no realistic chance of catching the leader, the Armenian-American soon allowed the position to simplify, and the game ended peacefully without major incident.
Fabiano Caruana has a look at the game between the other title contender and his long-time second | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Attention then shifted to the game between So and Grigoriy Oparin. So required a win to force a playoff with Caruana, but Oparin – who often supports Caruana in preparation – defended accurately after So chose a positional Sveshnikov setup.
Caruana later admitted he was momentarily anxious when his compatriot followed an imprecise line, but Oparin steered the game toward safety and So’s hopes of catching the leader dissipated.
With all other games also drawn, Caruana finished on 7 points, half a point ahead of So. Aronian ended a point further back in clear third place. The champion earned a first prize of $67,000 and solidified his standing as of the most dominant players in the United States.
Draw agreed | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Results – Round 11
Final standings
All games
Yip’s fourth national title – at 22 years of age
In contrast to the open, the women’s championship finished with three decisive results and a shift in the standings behind the champion.
Carissa Yip continued her extraordinary run by defeating Thalia Cervantes with the black pieces. Although she emerged from the opening in a worse position, Cervantes let her advantage slip, losing a key pawn in the middlegame. From there, the reigning champion showed strong technique to convert the point and secure the title outright.
This video course provides a comprehensive and practical White repertoire in the Ruy Lopez! Through instructive model games and in-depth theoretical explanations, you will learn how to confidently handle both main lines and sidelines.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: Overview
Free video sample: Chigorin: 9…Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Nd7/cxd4
Yip’s late-tournament surge – 6½ points from her final seven games – proved decisive and left the rest of the field unable to keep up. Her performance earned her $45,000 and reaffirmed her status as a leading force in US women’s chess.
Carissa Yip | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Anna Sargsyan took second place in her debut appearance by defeating Alice Lee, who had led the event as recently as round eight. Time pressure contributed to Lee’s downfall, with a significant blunder on move 34 allowing Sargsyan to take control. She concluded with a neat tactical finish that secured the silver medal position.
Lee 0-1 Sargsyan
Analysis by GM Karsten Müller
Two players who emigrated from Armenia to the United States and had a successful run at this year’s national championships – Anna Sargsyan and Levon Aronian | Photo: Lennart Ootes
The two strongest emerging talents among women players from the United States – Alice Lee and Carissa Yip | Photo: Lennart Ootes
