“Someone has to be the villain”
Three games ended decisively in the open section, two of them with direct implications for the top of the table. Wesley So’s sole lead came to an end after he agreed a quick draw with Levon Aronian. Having spent the rest day playing a three-and-a-half-hour online Speed Chess match against Vincent Keymer, So appeared content to conserve energy. Expecting Aronian to employ the French Defence, So was surprised by 1…e5 and soon steered the game toward a variation that led to a 15-minute draw.
Fabiano Caruana joined So at the top by defeating Dariusz Swiercz. The world number three described the encounter as a key game in the tournament and adopted the Caro-Kann Defence, an opening he seldom uses, attempting to surprise his opponent.
Swiercz held his own for much of the contest, but time pressure proved fatal. As his clock ticked under a minute, Caruana unleashed his pieces on the kingside, gaining control of the position. Trading two rooks for a queen turned out to be the correct decision.
From there, Swiercz’s resistance collapsed, and Caruana converted the point efficiently.
Dariusz Swiercz and Fabiano Caruana | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Hans Niemann produced the day’s most notable result, breaking Mishra’s unbeaten streak in classical play. Although Mishra equalised in the middlegame with the well-timed 17…d5. Later, Mishra gave up a piece for a few pawns with 22…Nxf4 23.gxf4 Qxf4, untangling his position amid complications.
Niemann gradually regrouped and outplayed his opponent in a complex endgame.
Niemann noted that he had previously enjoyed success against Mishra, having won three of their four earlier classical encounters, and he again found a way to prevail after a long struggle. In characteristic fashion, Niemann jokingly remarked that it reminded him of “the last time I broke an unbeaten streak in Saint Louis”, recalling previous wins against Leinier Domínguez and, especially, his infamous win in 2022 against Magnus Carlsen.
Abhimanyu Mishra taking a stroll while thinking during his game against Hans Niemann | Photo: Lennart Ootes
The final decisive result came from Andy Woodward, who secured his first-ever US Championship victory by defeating Sam Sevian. The 15-year-old had been under pressure earlier in the game but capitalised when Sevian blundered with 25.f4, a move that turned the tables instantly.
Woodward’s precise follow-up converted the advantage with confidence, marking a memorable milestone in his national championship debut.
As the tournament reaches its halfway point, So, Caruana, and Niemann share the lead on 3½/5. Round six, featuring Aronian v. Niemann and Caruana v. So, promises to be crucial for the race to the title.
Wesley So | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Niemann v. Mishra
Analysis by GM Karsten Müller
Results – Round 5
Standings after round 5
All games
Yip beats Sargsyan, Lee joins the lead
The women’s section produced even greater drama, with four decisive games and significant movement in the standings. Carissa Yip defeated former sole leader Anna Sargsyan in what was her first win of the event – she had suffered an upset loss against Atousa Pourkashiyan in the first round.
Yip predicted beforehand that an aggressive kingside plan with g5–g4 from her opponent might backfire, and so it proved.
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The resulting complications favoured Yip, who handled the tactical battle superbly to score a convincing win.
Alice Lee and Carissa Yip | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Alice Lee continued her superb run of form, beating two-time champion Nazi Paikidze to join Yip at the top of the leaderboard. Lee, who has now scored 3½ points from her last four games, faced early danger on the queenside but defended accurately and soon seized the initiative. Once she gained control in the middlegame, she converted confidently, inflicting a second consecutive defeat on Paikidze.
Further down the table, both Irina Krush and Tatev Abrahamyan closed the gap to within half a point of the leaders. Krush outplayed Megan Paragua with the black pieces in a game where she won a pawn and showed good technique to score the full point, while Abrahamyan overcame Pourkashiyan, also with black, to move into contention.
Tatev Abrahamyan | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Irina Krush | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Paragua 0-1 Krush
Analysis by GM Karsten Müller
