Krush Catches Nemcova, Robson-Nakamura Tomorrow
After the confusion of GM Wesley So's forfeiture died down today at the U.S. Championships, the women's field came together while the men stayed mostly unchanged at the top.
So's six-move game against GM Varuzhan Akobian went down as the second-shortest in U.S. Championship history (IM Kamran Shirazi's failed Wing Gambit in 1984 still takes the record at five moves). For the latest developments on that situation and any pending appeals, check the breaking news article.
Back to the ladies, WGM Katerina Nemcova (7.0/9) had been nursing a small lead on the field since round four. It finally evaporated today as six-time champ GM Irina Krush (7.0/9) caught up fully.
Nemcova drew WIM Viktorija Ni despite holding a noticeable edge most of the game. She was flummoxed to explain where she went wrong.
"Maybe ...f5 was too early," she said. "I thought I was better but I don't know...I had a really good position but I just misplayed it. Maybe c5 was very good for her."
Nemcova said that the event's length is an issue. "It's tiring. I'll admit that. It would be better if it was over."
She said she played in 11-round events before (the European Championship and World Juniors) but nothing in the last several years.
Despite drawing two games in a row and Krush winning two games, Nemcova said she doesn't believe in momentum, but she does believe in pairings! Tomorrow she plays IM Nazi Paikidze, while Krush plays WFM Jennifer Yu. No matter the outcome in round 10, all will be decided in Sunday's Nemcova-Krush finale.
Here's how Krush caught up today. She took out second-seeded WGM Tatev Abrahamyan after the queen and knight combo invaded:
Still in the hunt is Paikidze (6.0/9), although she doesn't control her own fate. She'll likely need to win tomorrow against Nemcova, then hope for some help from that same player in round 11.
Today she beat Yu convincingly:
The open championship didn't see any drama that came close to rivalling the forfeit. GM Hikaru Nakamura drew with the unpredictable GM Timur Gareev in yet another offbeat opening. Well, it wasn't that offbeat to Nakamura, who estimated that "I've played this ...b6, ...e6 system about 500 times" in online blitz.
Meanwhile GM Ray Robson played the longest game of the day (not unusual for him!) against GM Sam Sevian.
Their draw ensured that Nakamura had the same half-game lead that he began the day with. Robson (6.0/9) takes White against Nakamura (6.5/9) tomorrow.
We close with the hard-luck GM Daniel Naroditsky, who broke through with his first win today, against GM Conrad Holt. The win was the only decisive game other than So-Akobian.
Tomorrow's pivotal round 10 begins at 1 p.m. Central time (GMT -6) and can be followed live at www.chess.com/tv.
2015 U.S. Championship | Pairings for Round 10
| Table | White | Score | Rating | Black | Score | Rating |
| 1 | GM Troff, Kayden W | 4.5 | 2532 | GM Gareev, Timur | 3.5 | 2604 |
| 2 | GM Robson, Ray | 6 | 2656 | GM Nakamura, Hikaru | 6.5 | 2798 |
| 3 | GM Onischuk, Alexander | 5 | 2665 | GM Sevian, Samuel | 4.5 | 2531 |
| 4 | GM Holt, Conrad | 3.5 | 2530 | GM Shankland, Samuel L | 4.5 | 2661 |
| 5 | GM Akobian, Varuzhan | 4 | 2622 | GM Naroditsky, Daniel | 2.5 | 2633 |
| 6 | GM Kamsky, Gata | 5 | 2683 | GM So, Wesley | 4.5 | 2788 |
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2015 U.S. Women's Championship | Pairings for Round 10
| Table | White | Score | Rating | Black | Score | Rating |
| 1 | WCM Virkud, Apurva | 3 | 2132 | WIM Wang, Annie | 2 | 1901 |
| 2 | FM Melekhina, Alisa | 2.5 | 2235 | WGM Sharevich, Anna | 4.5 | 2267 |
| 3 | WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev | 4.5 | 2322 | IM Goletiani, Rusudan | 5.5 | 2311 |
| 4 | WFM Yu, Jennifer R | 2 | 2180 | GM Krush, Irina | 7 | 2477 |
| 5 | WGM Nemcova, Katerina | 7 | 2279 | IM Paikidze, Nazi | 6 | 2333 |
| 6 | WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca | 5 | 2235 | WIM Ni, Viktorija | 5 | 2188 |
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2015 U.S. Championship | Standings After Round 9
| Rank | Name | Score | Rating | TPR |
| 1 | GM Nakamura, Hikaru | 6.5 | 2798 | 2786 |
| 2 | GM Robson, Ray | 6 | 2656 | 2752 |
| 3 | GM Kamsky, Gata | 5 | 2683 | 2665 |
| 4 | GM Onischuk, Alexander | 5 | 2665 | 2677 |
| 5 | GM So, Wesley | 4.5 | 2788 | 2633 |
| 6 | GM Shankland, Samuel L | 4.5 | 2661 | 2654 |
| 7 | GM Troff, Kayden W | 4.5 | 2532 | 2642 |
| 8 | GM Sevian, Samuel | 4.5 | 2531 | 2664 |
| 9 | GM Akobian, Varuzhan | 4 | 2622 | 2600 |
| 10 | GM Gareev, Timur | 3.5 | 2604 | 2577 |
| 11 | GM Holt, Conrad | 3.5 | 2530 | 2585 |
| 12 | GM Naroditsky, Daniel | 2.5 | 2633 | 2475 |
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2015 U.S. Women's Championship | Standings After Round 9
| Rank | Name | Score | Rating | TPR |
| 1 | GM Krush, Irina | 7 | 2477 | 2453 |
| 2 | WGM Nemcova, Katerina | 7 | 2279 | 2417 |
| 3 | IM Paikidze, Nazi | 6 | 2333 | 2352 |
| 4 | IM Goletiani, Rusudan | 5.5 | 2311 | 2309 |
| 5 | WGM Foisor, Sabina-Francesca | 5 | 2235 | 2277 |
| 6 | WIM Ni, Viktorija | 5 | 2188 | 2299 |
| 7 | WGM Abrahamyan, Tatev | 4.5 | 2322 | 2220 |
| 8 | WGM Sharevich, Anna | 4.5 | 2267 | 2226 |
| 9 | WCM Virkud, Apurva | 3 | 2132 | 2168 |
| 10 | FM Melekhina, Alisa | 2.5 | 2235 | 2107 |
| 11 | WFM Yu, Jennifer R | 2 | 2180 | 1990 |
| 12 | WIM Wang, Annie | 2 | 1901 | 2041 |
Previous reports:
- Preview: 2015 U.S. Championship Youngest, Strongest In History
- Opening Ceremony: U.S. Championship Opens, Shabalov Inducted
- Round 1: Leaders Challenged In U.S. Championships Openers
- Round 2: Top Seeds Nakamura, So, Krush Cruise In Round 2
- Round 3: Bad Day For Best Players In St. Louis
- Round 4: Nakamura Holds Off So, Nemcova Takes Clear Lead
- Round 5: Nakamura, Nemcova Stay On Top; Krush, So Half-Step Behind
- Round 6: Nakamura Draws; Robson In 2nd By Beating So
- Round 7: Robson Reduced To 1 Second, Wins To Tie Nakamura
- Round 8: Krush Gets Closer, Nakamura Wins With 'Moronic' Play
- BREAKING: Wesley So Forfeited In Round 9 U.S. Championship
