US Ch: blood all over the place
We've been pretty positive about the US Championship so far, and especially referring to the great stuff the media team is publishing on the official website every day. We've got just one more thing to add: the chess itself isn't bad either, with 11 out of 12 decisive games in round 7!The 2009 U.S. Chess Championship takes place May 7-17 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. It's a 9-round Swiss with 24 participants with one round per day. The prize fund is $130,000.Rounds 6-7
In the sixth round, defending champion Yury Shulman and Varuzhan Akobian continued to hold the lead. As overnight leaders, the two were matched up Wednesday and a win would have given the victor sole possession of first place, but the game ended in a draw.It meant they shared the top of the leader board with 4.5 points, followed by a pack of six players half a point back, including the top three ranked U.S. players coming into the tournament: Kamsky, Nakamura and Onischuk. Also in the group was 17-year-old IM Robert Hess who used a Najdorf/Dragon hybrid (sometimes called "Dragdorf") for the first time in his life to draw his game with Kamsky. "I just tried to complicate matters and it worked", Hess explained after the game.
Onischuk defeated Shulman with Black in round 6
IM Hess proudly shares the lead with America's top 3
Michael Brooks (47) on his way to a GM norm
Kamsky watching the game Friedel-Hess
