US Championships Round 2

The 'Swiss System' isn't an ideal format for a national championships (are ANY ideal?) but it usually produces bloody battles at the start of a competition, and the 2009 US Championships is conforming to that expectation.

Round 2 at the Saint Louis Chess Club & Scholastic Center produced 9 decisive games from the 12 played, and lots of exciting chess.

There is now a three-way tie for the lead on 2/2 between top seed, Gata Kamsky (pictured), defending champion Yuri Shulman, and seventeen year-old GM-elect Robert Hess.

Should any player repeat Bobby Fischer's remarkable 1964 US Championship result by winning all their games, they will receive a $64,000 bonus prize!

Another notable victory came when the youngest competitor, 14 year-old Ray Robson beat veteran Boris Gulko to leave the latter languishing in the basement on 0/2.

Hikaru Nakamura played a crowd-pleasing positional Queen sacrifice in his game, but could manage no more than a draw against Jaan Ehlvest.

Local favourite Michael Brooks also got in on the giant-killing act by beating former champ Alexander Shabalov.

Full 2nd round results below.  More details are available at the official site, including live games with expert commentary.