2009 U.S. Chess Championship (St. Louis, USA)
The U.S. chess community is gearing up for what promises to be an exciting tournament. The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis plays host to the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship as 24 players will square off for the national crown. Gata Kamsky and Hikaru Nakamura will lead the way in a field featuring a 9-round Swiss and $130,000 prize fund. According to the USCF website, the field will consist of the following 24 players:
From the photos of the venue, it appears that the conditions are excellent and the organizers are looking forward to the challenge.
For more information, please visit www.saintlouischessclub.org or call 314-361-CHESS.
There is nothing strange about the Casino de Barcelona tournament, except the way it is presented on the MSA page. What happens is, if a USCF member plays in a foreign tournament, he has the option of submitting that foreign performance for USCF rating purposes. It is possible it is no longer optional, and now mandatory. In any case, for other examples that should make this process clear, look up Hikaru Nakamura on MSA, and look at the pages for the Gibraltar Open, Olympiad, Montreal Open, and Japan League. You will see that only USCF members are listed.
Magistral Casino de Barcelona 2008
Final standings:
1. GM Alexey Dreev (RUS 2670) – 7.0
2. GM Kiril Georgiev (BUL 2644) – 6.5
3. GM Baadur Jobava (GEO 2664) – 5.5
4. GM Boris Gulko (USA 2552) – 5.0
5-6. IM Fidel Corrales (CUB 2551) and GM Antoaneta Stefanova (BUL 2550) – 4.5
7. GM Josep Manuel López (ESP 2547) – 4.0
8. GM Holden Hernández (CUB 2580) – 3.0
9-10. GM Marc Narciso (ESP 2511) and GM Artur Kogan (ISR 2561) – 2.5
Apparently there was an issue with the Lawson game with the arbiter
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1544330
Reading the account given in the link above, and the cited sections from both the USCF and FIDE rule books, the final score of that game is a travesty. The fair step at this point would be for the arbiter to apologize for incorrectly interfering with the game, and then set the result 1/2-1/2.
I am following the discussion of the Sevilliano-Lawton+Arbiter situation, however I am confused about what the actual last move, and end position was. A) I have seen accounts that white’s Rc7 was the last move with the Black Bishop already on f6. B) And I have seen accounts of the last move being Black’s bishop to f6 with white’s Rc7 already played. I do understand that the reported account of the arbiter’s clear error affected the outcome of this game, but without a clear statement of the game account, and mention of when the arbiter’s interference occured, I find the game assessment a little unclear. Obviously, in a stand alone format without an arbiter, A) above is a clear draw, but B) indicates that maybe Black was outplayed in an equal position. Of course both A) and B) could also be positions that occur as a result of the arbiter’s mistake and influence. By all appearances, the arbiter’s enforcement of the rules was applied somewhat subjectively or punitively as to the question of ‘legibility’ as Mr. Lawton clearly followed her instruction by all reported accounts. In any case, I would like to know the true game account. My references include both this site and the official championship site or Monroi aided game presentations, and all text linked to this site concerning this incident. Thanks in advance for any clarity you can provide. Peace – Kimani A. Stancil
Lawton draws! It was a good game against IM Samuel Shankland. I thought that Lawton was better in the middle game. Good job Lawton. Win the last game!
Great way to persevere Mr. Lawton! Great game too. Finish strong and I feel you have a brilliancy to uncork tomorrow.
I am loving this Robert Hess boy .I watched his games from the Invitation tournament a few weeks ago.He is coming up with good stuff.
Nakamura is playing the fried liver attack!
NAKAMURA is amazing.just when everyone thought he was going to Texas University ,he went to probably Dickinson college ,now when all think he wont maintain 2700,he grows stronger ,Haha Smallville aka Star Wars stares fortune directly in the face always,brave taking risks.