2010 United States Chess Championship Thread - Chess and Board Game Strategy

Hey, no thread on this yet! I'm in St. Louis helping out, and will be doing the twitter feed throughout the event @CCSCSL

The format is new this year. After seven rounds the top 4 players will advance to a Championship quad where they will play off against the other three top scorers. Note that their scores from the preliminary 7 rounds will be carried over. Note that this makes rematches possible, so you could see two Nakamura vs Kamsky battles this year!

The website with all of the information is at http://saintlouischessclub.org/conte...s-championship

Also my sister (WGM Jennifer Shahade) is doing live audio broadcasts with GM Maurice Ashley at ChessFM.

Quote

05-15-2010 , 11:54 AM

John_Douglas

banned

Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 667

I don't understand the pairing system exactly. So the tournament ends after 7 rounds and then the top 4 play a round robin among themselves?

Quote

05-15-2010 , 01:01 PM

curtains

banned

Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 17,681

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_Douglas

I don't understand the pairing system exactly. So the tournament ends after 7 rounds and then the top 4 play a round robin among themselves?

That is pretty much correct.

Quote

05-15-2010 , 01:35 PM

thunderchicken

journeyman

Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 214

I'll be out there next week. STLCC > any other chess club.

Quote

05-15-2010 , 09:01 PM

Army Eye

veteran

Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 2,534

Live coverage has been really good, with so many of the players coming in after their games and sharing analysis it's must-see stuff. Some technical snafus now and then is the only negative.

Quote

05-16-2010 , 04:16 AM

All-inMcLovin

Wholesome Mod

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 49,609

Quote:

Originally Posted by curtains

That is pretty much correct.

Everybody else (besides the top 4) continues on in the tourney and plays rounds 8 and 9 though.

That is pretty much correct.

Quote

05-16-2010 , 06:34 AM

d2d4

centurion

Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 139

I hope Naka destroys the Soviets.

Quote

05-16-2010 , 07:16 AM

thunderchicken

journeyman

Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 214

Did you see the stats people picked for fantasy chess?

73% predicted a Naka victory (out of 450).

Quote

05-16-2010 , 08:23 AM

All-inMcLovin

Wholesome Mod

Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 49,609

73 out of 100 people are smart.

I predict a draw with Kamsky-Nakamura today.

Hikaru has Black and I don't think Kamsky will give Nakamura anything to really play off-of. Perhaps we'll see Nakamura play an enterprising imbalance-type defense.

Quote

05-16-2010 , 02:44 PM

#10

BobJoeJim

Tournament Director

Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 11,200

Quote:

Originally Posted by All-inMcLovin

I predict a draw with Kamsky-Nakamura today.

Hikaru has Black and I don't think Kamsky will give Nakamura anything to really play off-of. Perhaps we'll see Nakamura play an enterprising imbalance-type defense.

I don't know about predicting anything, but I'm looking forward to the game!

Quote

05-16-2010 , 03:10 PM

#11

KingDan

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 7,567

pinny doesnt have anything up, can i bet on this anywhere?

Quote

05-16-2010 , 03:15 PM

#12

John_Douglas

banned

Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 667

Wow - Nakamura is really taking a risk playing this variation of the King's Indian against Kamsky. Will be interesting to see how it works out for him. Anyway, it won't be a boring game.

Quote

05-16-2010 , 04:27 PM

#13

RoundTower

ɹǝʍoʇpunoɹ

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 14,563

I liked Curtains' commented games last time, without them it's just another weak GM tournament that's kind of hard to be interested in unless you know some of the players involved.

Quote

05-16-2010 , 04:31 PM

#14

curtains

banned

Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 17,681

Hey I'm doing live commentary tomorrow with my sister! Also right now you can hear my sister and GM Maurice Ashley doing live commentary at www.uschesschamps.com, or at the Internet Chess Club/Chess.FM

Also wtf with weak GM tournament, there are three guys basically above 2700 FIDE! (ok Onischuk only 2687 what can you do)

Quote

05-16-2010 , 04:53 PM

#15

lennske

newbie

Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 38

LOL @ Jennifer giving away Magnus room number

Quote

05-16-2010 , 05:01 PM

#16

curtains

banned

Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 17,681

Go here for some good quotes from Carlsen:

http://twitter.com/CCSCSL

Quote

05-16-2010 , 05:11 PM

#17

RoundTower

ɹǝʍoʇpunoɹ

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 14,563

you know what I mean, it's not exactly Linares or Wijk aan Zee. It's not even as strong as the B tournament in Wijk aan Zee!

I meant the games where you did the video annotations afterwards without knowing the result, I thought that worked very well and was a pleasant change from just live commentary or standard annotated games.

Quote

05-16-2010 , 05:14 PM

#18

curtains

banned

Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 17,681

Yeah I'm at the tourney though so will be hard not to know the results

I did it for the World Championship match if you noticed!

Quote

05-16-2010 , 05:19 PM

#19

RoundTower

ɹǝʍoʇpunoɹ

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 14,563

I knew, but I was too interested in watching those live myself!

Quote

05-16-2010 , 07:19 PM

#20

swingdoc

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 3,531

Holy hell. What a sick (intentional) exchange sac by Onischuk.

Quote

05-16-2010 , 09:23 PM

#21

RoundTower

ɹǝʍoʇpunoɹ

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 14,563

occasionally one of my 1400-rated kids loses a game from a position like this and I just shake my head and wonder how it can happen, even with the worst technique in the world. I guess it's not quite resignable for Black here, even against an experienced WGM, but wow.