Firstly, it brings me utmost sadness to say rest in peace to the chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky. This is a sad one for chess as he was a prominent chess streamer on Twitch and YouTube with a following of more than 400k fans. I used to watch his Tuesday Titled Arena stream and enjoyed it more when he played bullet.
The ongoing USA chess championship has seen some new developments in terms of player action within the tournament. A couple of actions have gone down, fight Wesley So taking the lead after a victory over Sam Shakland. When it comes to Wesley So is more of a reserved chess player who you see most in tournaments, and I doubt he streams. Mostly plays on his laptop or phone. He's quite an interesting guy with his strong love for the game. Taking the lead at round 3 with 2.5 out of 3 games makes it a nice opportunity for him to get another tournament win.
The tournament has currently headed into the 9th round with only Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So in the lead with 5.5 points. While Wesley So and Fabiano Caruana had their clan in round 6, it was a couple of missed opportunities for both sides, most from Fabiano Caruana. He missed the forced checkmate, thereby leading him to settle for a draw. I know how painful it can be to draw a game when you had to chance to win. That is sad, and it will feel like a haunted memory that cannot leave your memory.
If you would love to follow up on the games, use the link below:
https://www.chess.com/events/info/2025-us-championships
Admirable
The event was paused for a moment for a tribute to Daniel Naroditsky. It was lovely to see people come together to celebrate an icon. He made a significant contribution to chess with his chess content, teaching, and tournament play. The most iconic of them all was his game against GM Ivanchuk in the last World Blitz. You can watch the video below:
In the women's section
In the women's section, it is a race battle between Carissa Yip and Alice Lee. The two young prodigies are both on 6 points with the zeal to acquire more. I said it earlier, and I will say it again. Chess in the world has taken a new turn, where the youngsters are playing with more energy and precision, while the older players are still showing up and showcasing how the game is played.
Sargsyan is another lady who means proper business with a couple of decent wins in the previous rounds, like round 4, where she defeated Megan Paragua, until Carissa Yip brought her a point behind. Currently, she is on 5 points on the standing, and I am excited to see how far she goes in the tournament.
Carissa Yip, the defending champion, is an International Master, yet to get her GM norm alongside close contender Alice Lee. Yet they are playing spectacular chess, and it goes without saying that it would not be long enough until we get a GM norm for these young, inspiring women.
If you would love to follow up on the games, use the link below:
https://www.chess.com/events/2025-us-championships-women
I am @samostically, a chess player and writer. I love to share the experience I have gained from different battles over the 64 squares and the knowledgeable insights from books I have read. But most importantly, I am a Midnight Owl and I founded the community Midnight Letters.
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Thanks For Reading!
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