The 2021 edition of the United States Chess Championship took place at the Saint Louis Chess Club in St. Louis, Missouri from October 6 to October 20, 2021. As with every United States Chess Championship tournament since 2014, it was a round-robin tournament. Twelve players were invited to compete. Besides the reigning US champion, these included the winners of the US Open Chess Championship, the US Junior Championship, and the US Senior Open Championship. The remaining players were chosen by highest invitational rating, or were selected by the United States Chess Federation (USCF) as wildcards.
The fourteen qualifiers were Fabiano Caruana, Ray Robson, John M. Burke, Leinier Domínguez, Jeffery Xiong, Wesley So, Samuel Sevian, Samuel Shankland, Daniel Naroditsky, Lázaro Bruzón, Dariusz Swiercz and Aleksandr Lenderman, all of whom are Grandmasters. Wesley So won the tournament without losing a game. This was his third title.
Participants All statistics as of October 2021. Qualification methodPlayerAgeRatingWorld rankingThe United States Chess Championship is an invitational classical chess tournament. Fabiano Caruana2828002 Wesley So 2627786 Samuel Sevian20265491 Leinier Domínguez38276014 Aleksandr Lenderman312607>100 Ray Robson21266962 Sam Shankland30271428 John M. Burke192554>100 Dariusz Świercz27264799 Daniel Naroditsky252623>100 Jeffery Xiong20270038 Lázaro Bruzón382645>100
Organization The tournament was a twelve-player, round-robin tournament, meaning there were 12 rounds with each player facing the others once. The tournament winner became the United States Chess Champion.
Regulations
The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game. There is a 30-second increment starting on move one. Players are not allowed to draw by agreement. The event is a 12-player round-robin, where every player plays once against every other player on the field. Players get 1 point for a win, 0.5 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. The player with the most points at the end of the last round wins the event.
Tie breaks While there was no tie for first place, such a situation would have been addressed as follows:
If two players tie for first a two-game 10+2 rapid match will take place. If there remains a tie, a single armageddon game will occur.
If three or four players tie for first a single round-robin in the 10+2 rapid time control will take place
If two players remain tied, they contest a two-game 3+2 blitz match. If the tie persists, an armageddon game decides the winner.
If three or more players remain tied, they contest a 3+2 round-robin.
If more than four players tie for first players will contest a 3+2 round-robin. If the round-robin ends in a tie, a series of armageddon games decide the winner.
Prize money The event features a $194,000 prize fund, distributed as follows: +PlaceCash prize (USD)1st$50,0002nd$35,0003rd$25,0004th$20,0005th$15,0006th$10,0007th$9,0008th$8,0009th$7,00010th$6,00011th$5,00012th$4,000
Results
Standings Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So and Samuel Sevian tied for first place and will move into tiebreaks under a single round-robin in the 10+2 rapid time control. #PlayerRating123456789101112Points1 Fabiano Caruana2800—½0½11½110½½6.52 Wesley So 2778½—½½½½½11½½½6.53 Samuel Sevian26541½—½0½½½½½116.54 Leinier Domínguez2760½½½—½½1½½½½½65 Aleksandr Lenderman26070½1½—½½½½1½½66 Ray Robson26690½½½½—½½½11½67 Sam Shankland2714½½½0½½—1½10½5.58 John M. Burke255400½½½½0—1½1159 Dariusz Świercz264700½½½½½0—1½1510 Daniel Naroditsky26231½½½000½0—1½4.511 Jeffery Xiong2700½½0½½010½0—14.512 Lázaro Bruzón2645½½0½½½½½0½0—4
Tiebreaks Wesley So won the tournament after beating both Fabiano Caruana and Samuel Sevian in the tiebreaks. Fabiano Caruana was the runner-up. #PlayerRating123Points1 Wesley So 2778—1122 Fabiano Caruana28000—113 Samuel Sevian265400—0
References