Shankland wins US Championship

GM Sam Shankland is the new US Champion after finishing half a point ahead of GM Fabiano Caruana in the 11 round event. Shankland's score of 8.5 equalled the best score in the modern 12 player era. Shankland and Caruana were tied after 8 rounds, but it was Shankland's 3 wins in a row, to Caruana's draw followed by 2 wins were the difference.
In third place was Wesley So on 6.5, while Hikaru Nakamura was in a group of players on 5.5.
Despite his second place finish, Caruana played one of the more interesting games in the tournament. Up against Varuzhan Akobian, he decided to go charging straight up the middle, while Akobian was aiming his forces on the queenside. It turned out to be the right plan, even when Akobian had a pawn on a2, looking to promote. Once f7 fell to Caruana, the game was essentially over.


Caruana,Fabiano (2804) - Akobian,Varuzhan (2647) [C11]
ch-USA 2018 Saint Louis USA (7.2), 25.04.2018

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Be7 7. Be3 Nc6 8. Qd2 b6 9. Bb5 Qc7 10. O-O-O a6 11. Bxc6 Qxc6 12. f5 c4 13. f6 gxf6 14. exf6 Bxf6 15. Rhf1 b5 16. Qf2 b4 17. Ne2 b3 18. Ne5 Bxe5 19. Qxf7+ Kd8 20. dxe5 bxa2 21. Kd2 Rf8 22. Qxh7 Rxf1 23. Rxf1 d4 24. Qg8+ Kc7 25. Nxd4 Qd5 26. Qxe6 Qa5+ 27. c3 Nxe5 28. Rf7+ Nxf7 29. Bf4+ Kb7 30. Qxf7+ 1-0