The fourth round from Saint Louis (4)

Yuri Shulman and an exhuberant Gata Kamsky
Gata Kamsky and Yuri Shulman top group A as the groups go beyond half-way. In group b, Robert Hess has joined Sam Shankland in the lead on 3/4. Sabina Foisor wins again and stays ahead in the Women's Championship.

The fourth round results in Group A:

Yury Shulman 2622 1-0 Alexander Ivanov 2540
Alexander Stripunsky 2578 0-1 Ray Robson  2522
Jaan Ehlvest 2586 0-1 Gata Kamsky 2733
Daniel Naroditsky 2438 ½-½ Varuzhan Akobian 2611

The points tally in Group A after four rounds:

Seed Name Rating points
1 Gata Kamsky 2733 3
2 Yury Shulman 2622 3
7 Ray Robson 2522 2.5
3 Varuzhan Akobian 2611 2
6 Alexander Ivanov 2540 2
8 Daniel Naroditsky  2438 1.5
4 Jaan Ehlvest 2586 1
5 Alexander Stripunsky 2578 1

So at present, the top two seeds occupy the qualification spots with three games to go.

Here are the results from the earlier rounds in Group A:

Round 1:

Daniel Naroditsky 2438 ½-½ Jaan Ehlvest 2586
Yury Shulman 2622 ½-½ Alexander Stripunsky 2578
Alexander Ivanov 2540 ½-½ Gata Kamsky 2733
Varuzhan Akobian 2611 ½-½ Ray Robson 2522

Round 2:

Daniel Naroditsky 2438 ½-½ Yury Shulman 2622
Jaan Ehlvest 2586 ½-½ Ray Robson 2522
Alexander Stripunsky 2578 ½-½ Alexander Ivanov 2540
Gata Kamsky 2733 1-0 Varuzhan Akobian 2611

Round 3:

Yury Shulman 2622 1-0 Jaan Ehlvest 2586
Alexander Ivanov 2540 1-0 Daniel Naroditsky 2438
Varuzhan Akobian 2611 1-0 Alexander Stripunsky 2578
Ray Robson 2522 ½-½ Gata Kamsky 2733

Group B

Robert Hess was the only winner on day four and moves up to join Sam Shankland.

Shabalov, Alexander 2590 0-1 Hess, Robert L 2565
Kaidanov, Gregory S 2569 ½-½  Onischuk, Alexander 2678
Christiansen, Larry M 2586 ½-½  Finegold, Benjamin 2500
Seirawan, Yasser 2636 ½-½  Shankland, Samuel L 2512
Seed Name Rating Points
6 Robert Hess 2565 3
7 Sam Shankland 2512 3
4 Larry Christiansen 2586 2.5
1 Alexander Onischuk 2678 2
8 Ben Finegold 2500 2
2 Yasser Seirawan 2636 1.5
3 Alexander Shabalov 2590 1
5 Gregory Kaidanov 2569 1

The total points after four rounds:

Somewhat surprisingly, so far the sixth and seventh seeds are best placed to make the semi-finals.

Here are the results from earlier rounds in Group B:

Round 1:

Larry Christiansen 2586 1-0 Alexander Shabalov 2590
Yasser Seirawan 2636 ½-½ Gregory Kaidanov 2569
Sam Shankland 2512 ½-½ Robert Hess 2565
Ben Finegold 2500 0-1 Alexander Onischuk 2678

Round 2:

Larry Christiansen 2586 1-0 Yasser Seirawan 2636
Gregory Kaidanov 2569 0-1 Sam Shankland 2512
Alexander Shabalov 2590 ½-½ Alexander Onischuk 2678
Robert Hess 2565 ½-½ Ben Finegold 2500

Round 3:

Sam Shankland 2512 1-0 Larry Christiansen 2586
Yasser Seirawan 2636 ½-½ Alexander Shabalov 2590
Ben Finegold 2500 1-0 Gregory Kaidanov 2569
Alexander Onischuk 2678 0-1 Robert Hess 2565 

Women's Championship

Sabina Foisor still leads and probably only requires half-a-point from ensuring her qualification. Irina Krush wins her third in a row over her closest rival Anne Zatonskih and is second alone.

No Title Name Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total
1 IM Irina Krush 2472 x 1 1 1       0 3
2 WFM Tatev Abrahamyan 2326 0 x 1       1 0.5 2.5
3 IM Rusudan Goletiani 2367 0 0 x     0.5   0 0.5
4 IM Anna Zatonskih 2499 0     x 0.5 1 0.5   2
5 FM Alisa Melekhina 2304       0.5 x 0 0 0 0.5
6 WIM Iryna Zenyuk 2245     0.5 0 1 x   0 1.5
7 WGM Camilla Baginskaite 2342   0 1 0.5 1   x   2.5
8 WGM Sabina Foisor 2350 1 0.5     1 1   x 3.5

Here are a few general details, noting of course the particularly generous prize fund!

The time control will be 40 moves in 90 minutes, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game. The players have additionally a 30 second increment from move one.

The Prize Fund is an impressive $166,000.

Place Prize
1st $40,000
2nd $30,000
3rd $20,000
4th $15,000

Plus $2,000 to the winner of each round robin.

Those who don't get to the Semi-finals won't go home empty handed either.

Round Robin Rank Prize
3rd $8,000
4th $6,000
5th $5,000
6th $4,000
7th $3,000
8th $2,500

There will also be $5,000 for Best Game Prizes throughout both Championships.

Tiebreaks

There will be play-offs in the Semifinals and final. Two rapid games (25 mins + 5 second increment). If necessary the game will go to a rapid Armageddon game, where one player gets 45 minutes and the other less but a choice of colour.

The 2011 U.S. Women's Championship also has a new format. A preliminary round robin stage of eight players, with four qualifying for the knock-out stage. The semi-finals and finals will consist of two game matches. The Prize Fund.

Place Prize
1st $18,000
2nd $12,000
3rd $9,500
4th $7,000
5th $4,000
6th $3,000
7th $2,500
8th $2,000

Plus $1,000 to the winner, $600 for second place and $400 for third place in the round robin.

official site

The games in rounds 1 to 7 will be everyday from 2pm to 8pm (local time).

There is a seven hour difference between St. Louis and Paris. So 2pm (St. Louis) =

8pm London

9pm Paris, Madrid

11pm Moscow

Live play:live


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