Lenderman Wins U.S. Championship Online Qualifier
The tiebreaker of the U.S. Championship Online Qualifier concluded with GM Aleksandr Lenderman beating IM Christopher Yoo. With this, Lenderman earned a seat at the 2021 U.S. Chess Championship, along with $2,500.
Yoo, who turned 14 on the day of this game, also took home $2,500, not to mention the immense respect he gained from everyone who saw him play.
The live broadcast of the tiebreaker.
Final Standings
| # | Fed | Name | Username | Rtg | Perf | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Pts | SB |
| 1 | Aleksander Lenderman | @AlexanderL | 2793 | 2796 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 4.5/7 | 14.75 | ||
| 2 | Christopher Yoo | @ChristopherYoo | 2803 | 2796 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 4.5/7 | 14.75 | ||
| 3 | Elshan Moradiabadi | @Elshan1985 | 2810 | 2743 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4.0/7 | 13.25 | ||
| 4 | Dariusz Swiercz | @daro94 | 2659 | 2763 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 4.0/7 | 12.25 | ||
| 5 | Timur Gareyev | @TimurGareyev | 2452 | 2743 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 3.5/7 | 11 | ||
| 6 | Daniel Naroditsky | @DanielNaroditsky | 2626 | 2718 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 3.5/7 | 10.5 | ||
| 7 | Andrew Tang | @penguingm1 | 2849 | 2585 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 2.5/7 | |||
| 8 | Robert Hess | @GMHess | 2664 | 2488 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1.5/7 |
*Chess.com ratings
Format:
In the case of a tie, regulations for this event dictate that one game of armageddon must be played to determine a winner. To elaborate, the player with the white pieces must win the game, and Black is declared the winner if any other result occurs. Keeping in mind there are no increments and that the player with white will play with 10 minutes, the players then bid on the time they would want with the black pieces; the lowest bidder is given the black pieces and plays with the time they bid.
Yoo was given the black pieces in this game since he bid 7 minutes and 30 seconds against Lenderman's bid of 7 minutes and 43 seconds.
Lenderman vs Yoo (1-0)
Lenderman again went for a Trompowsky Attack in this must-win situation from which he achieved a strong center. Yoo found a great time to break with 10...d5, though, after which Lenderman did not seem to have a clear avenue for progress.
Yoo had a light-squared bishop that was looking quite menacing, and both players were doing fine on the clock. Soon, however, Lenderman found the opportunity to push for an advantage with 14.d5!, taking advantage of Yoo's queen being temporarily blocked by a knight; this is where Yoo played a sub-optimal move with his knight. After some trades, Yoo ended up with an ugly pawn structure where he had four pawn islands.
Lenderman was targeting these weaknesses with his pieces when Yoo made a move that was likely a mouse slip. Although the position was already looking quite grim for Yoo, maybe even lost, the young IM lost any chance he still had on move 25 by placing his rook on f8 instead of e8, probably accidentally. Since Lenderman's knight was covering the f8 square, Yoo ended up going down an exchange.
The players still had ample time on their clocks when this happened, and Lenderman was able to convert this advantage with ease.
The U.S. Championship Online Qualifier was an eight-player round robin played Dec. 11-18 on Chess.com, with a rest day on Dec. 15. The time control was 90 minutes for the whole game with a 30-second increment from move one. The total prize fund was $10,000.
Earlier reports:
- Yoo, Lenderman To Play Tiebreaker In U.S. Championship Online Qualifier
- Moradiabadi Beats Hess In U.S. Championship Online Qualifier
- Clutch Draw Eliminates Hess At U.S. Championship Online Qualifier
- Tang Clinches 1st Win In Day 4 Of U.S. Championship Online Qualifier
- Wins For The White Pieces In Day 3 Of U.S. Championship Online Qualifier
- Naroditsky Checkmates Hess In Day 2 Of U.S. Championship Online Qualifier
- Christopher Yoo Leads U.S. Championship Online Qualifier
