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This year Game of the Week will be decided upon by IM Greg Shahade and NM Arun Sharma together. First place each week will receive a $200 bonus prize ($150 going to the winner of the game, $50 to the loser), second place $75, and third place $50 (both second and third going entirely to the winner).
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1st Place: GM Jesse Kraai (SF) vs GM Julio Sadorra (DAL) 1-0
With 20. c3!, the threat of Black's Queen being trapped compelled 20... bxc3 after which 21. Rb8+ Ke7, the nice zwischenzug 22. Bc1! gave GM Kraai a decisive material advantage.
Very strong game by GM Kraai throughout, in particular the winning tactical sequence mentioned above. This game seemed like the best choice simply because it was a very interesting game, with several nice tactics and without any mistakes by the victor - really the exact sort of effort we tend to look for in GOTW and thus a very deserving winner in our eyes.
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2nd Place: NM Justus Williams (NY) vs Christopher Wu (NJ) 0-1
Having been under fire for awhile after a typical Sicilian sacrifice, Wu struck back with 20... Rxc3+!, achieving a decisive mating attack.
While this sort of Nxb5 sacrifice bringing about a wild game is not exactly anything unusual, this was nevertheless another nice effort by Wu. In a position where many would be content to try to take their King to safety, he boldly left his King in the center and launched a devastating counterattack, effectively topped off with the shot shown above.
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3rd Place: IM Salvijus Bercys (DAL) vs GM Vinay Bhat (SF) 0-1
GM Bhat nicely trumped White's seemingly winning shot 40. Qxe3 with 40... Ra1+! 41. Bxa1 Qxa1+ 42. Kd2 Qxd1+!, bringing about a winning endgame.
This game was definitely one of the most exciting of the week with both players being under a minute for much of the last chunk of the game in a very tough position. There were obviously some mistakes mixed in at the end as a result which somewhat marred what appeared earlier like it might be a very nice and clean effort by GM Bhat, but considering the time situation and the trickiness of the position, that's hardly surprising. And add to that the nice tactical sequence played by him to finish the game off, this seemed like a worthy choice for third.
This year Game of the Week will be decided upon by IM Greg Shahade and NM Arun Sharma together. First place each week will receive a $200 bonus prize ($150 going to the winner of the game, $50 to the loser), second place $75, and third place $50 (both second and third going entirely to the winner).
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1st Place: GM Julio Becerra (MIA) vs FM Joaquin Banawa (STL) 1-0
Aided by his powerful Knight, GM Becerra decisively broke through with 39. g6!
A very nice attacking effort from the three time MVP - just slowly building up a very strong attack using the powerful Knight on f5 and never really allowing Black any real counterplay despite his extra exchange. A good effort throughout, with an attractive finish, a deserving winner in our eyes.
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2nd Place: IM Zhanibek Amanov (LA) vs FM Slava Mikhailuk (SEA) 1-0
The nice, 21. Rxf4!, saccing the exchange to shatter Black's Kingside Pawns proved very effective in a nice win by IM Amanov
Very smooth game by IM Amanov, utilzing a nice exchange sac to gain a longterm bind due to Black's permanently weak King and dark squares. The endgame was also very nicely conducted, taking the exchange back and converting with ease.
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3rd Place: GM Cristian Chirila (DAL) vs GM Josh Friedel (CHC) 0-1
The wild game reached a conclusion shortly after GM Friedel broke through with 46... Qd4
Looking at how crazy and wild this game was there's no question that it's near the top of the USCL games this season in those regards. The quality of the game, particularly the climax of it, might not meet many people's standards. But given what a creative and interesting effort this was from both sides, the style of game where it would be fairly ridiculous not to expect some errors, it still seemed like a very good choice for the top three.
This year Game of the Week will be decided upon by IM Greg Shahade and NM Arun Sharma together. First place each week will receive a $200 bonus prize ($150 going to the winner of the game, $50 to the loser), second place $75, and third place $50 (both second and third going entirely to the winner).
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1st Place: WGM Tatev Abrahamyan (LA) vs FM Eric Rodriguez (MIA) 1-0
WGM Abrahamyan finished off her strong attack with 29. f6+! to which there was no satisfactory answer.
A bit one-sided of an affair, but a very nice Sicilian slaughter by WGM Abrahamyan, just dominating the game completely early on, developing a strong initiative, never letting it go, and then ending the game with a nice tactical sequence. The second strong attacking win by her in as many weeks to entrench her team, the Vibe, in second place.
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2nd Place: IM Conrad Holt (DAL) vs FM Joel Banawa (ARZ) 1-0
After 19... Ng4, another very interesting struggle between these two players came about, with IM Holt again emerging on top.
The second bout this season between these two players was a near repeat winner. A very interesting struggle once again with several tough moments. While this game wasn't quite as long or rich as their first game, overall it was a well played game by IM Holt along with being quite entertaining and thus another worthy pick.
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3rd Place: NM Vadim Martirosov (BOS) vs IM Jay Bonin (PHI) 0-1
With the nice trick 32... a6!, IM Bonin scored a nice endgame win.
Not the most exciting of games perhaps, but a very nicely played endgame by IM Bonin, topped off with a very subtle winning trick made this game a worthy third place finisher to us.
This year Game of the Week will be decided upon by IM Greg Shahade and NM Arun Sharma together. First place each week will receive a $200 bonus prize ($150 going to the winner of the game, $50 to the loser), second place $75, and third place $50 (both second and third going entirely to the winner).
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1st Place: GM Julio Sadorra (DAL) vs IM Gabriel Battaglini (CAR) 1-0
Following an interesting opening, after 18... Qxe5 a very strange sequence of sacrifices/tactics ensued with GM Sadorra eventually managing to prevail.
A very interesting game from start to finish with numerous tricky moments and plenty of nice tactics. While, as pretty much always, there might have been a few mistakes mixed in with the very interesting portion, GM Sadorra did seem to play quite well overall, in particular his nice endgame play, coordinating his pieces very effectively to overwhelm the Black King. Given the game's exciting play from both sides, it seemed like a very reasonable choice for the top award.
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2nd Place: GM Pascal Charbonneau (NY) vs GM Varuzhan Akobian (SEA) 1-0
With the strong yet simple 37. Nd8!, GM Charbonneau effectively finished off a nice positional win over one of the highest rated players in the League.
This was another game that was strongly considered for first as it was a very smooth win and well played game against a very strong player, an instructive example of good Bishop vs bad Bishop. That being so, it was a very different kind of win than the game we wound up picking for first. It seemed like a much more accurately played game, especially by the winning side, than the other. But at the same time, it was much more of a positional win than a wild tactical melee, thus not nearly as exciting an encounter and also a style of game where avoiding mistakes is quite a bit easier. In the end likely either game would have been a reasonable choice, just very much a matter of personal taste.
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3rd Place: WGM Tatev Abrahamyan (LA) vs IM Dean Ippolito (NJ) 1-0
WGM Abrahamyan nicely finished off her attack with 27. Bh6!, to which there was no answer
This was a pick we were very unsure of as it seemed like Black really got into trouble very quickly without White really doing anything extraordinary to cause it. While that is probably true, it was, nevertheless, a smooth and dominating upset by WGM Abrahamyan, really completely controlling the game from start to finish and never allowing her opponent to gain any sort of counterplay. Given those factors, this seemed like a reasonable choice for third place.
