DAVID R. SANDS: Alexander Shabalov bulldozes chess rivals on way to fifth U.S. Open title

In a dominating performance, GM Alexander Shabalov captured the 116th annual U.S. Open, held this year in Phoenix.

The popular Shabalov, who has won or shared the Open title four previous times, drained much of the drama by winning his first eight games in Phoenix before drawing with Ukrainian GM Illia Nyzhnyk to claim clear first with an 8½-½ score.

Shabalov earned his crown by beating a trio of top-rated Texans — GMs Alejandro Ramirez, Bartlomiej Macieja and IM Andrey Golovets — starting in Round 6. His victory over Ramirez from the Black side of a Queen’s Gambit started the surge, with Ramirez’s queenside already under siege after 10. Qb3 a6 11. a4 Qa5! 12. Be2 Nb6, with Shabalov ending up two pawns ahead.

White gets some positional compensation, but Black carefully unwinds his pieces and lands in a winning endgame after 21. Nd6+ Bxd6 22. Bxd6 Kd7 23. Ba3 a5 24. Nd2 Ra8 25. Ne4 b4, when Ramirez’s desperate combination only lands him in losing position: 26. Bxa4 Nxa4 27. Bxb4 axb4 28. Rxa4 (White wins a pawn with the coming knight fork, but Black’s passed b-pawn will prove deadly) Rxa4 29. Nc5+ Kc7 30. Nxa4 b3!, and White lacks the time to set up an effective blockade.

It’s over on 33. Rd1 Ra1 34. Ke2 Ba6, and White resigns as he loses a piece after 35. Kd2 (Nb1 Bd3! 36. Rxd3 Rxb1+ 37. Kd2 Rf1 38. Rb3 b1=Q+) Rxd1+ 36. Kxd1 Bd3.

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The Open is one of the most democratic events on the calendar, with some fine chess being played far from the top boards. The second game finds 13-year-old Texas WFM Emily Nguyen upsetting Washington state master Joshua Sinanan.

White gambits a pawn early in this unusual Trompowsky line, and while it doesn’t lead to a raging attack, Black never gets comfortable despite his extra material. Sinanan’s 29. Rbf1 g5!? keeps the f-file closed for White’s doubled rooks, but opens up other holes that Nguyen’s queen can exploit. With Black’s queen and rook caught on the wrong side of the board, the winning attack begins with a small queen retreat: 32. f6 Bf8 33. Qd1! Ng6 34. Qh5 Re5 35. Nf5 Rxf5 (a sad necessity as 35…Kh7 allows 36. Nxg5+) 36. Rxf5 Rb2 (see diagram; White has no intention of slowing down to deal with the rook’s counterattack) 37. Rxg5! Kh7 (hxg5 38. Nxg5 Be7 39. Qh7+ Kf8 40. Qxf7 mate) 38. Rxg6! fxg6 39. Ng5+ Kh8 40. Qxg6, when 40…hxg5 41. f7 Bg7 42. f8=Q+ Bxf8 43. Rxf8 is mate; Black resigned.

• David R. Sands can be reached at 202/636-3178 or by email at dsands@washingtontimes.com.