Tight Race Heading into Final Round of 124th Annual U.S. Open Chess Tournament

The 124th Annual U.S. Open Chess Championship is coming down to the wire, with four grandmasters tied for the lead heading into the final round. GMs Jianchao Zhou, Semen Khanin, Fidel Corrales, and Mackenzie Molner are all sitting at 7/8 scores, setting the stage for an exciting finish to the prestigious tournament.

With Corrales having already faced off against both Molner and Zhou, the final pairings are expected to be Khanin against Corrales and Molner against Zhou. The games will kick off at 3 p.m. EDT, with live commentary provided by WGM Sabina Foisor and Gopal Menon on the US Chess Twitch and YouTube channels.

Aside from vying for the U.S. Open champion title, American players are also competing for a spot in the upcoming U.S. Championship. Both Molner and Corrales are in contention for this coveted qualification spot, while Zhou represents China and Khanin represents Russia.

In a thrilling match-up, Molner faced off against former U.S. Open Champion GM Elshan Moradiabadi, with the winner poised to secure a path to the U.S. Championship. Despite Moradiabadi’s aggressive play and a daring queen sacrifice, Molner’s solid defense ultimately secured him the crucial victory.

As the tension mounts in the final round, all eyes will be on Corrales and Molner, the frontrunners for the U.S. Championship qualification spot. However, with a pack of players trailing closely behind, including GM Mikhail Antipov and CM Avi Kaplan, the race to the finish promises to be intense and unpredictable.

Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion of the 124th Annual U.S. Open Chess Championship, where the top players will battle it out for glory and a chance to compete in the prestigious U.S. Championship.