Seven Lead Open After Big Merge
By Jennifer Shahade   
August 8, 2008
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IM Enrico Sevillano at the U.S. Open,
 Photo Elizabeth Vicary
GM Alex Yermolinsky, IMs Douglas Root, Enrico Sevillano, Joseph Bradford, Michael Mulyar and Kiril Kuderinov plus Gabriel Battaglini of France are tied for the lead at the U.S. Open (Dallas, August 2-10) with 5.5/6 after the big merge last night.

The one GM at the top of the scoreboard, GM Yermolinsky, won a creative game against Rade Milovanovic. Can you guess what Yermolinsky played in the following position?

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Position after 18...Qd5


Yermolinsky played 19. Ra3! sacking the rook in the middlegame, but ready to transpose into a materially ahead endgame after Qxb3 Rxb3. Rade chose to take the rook, and after Qxa3 threatening Qe7 mate, Black can choose between sad options like Ng8 and Kd8. Here is the complete game:

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 IM Douglas Root won against the young Japanese-American Shinaksu Uesegi. He clinched a pawn after Qc6, when Qe6 is impossible due to Qa8++ Bf8 and Bc5.

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Bradford and Mulyar were both 5/5 in the traditional schedule and as luck would have it, they faced off after the merger. Massive trades led to a relatively early draw.

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IM Enrico Sevillano won an sacrificial game against Alvaro Blanco, whose second round battle was featured in Elizabeth Vicary's How to Beat Shabalov. 

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Denker co-champ Julian Landaw entered the fray- he has 5/6, including a win over Kalin Nonchev, who was 4/4 two days ago.

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As the U.S. Open goes down to the wire, CLO will publish blogs by Jessica Lauser, Elizabeth Vicary and Jonathan Hilton. Stay up to the minute by bookmarking the results and pairings page and watching live games on Monroi.com.