US Chess Championships final: Wesley So, Rachael Li win titles

Wesley So won the US Open chess championship in Saint Louis by beating defending champion Fabiano Caruana 1.5–0.5 in the playoff on 22 October, while Rachael Li took the women’s title. FIDE confirmed on 23 October that So secured his fourth national title and Li became the youngest player to win the women’s championship on her debut.

So had led by one point before the 11th and final round. His loss to Samuel Sevian allowed Caruana to catch him, leaving both players on seven points from 11 games and sending the title contest to a playoff.

Li’s record is for winning on debut

Li was 16, the Guardian reported on 23 October. Her record concerns winning on her first appearance, not the youngest age at which anyone has won the championship. Irina Krush debuted at 11 and was 14 when she won the first of her nine US titles in 1998.

So settles the title in two rapid games

The playoff format provided for two rapid games, followed by two blitz games if needed. Both use shorter time limits than the main tournament, with blitz faster than rapid. According to the Guardian, So held the better position in both playoff games, although Caruana narrowly escaped defeat in the first.

FIDE reported that So drew the first rapid game with the black pieces after letting his advantage slip. Playing White in the second, he took the initiative early and converted his advantage into a win, securing the title without blitz games.