US Championship 2009

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Hikaru Nakamura receives his winners check from Rex Sinquefield, US Championship sponsor, president and founder of the Chess Club and Scholastic Centre of Saint Louis - photo by Betsy Dynako of Inspiring Art.

GM Hikaru Nakamura (Smallville) won the 2009 US Championship title at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis last week, along with the record first prize of $40,000.

In the final round, second-seeded Nakamura, who last won the title in 2004, resorted to "back to the future" tactics to win a convincing miniature against GM Josh Friedel, as he confused his opponent with a very rare sideline of 8. Bd3 in the Two Knights Defense which was played by Isidore Gunsberg against Mikhail Chigorin back in 1890. Checkout Nick de Firmian's Game of the Day from the final round to see what happened.

Also checkout the 10-minute post-championship video interview by Macauley Peterson and WGM Jennifer Shahade with Hikaru Nakamura, just minutes after he was confirmed as the new champion. Click here to view.

There was also more good news at the official closing ceremony when CCSCSL founder and president, Rex Sinquefield announced that Saint Louis would also host the 2010 Championship!

2009 U.S. Championship "Game of the Day"
Date	Round	Commentators	GOTD
May 17	9	N-DeFirmian(GM)
May 16	8	N-DeFirmian(GM)
May 14	7	N-DeFirmian(GM)
May 13	6	N-DeFirmian(GM)
May 12	5	N-DeFirmian(GM)
May 11	4	N-DeFirmian(GM)
May 10	3	N-DeFirmian(GM)
May 9	2	N-DeFirmian(GM)
May 8	1	N-DeFirmian(GM)

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