Two Cubans in Third Place at the United States Chess Championship

October 20, 2022

Cuban Americans Leinier Domínguez and Thalía Cervantes finished third in their respective categories at the United States Chess Championship, which just concluded at its Saint Louis Chess Club headquarters in Missouri.

Domínguez played White against Sam Shankland and split the point in just 10 moves of a Sicilian Defense, clearly without much intention to fight after seeing that on the board of leader Fabiano Caruana the game was heading toward a draw, as eventually happened.

Thus, the Guinean closed out the tournament undefeated with two victories and 11 draws, which cost him a loss of four ELO points and a gain of 35 thousand dollars.

As for Cervantes, her streak of five consecutive wins was broken when she fell with White pieces against Jennifer Yu in 57 moves of a Queen's Indian Defense.

The girl born in Havana concluded her adventure in the tournament with only two losses, which occurred against the only two players who surpassed her (Irina Krush and Yu herself).

In the previous edition of the American event, Leinier had finished in fourth place and Thalía in seventh.