| Competition: | United States Championship 2021 |
| Governing Body: | FIDE |
| Venue: | Saint Louis Chess Club |
| Location: | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Dates: | 6 October - 20 October 2021 |
| Competitors: | 12 |
| Champion: |  Wesley So |
| Win Score: | 6.5 points out of 11 |
| Previous: | 2020 |
| Next: | 2022 |
| Prize Money: | $194,000 |
The 2021 edition of the United States Chess Championship took place at the Saint Louis Chess Club in St. Louis, Missouri from 6 October to 20 October 2021. As with every United States Chess Championship tournament since 2014, it was a round-robin tournament. Twelve players were invited to compete. Besides the reigning US champion, these included the winners of the US Open Chess Championship, the US Junior Championship, and the US Senior Open Championship. The remaining players were chosen by highest invitational rating, or were selected by the United States Chess Federation (USCF) as wildcards.
The fourteen qualifiers were Fabiano Caruana, Ray Robson, John M. Burke, Leinier Domínguez, Jeffery Xiong, Wesley So, Samuel Sevian, Samuel Shankland, Daniel Naroditsky, Lázaro Bruzón, Dariusz Swiercz and Aleksandr Lenderman, all of whom are Grandmasters. Wesley So won the tournament without losing a game. This was his third title.
All statistics as of October 2021.[1]
| Qualification method | Player | Age | Rating | Worldranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The United States Chess Championship is aninvitational classical chess tournament. | Fabiano Caruana | 28 | 2800 | 2 |
| 26 | 2778 | 6 | ||
| Samuel Sevian | 20 | 2654 | 91 | |
| Leinier Domínguez | 38 | 2760 | 14 | |
| Aleksandr Lenderman | 31 | 2607 | >100 | |
| Ray Robson | 21 | 2669 | 62 | |
| Sam Shankland | 30 | 2714 | 28 | |
| John M. Burke | 19 | 2554 | >100 | |
| Dariusz Świercz | 27 | 2647 | 99 | |
| Daniel Naroditsky | 25 | 2623 | >100 | |
| Jeffery Xiong | 20 | 2700 | 38 | |
| Lázaro Bruzón | 38 | 2645 | >100 |
The tournament was a twelve-player, round-robin tournament, meaning there were 12 rounds with each player facing the others once. The tournament winner became the United States Chess Champion.
While there was no tie for first place, such a situation would have been addressed as follows:
If two players tie for first a two-game 10+2 rapid match will take place. If there remains a tie, a single armageddon game will occur.
If three or four players tie for first a single round-robin in the 10+2 rapid time control will take place
If two players remain tied, they contest a two-game 3+2 blitz match. If the tie persists, an armageddon game decides the winner.
If three or more players remain tied, they contest a 3+2 round-robin.
If more than four players tie for first players will contest a 3+2 round-robin. If the round-robin ends in a tie, a series of armageddon games decide the winner.[2]
The event features a $194,000 prize fund, distributed as follows:[3]
| 1st | $50,000 | |
| 2nd | $35,000 | |
| 3rd | $25,000 | |
| 4th | $20,000 | |
| 5th | $15,000 | |
| 6th | $10,000 | |
| 7th | $9,000 | |
| 8th | $8,000 | |
| 9th | $7,000 | |
| 10th | $6,000 | |
| 11th | $5,000 | |
| 12th | 4,000 |
Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So and Samuel Sevian tied for first place and will move into tiebreaks under a single round-robin in the 10+2 rapid time control.[4]
| Player | Rating | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Points | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fabiano Caruana | 2800 | — | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 6.5 | |
| 2 | 2778 | ½ | — | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 6.5 | ||
| - style="background-color:gold" | 3 | Samuel Sevian | 2654 | 1 | ½ | — | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 6.5 |
| 4 | Leinier Domínguez | 2760 | ½ | ½ | ½ | — | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 6 | |
| 5 | Aleksandr Lenderman | 2607 | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | — | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 6 | |
| 6 | Ray Robson | 2669 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | — | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 6 | |
| 7 | Sam Shankland | 2714 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | — | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 5.5 | |
| 8 | John M. Burke | 2554 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | — | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| 9 | Dariusz Świercz | 2647 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | — | 1 | ½ | 1 | 5 | |
| 10 | Daniel Naroditsky | 2623 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | — | 1 | ½ | 4.5 | |
| 11 | Jeffery Xiong | 2700 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | — | 1 | 4.5 | |
| 12 | Lázaro Bruzón | 2645 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | — | 4 |
Wesley So won the tournament after beating both Fabiano Caruana and Samuel Sevian in the tiebreaks. Fabiano Caruana was the runner-up.[5]
| Player | Rating | 1 | 2 | 3 | Points | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2778 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 2800 | 0 | — | 1 | 1 | ||
| - | 3 | Samuel Sevian | 2654 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |