USCL: Game of the Week
The US Chess League pits the chess cities of the United States against each other in a winner-take-all, no-holds-barred annual battle royale. In 2013, 16 cities faced off for the title of US Chess League Champion. Divided into two divisions, East and West, the best match scores across 10 weeks entered the playoffs where eventually the Miami Sharks were crowned champions.
GM Alex Yermolinsky picks up the mantle of commentator once again as he provides you in-depth, hard-hitting GM analysis of the Games of the Week from the 2013 season. Each week, a panel of experts voted on the best game of that week, and Yermolinsky analyzed the game for Chess.com viewers with his trademark wit and refined cynicism.
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USCL: Game of the Week | Week 1! It's the old guard versus the up and comers as a statesmen of US chess, GM Joel Benjamin, determinedly outplays GM Pascal Charbonneau. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Week 2! GM Charbonneau is back with a vengeance as he lights up GM Robert Hungaski with a kingside demolition! (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Week 3! In a tough game, GM Julio Becerra infiltrates IM Matikozyan's kingside and finishes the game with some pretty tactics. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Week 4! It's time to visit upset city as FM Thomas Bartell rips GM Emil Anka's king to shreds with a prototypical King's Indian attack. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Week 5! The statesmen returns as GM Benjamin refutes IM Dmitry Schneider's attack with cold-blooded precision; this game eventually claimed second place honors in Game of the Year voting with especially high marks given to Benjamin's stunning 14th move! (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Week 6! In an eventual Game of the Year victor, GM Tamaz Gelashvili rips apart IM Marc Esserman's kingside with a ceaseless attack. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Week 7! FM Eric Rodriguez uses a potentially unsound sacrifice to pose insurmountable problems for IM Irina Krush. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Week 8! It's GM Conrad Holt vs. IM Jonathon Schroer as Holt holds nothing back. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Week 9! In a first, a draw claims the top honors as GM Giorgi Margvelashvili strives mightily for the full point against GM Ben Finegold who is saved by active and instructive defense. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Week 10! For once, there are no GMs or IMs to be found here as NM Ryan Goldenberg brings home a raucous victory against John Michael Burke. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Quarterfinals! GM Becerra brings home a critical, match-deciding victory against the always tough GM Holt. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Semifinals! Seemingly, out of nowhere, this game claimed third place in Game of the Year voting. See what has all the GMs talking in this instructive positional domination by GM Sam Shankland against GM Tamaz Gelashvili. (Intermediate to Advanced)
USCL: Game of the Week | Final! GM Becerra is back with his second victory in two weeks as he wins a model attack on the white side of the Dragon Sicilian against GM Tamaz Gelashvili. (Intermediate to Advanced)