The US Women's and Junior championships took place from the 9th to the 20th of July.
The particularity of the 2010 U.S. Women's Championship is the $65,000 prize fund, the largest in the history of the tournament, and definitely one to attract the top women. The impressive breakdown is as follows:
•1st: $16,000
•2nd: $12,000
•3rd: $9,000
•4th: $7,000
•5th: $5,500
•6th: $4,500
•7th: $3,500
•8th: $3,000
•9th: $2,500
•10th: $2,000
The previous two editions were won by Anna Zatonskih (Elo 2470) ahead of Irina Krush (Elo 2476). Now Krush has gone one place better with a remarkable 8/9 and a 2600 performance!
| Rank | Title & Name | US Rating | Score |
| 1 | IM Irina Krush | 2521 | 8.0 |
| 2 | IM Anna Zatonskih | 2518 | 7.5 |
| 3 | WFM Tatev Abrahamyan | 2403 | 7.5 |
| 4 | WIM Alisa Melekhina | 2323 | 4.5 |
| 5 | WGM Katerina Rohonyan | 2322 | 4.5 |
| 6 | WGM Camilla Baginskaite | 2387 | 4.0 |
| 7 | WIM Iryna Zenyuk | 2286 | 4.0 |
| 8 | WGM Sabina Foisor | 2356 | 3.0 |
| 9 | WIM Beatriz Marinello | 2206 | 1.5 |
| 10 | WFM Abby Marshall | 2211 | 0.5 |
It's noticeable that the US ratings are slightly inflated compared to international ones.
U.S. Junior Championship
A closed event with good (by most people's standards) prizes for ten up-and-coming US stars of the future.
It turned out to be a much more even event than the Women's championship.
The cash prizes were as follows, plus a laptop computer!:
•1st: $3,000
•2nd: $2,000
•3rd: $1,500
•4th: $1,000
•5th: $750
•6th: $600
•7th: $500
•8th: $400
•9th: $300
•10th: $250
Last year Ray Robson (already a 2562 GM) finished ahead.
This year he was close but lost the last round. Then Parker Zhao had chances but after failing to finish off his last round opponent (from a winning endgame?) had to go into a tie-break where he lost to Sam Shankland who then went on to beat Ray Robson with the Black pieces.
| Rank | Title & Name | US Rating | Score |
| 1 | GM Ray Robson | 2613 | 6.0 |
| 2 | IM Sam Shankland | 2563 | 6.0 |
| 3 | NM Parker Zhao | 2382 | 6.0 |
| 4 | FM Darwin Yang | 2422 | 5.5 |
| 5 | FM John Bryant | 2487 | 4.5 |
| 6 | FM Steven Zierk | 2428 | 4.5 |
| 7 | NM Eric Rosen | 2209 | 4.5 |
| 8 | FM Warren Harper | 2388 | 4.0 |
| 9 | FM Conrad Holt | 2306 | 3.0 |
| 10 | NM Tyler Hughes | 2386 | 1.0 |
So the new US Junior Champion is Sam Shankland.
For more information see the Official site
http://saintlouischessclub.org/2010-us-womens-and-junior-closed-championships
