GM Parham Maghsoodloo won the first two 3 0 Thursday tournaments on October 15, the first player to win consecutive events since GM Jose Martinez did it in back-to-back weeks in March and April. Maghsoodloo tried to become the first player to ever sweep all three Thursday tournaments. However, he struggled in the third tournament, while GM Fabiano Caruana won the event. It's been a fruitful week for Caruana, who won Titled Tuesday and is currently tied for the lead in the U.S. Championship.

First Tournament: Maghsoodloo Wins With A Round To Spare

It took tiebreaks in the end, but Maghsoodloo left little doubt that he deserved first place in the opening tournament of the day. He won his first seven games, capped off by a sudden tactic against the tournament's top seed, GM Hikaru Nakamura.

Maghsoodloo fell to earth in the next round, losing even more quickly to a sacrificial attack by GM Alexey Sarana. 

Despite the loss, Maghsoodloo was still tied for first, with three rounds to go. He returned to form, turning around a tough position against GM Tuan Minh Le in round nine and winning a tactical miniature against GM Oleksandr Bortnyk in round 10. With nine points, Maghsoodloo had a full-point lead on the field. He needed that cushion as GM Denis Lazavik beat him in the final round. 

Maghsoodloo's early lead in the event helped him to claim the top spot on tiebreaks. GM Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son took second, also with nine points, ahead of Lazavik on tiebreaks. IM Le Thao Nguyen Pham took home the women's prize with 6.5 points. 

Second Tournament: Maghsoodloo Wins Again

Maghsoodloo followed up his early win with an equally strong performance in the second tournament. He took over the sole lead with a rook sacrifice against GM Sina Movahed in the ninth round.

Maintaining the lead wouldn't be easy, as GM Dmitry Andreikin toppled Maghsoodloo in the tenth round. That result left a five-way tie for first heading into the final stretch. Andreikin defeated Movahed, while GM Pranesh M, lost to Sarana. Maghsoodloo took care of business, winning a smooth game against GM Leon Livaic.

That victory gave Maghsoodloo first place, ahead of Andreikin on tiebreaks. Sarana finished in third, half a point behind the leaders. NM Liudmyla Ivanytska took the women's prize with a seven-point performance, particularly impressive because she joined late, missing the first two rounds of the tournament.

Third Tournament: Caruana Continues Big Week

Maghsoodloo tried for a clean sweep of 3 0 Thursdays in the third event of the day. However, he ran out of steam, finding himself on a minus score after seven rounds. He finished well to reach 7/11, but that was only enough for 12th place. Meanwhile, after winning his sixth round of the U.S. Championship earlier in the day, Caruana continued his good form. He won his first four games, including a tactical demolition of GM Jules Moussard in the third round.

In the fifth round Caruana lost to GM Valery Kazakouski, but he recovered by winning his next five games. In the eighth round, IM Renato Terry tried one of his pet openings, the Psudeo-Trompowsky, also called the Levitsky Attack, but Caruana was ready and won a dominant game.

With nine points in his first ten games, Caruana had a full-point lead for first place. He maintained the lead despite a loss to GM Haik Martirosyan. His closest pursuer, GM Jeffery Xiong drew to finish in second place, a half point behind the leader, just ahead of Martirosyan on tiebreaks. WFM Hoang Minh Tho Do claimed the women's prize with six points.