2012 U.S. Championships News
For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Buffington
Marketing & Event Manager(314) 277-3930
rbuffington@saintlouischessclub.org
Saint Louis Chess Club to Host Champions Showdown Chess 9LX
Exhibition matches feature eight chess champions including legendary World Champion Garry Kasparov and the top four U.S. players
SAINT LOUIS, August 19, 2019 – The Saint Louis Chess Club will bring eight of the top chess players in the world, including legendary world champion Garry Kasparov and 2018 World Chess Championship contender Fabiano Caruana, to play in the Champions Showdown this September 2-5. The matches will be played in Chess 960 style, also known as Fischer Random, with a $200,000 prize purse. The competition will include six rapid games and fourteen blitz games over the four days of play.
“Bringing Chess 9LX back to Saint Louis is another opportunity to build upon the incredible foundation of the sport’s resurgence in the world,” said Garry Kasparov.
Fischer Random is a variant of chess created by Bobby Fischer in the late 1990s in which the pieces on the home rank are randomized, with 960 representing the number of possible starting positions. Players will not know the order of the home rank pieces until they arrive before the start of the round and will have to rely on their creativity in rapid and blitz games.
This year’s marquee matchup features the legendary Garry Kasparov facing off against last year’s challenger for the World Chess Championship and U.S. No. 1 Fabiano Caruana. Additional matches include Hikaru Nakamura, 2019 U.S. Chess Champion facing off against the 2019 Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz winner, Levon Aronian; Wesley So, the 2016 Grand Chess Tour winner vs. former World Chess Champion Veselin Topalov and Leinier Dominguez, a recent Saint Louis transplant vs. eight-time Russian Champion, Peter Svidler.
|
Player Matchups |
||||
|
Player |
URS Rating |
Player |
URS Rating |
|
|
Fabiano Caruana |
2794 |
vs. |
Garry Kasparov |
2685 |
|
Wesley So |
2782 |
vs. |
Veselin Topalov |
2728 |
|
Leinier Dominguez |
2755 |
vs. |
Peter Svidler |
2742 |
|
Hikaru Nakamura |
2798 |
vs. |
Levon Aronian |
2778 |
Ratings as of August 2019
“The unknown setup of each day’s matches creates the most ‘think-on-your-feet’ environment within the realm of professional chess,” said Tony Rich, executive director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “We’re likely to see these players implement unfamiliar strategies and test their abilities like never before. The nontraditional format of high-intensity rapid and blitz intervals is enough to draw in casual sports fans, because even on their best day, a legend can falter.”
Players will draw for position each day at 12 p.m. CT and have the opportunity to strategize and prepare amongst their peers with games beginning at 1 p.m. from September 2-5 at the Saint Louis Chess Club. All of the matches along with the player’s daily 1 hour preparation will be broadcast live on uschesschamps.com and the Saint Louis Chess Club YouTube channel.
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
###
For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Buffington
Marketing & Event Manager(314) 277-3930
rbuffington@saintlouischessclub.org
2019 U.S. Junior, U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Senior Champions Crowned in Saint Louis
Awonder Liang and Carissa Yip emerge victorious in U.S. Junior and U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships, while Alex Shabalov becomes first-ever U.S. Senior Champion
SAINT LOUIS (July 22, 2019) – The national junior and senior chess championships have concluded in Saint Louis, the nation’s Chess Capital, with 16-year-old Awonder Liang taking home the U.S. Junior Championship, another 16-year-old, Carissa Yip, winning the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship and U.S. Chess Hall-of-Famer Alex Shabalov beating out a field that included four other hall-of-famers to be crowned the first-ever U.S. Senior Champion.
Both the U.S. Junior and U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships have been mainstay events at the Saint Louis Chess Club for some time now, with this being the tenth and third year for each tournament respectively. 2019 marked the debut of the U.S. Senior Championship, which featured the top 10 players in the United States over 50 years old, including five U.S. Chess Hall of Famers. All three tournaments ran concurrently from July 10-20, 2019 and were broadcast live on www.uschesschamps.com.
These events marked a unique moment in bringing together the past and the future of chess for a celebration of the best in each age bracket, and with more than $80,000 in prizes on the line, both the prodigies and the legends brought their best. “To have these events bring in this caliber of talent indicates that American chess is in good hands,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “We started something special this year with the U.S. Senior Championships, and to have those legends play alongside these future stars in the juniors is unique and powerful.”
This victory marked the third consecutive U.S. Junior Chess Championship for Liang, who qualified again for the U.S. Chess Championship next year by doing so. This victory didn’t come easy, as a draw against Andrew Tang on the final day of competition forced a playoff between Liang and Nicolas Checa, which Liang won 2-0. “It’s a great feeling to know that I’m going back to the U.S. Chess Championship next year,” Liang said. “That field gets stronger every year, so having a chance to play among the best is only going to help me moving forward.”
Carissa Yip’s victory at the U.S. Girls’ Junior Chess Championship was her second in a row, and as the youngest-ever chess player to reach the title of Expert, it’s clear that she has a bright future ahead. With an invitation in-hand to next year’s U.S. Women’s Championship, she’s looking to make an even bigger splash next time around. “I’m already looking forward to 2020 and playing in the U.S. Women’s Championship,” Yip said. “There are so many talented women here in the U.S., and I feel like I made great progress here that will hopefully carry over to a bigger tournament.”
For Alex Shabalov, the U.S. Senior Championship was a great opportunity to not only reminisce, but keep his game fresh among the best players age 50 and above in the U.S. “This was a great tournament for everyone involved, and I hope they keep it going in 2020 and beyond,” he said. “It’s also amazing seeing the future of the sport play alongside us here.”
Next month, the Saint Louis Chess Club with host two more elite tournaments, the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and the Sinquefield Cup. Each will feature ten of the world’s best players, including defending World Champion Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Championship runner-up Fabiano Caruana and 2019 U.S. Chess Champion Hikaru Nakamura.
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
###
For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Buffington
Marketing & Event Manager
(314) 277-3930
rbuffington@saintlouischessclub.org
Saint Louis Chess Club to Host Legends and Prodigies of American Chess in Upcoming National Championships
2019 U.S. Junior, Girls’ Junior, and first-ever U.S. Senior Championship running from July 10-20
SAINT LOUIS (June 10, 2019) – This summer marks a hallmark first for Saint Louis, America’s Chess Capital, as the Saint Louis Chess Club will host national championships showcasing the best of American junior and senior chess. For the first time-ever, the U.S. Senior Championship - an invitation-only tournament for the top 10 players in the United States over 50 years old - will run simultaneously with the U.S. Junior and U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships from July 10-20, 2019.
“One of the best aspects of chess is that it’s truly a game for life,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “There is no better example of this than the incredible chess that will be witnessed from July 10-20 at the U.S. Junior, U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Senior Championship. We’ve been proud to host the future of chess annually with the U.S. Junior and U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship for the past 10 years, but the addition of the U.S. Senior Championship makes this year even more special.”
The three 10-player fields in the coming championships will tie together chess past and future for a celebration of the best of chess. Please see below for notable storylines on the U.S. Junior Championship and U.S. Girls’ Junior Championships, as well as the U.S. Senior Championship:
-
U.S. Junior & U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship
All eyes will be on 17-year-old Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Yu, who made history as the first teenager to win the U.S. Women’s Championship in nearly 20 years this March with a dominating 10/11 score. Yu will be competing for her share of the $20,000 prize fund against all male opponents in the U.S. Junior Championship, as well as the coveted qualifier spot to the 2019 U.S. Chess Championship. Alongside her in the field will be other talented juniors, including previous U.S. Junior Champion Awonder Liang.
-
U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship
The future of women’s chess in America is bright and will be on full display during the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. Headlining players include WIM Maggie Feng, WIM Emily Nguyen, and defending champion WIM Carissa Yip, whose electric strategies and tactics put them among the brightest young minds in the game. Along with winning the title, players will be up for the chance to win a piece of the more than $10,000 prize fund.
-
U.S. Senior Championship
The first-ever U.S. Chess-backed invitational championship for players over 50 years old, the annual U.S. Senior Championship will be aptly hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club alongside the country’s other national chess championships. The inaugural field will boast legendary chess players, including five U.S. Chess Hall of Fame inductees: Alex Shabalov, Larry Christiansen, Joel Benjamin, Gregory Kaidanov and Alex Yermolinsky.
Covering all the action will be the expert commentary team of WGM Tatev Abrahamyan, GM Robert Hess, and GM Jesse Kraai. The team will be providing game analysis daily via an online broadcast stream starting at 1 p.m. To tune in for the broadcast or for more information, visit www.uschesschamps.com.
|
U.S. Junior Championship Field |
|||
|
Name |
Invitational Rating* |
Qualification |
Hometown |
|
GM Awonder Liang |
2683 |
2018 U.S. Junior Champion |
Madison, WI |
|
GM John Michael Burke |
2649 |
Rating |
Brick, NJ |
|
GM Nicolas Checa |
2617 |
Rating |
Dobbs Ferry, NY |
|
GM Andrew Tang |
2601 |
Rating |
Plymouth, MN |
|
IM Brandon Jacobson |
2578 |
Rating |
Westfield, NJ |
|
IM Joshua Sheng |
2577 |
Rating |
Santa Monica, CA |
|
IM Hans Niemann |
2549 |
Rating |
Weston, CT |
|
IM Craig Hilby |
2527 |
Rating |
Irvine, CA |
|
WGM Jennifer Yu |
2405 |
Wildcard |
Ashburn, VA |
|
NM Atulya Vaidya |
2299 |
2018 U.S. Junior Open Champion |
Plano, TX |
|
U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship Field |
|||
|
Name |
Invitational Rating* |
Qualification |
Hometown |
|
WIM Carissa Yip |
2389 |
2018 U.S. Girls’ Junior Champion |
Andover, MA |
|
WIM Maggie Feng |
2339 |
Rating |
Dublin, OH |
|
WIM Emily Nguyen |
2334 |
Rating |
Austin, TX |
|
WCM Rochelle Wu |
2278 |
Rating |
Davis, CA |
|
WIM Thalia Cervantes |
2275 |
Rating |
St. Louis, MO |
|
WFM Martha Samadashvili |
2226 |
Rating |
Albany, NY |
|
WIM Agata Bykovtsev |
2215 |
Rating |
Goleta, CA |
|
Rui Yang Yan |
2201 |
Rating |
Mountain View, CA |
|
Rachael Li |
2122 |
Wildcard |
Plano, TX |
|
Veronika Zilajeva |
2072 |
2018 Girls TOC |
Los Angeles, CA |
|
U.S. Senior Championship Field |
|||
|
Name |
Invitational Rating* |
Qualification |
Hometown |
|
GM Alex Shabalov** |
2582 |
Rating |
Pittsburgh, PA |
|
GM Larry Christiansen** |
2578 |
Rating |
Cambridge, MA |
|
GM Joel Benjamin** |
2572 |
Rating |
Waldwick, NJ |
|
GM Igor Novikov |
2568 |
Rating |
Lexington, KY |
|
GM Gregory Kaidanov** |
2566 |
Rating |
Lexington, KY |
|
GM Alex Goldin |
2554 |
Rating |
Barrington, IL |
|
GM Alex Yermolinsky** |
2550 |
Rating |
Sioux Falls, SD |
|
GM Jaan Ehlvest |
2544 |
Rating |
Nashville, TN |
|
GM Maxim Dlugy |
2538 |
Wildcard |
New York, NY |
|
GM Alexander Fishbein |
2525 |
2018 Senior TOC Champion |
Summit, NJ |
* Invitational ratings are calculated and certified by the USCF.
** Denotes U.S. Chess Hall of Fame members playing in inaugural U.S. Senior Championship at the Saint Louis Chess Club.
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
###
For more information, please contact:
Kiley Herndon
Marketing Communications Associate
(314) 309-0799
kherndon@saintlouischessclub.org
2019 U.S. Chess Champions: Teenage Talent Wins U.S. Women’s Championship While Veteran Nakamura Claims Fifth U.S. Championship Title
The Nation’s Most Elite, Invitation-Only Chess Tournament Concludes at Saint Louis Chess Club with Worthy Champions
SAINT LOUIS (April 2, 2019) – 24 of America’s best chess players gathered in Saint Louis, America’s Chess Capital, at the Saint Louis Chess Club for the 2019 U.S. & U.S. Women’s Chess Championships held from March 18–April 1, 2019. 17-year-old Jennifer Yu was crowned 2019 U.S. Women’s Champion with a round to spare, finishing with an incredible 10/11 score. Hikaru Nakamura claimed the 2019 U.S. Chess Championship, his fifth national title, with a victory in the final round to finish a half point ahead of super Grandmasters Fabiano Caruana and Leinier Dominguez.
The U.S. Championship field proved to be a stiff test for Nakamura, with five of the twelve players rated above 2700. Nakamura led for the duration of the tournament, but Caruana and Dominguez caught up in the second half, making the final round tense with excitement. Caruana’s game ended first with a draw against the 2018 U.S. Champion Sam Shankland; Dominguez, though dominating throughout the game, was only able to draw against Timur Gareev, while Nakamura won in fine style against Jeffery Xiong to clinch his fifth title and the $50,000 first place prize. The U.S. Championship win is Nakamura’s first since 2015.
“I think this [U.S. Championship] was really difficult because I had so many games that I felt were must-wins, and I found a way to win every single one of them,” said Nakamura after his win. “I was trying to be freer and enjoy it instead of worrying about what could go wrong.”
In the women’s section, the battle for second and third place exchanged hands throughout the tournament, and Tatev Abrahamyan and Anna Zatonskih ended the tournament tied for second and earned $15,500 each for their efforts. Tatev inched Zatonskih out on tiebreaks, earning the second of two qualifier invitations to the Women’s World Championship knockout.
The sensational story from the event was teenage champion Jennifer Yu, who dominated with an impressive 10 out of 11 points, beating top players like 4-time U.S. Women’s Champion Anna Zatonskih in the penultimate round to seal the victory. Yu claimed the $25,000 first place prize and nearly won an additional $64,000 thanks to the Bobby Fischer bonus prize, an elusive award for players who win all 11 rounds.
“I never imagined I would win this,” said a smiling Jennifer Yu in her post-victory interview. “The best part of winning [the U.S. Women’s Championship] is knowing that I can. Hopefully, I still have more to come.”
The competitors also received a special visit during the final weekend from Tani Adewumi, the eight-year-old Nigerian refugee who won his age group at the New York State Chess Championship in March. Tani, whose story captivated the country and led to a GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $250,000, arrived in Saint Louis with his family and coaches on Friday night. He spent Saturday making the ceremonial first move in the matchup between Nakamura and Dominguez, sitting down for an interview with Maurice Ashley during the tenth round and joining Grandmaster Cristian Chirila for a Count’s Corner segment. Moving forward, proceeds from the GoFundMe will benefit the Tanitoluwa Adewumi Foundation, which will help other refugees working to immigrate to the U.S.
Next up on the slate of national championships, the Saint Louis Chess Club will host the U.S. Junior Championship and U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship in Saint Louis this July. The field will feature several of the competitors seen at the 2019 U.S. Championships. Additionally, the U.S. Senior Championships will run simultaneously at the Saint Louis Chess Club for the first-time ever.
For more information on the 2019 U.S. Championships or upcoming championship events, visit www.uschesschamps.com.
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
###
For more information, please contact:
Kiley Herndon
(314) 309-0799
kherndon@saintlouischessclub.org
For Immediate Release
2019 U.S. and U.S. Women’s Chess Championships Fields Announced
The Saint Louis Chess Club Hosts Nation’s Top Chess Talent March 18 - April 1
SAINT LOUIS (March 5, 2019) – The Saint Louis Chess Club will once again host America’s best at the U.S. Chess Championship and U.S. Women’s Chess Championship. The fields are confirmed and fans are sure to see great battles on the chessboard March 18 through April 1, 2019.
“Year after year, the U.S. and U.S. Women’s Chess Championships serve as an ultimate goal and dream destination for elite chess players in this country,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “And year after year, the drama that unfolds in this tournament provides inspiration for chess players in the United States and worldwide. We look forward to hosting our nation’s chess championships for the 11th consecutive year and showcasing the best of our sport.”
“The U.S. and U.S. Women’s Championships represent the best of American chess during the two-week event,” added Carol Meyer, US Chess Executive Director. “The Championships will showcase the deep chess talent pool within the United States and will provide for daily battles that will be history-making.”
The 2019 U.S. Championships will be streamed live daily on www.uschesschamps.com, featuring play-by-play and analysis from the world-renowned commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Maurice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade. Spectators may view the action live in the tournament hall and enjoy additional grandmaster-led commentary at Kingside Diner. Additional event, ticketing, and hotel information may be found at www.uschesschamps.com.
2019 U.S. Chess Championship Field
|
Title |
First |
Last |
Invitational Rating* |
Qualification Method |
|
GM |
Fabiano |
Caruana |
2872 |
Rating |
|
GM |
Wesley |
So |
2810 |
Rating |
|
GM |
Hikaru |
Nakamura |
2797 |
Rating |
|
GM |
Sam |
Shankland |
2767 |
U.S. Champion |
|
GM |
Leinier |
Dominguez |
2741 |
Rating |
|
GM |
Jeffery |
Xiong |
2717 |
Rating |
|
GM |
Ray |
Robson |
2710 |
Rating |
|
GM |
Sam |
Sevian |
2692 |
Rating |
|
GM |
Varuzhan |
Akobian |
2684 |
Wildcard |
|
GM |
Alex |
Lenderman |
2679 |
Rating |
|
GM |
Awonder |
Liang |
2636 |
U.S. Junior Champion |
|
GM |
Timur |
Gareev |
2627 |
U.S. Open Champion |
2019 U.S. Women's Chess Championship Field
|
Title |
First |
Last |
Invitational Rating* |
Qualification Method |
|
GM |
Irina |
Krush |
2487 |
Rating |
|
IM |
Anna |
Zatonskih |
2465 |
Rating |
|
WGM |
Tatev |
Abrahamyan |
2421 |
Rating |
|
WGM |
Jennifer |
Yu |
2378 |
Rating |
|
WIM |
Carissa |
Yip |
2352 |
U.S. Girls’ Junior Champion |
|
WIM |
Annie |
Wang |
2343 |
Rating |
|
WIM |
Akshita |
Gorti |
2335 |
Rating |
|
WGM |
Sabina |
Foisor |
2334 |
Rating |
|
WGM |
Anna |
Sharevich |
2319 |
Rating |
|
WIM |
Emily |
Nguyen |
2303 |
Rating |
|
WIM |
Maggie |
Feng |
2290 |
Wildcard |
|
WIM |
Ashritha |
Eswaran |
2256 |
Wildcard |
*Invitational ratings are calculated based on the January US Chess rating supplement, with bonuses for being at or near peak rating and penalties for inactivity.
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
###
For more information, contact:
Kiley Herndon
Phone: (314) 309-0799
kherndon@saintlouischessclub.org
Five Unique Matchups Showcase Elite Chess Talent at the Saint Louis Chess Club
American Kings of the Game and International Opponents Battle in Rapid and Blitz Chess
SAINT LOUIS, MO, February 26, 2018 – Over five days of electric rapid and blitz chess play, ten kings showed their tenacity and fighting spirit, even in games after the matches were decided. During the event, each player faced the same opponent in head-to-head matches. In the end, Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Veselin Topalov, and Richard Rapport won their matches against Pentala Harikrishna, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, David Navara, Leinier Dominguez, and Sam Shankland, respectively.
The tournament was comprised of the top five American players who then got to choose their international opponents for 12 rapid and 24 blitz games. The first match to be decided was Caruana versus Harikrishna; going into the fifth day, Caruana had already clinched the match but his remaining games were nothing short of thrilling, including an unexpected resignation by Caruana in a winning position. Their games, like many of the other players’, were exciting for fans who got to see unique styles clash in epic proportions at the Saint Louis Chess Club February 20-24, 2019.
When asked in an interview about what the city of Saint Louis means to the international chess scene, Caruana explained, “With each year it becomes more and more prominent. The Grand Chess Tour is expanding and there is so many more international events bringing players from all over the world. Saint Louis has become, for sure, the capital of chess in the world.”
Each day of play was called by the expert commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, WGM Jennifer Shahade, and GM Maurice Ashley on uschesschamps.com. The commentators expressed how exciting it is calling these exhibition matches and asked players too about their feelings for these types of events. GM Wesley So’s opponent GM David Navara reflected on his invitation to the tournament saying, “It is quite a nice event and I’m very happy that I was invited to play here. It was quite interesting.”
The Saint Louis Chess Club’s busy schedule will include the U.S. & U.S. Women’s Chess Championships which start on March 18, 2019. The tournament will include all five kings from the Champions Showdown, as well as seven other U.S. players, along with 12 female players competing in the U.S. Women’s Chess Championship. All games will be streamed live on uschesschamps.com.
###
About The Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.