Karpov joins Kings' Team

Anatoly Karpov Joins Kings vs. Queens Field

Tournament to coincide with the opening of the World Chess Hall of Fame



SAINT LOUIS, August 11, 2011 -- Former World Champion Grandmaster Anatoly Karpov will join the Kings team in the upcoming Kings vs. Queens tournament, scheduled to be held in Saint Louis September 9-16.



The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis is hosting the tournament to coincide with the grand opening of the World Chess Hall of Fame, which will open to the public on September 9 in Saint Louis. Kings vs. Queens: A Battle of the Sexes will feature some of the top chess players in the world in a 5-on-5 team event.



“The addition of Anatoly Karpov to this already impressive field will only serve to heighten the intensity of this battle,” said Tony Rich, the executive director of the CCSCSL. “It will be an honor to welcome Karpov to the club.”



The Queens field is headlined by the strongest female player in chess history, GM Judit Polgar. US #1 and Rapid specialist GM Hikaru Nakamura will lead the Kings into battle.



The players, including FIDE ratings and the federation each represents, are as follows:



Queens



GM Judit Polgar (2699) - Hungary

GM Kateryna Lahno (2536) - Ukraine

IM Anna Zatonskih (2522) - U.S.

GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2497) - Russia

IM Irina Krush (2486) - U.S.



Kings



GM Hikaru Nakamura (2770) - U.S.

GM Anatoly Karpov (2617) - Russia

GM Ben Finegold (2488) - U.S.

IM Jacek Stopa (2474) - Poland

IM Marc Arnold (2445) - U.S.

The average team rating of the Queens is 2548 FIDE and the King’s average rating is 2559 FIDE. This will be a Scheveningen-paired tournament, in which each of the five team members will play each of the opposing team members twice: once in a Fischer Random (Chess 960) game with a time control of G/25 + 10-second increment and once in a rapid game with a time control of G/25 with a 5-second increment.

The Opening Ceremony for the tournament will take place on September 9, and the first round will begin at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, September 10.

The winning team of the event will win $20,000, divided equally between each member of that team. In addition, individual prizes will be awarded based on final standings and are are as follows:

1st: $5,500

2nd: $5,000

3rd: $4,500

4th: $4,000

5th: $3,500

6th: $3,000

7th: $2,500

8th: $2,000

9th: $1,500

10th: $1,000

Individual prizes total $32,500 and, when coupled with the team prize, the total prize fund for this event is $52,500.

Karpov replaces GM Timur Gareyev on board two for the Kings. IM Martha Fierro of Ecuador will serve as an alternate for the queens.

Chess City of the Year

Saint Louis - Chess City of the Year
Mayor Slay to accept award at U.S. Open Chess Championship in Orlando

ST. LOUIS, August 4, 2011 – The United States Chess Federation (USCF), the governing body of chess in the U.S., will present the award for "Chess City of the Year" to St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay on Saturday, August 6.

This marks the second time St. Louis has won this prestigious award, which recognizes the U.S. city that has done the most to promote and further the game of chess, both locally and nationally. St. Louis also won the award in 2009.

"We wouldn't have gotten this award without the hard work, commitment, and innovation of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis," said Mayor Slay. "The skills one uses playing chess – patience, foresight, and problem-solving – are skills I want to see in our citizens. I'm confident that St. Louis will continue to attract and produce chess champions through the great work of the Chess Club."

St. Louis has become the home of U.S. Championship chess, crowning the U.S. Champion and U.S. Women’s Champion each of the past three years and the U.S. Junior Champion for the past two years. These tournaments, the most prestigious in the nation, all were held at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL), which also has an agreement in place with the USCF to bring the U.S. Championships back to St. Louis next year. The CCSCSL was named “Chess Club of the Year” by the USCF in 2010.

In addition to the promotion of national tournaments, the USCF recognized the CCSCSL’s commitment to implementing chess programming in area schools and community centers.

Alex Vergilesov, the scholastics coordinator at the CCSCSL, said more than 40 schools and organizations have already signed up to implement scholastic programming for the coming school year with many more expressing interest.

“The response to our scholastic programming has been overwhelming,” Vergilesov said. “It’s great to see administrators, parents and teachers recognizing the multitude of benefits that chess has to offer.”

CCSCSL founder Rex Sinquefield also will be honored in Orlando as the recipient of the Gold Koltanowski award, which is given to the person who does the most to further chess in the U.S. each year. This is the third straight year Sinquefield received the award, winning it in 2009 and 2010 as well.

The emergence of St. Louis as a major player in the chess scene attracted the interest of the World Chess Hall of Fame, which is relocating to St. Louis from Miami and will open its doors to the public on September 9, directly across the street from the CCSCSL on Maryland Avenue in the Central West End.

For more information, visit www.uschess.org or www.saintlouischessclub.org.

Chess City of the Year

Saint Louis - Chess City of the Year
Mayor Slay to accept award at U.S. Open Chess Championship in Orlando

ST. LOUIS, August 4, 2011 – The United States Chess Federation (USCF), the governing body of chess in the U.S., will present the award for "Chess City of the Year" to St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay on Saturday, August 6.

This marks the second time St. Louis has won this prestigious award, which recognizes the U.S. city that has done the most to promote and further the game of chess, both locally and nationally. St. Louis also won the award in 2009.

"We wouldn't have gotten this award without the hard work, commitment, and innovation of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis," said Mayor Slay. "The skills one uses playing chess – patience, foresight, and problem-solving – are skills I want to see in our citizens. I'm confident that St. Louis will continue to attract and produce chess champions through the great work of the Chess Club."

St. Louis has become the home of U.S. Championship chess, crowning the U.S. Champion and U.S. Women’s Champion each of the past three years and the U.S. Junior Champion for the past two years. These tournaments, the most prestigious in the nation, all were held at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL), which also has an agreement in place with the USCF to bring the U.S. Championships back to St. Louis next year. The CCSCSL was named “Chess Club of the Year” by the USCF in 2010.

In addition to the promotion of national tournaments, the USCF recognized the CCSCSL’s commitment to implementing chess programming in area schools and community centers.

Alex Vergilesov, the scholastics coordinator at the CCSCSL, said more than 40 schools and organizations have already signed up to implement scholastic programming for the coming school year with many more expressing interest.

“The response to our scholastic programming has been overwhelming,” Vergilesov said. “It’s great to see administrators, parents and teachers recognizing the multitude of benefits that chess has to offer.”

CCSCSL founder Rex Sinquefield also will be honored in Orlando as the recipient of the Gold Koltanowski award, which is given to the person who does the most to further chess in the U.S. each year. This is the third straight year Sinquefield received the award, winning it in 2009 and 2010 as well.

The emergence of St. Louis as a major player in the chess scene attracted the interest of the World Chess Hall of Fame, which is relocating to St. Louis from Miami and will open its doors to the public on September 9, directly across the street from the CCSCSL on Maryland Avenue in the Central West End.

For more information, visit www.uschess.org or www.saintlouischessclub.org.

Nakamura, Polgar Headline Kings vs. Queens Battle

For more information, please contact:
Mike Wilmering
Communications Specialist
Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis

Nakamura, Polgar Headline Kings vs. Queens Battle

SAINT LOUIS, July 25, 2011 -- The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis will host a special tournament to coincide with the grand opening of the World Chess Hall of Fame, which is set to open to the public on September 9 in Saint Louis. Kings vs. Queens: A Battle of the Sexes will feature some of the top chess players in the world in a 5-on-5 team event, which will take place September 9-16.

The Queens field is headlined by the strongest female player in chess history, GM Judit Polgar. US #1 and Rapid specialist GM Hikaru Nakamura will lead the Kings into battle.

The players, including FIDE ratings and the federation each represents, are as follows:

Queens

GM Judit Polgar (2699) - Hungary
GM Kateryna Lahno (2536) - Ukraine
IM Anna Zatonskih (2522) - U.S.
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2497) - Russia
IM Irina Krush (2486) - U.S.

Kings

GM Hikaru Nakamura (2770) - U.S.
GM Timur Gareyev (2613) - Uzbekistan
GM Ben Finegold (2488) - U.S.
IM Jacek Stopa (2474) - Poland
IM Marc Arnold (2445) - U.S.

The average team rating of the Queens is 2548 FIDE and the King’s average rating is 2558 FIDE. This will be a Scheveningen-paired tournament, in which each of the five team members will play each of the opposing team members twice: once in a Fischer Random (Chess 960) game with a time control of G/25 + 10-second increment and once in a rapid game with a time control of G/25 with a 5-second increment.

Tony Rich, executive director of the CCSCSL, said it was only fitting to bring out the world’s best for the grand opening of the World Chess Hall of Fame.

“This tournament, the first of its kind, creates an even playing field for the top men and women in chess to do battle,” Rich said. “The format is fitting for the celebratory environment surrounding the opening of the Hall of Fame, and we’re happy to put on a unique event that will be enjoyable for spectators.”

The Opening Ceremony for the tournament will take place on September 9, and the first round will begin at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, September 10.

The winning team of the event will win $20,000, divided equally between each member of that team. In addition, individual prizes will be awarded based on final standings and are are as follows:

1st: $5,500
2nd: $5,000
3rd: $4,500
4th: $4,000
5th: $3,500
6th: $3,000
7th: $2,500
8th: $2,000
9th: $1,500
10th: $1,000

Individual prizes total $32,500 and, when coupled with the team prize, the total prize fund for this event is $52,500.

GM Yasser Seirawan and WGM Jennifer Shahade will provide live commentary of the event, which will be open to the public. The event also will be broadcast live via the CCSCSL’s Livestream web channel: www.livesteam.com/uschess.

Visit www.saintlouischessclub.org for more information

Nakamura, Polgar Headline Kings vs. Queens Battle

For more information, please contact:
Mike Wilmering
Communications Specialist
Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis

Nakamura, Polgar Headline Kings vs. Queens Battle

SAINT LOUIS, July 25, 2011 -- The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis will host a special tournament to coincide with the grand opening of the World Chess Hall of Fame, which is set to open to the public on September 9 in Saint Louis. Kings vs. Queens: A Battle of the Sexes will feature some of the top chess players in the world in a 5-on-5 team event, which will take place September 9-16.

The Queens field is headlined by the strongest female player in chess history, GM Judit Polgar. US #1 and Rapid specialist GM Hikaru Nakamura will lead the Kings into battle.

The players, including FIDE ratings and the federation each represents, are as follows:

Queens

GM Judit Polgar (2699) - Hungary
GM Kateryna Lahno (2536) - Ukraine
IM Anna Zatonskih (2522) - U.S.
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (2497) - Russia
IM Irina Krush (2486) - U.S.

Kings

GM Hikaru Nakamura (2770) - U.S.
GM Timur Gareyev (2613) - Uzbekistan
GM Ben Finegold (2488) - U.S.
IM Jacek Stopa (2474) - Poland
IM Marc Arnold (2445) - U.S.

The average team rating of the Queens is 2548 FIDE and the King’s average rating is 2558 FIDE. This will be a Scheveningen-paired tournament, in which each of the five team members will play each of the opposing team members twice: once in a Fischer Random (Chess 960) game with a time control of G/25 + 10-second increment and once in a rapid game with a time control of G/25 with a 5-second increment.

Tony Rich, executive director of the CCSCSL, said it was only fitting to bring out the world’s best for the grand opening of the World Chess Hall of Fame.

“This tournament, the first of its kind, creates an even playing field for the top men and women in chess to do battle,” Rich said. “The format is fitting for the celebratory environment surrounding the opening of the Hall of Fame, and we’re happy to put on a unique event that will be enjoyable for spectators.”

The Opening Ceremony for the tournament will take place on September 9, and the first round will begin at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday, September 10.

The winning team of the event will win $20,000, divided equally between each member of that team. In addition, individual prizes will be awarded based on final standings and are are as follows:

1st: $5,500
2nd: $5,000
3rd: $4,500
4th: $4,000
5th: $3,500
6th: $3,000
7th: $2,500
8th: $2,000
9th: $1,500
10th: $1,000

Individual prizes total $32,500 and, when coupled with the team prize, the total prize fund for this event is $52,500.

GM Yasser Seirawan and WGM Jennifer Shahade will provide live commentary of the event, which will be open to the public. The event also will be broadcast live via the CCSCSL’s Livestream web channel: www.livesteam.com/uschess.

Visit www.saintlouischessclub.org for more information