[imagefield_assist|fid=17274|preset=fullsize|lightbox=true|title=GM Gata Kamsky and GM Irina Krush each will look to defend his and her respective titles at the 2014 U.S. Championships in Saint Louis.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=638|height=397]
SAINT LOUIS, January 15, 2014 -- The best chess players in the U.S. will gather in Saint Louis once again to fight for the title of U.S. Champion and U.S. Women’s Champion.
For the sixth consecutive year Saint Louis will host the top chess tournaments in the nation.
GM Gata Kamsky will defend his title at the 2014 U.S. Championship while recently anointed Grandmaster Irina Krush will look for her sixth title at the 2014 U.S. Women’s Championship. The events will be held simultaneously May 7 through May 21 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL).
The U.S. Junior Closed Championship also will be held in Saint Louis once again from June 20 through July 3. This marks the fifth consecutive year the CCSCSL has hosted the top event in the nation for players under the age of 20.
Tony Rich, executive director of the CCSCSL, said he is excited to continue the long-standing and growing tradition of U.S. Championship chess in Saint Louis.
“Since 2009, we’ve worked to raise the prominence and profile of the U.S. Championships,” Rich said. ”We’re honored the U.S. Chess Federation once again awarded these prestigious events to Saint Louis, and we hope our U.S. Champions will continue to serve as role models for young chess players across the country.”
These three events are the most prominent invitational tournaments in the nation, and the players will be competing for more than a quarter of a million dollars in prize money.
2014 U.S. Championship
- Dates: May 7-21, 2014
- Format: 12-player Round Robin
- Prize Fund: $171,000 plus $64k Fischer Bonus (breakdown to be published soon)
- Invitations:
- 2013 U.S. Champion: Gata Kamsky
- 2013 U.S. Junior Closed Champion: Daniel Naroditsky
- 2013 U.S. Open Champion: Josh Friedel
- (1) - Wildcard (TBD)
- (8) - Rating (TBD - March supplement)
2014 U.S. Women's Championship
- Dates: May 7-21, 2014
- Format: 10-player Round Robin
- Prize Fund: $65,000 (breakdown to be published soon)
- Invitations:
- 2013 U.S. Women's Champion: Irina Krush
- (2) - Wildcard (TBD)
- (7) - Rating (TBD - March supplement)
2014 U.S. Junior Closed Championship
- Dates: June 20 - July 1, 2014
- Format: 10-player Round Robin
- Prize Fund: $10,000 (breakdown to be announced soon)
- Invitations:
- 2013 U.S. Junior Closed Champion: Daniel Naroditsky
- 2013 U.S. Junior Open Champion (Justus Williams)
- (2) - Wildcard (TBD)
- (6) - Rating (TBD - April rating supplement)
For the U.S. Championship, the CCSCSL once again will sponsor the “$64K Fischer Prize,” to be awarded to anyone that scores a perfect 11-0, in honor of Bobby Fischer’s similar accomplishment at the 1963-64 U.S. Championship.
Check www.uschesschamps.com for the latest updates, info about past U.S. Championships and news about the top players in the U.S.
