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[imagefield_assist|fid=6789|preset=frontpage_200x200|lightbox=true|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=200|height=200]Saint Louis, September 7, 2010 -- The highest-rated chess player in the country and Saint Louis resident, Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, will take on the world’s top chess player on Friday, September 10 in a unique worldwide event.

[imagefield_assist|fid=6780|preset=frontpage_200x200|lightbox=true|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=200|height=200]Although the Saint Louis Arch Bishops fielded the strongest team in league history Monday night, it was not enough to to the Chicago Blaze as IM Florin Felecan pulled off an upset victory over GM Yury Shulman. 

The draw for Chicago was, in some respects, a victory as the Arch Bishops fielded a dream team on boards 1-3 of GM Hikaru Nuakamura, GM Shulman and GM Ben Finegold..

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[imagefield_assist|fid=6736|preset=frontpage_200x200|lightbox=true|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=200|height=200]BY IM John Donaldson

The FIDE Presidential race between incumbent Kirsan Ilumzhinov and challenger Antaoly Karpov has been attracting most of the media attention to date, but that will likely change as soon as the Chess Olympiad begins on September 21.

The 39th in a series of competitions dating back to London 1927, the 2010 Chess Olympiad will be held in Khanty-Mansiysk in Western Siberia not far from the confluence of the mighty Irtysh and Ob rivers. A rapidly growing oil town and home to a population of 62,000, Khanty Mansiysk may be almost 1,800 miles from Moscow but is well known to the chess world for hosting the 2005, 2007 and 2009 World Cups.

[imagefield_assist|fid=4391|preset=frontpage_200x200|title=|desc=|link=none|origsize=|align=left|width=200|height=200]The Saint Louis Arch Bishops begin their first foray into the U.S. Chess League on Monday, and they're bringing with them some heavy hitters.

GM Yury Shulman will be on board one for the Arch Bishops with GM Ben Finegold and IM Michael Brooks on board's two and three respectively. New Saint Louis resident, GM Hikaru Nakamura will also play for Saint Louis this year, but will not be in town for the first match. The Arch Bishops have the top two highest-rated players in the league in Shulman and Nakamura, both former U.S. Champions. Add Finegold to the mix, and the Arch Bishops have three of the top 16 highest-rated players in the league, making them an instant powerhouse.