Blog
On Chess: The Kings Converge On Saint Louis
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This story was originally published on stlpublicradio.org on April 30.
By Brian Jerauld
In chess, conquering the center is a strategy nearly as old as the game itself.
It is a building block, a foundation, with centuries of theory backing the blueprint. American legend Bobby Fischer opened all but one of his myriad games by instantly striking into the center with 1. e4, famously referring to the first move as “best, by test.”
Lecture with Sam Shankland: Sun., May 4
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GM Sam Shankland has agreed to divulge all his secrets just days before he competes in the U.S. Championship!
Sam will present a special lecture at Lester's Restaurant tomorrow on Sunday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m. called Attacking a Color Complex.
New Champions Check Russia's Hegemony in Chess
Now India and Norway have powerhouse players, and in the United States, St. Louis is turning into a hotbed.
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By Yasser Seirawan
SAINT LOUIS, April 27, 2014 -- While he has taken over Crimea with relative ease, Vladimir Putin is presiding over the loss of an asset no doubt far dearer to the Russian people: hegemony in chess. To see the evidence, drop by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis any Sunday afternoon—if you can squeeze in, that is.
Four GMs, One NM Top Bill Wright Saint Louis Open
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By Brian Jerauld
Finally, the weather warmed and the sun said hello - but there were no walks in the park in Saint Louis last weekend.
On Chess: St. Louis Flexes Its Chess Muscle
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By Brian Jerauld
This article was originally published on stlpublicradio.org on April 23.
For six years, St. Louis has been steadily pumping its proverbial chess muscle.
There is, perhaps, no better way to gauge the strength of the city than to count the number of tough guys around here. The Chess Club and Scholastic Center opened in 2008 as a hopeful magnet to the game, and a year later GM Ben Finegold rode into town as the city’s very first Grandmaster. Today, backed by the murderer’s row of the Webster University collegiate team - including 2014 U.S. Championship-hopeful GM Ray Robson - St. Louis is home to 11 Grandmasters.
Classes Suspended, Special Lectures, FAQs at Lester's
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By CCSCSL Staff
Starting this Thursday, April 24, all classes will be cancelled. The U.S. Championships require us to repurpose a lot of our space, and it is difficult to host our regularly scheduled programming. However, we will present a very speicial lecture on Thursday featuring GM Konstantin Landa.
World, U.S. Chess Halls of Fame 2014 Inductions
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April 23, 2014 (Saint Louis, MO) – Four exceptional chess players will take their places in history when two are inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame and two into U.S. Chess Hall of Fame during a ceremony on May 7.
On Chess: Millionaire Chess Ups The Ante In Vegas
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By Brian Jerauld
This article was originally published on stlpublicradio.org on April 16.
Maurice Ashley is sleeping just fine these days.
The International Grandmaster is about to put a million dollars down in Las Vegas -- and he might have the best odds in the house.
Field, Commentators Set for U.S. Championships
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SAINT LOUIS, April 14, 2014 -- Next month, the top chess players in the country will meet in Saint Louis to compete for the tile of U.S. Champion and U.S. Women’s Champion.
The fields are set for both the 2014 U.S. Championship and 2014 U.S. Women’s Championship, scheduled to be held simultaneously May 7 through May 20 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL).
Ashritha Eswaran, 13, received the final wildcard invitation to the U.S. Women’s Championship to round out the fields.
This marks the sixth consecutive year that each of these prestigious events will be held in Saint Louis. The opening ceremony takes place on May 7, and the first round for both events will kick off at 1 p.m. Central on May 8.
