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The heat is on, and Saint Louis is just getting warmed up.

In May, Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura is set to return to Saint Louis to defend his title at this year's 2010 U.S. Chess Championship, but first he'll stop by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL) for a tune-up at the Bill Wright Saint Louis Open.

The Bill Wright Saint Louis Open, held at the CCSCSL this weekend, April 10-11, features a $5,700 prize fund and some of the top players in the country.

[imagefield_assist|fid=3556|preset=frontpage_200x200|lightbox=true|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=200|height=200]Happy Easter everyone!

I have not blogged in a while, as I am still recovering from my long trek. I was =2nd in Lubbock, Tx and =1st in Skokie, Il, and was able to score 6 wins and 12 draws (with no losses!) in 13 days, with no rest!  Luckily, I was able to workout on the treadmill in Skokie, and walk a lot in Lubbock to keep fit as well as staying on the straight and naarrow food-wise. I have lost 27 pounds thus far this year, and have about 100 more to go!

[imagefield_assist|fid=3547|preset=frontpage_200x200|lightbox=true|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=200|height=200]It's been an interesting two weeks, but the tournaments are over, and it is time to "wrap it up."

I drew quickly yesterday with IM Angelo Young, and Mackenzie Molner was able to hold a draw against GM Mesgen Amanov, so we tied for first place, and Molner earned his first GM norm!  Molner played the five highest rated players in the event, in rating order, in the final five rounds --- all GMs!  An amazing performance.

[imagefield_assist|fid=3544|preset=frontpage_200x200|lightbox=true|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=200|height=200]SAINT LOUIS, March 23, 2010 -- Grandmaster Maurice Ashley, the first African-American GM in the history of chess, will provide expert analysis and commentary at the 2010 U.S. Chess Championship, set for the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis May 13-25. Ashley was featured on ESPN in 1996 when he provided commentary for the Man vs. Machine match (Garry Kasparov vs. IBM's super-computer Deep Blue) and again in 1997 for the Kasparov vs. Deep Blue rematch. Ashley earned the title of grandmaster in 1999. He and WGM Jennifer Shahade will provide in-depth commentary throughout the 2010 U.S. Chess Championship.