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Jack Naudi, Slay & Associates
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ST. LOUIS, August 20, 2009 -- Gregory Shahade figures things couldn't have gone much better for the 10th U.S. Chess School, an intensive camp for the nation's top young players held Aug. 11-15 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.
"The students were great. We go from 9 to 6 each day, and at the end of the day they still have plenty of energy," said Shahade, the founder and president of the Chess School.
The 10th Chess School differed from the previous nine because all eight students were female. They ranged in age from 12 to 19. It was an experiment that initially had Shahade concerned. "I wasn't sure about the symbolism" in separating one gender from the other.
But it worked out well, he said. The students got along and several became good friends.
The classes, led primarily by grandmaster Gregory Kaidanov, also were somewhat different in tone, Shahade said, than the usual mixed-gender camps. "The boys get more excitable," he said.
Shahade already has sites lined up for the next three Chess Schools, which take place through 2010. After that, he wouldn't mind returning to Saint Louis.
"I feel like a broken record. It's the nicest chess club I've been to," he said. "The neighborhood is great. The staff is great. Everything is great."
Tony Rich, executive director of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center, said it was a pleasure to host the school.
"Part of our mission is to help make chess more accessible to everyone, and to build interest in chess among young people. The Chess School certainly complements that mission. And to see these girls and young women actively learning a game they love was inspiring," Rich said.
Shahade started the Chess School in 2006 to provide an outlet for top young players to improve their game. The school is free.
The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis is a not-for-profit, 501(c)3 organization that opened in July 2008. Founded by retired investment fund manager Rex Sinquefield, it has more than 500 members. The club, which Steve Goldberg of United States Chess Federation (USCF) Online calls "certainly one of the most impressive chess centers" in the country, offers free classes for beginners, discounted tournament entry fees and discounted merchandise for club members. The Chess Club will host the U.S. Women's Chess Championship October 3-13, featuring 10 of the top women players in the country. For more information, please visit www.saintlouischessclub.org or call 314-361-CHESS.
