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Criteria for 2010 Women's and Junior Closed Championships set

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The rating supplements and criteria used to determine the players who will be selected by rating for the 2010 U.S. Women's Championship and 2010 U.S. Junior Closed Championship have been set.

The May 2010 supplement of the USCF's rating list will be used to determine the seven players who will be selected by rating for the 2010 U.S. Women's Championship.

For the 2010 U.S. Junior Closed Championship, only the top players under 20 as of Jan. 1, 2010 will be eligible. The seven players selected by rating will be based on the average of their peak rating over the past year and their rating as published in the April 2010 supplement of the USCF's rating list.

The
USCF awarded the 2010 U.S. Women's Championship and the 2010 U.S.
Junior Closed Championship to the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of
Saint Louis at the end of February. The two events will be held concurrently July 9-19. 

The
U.S. Women's Championship will feature a prize fund at least as large
as last year's record-breaking, $64,000 purse. The tournaments will
take place simultaneously, and each will feature a 10-player field.

The
invitees will consist of the following: (1) the defending champion for each event, (2) the U.S. Women's Open Champion/The U.S. Junior Open Champion, (3-9) top
players by rating, and (10) a wild card for each event.

"Encouraging
more women and juniors to play chess are both vital goals of the Chess
Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis," said Executive Director
Tony Rich. "So we are very excited to host the tournaments
simultaneously."

The
announcement of these two major tournaments are another step toward
cementing Saint Louis as the premier chess destination in the country.

Anna
Zatonskih will return to defend her title after winning the 2009 U.S.
Women's Championship. That victory earned her a bid to compete in the
2010 U.S. Championship, scheduled to be held at the CCSCSL May 13-25.

The
three most prestigious tournaments in United States chess are being
held in Saint Louis this year, giving the Chess Club and Scholastic
Center of Saint Louis the Triple Crown of chess.