SAINT LOUIS, May 23, 2010 -- Twelve schools from the Saint Louis area will converge upon the Saint Louis Science Center for a Chess Fair, put on by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL). Competitors from the 2010 U.S. Chess Championship, including the soon-to-be-crowned 2010 U.S. Champion, will showcase their skills and host fun and informative booths to raise the interest and awareness of chess in the area.
[imagefield_assist|fid=5023|preset=fullsize|lightbox=true|title=The Saint Louis Science Center will host the Chess Fair for the public featuring the competitors of the 2010 U.S. Championship.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=375|height=236]The event will take place on Tuesday, May 25, during the players' community outreach day from noon to 5 p.m., and is open to members of the public.
All players from the 2010 U.S. Championship will be in attendance, as will the commentators for the event, Grandmaster (GM) Maurice Ashley, the first-ever African-American grandmaster in the history of chess, and Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Jennifer Shahade.
Beginners will have the opportunity to interact with some of the top players in the country, 21 grandmasters and four international masters, in a relaxed and engaging environment.
GM Ben Finegold said he is excited for the event. "It's a great chance to show the community that we care about the young people that live in the Saint Louis area," Finegold said.
The booths will include:
- Pawn Games and Basic Piece Movement
- Puzzles
- Piece-Odds Chess
- Time-Odds Chess
- Advisor Chess (Teams of students accompanied by a player as an advisor)
- Simuls
CCSCSL Scholastics Director, Matt Lodge, said the fair is an excellent opportunity to further the scholastic outreach to the community, a pivotal aspect of the Chess Club's mission.
"We are happy to partner with the Science Center once again to spread the benefits of this great game," Lodge said. "The public is welcome to come out and enjoy the fair, and we hope to see you there."
