New York Newsday: Passing
The Time At A Soggy U.S. Open
As rain began to fall at the National Tennis Center for a second consecutive
day, players, celebs and fans each have found ways to combat cabin fever. Jennifer
Capriati's been catching naps and made some time Monday for a pedicure. Russian
countrymates Anastasia Myskina and Elena Likhovtseva play cards. And Andre Agassi
spent time yesterday in the locker room, splayed out and getting a rubdown.
In the Player's Lounge, top seeds and juniors take advantage of Internet hookups,
Foosball, Sony PlayStations, the "Putting Challenge 2" golf game and
the chance to match wits with Dmitry Schneider, the top-ranked chess player
in the 18-and-younger category in the United States. Schneider, who was brought
in this week to teach racketeers a thing or two about rooks and pawns, takes
on seven tennis players at a time and has yet to lose to one.
Kansas City Star: U.S.
Open turns to chess master Schneider for diversion in rain
In the back of the players' lounge at the National Tennis Center on Monday,
a long table with eight chess boards was set up. On one side of it, players,
coaches and assorted others pulled up chairs. On the other, a teenage chess
champion stood and took on all of them, patrolling from board to board, a sentry
with a skinny body, pasty skin and a mind not to be fathomed. "I'm ready
to take on more, but I don't think they have any more boards," said the
champion, Dmitry Schneider, of New City, N.Y., sounding more earnest than boastful.
