
2009 US Chess Championship
The 2009 US Chess Championship is being held, this year for the first time,
in St. Louis, Missouri, at the brand new St.
Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center, which is located at 4657
Maryland Avenue, just east of the intersection of Euclid and Maryland. The Championship
dates back to 1845 and this year offers a purse of more than $130,000 in prize
money. It is a nine-round Swiss, with one round per day and a rest day between
rounds seven and eight. Time controls are the classical 40 moves in two hours,
with one hour allowed for all remaining moves and a five second increment for
all move.
Free day – young players take over the US Championship
Students from two St. Louis schools that utilize the "Classroom Chess"
curriculum developed by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis
experienced the thrill of playing chess at the same tables in the same room
where the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship is being contested. The games were played
on the off day of the nine-round tournament.
Fourth-grade students from City Academy in north St. Louis squared off against
fourth graders from King of Glory Lutheran School in south St. Louis from 10
a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The
King of Glory team won and was awarded a trophy.

Students from two St. Louis schools playing each other on the free day...
The children were given a tour of the facility by Matt Lodge of the Chess Club,
who also instructed them about tournament etiquette and how to use tournament
clocks. The students not only were able to play their games at the U.S. Chess
Championship competition tables on the Central West End facility's second floor,
but were allowed to view the action on the closed-circuit televisions at the
Chess Club. Each child also was given an official nameplate to use at the tables.

... on the same tables and boards as the top GMs – and with their
own name signs

After the formal greeting the hostilities can begin

Rex Sinquefield, founder of the Chess Center, and Matt Lodge watch the players
Lexoghia Member-Meneh

John Okine
Teacher Anthony Lemons (filling in for teacher and chess tutor Matt Virgil)
accompanied five students from City Academy, while six students from King of
Glory Lutheran School were joined by teacher Joel Gilbert. Chess Club scholastic
director Frank Van Bree filled out the City Academy team so that each child
could participate.

Abass Ali-Hussein vs Frank Van Bree
All of the students participate in Classroom Chess, a fourth grade through
sixth grade curriculum developed by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of
Saint Louis. The students participate in Classroom Chess for one hour each week
for nine weeks.

Danielle Jett and Isaiah Spain of King of Glory Lutheran School being awarded
the tournament trophy

Count the happy faces! Group photo at the end of the vent
"Chess can be an important tool in helping children grow academically,
but it also can be a lot of fun," said Van Bree. "It was pretty cool
to watch these kids playing in their own tournament on the very site where the
nation's best players are competing for the U.S. Chess Championship, and to
give them a flavor of that excitement."
All pictures by Betsy Dynako of Inspiring
Art

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