U.S. & U.S. Women's Championship Fields Set for Battle in Saint Louis

ST. LOUIS, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the ninth consecutive year, the nation's top 24 chess players will gather in Saint Louis to compete for the titles of U.S. Champion and U.S. Women's Champion, which will be held simultaneously at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL) from March 28 through April 10.

The U.S. Chess Championship field features a headline clash between the nation's top-three players: Grandmasters Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura and Wesley So. These three players have been battling it out on their way to the top of not only American – but world – chess for the past few years. Last year's reigning champion, GM Caruana, is ranked #3 in the world, while GM Nakamura has won the U.S. Championships four times and recently won the prestigious Tradewise Gibraltar Open for the third time. GM So has seen a recent rapid rise, breaking into the elite “2800 Club” and remaining unbeaten in his last 56 FIDE rated games. Another exciting contender is young talent GM Jeffery Xiong who, in 2016, became the first U.S. player to win the World Junior Championship in almost two decades.  

The 2017 U.S. Women's Championship field will feature U.S. Women's reigning champion WIM Nazi Paikidze and seven-time U.S. Women's Champion WGM Irina Krush, who will seek to win back the title. WIM Paikidze has recently gained world attention with her boycott of the World Championships and will surely bring that same fire to Saint Louis. The Women's Championship will once again see young talents like 15-year-old WIM Jennifer Yu and 13-year-old Carissa Yip.

"We are thrilled to once again be the epicenter of this country's chess talent with the 2017 U.S. and U.S. Women's Championships," said Tony Rich, CCSCSL Executive Director. "It's a true honor to host our nation's very best and brightest competitors, and we look forward to a fantastic tournament."

The 2017 U.S. Championships will be streamed live daily on www.uschesschamps.com, featuring play-by-play and analysis from the world-renowned commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Maurice Ashley and WGM Jennifer Shahade. Live spectators may view the action in the tournament hall and enjoy additional grandmaster-led commentary on-site by Saint Louis University chess team coach GM Alejandro Ramirez and YouTube sensation, GM Ben Finegold. Additional event, ticketing and hotel information may be found at www.uschesschamps.com.

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About The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis
The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.

Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Chess Club and Scholastic Center is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.

SOURCE Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL)