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Fred McKim
03-10-2011, 01:02 PM
St Louis, MO has become the hub of top level chess in the United States. Yesterday, the Saint Louis Invitational completed play. The event was a 10 player round-robin with the top 2 finishers advancing to the Unites States Closed Championship next month, also at the Saint Louis club.

http://main.uschess.org/content/view/11087/626

Second ranked, GM Gregory Kaidanov led the field from start to finish, taking 1st by one half point over top ranked GM Alejandro Ramirez and 16 year old GM Ray Robson. The two game rapid play-off finished in Robson’s favour and he now advances with Kaidanov to the $160,000, 16 player United Stated Closed Championship, April 13-29. That event serves as a qualifier for the 2011 World Cup, and I think as many as the top 5 from there will qualify for the World Cup. Top rated players at the US Closed include GM’s Gata Kamsky (defending champion), Alexander Onischuk, Varuzhan Akobian, Yasser Seirawan (coming out of a bit of a retirement), and many other stars.

http://saintlouischessclub.org/2011-us-championship-information

At the same time as the US Closed, the US Women’s Closed takes place. $60,000 is up for grabs here, in an 8 player field. IM’s Anna Zatonskih and Irina Krush would have to be the clear favourites in this field.

http://saintlouischessclub.org/2011-us-womens-championship-information