NICK BARNETT CHESS

THE U.S. CHESS Championship began as a challenge match in 1845 and fell under the auspices of the U.S. Chess Federation in 1936. It was held in many different venues until 2009, when the Saint Louis Chess Club in St. Louis started hosting the annual event.

The 2021 tournament started on the 5th October and will end on the 19th and features 12 of the strongest chess players in America. The prizes include:

$194,000 in prize money, qualification into the

World Championship cycle, and the title of 2021 U.S. Champion.

Fabiano Caruana, the world No2, and Wesley So, the reigning champion, are the favourites. Their opponents include two Cuban exiles, three juniors, and the US team stalwarts Sam Shankland and Robson.

GM Fabiano Caruana (2855); GM Wesley So (2807); 2020 U.S. Champion; GM

Leinier Dominguez (2794); GM Jeffery Xiong (2748); GM Sam Shankland (2736);

GM Ray Robson (2711); GM Dariusz Swiercz (2698); GM Sam Sevian (2692); GM Lazaro Bruzon (2686); GM Alex Lenderman (2668); GM Daniel Naroditsky

(2654); GM John Burke (2589); 2020 U.S. Junior Champion.

The 2021 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship is on the bill too, featuring 12 of the strongest female chess players in America. But their prize fund is only $100,000. Naturally they qualify for the Women’s World Championship cycle, and the title of 2021 U.S. Women’s Champion.

The field includes: GM Irina Krush (2475) 2020 U.S. Women’s Champion;

IM Carissa Yip (2468) 2020 US Girls’ Junior Champion; WGM Anna Zatonskih (2453); WGM Tatev Abrahamyan (2403); WIM Nazi Paikidze (2386); WIM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova (2375); WIM Katerina Nemcova (2347); WGM Thalia Cervantes (2316); WGM Anna Sharevich (2296); WIM Sabina

Foisor (2286); WIM Ashritha Eswaran (2286); WIM Megan Lee (2268).

The Championships will conclude with a private closing ceremony and the 2021 World Chess Hall of Fame Inductions of Grandmasters Judit Polgar, Miguel Najdorf and Eugene Torre.

Check uschesschamps.com.

* * *

MANUEL ALVAREZ ESCUDERO. Who? Recently celebrated his 100th birthday and is still a competitive chess player. Several weeks ago Alvarez participated in the XXXVIII San Lorenzo de El Escorial Tournament in Madrid, Spain. At the time he was 99, and he won the veterans category and finished 16th out of 64 players. Check it out on Chess.com

* * *

SOUNDS LIKE FUN? Festival di Halloween, Place: Cattolica, Italy 27th October to 1st November 2021. Want more of the same? Use the keywords ‘Chess’ and ‘Halloween’ in Twitter. * * *

REMEMBER to check facebook.com/SACHESSPLAYERS for news and tournaments in South Africa.

There is another Facebook page entitled: SA Chess players which may be interesting if you want to keep up-to-date with SA chess.

* * *

For comment or news please write to thechessnik@ gmail.com