Club Director Tony Rich explains the technology used in the 2009 U.S. Women's Championship:



Betsy Dynako has provided excellent photo coverage of the event, capturing players' emotion and the spirit of the tournament:



Anna Zatonskih, the reigning Queen of the U.S. Women's Championship and probable 09 victor:



Alisa (Melekhina) Explains it All: ballet - chess crossovers, her goals for the tournament as the youngest participant:



Sabina Foisor is totally dedicated to playing an excellent game and tournament:

Nakamura has come down to talk about his victory today, and while we'll wait to see if Hess can pull off a win against Akobian, Nakamura seems to have won the championship outright. Nakamura is hesitant to jinx the outcome by taking congratulations.

He calls Hess the second best player in the tournament, and praised his study, his openings and middle game.

Nakamura's coming to the commentary room has given much insight into his playing style, his attention the classical game.

“The thing is, everyone here is quite strong, I think really his [Hess] preparation is quite strong, and his middle game has been strong, he’s definitely been the second best player in the tournament.”

Club Founder Rex Sinquefield asked, “of which game are you proudest?” Nakamura responds,

“Shabalov and Robert were difficult, the game against Brooks was the most critical, and the easiest. I think my preparation was better, mine’s better, that’s just how it was.”

Plans now?

“I could never live in Europe, I’ll definitely be staying in the US."

He’ll be off to play in the French league in a couple of weeks. He finds the European tournaments more prestigious,

“You want to play against the best, I prefer them more…” based on the level of competition.

On winning the U.S. Championship?

“It definitely means more than in 2005. US Championships are nice and at some point I really want to try for the World Championship.”

Finding his style of playing?

“I don’t completely understand my style, nowadays in certain dynamic positions my attitude is generally: I’ll play anything, and to keep it complicated. Outside of my opponent's theory, I’m a jack of all trades.”

What does he need to do to become world champion?

“Keep playing the way I played this tournament, gain rating points, keep doing what I’m doing now, hopefully it works.”

“The best venue of any I’ve played in the States, it’s very comfortable for the players, the restrooms are great, there’s food every day, and Rex has done a great job.”

Congrats to Hikaru Nakamura on a beautiful championship.

N.B. Hess has officially drawn with Akobian in a long, very evenly matched game. Nakamura is the 2009 U.S. Chess Champion.

In the first result of the final round, GM Julio Becerra and GM Melikset Khachiyan have drawn. Hess and Akobian have slowed their game dramatically after shedding most for their major pieces, though the consensus is they are headed for a draw.

Alexander Shabalov has also defeated Joel Benjamin in the early hours of the round, and Boris Gulko has defeated Sam Shankland.

With the last round well under way and these results in, club founder Rex Sinquefield is sitting in the media room enjoying the competition. He has remained neutral throughout the tournament not picking favorites, but just said he doesn’t want to see a play off at the end. His desire to see the winner named based on classical chess and not quick chess is strong.

Nakamura poised to win, has just confirmed his victory of at least a tie for first, as Friedel resigns the final game of the round. Hess and Akobian are still looking very drawish, so unless tides turn, Nakamura looks like the newest U.S. Champion.

He's just come down to analyze his game.

The final round of the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship is underway!

Wrapping up round 8, Jennifer Shahade and Macauley Peterson talk about the revolutions in yesterday's games, especially a suprising win by 17-year-old GM Robert Hess over GM Yury Shulman:



The first board today is Akobian and Hess, which is certainly the game to watch here in the final round; however, there are several pairings, such as Kamsky and Ehlvest, Onischuk and Robson, and certainly Nakamura and Friedel, which could all change the tides at any moment. Friedel spoke about his game yesterday, and while he can't pull off the tournament win, and said he' love to see Robson win.

One of the best things about this tournament is the number of younger or less experienced players who have gotten to test their mettle against the masters and legends of U.S. chess. We'll see how those pairings turn out in the last hours.

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 taking place. Championship competitors were taking their rest day Friday.

Fourth-grade students from City Academy squared off against King of Glory Lutheran School in south St. Louis at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The King of Glory team won and was awarded a trophy.

The children were given a tour of the facility and instructed 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, but got to see the action on the closed-circuit televisions at the Chess Club.

Classroom Chess is 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.

Back at Round 8 of the Championship today, Kamsky and Onischuk are paired on Board 1, and Robert Hess is facing Yury Shulman. Aside from the usual suspects, much attention seems to be on Hess as the rising star, and Michael Brooks looking toward his GM norm but pitted against Hikaru Nakamura, who has been tearing through the tournament.