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Why Chess in Saint Louis? Has Become Truly Global

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Why Chess in Saint Louis? Has Become Truly Global “Building Champions: In the Classroom and the Community” FIRST EDITION © 2018 Saint Louis Chess Campus April 12, 2018 – February 24, 2019 Complimentary The RESURGENCE of AMERICAN CHESS GATEWAY TO THE NEW CHESS WORLD BY GARRY KASPAROV Bowl for viewers. Legendary World Champion This April, the second floor of the same build- 2018 will be an eventful ing will host the U.S. Chess year in the chess world. This Championships for the 10th November, Magnus Carlsen, consecutive year. Nearly half the reigning world cham- the participants in the U.S. pion, will defend his crown Chess Championship will be against Fabiano Caruana, Saint Louisan: Of the top 10 who last week became American players, not only the first American since Caruana and So but also Bobby Fischer in 1972 to Ray Robson and Varuzhan become the challenger for Akobian now live there. Top the undisputed World Chess international players also Championship. flock to the Gateway City. In Such a pairing would have August, the world’s best will sounded fantastical when compete there in the sixth I was climbing the chess annual Sinquefield Cup, Olympus in the 1980s, back one of the world’s strongest when the mighty Soviet chess events. machine to which I belonged This feast of chess talent is a boasted a majority of the classic American melting pot. world’s elite players. Consider Caruana was born in Miami, SAINT LOUIS CHESS CLUB/LENNART OOTES that Carlsen captured the learned to play in Brooklyn, 2017 Ultimate Moves Match. title from Viswanathan and spent most of his teenage Anand of India in 2013, and years in Europe. So, the cur- now, a Norwegian versus an rent U.S. Champion, was born American! Thanks largely in the Philippines, Akobian to a generation raised with in Armenia, and Robson in super-strong chess comput- Guam. So and Robson both ers and the internet, chess moved to Saint Louis to Why Chess in Saint Louis? has become truly global. attend Webster University Just as remarkably, to the in Saint Louis’s suburbs, on extent that chess has a new chess scholarships. Webster’s BY RANDY BAUER national, state and regional events. Shahade puts it, “this is the Mecca of center of gravity it is the powerhouse team, coached Board of Directors, It has become THE constant in U.S. chess. Obviously, the financial con- United States, and in par- by the Hungarian-born United States Chess Federation chess—a beacon and gravitational tributions are so considerable and so ticular, Saint Louis, Missouri. Grandmaster Susan Polgar, force that regularly attracts ‘the best generous. But a lot of the passion to Caruana won the right to won the U.S. college cham- Ten years ago, I was having lunch and the brightest’ to the STLCC and donate money is that Rex really abso- challenge Carlsen by winning pionship five years running with Rex Sinquefield, discussing the the city. lutely loves chess and sees the multi- the Candidates Tournament through last year. (Saint Louis possibility of doing a study on the The best players in the U.S.–and the faceted nature of the game.” on March 27, 2018 in Berlin. University was a credible City of Saint Louis’ finances. At one world—have taken note. It is no acci- The recent heightened interest in Among the eight players in third in 2017). point, the conversation turned to dent that the top board on the 2016 chess in the U.S. is on display in mov- that tournament were two How did all of this come chess, and Rex’s passion for the game U.S. gold medal winning Olympiad ies, TV, magazines and advertise- Americans: Caruana and to pass? You can work your was immediately evident. I men- team Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana ments. I would venture to say that Wesley So. Both live in Saint way back by following the tioned that the U.S. Championship is a Saint Louis resident, and team- much of that interest can be traced Louis. money, but money without was looking for a sponsor, and he mate Roy Robson attended college back to Saint Louis. Grandmaster Nor is this new, chess- passion is often squandered. expressed interest. in the city. Former World Champion Maurice Ashley explains it this way: centric Spirit of Saint Louis In this case, it leads you I’ve been in literally thousands of Garry Kasparov, commenting on “I think the American chess scene limited to hosting elite play- back to a man, and a family, similar types of business and civic the U.S. victory at the Olympiad, has become much stronger because ers. The upcoming cham- with a remarkable passion meetings over the years, and few tweeted, “Rex Sinquefield and his of what’s happening in Saint Louis. pionship clash will be fol- for chess. ‘expressions of interest’ ever pan out. CCSCSL are the beating heart of The magic of the STLCC. The fact that lowed live online by millions In 2005, Rex Sinquefield, None of those meetings, however, Team USA. He deserves a medal from they bring so many top, elite events of spectators watching a a Saint Louis native who were with Rex Sinquefield. A contract chess!” Grandmaster Ben Finegold to the U.S. Because of that, everyone’s broadcast from Saint Louis. had made a fortune in the was signed a few months later and sums it up nicely: “Everyone in the inspired. Everyone—from the top That’s where three superbly financial services busi- the first of what will be 10 consecu- world knows this chess club.” players down to the collegiate ranks entertaining Grandmasters ness, moved back home. tive U.S. Championships was held in While the accolades of the world’s down to the scholastic level. And will break down each move One of his goals was policy grand fashion at the similarly grand elite are noteworthy, equally impres- that’s going to continue. It’s a runa- from a studio in the base- influence; a conservative- Saint Louis Chess Club (STLCC). sive are the opportunities it provides way train right now.” ment of the local chess club, libertarian, Sinquefield is In the following years, besides the to players at all levels—particularly World Champion Kasparov ech- a few blocks from Forest now Missouri’s biggest— U.S. Championship, Saint Louis has kids. Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield oed this sentiment in a fitting tribute Park. These broadcasts have and therefore most con- hosted major international tour- are passionate about educational to Rex’s vision: “now, here in Saint become a way for chess to troversial—political donor. naments (the flagship being the achievement for all, and they and the Louis, we are facing the renaissance transcend its small traditional But it was a lower-profile Sinquefield Cup, which regularly club are putting chess in local schools of the great game of chess.” audience, even if my cher- Sinquefield project that attracts the world’s champions and throughout Saint Louis. As former ished game is not quite ready may turn out to have even top contenders), matches and other U.S. Women’s Champion Jennifer to compete with the Super longer-lasting influence in Saint Louis Chess Club 10 Year Anniversary Celebration TUESDAY, JULY 17 | 10 A.M. – 10 P.M. Join us as we celebrate the Saint Louis Chess Club's ten year anniver- sary with family-friendly activities, live performances, simul games, special programs, and more on the Chess Campus. 2 THE SINQUEFIELD EFFECT | APRIL 12, 2018 – FEBRUARY 24, 2019 THE SINQUEFIELD EFFECT | APRIL 12, 2018 – FEBRUARY 24, 2019 3 FROM PAGE 1 Saint Louis Chess Campus Saint Louis and beyond. His goal Chess Club and Scholastic Center hard work. Instead of looking for as in several rural districts in cen- capable of producing a gold-medal was to boost the popularity of of Saint Louis, with plush furnish- a quick splash, they have built a tral Missouri. The club offers fre- Olympiad team and a world cham- GENERAL MANAGER GRAPHIC DESIGN SAINT LOUIS a game he’d enjoyed since boy- ings, an attractive game room, and complete system for kids, parents, quent tournaments, group lessons, pionship challenger. Joy Bray Paige Pedersen hood, chess. Partly he just wanted a broadcast studio in the basement. coaches, and schools. Half a world private lessons, lectures and even Now the U.S. has all of those Aidan Douglas more of his fellow Saint Louisans Then the club, and the Sinquefields, away from Moscow, Saint Louis summer camps. With more than things—because Saint Louis has all DEVELOPMENT CHESS HISTORY to enjoy it. But he also believed, started to build a chess culture in is the true heir to the Soviet chess 1,000 members, it’s now among the of those things. I wouldn’t say that Lauren Stewart IT SPECIALISTS as I do, that the game chess helps Saint Louis. machine. Perhaps this is why it’s world’s largest chess clubs. Rex Sinquefield did it entirely from Tricia Crossey Tammy Hyde instill self-discipline and strategic It’s truly a family affair. Rex’s the only place I feel comfortable Before this Saint Louis chess scratch, however. After all, the first Jesse Richardson BY SHANNON BAILEY chess talent, consistently thinking in young minds. dynamic wife Jeanne was a driv- occasionally breaking my retire- Renaissance, the United States official world chess champion- EVENTS Chief Curator, winning the Saint Louis Sinquefield bought a 6,000 square ing force behind the Boy Scouts ment vows to test myself at the did not have a suitable venue for ship in 1886 included a brief stop Rebecca Buffington PR & MARKETING World Chess Hall of Fame District Championship.
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