2020 U.S. National Championships Begin Today in St. Louis

October is U.S. Championship month in St. Louis.

Beginning today with the U20 Girls Junior Championship, all five of U.S. Chess’ major national tournaments – showcasing the past, present, and future of American chess – will be hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club through October 29. With consideration to the current global pandemic, for the first time ever these national competitions will be organized and held online, and spectators may watch live at uschesschamps.com as well as the SLCC YouTube and Twitch channels.

The championship schedule is as follows:

2020 U.S. Girls Junior Championship: Friday, Oct. 9 - Sunday, Oct. 11

2020 U.S. Junior Championship: Tuesday, Oct. 13 – Thursday, Oct. 15

2020 U.S. Senior Championship: Saturday, Oct. 17 – Monday, Oct. 19

2020 U.S. Women’s Championship: Wednesday, Oct. 21 – Saturday, Oct. 24

2020 U.S. Championship: Monday, Oct. 26 – Thursday, Oct. 29

Over the next three weeks, the Saint Louis Chess Club will hand out these five national crowns, as well as more than $330,000 in prizes. Given the new online platform, all championship tournaments will use a round-robin format and feature Rapid games, with time controls of 25 minutes and 5-second increments. Three rounds will be played per day, with first moves at 1:00 p.m. Central every day.

Yu-Yip (photo A.Fuller)

Friday kicks off the U.S. Girls Junior competition, assembling 10 of the strongest U20 American females including 17-year-old defending U.S. Girls champion IM Carissa Yip; and WGM Jennifer Yu, the reigning U.S. Women’s Champion who will play again in two weeks to defend that title; as well as NM Alice Lee, a 10-year-old World Cadet gold medalist from Minnesota. The girls will be playing for more than $10,000 in prizes, as well as a $6,000 scholarship sponsored by US Chess and Dewain Barber.

Rounds begin every scheduled day of play at 1:00 p.m. Central. The tournament may be viewed live at uschesschamps.com, featuring expert commentary by GMs Yasser Seirawan and Christian Chirila, and WGM Jennifer Shahade.