US Chess Record: Sam Sevian Youngest US Grandmaster at 13!

Hello chess blog friends, s chess record is specially for the US. A nice report by Brian Jerauld on the youngest-ever Grandmaster in US history. Can you guess who held that record before him?

Sevian, 13, Youngest-Ever American Grandmaster
Report via USChess.org

The 13-year-old Sam Sevian -- or, for history’s sake: 13 years, 10 months and 27 days-old Sam Sevian -- just dropped the bar on one of America’s highest records.
 

On Saturday night at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, Sevian toppled International Master Andrei Gorovets in the fourth round of the Club’s invitational norm event -- for a win that proved far less-important than the moment. The rating boost he received from the victory, his fourth-consecutive win of the event, pushed Sevian past a FIDE 2500 rating, notching the last requirement needed to achieve chess’ most-elite title.

Sevian set the new record for the youngest American Grandmaster in history, besting the record previously set by Webster University star Ray Robson by nearly a full year. Sevian had already achieved all of his necessary Grandmaster norms, his third coming at the Washington International earlier this year, and needed only for his rating to crest FIDE’s necessary watermark to earn the elite title. The completion of all requirements immediately dubbed Sevian as “GM-elect,” with the official title to be approved at the next FIDE Congress.

Setting a special footnote to the moment was the presence of GM Hikaru Nakamura, also at the CCSCSL for a headlining match against World No. 4 GM Levon Aronian. Nakamura was a previous holder of the record Sevian now owns, lifting it from the legendary Bobby Fischer by three months.

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2014 Saint Louis Chess Invitational: Final Recap Video

Hello chess friends, here's a lovely chess recap video by St Louis Chess Club on the 2014 Open Invitational hosted by the Club. The event offered norms and congratulations to GM Kayden Troff who surpassed the 2500 rating mark, to IM Sam Sevian on securing his second GM norm and to Seth Homa, who secured an IM norm! Enjoy the video.






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US Junior Chess Championship 2013 Begins in St Louis

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hi everyone,

The 2013 U.S. Junior Closed Championship is the top tournament event in the United States for players aged 20 and younger. It will feature 10 of the country's strongest up-and-coming chess players, and it is scheduled to be held at the Chess Club & Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, from June 13th through June 23rd.

The U.S. Junior Closed Championship is exciting on a number of levels. Not only do spectators get the opportunity to see the nation's rising stars go head-to-head for the title, these young players also typically put on a fantastic show, playing swashbuckling chess that is full of aggressive attacks, wild swings, brilliancies, blunders and innovative play on both sides of the board.

With an invitation to the 2014 U.S. Championship on the line, these players come to Saint Louis ready to fight for a shot at the title.This marks the fourth consecutive year that the Chess Club & Scholastic Center of Saint Louis will host the U.S. Junior Closed Championship. The format will be a standard 10-player round robin, and live play-by-play commentary will be presented each day by GMs Yasser Seirawan and Ben Finegold.

Meet the Field
No.TitleNameRating*Invitation Method
1. IM Daniel Naroditsky 2538 Rating
2. IM Victor Shen 2511 Rating
3. NM Robert Perez 2510 Rating
4. IM Kayden Troff 2505 Rating
5. FM Jeffrey Xiong 2483 Rating
6. FM Yian Liou 2469 Rating
7. FM Sam Sevian 2467 Rating
8. FM Atulya Shetty 2446 Wildcard
9. FM Luke Harmon-Vellotti 2434 Wildcard
10. WFM Sarah Chiang 2238 U.S. Open Invitation
* Based on the April USCF ratings list.

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Nation's Chess Capital: U.S. House, Senate Recognize Saint Louis as 'the city'

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2013

Hi everyone, 

(L-R) Irina Krush, Sarah Chiang, Jennifer Shahade, Yasser Seirawan, Sam Sevian and Kayden Troff attend a special event held at United States Capitol Building on April 18, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis)

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 18, 2013 – Representatives William “Lacy” Clay (D-MO) and Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) and Senators Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) introduced resolutions in the U.S. House and Senate today recognizing Saint Louis as the Nation’s Chess Capital. The resolutions also recognized the success of chess after-school programs and the benefit for students, including fostering problem-solving skills, and improving math and reading test scores.

(L-R) Jonathon Cosby, Dannielle Henderson, Rep. William "Lacy" Clay (D-MO), Donnie Henderson and Cynthia Gill attend a special event held at United States Capitol Building on April 18, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis)

“Saint Louis is definitely America’s Chess Capitol. I’m very proud to have the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis in my congressional district,” said Representative William “Lacy” Clay (D-MO). “I thank my Missouri congressional colleagues for joining me in introducing this bipartisan resolution.”

“Chess provides our young people with the kind of reasoning skills they need in an ever-complicated world, and I am proud to have the opportunity in Congress to support Saint Louis’ designation as our nation’s chess capital,” said Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO). “This resolution is also an opportunity to recognize the region’s ongoing commitment to the development of our young people’s minds and spirits.”

“Excellence in this game requires the combination of creativity and intellect—skills our Saint Louis students are most certainly known for,” said Senator Claire McCaskill. “Making Saint Louis the nation’s chess capital would rightly highlight our state’s commitment to strong education, and our nation’s brightest young minds.”

“Chess is a way to promote problem solving, critical thinking, and self-esteem, which are important to the development and education of our nation’s young minds,” Representative Blunt said. “I’m proud to recognize Saint Louis as the ‘National Chess Capital’ and to applaud the success of our local chess scholars. I’ll continue to support chess programs in our schools and community centers in Missouri and nationwide.”

The introduction of the bipartisan, bicameral resolutions were announced during a morning reception on Capitol Hill where GM Yasser Seirawan, IM Irina Krush, WGM Jennifer Shahade, IM Kayden Troff, IM-elect Sam Sevian and WFM Sarah Chiang gave chess lessons to Members of Congress and their staff.

Women's FIDE Master Sarah Chiang (L) shares chess tips with Rep. Anne Wagner during a special event held at United States Capitol Building on April 18, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis)

“We appreciate the leadership of Representatives Clay and Luetkemeyer and Senators McCaskill and Blunt recognizing Saint Louis as the nation’s chess capital,” said Tony Rich, executive director of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. “Their commitment to expanding the successful chess after-school programs is a tremendous example of how our nation can come together on a bipartisan basis to help our students.”

Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Shahade (R) shares chess tips with Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA) during a special event held at United States Capitol Building on April 18, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis)

  

International Master Kayden Troff (R) and Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) attend a special event held at United States Capitol Building on April 18, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis)

Also in attendance were students who have benefited from chess after-school programs led by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. These students played chess with Members of Congress and shared their personal stories of the educational benefits of chess. Saint Louis, Mo., will host the 2013 U.S. and Women’s Chess Championships May 2-13, 2013 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, the fifth consecutive year the nation’s top players have come to Missouri to compete in the national championship. - Report by Mile Wilmering for US Chess Federation.

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Seven US Kids in Inaugural St Louis Chess Club-Kasparov Training Camp

Chess blog for latest chess news and chess trivia (c) Alexandra Kosteniuk, 2012

Hi everyone,

The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL) is partnering with the Kasparov Chess Foundation (KCF) on a five-year grant program to help develop several American chess prodigies from across the United States. The program, called Young Stars - Team USA, will begin with a kick-off training program in Saint Louis at the CCSCSL from June 18-20. Program participants range in age from nine to 15 years old.

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