US Chess Championship 09

Their is a St Louis Tourny going on for the US Chess Championship. Yes, yes their is. Here is the site: http://www.saintlouischessclub.org/About/Profile

And here's a round up of the goings on so far:

ST. LOUIS, May 5, 2009 -- Two-time American Women's Chess Champion Jennifer Shahade helped kick off festivities for the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship in St. Louis with a marathon afternoon of 25 simultaneous contests against members of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, host of this year's U.S. Chess Championship May 7-17 in the showpiece, new $1 million facility.

ST. LOUIS, May 7, 2009 -- Aloha Mischeaux, a finalist in the fourth season of the popular American Idol TV show, kicked off the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship in rousing fashion with a stirring rendition of the national anthem at the opening ceremonies for the tournament at the Saint Louis University Museum of Art on Thursday, May 7.

Saint Louis, May 9, 2009 - The defending champion of the U.S. Chess Championship, along with the top two rated players in the United States all were victorious Friday in the first round of the 2009 championship at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

St. Louis, MO May 10, 2009: It's the big clash of the contenders and rivals in round three of the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, with the early top board pairing of the defending champion, Yury Shulman from Illinois, and the #1 seed and favorite for the title, Gata Kamsky from Brooklyn. The top two are on full points and leading the chase for bonus $64,000 Fischer Memorial Prize for any player with a perfect sweep of 9-0. The prize is in recognition of the phenomenal feat of the late American world champion Bobby Fischer, who won 11-0 to take the 1963/64 title - the only player in the long and distinguished history of the U.S. Championship to win with a sweep.