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2016 Sinquefield Cup Spotlights International Chess Competition in Saint Louis
Top World Talents Face-off at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis Aug. 5-16

ST. LOUIS, July 29, 2016 – It is the summer of sports – but Rio is not the only international competition gaining attention in August. The world’s top chess players are headed to the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL), located in the U.S. Chess Capital, Aug. 5-16, to compete for a total prize fund of $300,000 in the pinnacle of chess tournaments held on U.S. soil – the Sinquefield Cup.

The Sinquefield Cup is the third of four stops on the 2016 Grand Chess Tour (GCT) – a circuit of international chess events featuring the world’s elite chess talent, created in partnership between the CCSCSL, Chess Promotions, Ltd. (London Chess Classic) and the Kasparov Chess Foundation. The tournament is named after Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield, founders, founders of the CCSCSL.

In a recent field change, GM Vladimir Kramnik regretfully withdrew from the Sinquefield Cup due to health issues. The CCSCSL invited fellow Russian, GM Peter Svidler to replace Kramnik as the 10th participant in the tournament. GM Svidler is a seven-time Russian Champion, 2015 World Cup runner-up and participated in the 2016 Candidates tournament.

The Sinquefield Cup is the final, major event held at the CCSCSL annually. In addition to the Sinquefield Cup, the U.S. Championship, U.S. Women’s Championship and U.S. Junior Closed Championship – the “Triple Crown” of chess championships – make up the most prestigious chess tournaments held in the United States each year.

“Top grandmasters view Saint Louis as the hotbed for chess, and this year’s competition for the 2016 Sinquefield Cup is at an all-time high,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the CCSCSL. “It’s an exciting time to be a fan of chess as the sport continues to become more fiercely competitive and popular.”

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