The entire field of 10 women all came perilously close to overstepping the time limit in round six of the 2009 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, held at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, while the position of the leaders clarified. Forced to make their first 40 moves in two hours, many women were reduced to fewer than 30 seconds before crossing the threshold. In the end, all five games were decisive for the first time in the tournament.

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A dozen area chess champions from Sperreng Middle School visited the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis on Friday to test their skills against two of the best female players in the country. The duo of Battsetseg Tsagaan and Camilla Baginskaite played a tandem simultaneous exhibition on their day off; the two women are in town competing in the 2009 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship.

At the dawn of the tournament’s only rest day, the fifth round of the 2009 U.S. Women’s Championship on Friday at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis, gave every player both added incentive to fight hard and a reason to be nervous. After many careful calculations, all 10 participants found themselves low on time and close to forfeiture, with several women within 10 seconds of losing by not making the required 40 moves in the first two hours. In the end, all boards cleared the time hurdle, and a hectic scramble gave way to a clearer picture of who has the best chance to win.

FM Mike Klein interviews Anna Zatonskih after her defeat of Irina Krush. Video Short is part of a series of player and tournament videos by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis for the 2009 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship.

In her fifth round game on Thursday, Melekhina eschewed a safe drawing variation against the tournament’s third seed, Rusudan Goletiani of Hartsdale, N.Y., preferring to keep whatever life remained in her chances to win. Grandmaster commentators were simultaneously surprised and appreciative of her spirituous decision.

The Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine will offer a chess-playing program designed to brighten the lives of patients and caregivers during treatments. Called Chess for Life, the program was developed in conjunction with the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.

Sperreng Middle School chess players will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to try their skills against one of the greatest female chess players in the country this Friday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m.

A player with 9 different videos: Winners Interview, Krush Postmortem, Rounds 7 & 8, KleinReport: Foiser, Rest Day Saint Louis, Rounds 5 & 6, Chess for Life, KleinReport: Melekhina, Rounds 3 & 4, Betsy Dynako, Rounds 1 & 2, Technology, Zatonskih Blindfolded and First Days.

Official photographer, Betsy Dynako explains what it is like being a chess photojournalist and specifically discusses the 2009 US Women’s Chess Championship, hosted by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis.