Kamsky vs Shulman: #1 Seed vs. Defending Champ

Brooklyn’s GM Gata Kamsky will be playing against Illinois’ GM Yury Shulman today during Round 3 of the 2009 U.S. Chess Championship. Kamsky’s USCF rating is 2798, compared with Shulman’s 2697.

Kamsky is currently the highest rated competitor at the championship. Shulman, the winner of the 2008 Championship, is the fourth.

The only other competitor that currently stands undefeated and has a chance of being awarded the $64,000 Fischer Memorial Prize is 17-year-old GM-elect Robert Hess. The New York native’s rating is 2545.

The bonus prize will be awarded to any player that scores a 9-0 sweep. The prize is in remembrance of the late American world champion Bobby Fischer, who died in 2008 at age 64. Fischer scored an 11-0 victory in the 1963-64 U.S. Championship, the only perfect score in the event’s history.

Make sure to tune into the live coverage of all games with commentary by Woman Grand Master Jennifer Shahade and Grand Master Emily Sutovsky, courtesy of ICC Chess.FM.

In addition, live updates can be found the Chess Club and Scholastic Center’s Twitter, @CCSCSL. 

Round 3: http://www.saintlouischessclub.org/US-Championship-2009-Round-3

Live coverage: http://www.saintlouischessclub.org/US-Championship-2009-Live

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ccscsl