The 2004 United States Women's Championship will be held June 17-26 at St. John's University in Manhattan. An International round robin Tournament will be playing there concurrently.

The top seven rated women and the 2003 champion (Anna Hahn) are invited to this event. If any players decline their invitations, further invitations will be sent to players in order of their April USCF ratings, but no one rated below 2200 will be invited.

If seven or eight players accept their invitations, the tournament will be a round robin. If six or fewer accept, it will be a double round robin. The prize fund will total at least $8000.

The Swiss system Championship scheduled for this fall in San Diego will be held as planned, but will be titled the 2005 US Championships and will include those who qualify from the preliminary tournaments plus seeded players.

Besides the title of the 2004 US Women's Champion, the tournament will also determine the fourth player for the 2004 US Women's Olympiad Team. The three top women by rating, Polgar, Zatonski and Krush have already qualified for the 2004 US Women's Olympiad Team by virtue of the rating formula criteria. The winner of this tournament will be the fourth player for the US Women's Olympiad Team. In the event of a tie for first including more than one than one candidate for qualification, a playoff will be held immediately after the tournament to determine the qualifier.

If the Championship is won by one or more of the Olympiad Team qualifiers (Polgar, Zatonskih or Krush), a four game match will be held immediately after the US Championship between the top two finishers who are not already qualified Olympiad Team members. The winner of this match will be the fourth member of the 2004 US Women's Olympiad Team. In case of a multiple tie by the top finishers not already qualified for the team, they will play a double round robin immediately after the event to determine the fourth member of the US Women's Olympiad Team.