FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Eric C. Johnson
June 10, 1997 (845) 562-8350
Press Release #41 of 1997
NEW FORMAT ANNOUNCED FOR 1997 INTERPLAY U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP
The U.S. Chess Federation has announced a new format for the 1997
Interplay U.S. Championship, scheduled for August 22 through
September 12 at the Sheraton San Marcos Golf Resort and
Convention Center in Chandler, Ariz.
This year's championship event shall consist of three stages. In
Stage One, 16 of the country's top players will square off in two
eight-player Round Robins. The top two finishers in each section
shall move on to Stage Two, where they will meet in four-game
mini-matches. The two finalists will meet in Stage Three in a
six-game match for the title of U.S. Champion and the coveted
U.S. Championship ring.
According to Eric C. Johnson, USCF Assistant Director, "USCF made
the format change to bring an even higher level of excitement to
the nation's premier chess event. The chess public has a hunger
for one-on-one match-play."
The eight-player rosters for Stage One are:
Group One Group Two
GM Alex Yermolinsky GM Gregory Kaidanov
GM Boris Gulko GM Yasser Seirawan
GM Alexander Ivanov GM Dmitry Gurevich
GM Joel Benjamin GM Nick de Firmian
GM Larry Christiansen GM Roman Dzindzichashvili
GM John Fedorowicz GM Alexander Shabalov
GM Walter Browne GM Sergey Kudrin
Jorge Zamora Jr. GM Gabriel Schwartzman
The event is open to the general public. For more information,
contact local organizer Robert Tanner at (602) 285-0577.
The 1997 Interplay U.S. Championship is made possible through the
generosity of Interplay Productions, Inc., of Irvine, Calif.
Interplay is the world's source for innovative gaming software,
including "USCF Chess."
# # #
For more information about this and other chess events, contact
Assistant Director Eric C. Johnson, U.S. Chess Federation, 3054
NYS Route 9W, New Windsor, NY 12553; phone: (845) 562-8350; FAX:
(914) 561-2437; World Wide Web: http://www.uschess.org