In 2014, by an act of Congress, St. Louis was named the nation’s chess capital. The resolution was introduced with the support of the Missouri congressional delegation in 2013. Representative William “Lacy’’ Clay wrote: “I’m very proud to have both Webster University’s national champion chess team and the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis in my congressional district.’’ Ignoring New York City’s historic role as the country’s chess mecca, Clay has a point. With the great activity of the Chess Club, Susan Polgar’s very successful program at Webster University, and Rex Sinquefield’s seemingly endless financial support, it is hard to argue.

Englishman and philosopher Dave Edmonds recently wrote a piece about chess in St. Louis for the BBC called “Creating the world’s new chess capital.’’

Edmonds coauthored one of the best books on Bobby Fischer and his 1972 match with Boris Spassky, “Bobby Fischer Goes to War’’ (HarperCollins, 2004). In the BBC report, he delves into trash-talking during blitz games, the St. Louis Chess Club’s fabulous campus (which includes the three-story club, the “Kingside Diner,’’ and the “World Chess Hall of Fame’’), the club’s educational outreach programs, and especially Sinquefeld, his wealth, politics, orphanage upbringing, and what seems his undying love of the game.

He also looks into the city’s attempt to rebrand itself as the city of chess and education rather than the city of racism and violence after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson.

He quotes Mayor Francis Slay: “By itself it’s not going to change our image. But it adds to the mix of things that make our city unique.’’ I strongly recommend reading the piece and listening to its audio companion, “Checkmate me in St. Louis.’’ It’s great stuff.

In other news, Carissa Yip of Andover has been invited to play in an IM norm tournament this June at the St. Louis Chess Club and has also won the US Chess Woman Chessplayer of the Year award. It will be formally presented this summer at the US Open in Indianapolis.

Winners: 50th Papa Gino’s (Scholastic) Open, U800: 1st-3rd: Gregory Klimov, Jeffrey Liu, Daniel Stepanyan: 3-1, U400: 1st: Edward Zhu: 4-0

Coming Events: Waltham Chess Club Championship & Summer Open, June 3, 10, 17, 24, and July 1, WalthamChessClub.org/Schedule.html; Billerica Friday Night Swiss, Billerica Chess Club, Council on Aging, 25 Concord Road, Billerica, ­Info: Arthur978@comcast.net; June Quads, June 4, Boylston CC, Cambridge, www.BoylstonChess.org.

Answer to today’s problem: 1.Rd7! Qe8 (If 1…Qxd7 then 2.Ng6+ leads to mate) 2. Ng6+ (or 2.Bxe6) wins material.

This week’s problem