During the recent US Junior Chess Championship, I was fortunate to be able talk with Tony Rich, the executive director of the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis. The focal point of American chess has shifted radically from New York City and the East Coast to St. Louis. The most interesting thing that I learned from Rich is that the club has 1,000 paid members. I was stunned, as I thought the Marshall Chess Club in New York City had the most members of any American chess club by far with around 325. I also learned that the St. Louis club is self-sufficient, so that if Rex Sinquefeld decided tomorrow to take up bridge and cut back his donations, the club would go on pretty much as it does now, without being able to sponsor the US championships, but very much as an active club.

As mentioned last week, Sam Sevian was playing in the Lake Sevan Invitational in Armenia during the US Junior. He finished fourth, a vast improvement over last year, when he finished next to last, but it could have been better. In the eighth round, he faced the eventual tournament winner, Vidit Santosh of India, and in the sudden death time control, engrossed in the position, he forgot to press his clock and lost on time. A draw was easy (a win not so much), and that could have pushed him into second place. A tough loss, but I am pretty sure he won’t let that happen again.

The US Open is about to begin in Indianapolis and along with it the GM Denker Tournament of High School Champions(www.denkerchess.com), the Dewain Barber Tournament of K–8 Champions, and the National Girls Tournament of Champions (ngitchess.com). Massachusetts will be represented by Mika Brattain (Denker), Carissa Yip (Barber), and Joy Cao (National Girls). We wish them the very best of luck.

Winners: Boylston LOC-Judit Polgar: Open: 1st: Denys Shmelov: 4-0; 52nd Papa Ginos Scholastic: Section 1: 1st: Advait Bhomik: 4-0, U800: 1st: Lyden Shen: 4-0, U400: 1st: Andrew Zhang: 4-0

Coming Events:Billerica Friday Night Swiss, Aug. 5, 12, 19, 26, Billerica Chess Club, Council on Aging, 25 Concord Road, Billerica, arthur978@comcast.net: Boylston August Quads, Aug. 6, 40 Norris St., Cambridge, www.BoylstonChess.org.

Answer to today’s problem: 1.Qh6+! Rxh6 (1…Ke7 2.Ng8+ Rxg8 4.Bg5+ wins) 2.Bxh6+ Ke7 3.Ng8 mate

Today’s problem

Chris Chase can be reached at BostonGlobeChessNotes@gmail.com.