The World Grand Chess Tour, St. Louis Rapid & Blitz 2022 ~ ”The Sinquefield Sacrifice”
Three years later, post-Covid, both Jack and I are now teenagers (!) and we’ve returned to capture the most exciting chess on the planet - the 2022 Saint Louis Sinquefield Rapid and Blitz. Ten of the world’s best chess players are competing for the $175,000 prize money, and the prestige of taking first place in one of the world's greatest chess tournaments. Throughout our experience, we have had access to interview the Super GMs, mingle at the Opening Ceremony, witness the Rapid and Blitz rounds in the newly expanded playing hall, and catch the super grandmasters out and about on the Saint Louis Streets.
There was a competitive intensity in the air at the Opening Ceremony, however, over the board the players were absolute professionals. We once again bring you behind-the-scenes coverage of the Super GMs, as we pose thought-provoking questions and deliver some entertaining answers. We hope you’ll find them useful, regardless of whether you’re pursuing your first-rated game or Super GM status.
Behind The Rapid & Blitz Playing Hall Door, Saint Louis Chess Club
This time around, we asked the players and some notable chess influencers:
“If you weren’t playing professional chess, what would your career be?”
We heard some never-before-revealed stories, encountered a salacious retort or two, and uncovered some informing responses.
Inside The Playing Hall Green Room
Additionally, as an addendum to our previous Sinquefield story from 2019, we continued our query into the Super GM’s food choices - because after all, we’re all human, and all eat. Rather than updating each player’s favorite foods, this time we observed their food selections during the cocktails, during the Rapid & Blitz, and outside the tournament hall.
Inside the Opening Ceremony Cocktails, The Chess Hall of Fame
Jack, GM Lenier Dominguez, The “Godmother Of Chess”, Jeanne Sinquefield
At the Opening Ceremony, the 10 champions and their families enjoyed drinks and hors d'oeuvres with Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield (the “Godfather” and “Godmother” of US Chess), commentators GM Peter Svidler, GM Yasser Seirawan, and GM Cristian Chirila, members of the press, and select chess enthusiasts. The exclusive ceremony offered incredible insight into the players’ social and professional world, their camaraderie, and the food they ate. Some hors d'oeuvres included turkey meatballs, smoked trout on crostini, and olive tapenade on a cucumber slice, as well as cocktails and soft drinks. We saw GM Fabiano Caruana sampling beverages and GM Levon Aronian enjoying the smoked fish.
Interior Of The Sinquefield Rapid & Blitz Opening Ceremony & Cocktail Party
Perhaps, the evening’s food selections were offered for their beneficial nutrient properties. Trout has protein, niacin, vitamin B12, and omega-3s that sustain focus, and improve memory and mood - it’s no wonder that high-performing food was on the menu…
Speaking of concentration, the following day was the start of the Rapid & Blitz. The players were offered an assortment of grab-and-go items in-between rounds from a buffet of finger foods in the “green room” lounge at the Blitz playing hall. There were blueberries (antioxidants), carrots and hummus (fiber), chicken wraps, trail mix, spicy shrimp rolls (protein), brownies, decaf and regular coffee, a variety of teas, and mints. It seemed as if a great deal of thought went into the food offerings to boost the players’ energy, stamina, and OTB performance. Each Covid conscious snack offering was contained in a separate plastic container, all neatly displayed across the expansive table.
Inside The Rapid & Blitz Playing Hall Green Room at the Saint Louis Chess Club
Overall, the shrimp rolls and the blueberries were especially popular with the players. Each of the players had their distinct favorites from the spread. GM Sam Shankland went for Chicken Wraps, and Spicy Shrimp Rolls, while staying away from the brownies and trail mix. GM MVL also went for the spicy shrimp roll twice. On the other hand, GM Mamadyarov displayed a penchant for sweets, while GM Dominguez snacked on the hearty trail mix. As for beverages, GM Levon Aronian, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, GM Fabiano Caruana, and GM Ian Nepomniachtchi enjoyed tea, while GM Hikaru Nakamura and GM Sam Shankland chose the Perrier. If you’re wondering about those small white rectangular boxes at the back of the expansive table, they are high-tech mini receptacles.
“Team Tea”
Interior of The Green Room Rapid & Blitz Playing Hall
Perrier Pals, Inside the Opening Ceremony, Chess Hall of Fame
Over the board, the games were thrilling to watch, with quite a few upsets, and some surprising comebacks. Hikaru Nakamura emerged with two losses after the second round and took a trip to a nearby Starbucks before the start of round three. He subsequently won his round three game! Caffeine for thought…
GM Hikaru Nakamura Entering Starbucks
Over The Board Rapid & Blitz Action
Over The Board Rapid & Blitz Action
He emerged and subsequently won the next round! Caffeine for thought…
Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Chess Club, Austin Fuller
GM Hikaru Nakamura Exiting Starbucks
Outside of the tournament itself, the players ate a variety of foods. We witnessed one player enjoying turkey sausage and green tea at his hotel for breakfast. Super GMs, like other professional athletes, have to carefully select foods that sustain and fuel their extraordinary performances. A marathon runner knows to consume protein the day before a run, and a rock star knows to avoid dairy before a vocal performance. However, professional chess players are faced with a unique and very individualized set of demands upon their bodies. While focus and stamina are essential, exercising the Super GM mental muscle can demand a caloric consumption comparable to running a marathon - it’s a fact that chess players can burn up to 6000 calories a day! Each player has to know their own metabolism and what their body will need for what lies ahead. Even the tournaments' daily schedule can dictate what the players choose to consume: are they about to sprint through a series of blitz games, or run an all-day marathon in a traditional round? Even their desired playing style might affect a GM’s choice of food. Consequently, some GMs likely didn’t indulge in the brownies, wanting to stay steady for the three rapid-fire rounds in quick succession, while others may have devoured the sugar for the instant energy boost/high.
Along with the OTB sacrifices required to win games, Super GMs make daily sacrifices to stay in the peak condition essential for chess. Food selection is only one of the sacrifices that Super GMs endure. Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club, elaborated on this exact sacrifice during his memorable speech at the opening ceremony:
“You shouldn’t try to become a Super GM. You shouldn’t. Chess is really hard, right? So, you’re gonna spend your life traveling around the world, never at home. You’re gonna study and study and study, hours a day, on your own…It takes focus, and if you’ve ever lost a game of chess, you know how painful that can be, right? So not only do you have to play an entire tournament, you have to play an entire tournament after you've had a really really really painful loss. Becoming a Super GM is incredibly difficult.”
Saint Louis Chess Club Executive Director, Tony Rich
The Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz Opening Ceremony
But what if these players weren't living a life of great sacrifice, praying daily to the Chess Gods? What if they, instead, chose a potentially easier career path? Here’s what the greatest chess players in the galaxy had to say, in response to the query:
“If you saw yourself pursuing any other career than chess, what would that career be?”
GM Alireza Firozja: “Tennis is good!”
GM Fabiano Caruana: “That’s a tough question…I might have gotten into movies, cause I love movies a lot.” When asked if he did any work on movies or filming in his free time, he replied, “I read up a lot on it, but not too much actually creating it.”
GM Hikaru Nakamura: “I’m not sure, it depends on what time of life it was in, but probably I’d be something in real estate or in the stock market.”
GM Ian Nepomnatchtchi: “Teacher” (Nepo comes from a family of teachers)
GM Jeffery Xiong: “Sports Statistician” (Because he likes sports)
GM Leinier Domínguez: “Sports Player”
GM Levon Aronian: “I would probably do something connected to music or literature because poetry and music are my biggest passions!”
GM Maxime Vachier Lagrave: “Hiking”
GM Sam Shankland: “Stripper”, followed up with, “Probably something boring, finance.”
GM Shakhriyar Mamadyarov: “Soccer”
Saint Louis Chess Club Executive Director, Tony Rich, who we caught up with just as he finished entering the decided pairings for Round 1, weighed in on his career pursuits. "If not chess, I’d likely have a career related to IT”, since he previously was in IT security with a law firm. It was particularly inspiring and a good “chess lesson” to hear Tony’s account of finding a rewarding job in the chess world. It shows that despite not being the best chess player in the room, you can still find a job related to chess. Tony enjoys meeting all of the players and loves his work.
GM Yasser Seirawan with The “Godfather of Chess”, Rex Sinquefield
Famous Chess Commentator, GM Yasser Seirawan’s alternate career path paralleled the sacrifices Tony referenced for Super GMs. Yasser relayed, “It was very clear to me, my life was mapped out from a very early age - I was going to be a doctor”. He felt it was “the highest calling in life” until he got derailed by learning chess!
Yasser and Laurel, Saint Louis
Cover of the Exhibition Handout
GM Elshan Moradiabadi
Seeing the fast-paced Rapid & Blitz after a three-year pandemic pause was thrilling, and did not disappoint. In fact, the Saint Louis Chess Club kicked everything up a notch - they’re currently expanding, and redesigning the Saint Louis Chess Club, and - (spoiler) - from what we witnessed, it’s stunning inside the new space! We are anticipating the official unveiling of the even bigger, better facility and tournament area. The Sinquefield Club’s “Next Move” will be open to the public in Summer, 2023.
Expansion Preview, Saint Louis Chess Club
Not only was it truly intriguing comparing this year’s venue to previous years’, but it was also interesting to see differences between the answers from the interview we conducted three years ago and today’s responses. The player’s favorite foods are NOT what they eat during matches, reinforcing their sacrifice for chess.
As we head into the final day of Rapid & Blitz comes to a close, we look forward to the final event of the World Grand Chess Tour, The Sinquefield Cup! The Opening Ceremony will be open to the public at the World's Fair Pavilion in Forest Park - purchase tickets here. Coincidentally, the Classic Opening Ceremony will take place on the 50th Anniversary of the 1972 World Championship Match, in which the American Bobby Fischer defeated the Russian Boris Spassky. The Saint Louis Hall of Fame perfectly timed their exhibit to this date!
The Chess Hall of Fame Exhibit, 1972 Fischer Spassky The Match, Its Origin and Influence
The Saint Louis Chess Hall of Fame Exhibit, Playing Table Replica, 1972 Fischer Spassky Match
We are beyond grateful to the Sinquefields and their committed team of professionals for creating spectacular events for the Super GMs and their Super fans in the chess community. We would also like to say thank you to the Super Grandmasters and chess influencers who were a joy to interview and who sacrifice daily to bring us all the best chess in the world!
Laurel & Jack, St. Louis, 2019 Laurel & Jack, St. Louis, 2022
Thank you for reading!
By Laurel and Jack
Please check out our previous Saint Louis piece, and a current article I have in ChessLifeKids!
Autograph Signing - 2019 St. Louis Rapid & Blitz / Sinquefield Cup Ceremonies
