The 2013 Sinquefield Cup, which featured GMs Magnus Carlsen and Levon Aronian (top two in the World) and GMs Hikaru Nakamura and Gata Kamsky (top two in the U.S.) took place September 9-15 at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL). Among the lucky spectators that managed to visit the Sinquefield Cup was the active member of Chessdom / Chessbomb “RT“. He kindly sent an extensive photo report from the event.
The RT review covers the last round of the Sinquefield cup, the Saint Louis Chess Club, the World’s Largest Chess Piece, the atmosphere during round 5 and 6, the Lester’s Sports Bar, the main person behind the event Rex Sinquefield, and an unexpected meeting at the airport with Levon Aronian and Arianne Caoili.
RT asked Aronian if he thought the Sinquefield Cup lived up to European standards. “It was better,” he replied, “the Americans know how to put on a good show.”
Note: click on photos for full size

Chess Hall of Fame across the street from St. Louis Chess Club. It has the World’s Tallest Chess Piece in front of it’s entrance

Placard for World’s Tallest Chess Piece. 14 feet and 7 inches high, it is taller than a giraffe. If the piece had to be used on an actual board, the board would need to measure 72×72 feet, or roughly the size of two tennis courts! The board could serve as parking for 12 school buses.

Finally, a stroke of luck. I happened to run into Aronian and Caoili at the St, Louis airport and had a half-hour to talk! They were both extremely open and friendly
All photos by RT
