FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE				Contact:  Barbara A. DeMaro
July 19, 1999                                        (845) 562-8350
Press Release #16 of 1999

THE WORLD FOCUSES ON DO-OR-DIE KNOCK-OUT TOURNAMENT AT CAESARS PALACE

The World Chess Championship is coming to the United States. The Federation Internationale des Echecs (FIDE) is hosting a seven-round knock-out tournament to determine the new World Chess Champion. This prestigious event will be held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nev. Admission is free to the public.

One hundred of the top players from around the world will participate. Round One (July 31 & August 1) will have 72 players. The winners of those matches will join the 28 players seeded into Round Two. The matches are all two-game matches with faster time limit tie-break games if necessary.

The semi-finals begin in Round Six and are four-game matches. The Finals begins on August 22 and is a six-game match.

"Like NCAA ('March Madness') basketball, the players 'win or go home' and the games will be intense" according to Executive Director Michael Cavallo of the USCF.

Former President Mikhail Gorbachev and International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch will be attending along with other celebrities for the exciting Opening Ceremonies on July 30. A special 800 number is being maintained to keep chess fans updated on the latest developments 1-888-243-7748. For further information contact the USCF website http://www.uschess.org/news/world99/ and www.worldfide.com. Further details to follow.

For more information about this and other chess events, contact Executive Assistant Barbara A. DeMaro, 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