2009 U.S. Women's Chess Championship

The Main Event - the U.S. Chess Championship 2009: Two dozen chess players will compete for more than $130,000 in prize money May 7-17 at the Central West End chess club. Competitors will include the top 12 American players, the top two American female players, the 2008 U.S. Junior Closed Champion, the 2008 U.S. Open Champion and the 2009 U.S. State Champion of Champions. There will also be seven wild card spots.(from St. Louis Today.com, story from St. Louis Post-Dispatch 1/28/09 by Greg Jonsson) At the moment, the top two female players in the US are 1 Krush, Irina (12543137) NY USA 2474 2 Zatonskih, Anna (12873912) NY USA 2472 Does this mean that the ladies will get a second kick at the cat by being able to play in the U.S. Women's Championship that will be held "later" this year? It seems so - this is from an announcement by the St. Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center about being awarded the hosting for the 2009 USWCC: Invitations will be sent to the top 10 U.S. women by their rating. The championship will have a purse of $64,000. Should they accept their invitations to both events, Krush and Zatonskih have a chance of earning prize money in the USWCC in addition to winning prizes in the "other" U.S. Chess Championship. As Krush and Zatonskih finished 2nd and 1st in last year's USWCC, it's a pretty good bet they will be at or near the top positions in this year's USWCC and win some nice prizes out of that event's $64,000 purse. Seems to me we went through this just a few years ago. I didn't think it was fair then that two female players received an opportunity to play in both tournaments, and I don't think it is fair now. In my opinion, the ladies should be required to pick one or the other event, but not be allowed to play in both. By the way - any FIRM dates set yet?