2012 U.S. Championships News
SAINT LOUIS (September 21, 2023) – The nation’s top chess players are set to compete in the U.S’. most prestigious events - the 2023 U.S. Chess Championship and 2023 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship. Hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club (STLCC) at the World Chess Hall of Fame, two fields of 12 players will face off over the board October 5 - October 18, 2023 as they compete for a total purse of more than $400,000.
“Being invited to participate in the U.S. and U.S. Women’s Chess Championships is considered one of the ultimate goals for elite chess players in the United States,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “We are thrilled to announce the impressive fields for these two over the board events, who will once again compete in Saint Louis - the nation’s Chess Capital - for more than $400,000 in prizes.”
Field of Dreams in the U.S. Championship
The U.S. Championship field boasts an impressive roster including Grandmaster (GM) Fabiano Caruana, who is currently ranked No. 2 and the returning U.S. Championship winner, three-time U.S. Chess Champion GM Wesley So and GM Sam Sevian who recently delivered an outstanding performance to win the 2023 Chess 9LX event. It will also feature debut performances by GMs Abhimanyu Mishra and Andrew Tang. The complete field includes:
2023 U.S. Chess Championship Field
Title |
First |
Last |
Invitational Rating* |
Qualification Method |
GM |
Fabiano |
Caruana |
2816 |
2022 US Champion |
GM |
Wesley |
So |
2806 |
Rating |
GM |
Levon |
Aronian |
2794 |
Rating |
GM |
Leinier |
Dominguez |
2779 |
Rating |
GM |
Sam |
Shankland |
2752 |
Rating |
GM |
Jeffery |
Xiong |
2734 |
Rating |
GM |
Sam |
Sevian |
2732 |
Rating |
GM |
Hans |
Niemann |
2730 |
Rating |
GM |
Ray |
Robson |
2725 |
Rating |
GM |
Dariusz |
Swiercz |
2701 |
Wildcard |
GM |
Abhimanyu |
Mishra |
2624 |
2022 US Junior Champion |
GM |
Andrew |
Tang |
2568 |
2022 US Open Champion |
Legends and Rising Stars to Headline U.S. Women’s Championship
The U.S. Women’s Championship promises exhilarating matches across the board with legends like eight-time U.S. Women’s Champion GM Irina Krush and returning 2022 U.S. Champion Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Yu, as well as up and coming stars like Alice Lee. The international master-elect, Lee, won the 2023 U.S. Junior Girls Championship and an individual gold medal in the FIDE Women’s World Team Championship earlier this year. The Women’s Championship will also feature a debut performance by WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan, who also earned an individual silver medal in the FIDE Women’s World Team Championship. The complete field includes:
2023 U.S. Women's Chess Championship Field
Title |
First |
Last |
Invitational Rating* |
Qualification Method |
GM |
Irina |
Krush |
2488 |
Rating |
IM |
Carissa |
Yip |
2421 |
Rating |
FM |
Alice |
Lee |
2419 |
2023 US Girls Champion |
IM |
Anna |
Zatonskih |
2402 |
Rating |
WGM |
Begim |
Tokhirjonova |
2388 |
Rating |
IM |
Nazi |
Paikidze |
2366 |
Rating |
WGM |
Jennifer |
Yu |
2365 |
2022 US Women's Champion |
WGM |
Atousa |
Pourkashiyan |
2347 |
Rating |
FM |
Ashritha |
Eswaran |
2342 |
Rating |
WGM |
Tatev |
Abrahamyan |
2341 |
Rating |
WGM |
Thalia |
Cervantes |
2333 |
Rating |
FM |
Ruiyang |
Yan |
2292 |
Wildcard |
*Invitational ratings are calculated based on the September US Chess rating supplement, with bonuses for being at or near peak rating and penalties for inactivity.
How to Watch
The 2023 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women’s Championship will consist of 11 rounds of classical chess, in a round-robin format and will be streamed live daily starting at 1:20 p.m. CDT. Coverage will feature play-by-play and analysis from the world-renowned commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Cristian Chirila and Women’s GM Katerina Nemcova. Fans can follow all of the action live on uschesschamps.com and on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels.
About the U.S. Championship & U.S. Women’s Championship
The U.S. Championship as a tournament dates back to 1936, and its victors include luminaries of the game, including Bobby Fischer, Yasser Seirawan and Hikaru Nakamura. The Saint Louis Chess Club hosted its first U.S. Championship in 2009 and has been honored to organize each edition since. Awarding more than $2.5 million in prizes and elevating the national championships, the Saint Louis Chess Club promotes the game of chess at all levels.
The U.S. Championship is a tournament open to men and women, boys and girls. It represents the very best talent in the United States. The path to qualify for the U.S. Championship is daunting; players compete for a select few rating invitations, a qualifier spot or the coveted wildcard. With just 12 players in 2023, the U.S. Championship is the pinnacle of American chess.
The U.S. Women’s Championship is the premier event in America featuring the very best women and girls of chess. Past champions include Diane Savereide, Irina Krush and Anna Zatonskih. Since its first U.S. Women’s Championship in 2009, the Saint Louis Chess Club has awarded more than $1 million in prizes to U.S. Women’s Championship competitors.
In addition to the thrilling chess action, the 2023 tournaments also mark a significant milestone – the 15th anniversary of the formation of the Saint Louis Chess Club and as the host of these top-tier competitions. Saint Louis, often referred to as the Chess Capital of America, has been the backdrop for countless memorable moments in the world of chess, and this year promises to be no different.
Chess Legends to be Inducted into U.S. Hall of Fame
The chess festivities will kick-off with the public opening ceremony for the 2023 U.S. Championships, with the 2023 U.S. Chess Hall of Fame Inductions for GM Yury Shulman, chess problemist William Shinkman and women’s chess pioneer Lisa Lane. The public opening ceremony will be held at the CITYPARK Ultra Club from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The tournament will conclude with U.S. Chess & U.S. Chess Championships Closing Ceremony on Wednesday, October 18 from 5:30pm - 10:00pm at the Chase Park Plaza Sonesta. To find additional event information or purchase tickets, visit uschesschamps.com.
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
About the World Chess Hall of Fame
The World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to building awareness of the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on September 9, 2011, in the Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Housed in a historic 15,900 square-foot residence-turned-business in Saint Louis' Central West End neighborhood, the WCHOF features World Chess Hall of Fame inductees, United States Chess Hall of Fame inductees selected by the U.S. Chess Trust, artifacts from the permanent collection and exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games and rich cultural history of chess. The WCHOF partners with the Saint Louis Chess Club to provide innovative programming and outreach to local, national and international audiences. For more information, visit worldchesshof.org and on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube channels.
For Immediate Release
SAINT LOUIS, September 12, 2023 - GM Sam Sevian won the 2023 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX after a brilliant final day, where he defeated a competitive field including legendary former World Champion Garry Kasparov and World No. 2 Fabiano Caruana to take home the $37,500 first place prize. Chess 9LX was hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club at the World Chess Hall of Fame September 8-11, 2023.
“It’s been an insane tournament, and I felt like I played my best chess. I feel amazing,” said Sevian about his Chess 9LX win. “I had hoped I could play well, so this is an extremely special win.”
There was a three way tie for second place between GM Levon Aronian, GM Wesley So and GM Sam Shankland, each winning $20,000.
“The Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX is always such a treat for our participants and fans watching around the world - especially when you combine the top players from the United States competing alongside legendary former World Champion Garry Kasparov,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “Sam Sevian’s win proves anything can happen over the board, and we’re excited for his first major tournament win to happen in Saint Louis.”
Final tournament results include:
Place | Player | Prize |
---|---|---|
1 |
GM Sam Sevian |
$37,500 |
T-2 |
GM Levon Aronian |
$20,000 |
T-2 |
GM Wesley So |
$20,000 |
T-2 |
GM Sam Shankland |
$20,000 |
5 |
GM Fabiano Caruana |
$12,500 |
6 |
GM Hikaru Nakamura |
$10,000 |
7 |
GM Jeffery Xiong |
$7,500 |
8 |
GM Garry Kasparov |
$7,500 |
9 |
GM Leinier Dominguez |
$7,500 |
10 |
GM Ray Robson |
$7,500 |
Created by the Saint Louis Chess Club, Chess 9LX is an annual tournament played in Chess960 style (i.e. Fischer Random), a chess variant where the starting position of the pieces is randomized along the first rank. The tournament format is a 10-player round-robin, with a time control of 20 minutes per side plus a 5-second increment added every move.
Chess 9LX was preceded by Ultimate Moves, a fun and casual exhibition event featuring Saint Louis Chess Club co-founder, Rex Sinquefield teaming up with legendary World Champion Garry Kasparov and the Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX field. The winning team led by Corporate Chess League founder Alex Kerford, included GMs Garry Kasparov, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Jeffery Xiong and Ray Robson.
Full event coverage including commentary from GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Cristian Chirila and IM Nazí Paikidze can be found on Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels or on uschesschamps.com.
###
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
About the World Chess Hall of Fame
The World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to building awareness of the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on September 9, 2011, in the Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Housed in a historic 15,900 square-foot residence-turned-business in Saint Louis' Central West End neighborhood, the WCHOF features World Chess Hall of Fame inductees, United States Chess Hall of Fame inductees selected by the U.S. Chess Trust, artifacts from the permanent collection and exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games and rich cultural history of chess. The WCHOF partners with the Saint Louis Chess Club to provide innovative programming and outreach to local, national and international audiences. For more information, visit worldchesshof.org and on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube channels.
SAINT LOUIS, August 30, 2023 - Presented by the Saint Louis Chess Club, the highly anticipated 2023 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX returns this September 8-10, 2023 at the World Chess Hall of Fame with another exciting line-up featuring a prize purse of $150,000. This year’s tournament features the top players from the United States, including World No. 3 and reigning World 960 Champion GM Hikaru Nakamura and World No. 2 GM Fabiano Caruana competing alongside legendary former World Champion Garry Kasparov.
“As the epicenter of U.S. chess, we are proud to host another elite event featuring legendary World Champion Garry Kasparov and reigning Chess960 World Champion Hikaru Nakamura. Fans are sure to enjoy the fast-paced action and surprises that keep the world’s best players on their toes in this unique event,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club.
Chess 9LX is a tournament played in Chess 960 style, also known as Fischer Random Chess. Chess 960 is a variant of chess created by Bobby Fischer in the late 1990s in which the pieces on the home rank are randomized, with 960 representing the number of possible starting positions. Players will not know the order of the home rank pieces until just before the start of each round and will have to rely on their creativity in rapid and blitz games.
Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX Field |
|
Player |
URS Rating |
GM Garry Kasparov |
2552 |
GM Hikaru Nakamura |
2808 |
GM Fabiano Caruana |
2789 |
GM Wesley So |
2781 |
GM Levon Aronian |
2771 |
GM Leinier Dominguez |
2727 |
GM Jeffery Xiong |
2700 |
GM Ray Robson |
2691 |
GM Sam Sevian |
2689 |
GM Sam Shankland |
2685 |
*** Ratings as of August 2023 ***
Games will start daily at 2:00 p.m. CDT (GMT-5) from September 8-10, 2023 for Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX. The tournament will include expert commentary featuring GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Cristian Chirila and IM Nazi Paikidze. Viewers can watch the action online at uschesschamps.com or on the Saint Louis Chess Club's Youtube and Twitch.tv channels.
Event festivities will kick-off on Thursday, September 7, 2023 with Ultimate Moves, a fun and casual exhibition event featuring Saint Louis Chess Club co-founder Rex Sinquefield teaming up with legendary World Champion Garry Kasparov and the Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX field.
In tandem with the chess events, the World Chess Hall of Fame has two incredible exhibitions on view: “Sound Moves: Where Music Meets Chess” and “T. S. Eliot: A Game of Chess.” Both exhibitions showcase how the timeless game has had a powerful influence across music, literature and culture and will be on view through January 2024.
For more information, visit www.uschesschamps.com or www.worldchesshof.org.
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
About the World Chess Hall of Fame
The World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to building awareness of the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on September 9, 2011, in the Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Housed in a historic 15,900 square-foot residence-turned-business in Saint Louis' Central West End neighborhood, the WCHOF features World Chess Hall of Fame inductees, United States Chess Hall of Fame inductees selected by the U.S. Chess Trust, artifacts from the permanent collection and exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games and rich cultural history of chess. The WCHOF partners with the Saint Louis Chess Club to provide innovative programming and outreach to local, national and international audiences. For more information, visit worldchesshof.org and on social: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube channels.
SAINT LOUIS (July 27, 2023) – All eyes were on Saint Louis as tournament play for the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Junior and U.S. Senior Championships hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club came to an exciting conclusion this week.
Each event featured ten of the nation’s best junior and senior players competing for more than $150,000 in prizes and scholarships. “The caliber of talent we saw among these young players indicates that American chess continues to grow and thrive,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “It was also thrilling to see these icons of American chess in action over the board again and we look forward to continuing to host the nation’s best here in Saint Louis once again next year.”
The U.S. Girls’ Junior, U.S. Junior and U.S. Senior Championships have been mainstay events at the Saint Louis Chess Club. All three tournaments ran concurrently from July 15-24, 2023. If you missed them live, you can rewatch the action by visiting the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels.
IM Elect Alice Lee Clinches U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship
Thirteen year old Alice Lee took top honors in the U.S. Girls’ Junior division. Lee has already set several American chess records becoming a National Master (NM) at 10, a Woman International Master at 12 and recently became the youngest American female International Master Elect. Her commanding performance earned her a $6,000 cash prize, $10,000 scholarship to the university of her choice and a seat to compete in the U.S. Women’s Championship this fall.
“To be able to win this tournament means alot to me, especially in such a strong field,” said Lee.
FM Ruiyang Yan finished in second place and received a check for $4,000, followed by IM Carissa Yip and FM Zoey Tang, who tied for third place, each winning $2,500.
U.S. GIRLS’ JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS | |||
PLACE | PLAYER | AGE | PRIZE MONEY |
1 | IM Elect Alice Lee, 13 | North Oaks, MN | $6,000 |
2 | FM Ruiyang Yan, 16 | Mountain View, CA | $4,000 |
T-3 | IM Carissa Yip, 19 | Andover, MA | $2,500 |
T-3 | FM Zoey Tang, 15 | Portland, OR | $2,500 |
5 | WIM Iris Mou, 14 | New York, NY | $1,500 |
6 | WGM Rochelle Wu, 17 | Woodland, CA | $1,200 |
7 | WCM Shreya Mangalam, 20 | South Barrington, IL | $1,000 |
T-8 | NM Kelsey Liu, 14 | Wellesley, MA | $700 |
T-8 | WFM Gracy Prasanna, 17 | Nazareth, PA | $700 |
10 | NM Rose Atwell, 14 | Valencia, CA | $500 |
Fourteen Year Old GM Abhimanyu Mishra Wins U.S. Junior Championship
GM Mishra, the youngest player to become a Grandmaster in the history of the game at the age of 12, bested a field of new and returning young prodigies to take home first place, a check for $12,000 and earning a ticket to compete in this year’s upcoming U.S. Championship. He, too, was awarded a $10,000 scholarship to the university of his choice thanks to the generosity of Dewain Barber and US Chess.
“The U.S. Junior Championship is a strong tournament and my main purpose was winning so I would be able to play against America’s best in the U.S. Championship later this year,” said Mishra.
GM Brandon Jacobson, GM Andrew Hong, GM Balaji Daggupati and IM Arthur Guo shared a four-way tie for second place, each winning $5,000.
U.S. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS | |||
PLACE | PLAYER | LOCATION | PRIZE MONEY |
1 | GM Abhimanyu Mishra, 14 | Englishtown, NJ | $12,000 |
T-2 | GM Brandon Jacobson, 19 | Westfield, NJ | $5,000 |
T-2 | GM Andrew Hong, 18 | Saratoga, CA | $5,000 |
T-2 | GM Balaji Daggupati, 17 | San Ramon, CA | $5,000 |
T-2 | IM Arthur Guo, 16 | Alpharetta, GA | $5,000 |
T-6 | IM Justin Wang, 17 | Katy, TX | $2,250 |
T-6 | IM Kirk Ghazarian, 17 | Coto de Caza, CA | $2,250 |
T-8 | IM Jason Liang, 16 | Potsdam, NY | $1,250 |
T-8 | IM Josiah Stearman, 20 | Martinez, CA | $1,250 |
10 | FM Arthur Xu, 16 | Naperville, IL | $1,000 |
GM Melikset Khachiyan Wins U.S. Senior Championship
In the U.S. Senior division, wildcard player GM Melikset Khachiyan was crowned champion, winning an impressive $20,000 and bragging rights amidst a field of legendary players and hall of famers.
“I’ve been able to help coach my students to win many championship titles, but I’d never won myself until now. This is my first national championship and it was a breakthrough tournament,” said Khachiyan.
Last year’s winner GM Alexander Shabalov finished in second place and received a check for $13,000, followed by GM Vladimir Akopian in third place, winning $10,000.
U.S. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS | |||
PLACE | PLAYER | LOCATION | PRIZE MONEY |
1 | GM Melikset Khachiyan, 53 | Glendale, CA | $20,000 |
2 | GM Alexander Shabalov, 55 | Pittsburgh, PA | $13,000 |
3 | GM Vladimir Akopian, 51 | Glendale, CA | $10,000 |
T-4 | GM Gregory Kaidanov | Lexington, KY | $6,500 |
T-4 | GM Maxim Dlugy, 57 | Albrightsville, PA | $6,500 |
T-6 | GM Patrick Wolff, 55 | San Francisco, CA | $4,500 |
T-6 | GM Joel Benjamin, 59 | Waldwick, NJ | $4,500 |
T-8 | GM Igor Novikov, 61 | Lexington, KY | $3,333 |
T-8 | IM Douglas Root, 60 | Denton, TX | $3,333 |
T-8 | GM Dmitry Gurevich, 66 | Chicago, IL | $3,333 |
For more information, visit uschesschamps.com.
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
SAINT LOUIS - June 29, 2023 - Top American junior and senior chess players will return to Saint Louis for the 2023 U.S. Senior, Junior, and Girls’ Junior Championships hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club. From July 15-25, 2023, the top 10 players across three divisions - juniors, girls, and seniors, will travel to compete for more than $130,000 in prizes.
“We are excited to once again kick off this summer’s national championships by bringing together the top chess players from across the United States,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “We’re proud to again host the future of chess with the U.S. Junior, U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Senior Championships.”
The three 10-player fields will tie together chess past and future for a celebration of the best of chess.
U.S. Junior Championship
The U.S. Junior Championship will feature a field of new and returning prodigies. Headlining players include last year’s U.S. Junior Champion GM Christopher Yoo, as well as GM Brandon Jacobson and GM Abhimanyu Mishra, the youngest player to become a Grandmaster in the history of the game at the age of 12.
With five of the players currently ranked within the top 50 juniors in the world, this year's U.S. Junior Championship pits some of the most talented and brightest young minds in the game against each other.
Along with winning the title, players will be competing to win a piece of the more than $20,000 prize fund and the coveted invitation to the U.S. Championship later this year. Thanks to the generosity of the Sue & Dewain Barber Foundation and US Chess, the winner of the U.S. Junior Championship will also be awarded a $10,000 scholarship to the university of their choice.
2023 U.S. Junior Championship Field |
|||
Name |
Qualification Method |
Invitational Rating |
Hometown |
GM Christopher Yoo |
2022 U.S. Junior Championship |
2692 |
Dublin, CA |
GM Brandon Jacobson |
Rating |
2643 |
Westfield, NJ |
GM Abhimanyu Mishra |
Rating |
2640 |
Englishtown, NJ |
IM Jason Liang |
Rating |
2630 |
Potsdam, NY |
GM Andrew Hong |
Rating |
2617 |
Saratoga, CA |
GM Balaji Daggupati |
Rating |
2592 |
San Ramon, CA |
IM Justin Wang |
Rating |
2577 |
Katy, TX |
IM Arthur Guo |
2022 Denker Tournament of High School Champions |
2534 |
Alpharetta, GA |
IM Josiah Stearman |
Wildcard |
2478 |
Martinez, CA |
FM Arthur Xu |
2022 U.S. Junior Open Championship |
2247 |
Naperville, IL |
U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship
The future of women’s chess in America is bright and will be on full display during the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.
This tournament features a field of rising stars, including FM Alice Lee, who recently qualified for the international master title (pending FIDE approval) at just age 13, becoming the youngest female player in American history to earn the title. In addition, IM Carissa Yip headlines the field. Yip, a sophomore at Stanford, has already earned a place in chess history as she works toward becoming the seventh-youngest woman to reach grandmaster.
Along with winning the title, players will be up for the chance to win a piece of the more than $10,000 prize fund and an invitation to the U.S. Women’s Championship to be held later this year. Additionally, the winner of the U.S. Girls' Junior Championship will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship, jointly supported by US Chess and the Sue & Dewain Barber Foundation.
2023 U.S. Girls’ Championship Field |
|||
Name |
Qualification Method |
Invitational Rating |
Hometown |
IM Carissa Yip |
Rating |
2482 |
Andover, MA |
FM Alice Lee |
Rating |
2438 |
North Oaks, MN |
FM Ruiyang Yan |
2022 Haring Tournament of Champions |
2357 |
Mountain View, CA |
WGM Rochelle Wu |
Rating |
2353 |
Woodland, CA |
FM Zoey Tang |
Rating |
2262 |
Portland, OR |
WFM Iris Mou |
Rating |
2231 |
New York, NY |
NM Kelsey Liu |
Rating |
2209 |
Wellesley, MA |
WFM Gracy Prasanna |
Rating |
2206 |
Nazareth, PA |
NM Rose Atwell |
Rating |
2197 |
Valencia, CA |
WCM Shreyga Mangalam |
Wildcard |
2117 |
South Barrington, IL |
U.S. Senior Championship
The Saint Louis Chess Club created the U.S. Senior Champion five years ago, and for the fifth consecutive year, the U.S. Senior Championship will be held alongside the country’s junior national chess championships, where they will compete for a $75,000 prize fund. The 2023 field boasts legendary chess players, including every winner of the tournament since its inception including GM Alex Shabalov (2019, 2022), GM Joel Benjamin (2020) and GM Gregory Kaidanov (2021). Many of the players are also U.S. Chess Hall of Fame inductees: Grandmasters Gregory Kaidanov, Joel Benjamin and Alex Shabalov.
2023 U.S. Senior Championship Field |
|||
Name |
Qualification Method |
Invitational Rating |
Hometown |
GM Vladimir Akopian |
Rating |
2658 |
Glendale, CA |
GM Gregory Kaidanov |
Rating |
2597 |
Lexington, KY |
GM Igor Novikov |
Rating |
2562 |
Lexington, KY |
GM Patrick Wolff |
Rating |
2549 |
San Francisco, CA |
GM Maxim Dlugy |
Rating |
2547 |
Albrightsville, PA |
GM Alex Shabalov |
2022 U.S. Senior Champion |
2544 |
Pittsburgh, PA |
GM Joel Benjamin |
Rating |
2525 |
Waldwick, NJ |
IM Douglas Root |
2022 Irwin Tournament of Champions |
2492 |
Denton, TX |
GM Melikset Khachiyan |
Wildcard |
2483 |
Glendale, CA |
GM Dmitry Gurevich |
2022 U.S. Senior Open Champion |
2457 |
Chicago, IL |
The expert commentary team of GM’s Yasser Seirawan, Katerina Nemcova and Cristian Chirila will call the action live. The team will be providing game analysis daily online starting at 1:20 p.m. CT.
Fans can watch all the action live on www.uschesschamps.com and on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels.
Saint Louis Chess Club Celebrates 15th Anniversary
During the tournament, the Saint Louis Chess Club will recognize its 15th Anniversary. Over the past 15 years, co-founders Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield, alongside its staff and extended team, have impacted nearly every aspect of the game of chess. From establishing Saint Louis as the Chess Capital of the United States, to building the most elite tournament venue and hosting some of the most influential chess tournaments around the world, the Saint Louis Chess Club is among the leading chess organizations in the world.
Outside of competitive chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is responsible for establishing extensive educational and scholastic programs - reaching over 80,000 students and spanning in-person, online after-school classes to help encourage participation in chess.
In addition, the Saint Louis Chess Club first introduced the Chess Merit Badge in 2011. Since then, it has become one of the most popular badges in the Scouts BSA merit badge catalog, with more than 300,000 scouts earning their Chess Merit badge. The Saint Louis Chess Club designed workshops provide a dynamic program of learning and adventure that builds critical thinking, forward thinking, and proper sportsmanship in young people.
Further, the organization has also pioneered innovative community outreach programs ranging from C.H.E.S.S. Cops, a program that works to build relationships between kids and police, to the Corporate Chess League that provides a venue for business professionals to join competitive leagues to help strengthen their focus, encourage strategic thinking and creativity.
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Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
SAINT LOUIS, June 20, 2023 - With one round to spare, International Master (IM) Anna Zatonskih defied the odds to win the 2023 Cairns Cup. The four-time U.S. Women’s Champion called the win her best achievement of her chess career as she took the grand prize of $45,000, despite starting as the lowest-rated player in the field. Zatonskih also earned her first norm toward the Grandmaster (GM) title.
“This is the best achievement in my chess career, I can’t believe it,” shared Zatonskih. “Thank you to everyone for supporting me, including my role models. You helped me prove age is just a number.”
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk had an important win on the final day, securing the runners-up slot in the tournament. GM Bella Khotenashvili and GM Irina Krush tied for third place.
“Electric is the best way to describe this year’s Cairns Cup. It was wonderful to welcome such an impressive group of players back to Saint Louis for this year’s tournament,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club.”
Established in 2019, the Cairns Cup was established by the Saint Louis Chess Club to provide a competitive tournament for elite female players. Aptly named in honor of Saint Louis Chess Club co-founder Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield’s maiden name, the 2023 Cairns Cup featured a ten player field of top women from across the world who competed for a purse of $180,000 during the round robin style tournament held at the World Chess Hall of Fame from June 3-12, 2023.
“It was an honor to host another incredible group of elite chess players during the Cairns Cup,” said Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield, co-founder of the Saint Louis Chess Club. "We are on a mission to bring more girls and women into the sport of competitive chess. By hosting events like the Cairns Cup, we hope to provide a needed platform for women where they can compete against the best players in the world for significant prizes at a world class facility.”
The initial field of ten was reduced to nine before the fifth round when GM Humpy Koneru withdrew from the tournament due to medical issues. The Cairns Cup final standings include:
PLACE |
NAME |
FEDERATION |
PRIZE MONEY |
1 |
IM Anna Zatonskih |
USA |
$45,000 |
2 |
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk |
CHE |
$35,000 |
T-3 |
GM Bella Khotenashvili |
GEO |
$22,500 |
T-3 |
GM Irina Krush |
USA |
$22,500 |
5 |
GM Nana Dzagnidze |
GEO |
$15,000 |
T-6 |
GM Harika Dronavalli |
IND |
$9,500 |
T-6 |
GM Elisabeth Paehtz |
DEU |
$9,500 |
8 |
IM Gunay Mammadzada |
AZE |
$8,000 |
9 |
GM Zhansaya Abdumalik |
KAZ |
$7,000 |
To rewatch all of the action from the 2023 Cairns Cup broadcast, visit the Saint Louis Chess Club YouTube playlist.
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About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.