2012 U.S. Championships News
For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Buffington
Marketing & Event Manager
(314)277-3930
rbuffington@saintlouischessclub.org
Saint Louis Chess Club to Host Third Annual Cairns Cup
Coming February 8-19, 2022, Saint Louis will host an elite tournament for top female players
SAINT LOUIS, December 2, 2021 – For the third time, the Saint Louis Chess Club will host the Cairns Cup, an elite level tournament for the top female players from around the world. Inspired by its mission to further promote the game of chess to females, the Chess Club aptly chose the name Cairns Cup in honor of its co-founder, Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield.
Fans can look forward to a chess tournament similar in style to the prestigious Sinquefield Cup with the ten best female players from around the world competing in the Chess Club’s world-renowned facility for a $180,000 prize fund. More information, including the field of players, will be announced at a later date.
What: Third Annual Cairns Cup
Who: Ten of the top female players from around the world
When: February 8-19, 2022
Where: Saint Louis Chess Club, 4657 Maryland Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108
| Day | Date | Time | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | February 8 | 6:00 PM | Opening Ceremony |
| Wednesday | February 9 | 1:00 PM | Round 1 |
| Thursday | February 10 | 1:00 PM | Round 2 |
| Friday | February 11 | 1:00 PM | Round 3 |
| Saturday | February 12 | 1:00 PM | Round 4 |
| Sunday | February 13 | 1:00 PM | Round 5 |
| Monday | February 14 | Rest Day | Rest Day |
| Tuesday | February 15 | 1:00 PM | Round 6 |
| Wednesday | February 16 | 1:00 PM | Round 7 |
| Thursday | February 17 | 1:00 PM | Round 8 |
| Friday | February 18 | 1:00 PM | Round 9 |
| Saturday | February 19 | 1:00 PM | Playoffs (if necessary) |
| 6:00 PM | Closing Ceremony |
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 saintlouischessclub.org
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For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Buffington
Marketing & Event Manager
(314)277-3930
rbuffington@saintlouischessclub.org
2021 U.S. Chess Champions: Teenage Talent Yip Wins U.S. Women’s Championship While Veteran So Claims Third U.S. Championship Title
The Nation’s Most Elite, Invitation-Only Chess Tournaments Conclude at Saint Louis Chess Club with Worthy Champions
SAINT LOUIS, October 20, 2021 – 24 of America’s best chess players gathered in Saint Louis, America’s Chess Capital, at the Saint Louis Chess Club for the 2021 U.S. & U.S. Women’s Chess Championships held from October 5 - October 19, 2021. 18-year-old International Master Carissa Yip was crowned U.S. Women’s Champion with a round to spare, finishing with an incredible 8.5/11 score. Veteran Grandmaster Wesley So claimed the 2021 U.S. Chess Championship, his third national title after winning a three-way playoff against GM Fabiano Caruana and GM Sam Sevian with a final score of 6.5/11 (2.0/2 for the playoff). So managed to defeat both Caruana and Sevian in the rapid round-robin playoff, earning him the $50,000 first place prize and his third national title.
Having lost the first game to So, Caruana was in a must-win situation heading into the second round of the playoff against Sevian. After slowly building up the pressure, Caruana eventually found a winning tactical shot to decide the game. The third and final game of the playoff saw Wesley just needing a draw to clinch the title, while Sevian would need to win to force another three-way tie and take the playoffs to blitz. Sevian tried to put up resistance and keep the game complicated, but So remained calm and slowly converted his advantage, ultimately winning the playoff and his third U.S Chess Championship title.
“I would like to thank all of the chess supporters, especially Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield, for everything they do,” said GM Wesley So. “I wasn’t actually expecting to be in the playoff today, winning this tournament means so much to me as a professional chess player and I’m excited to celebrate.”
On the final day of the 2021 U.S. Women’s Championship, tournament champion IM Carissa Yip drew her last round game after surviving a lost position against WGM Katerina Nemcova, ending with a final score of 8.5/11. GM Irina Krush and WGM Begim Tokhirjonova entered the round tied for second with 6.5/10, but only Tokhirjonova was able to score, drawing her game against WGM Thalia Cervantes. Meanwhile, Krush ended up blundering and losing to WGM Tatev Abrahamyan to finish with a third place win.
IM Carissa Yip ultimately beat four former U.S. Women’s Champions in this event, including Irina Krush, Anna Zatonskih, Nazi Paikidze and Sabina Foisor. This is an accomplishment that has never been done before in the Women’s field. “I had no idea that was the case, ” said a smiling Carissa Yip, in her post-game interview. “It was a very pleasant surprise to find out I not only won first place but I was the first woman to beat four former U.S. Women champions. I want to thank my family and friends for their support. This was an amazing win for me.” Yip not only won the first place trophy but took home the $25,000 first-place prize as well.
For more information on the 2021 U.S. Championships or upcoming championship events, visit www.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 saintlouischessclub.org
###
For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Buffington
Marketing & Event Manager
(314)277-3930
rbuffington@saintlouischessclub.org
2021 U.S. and U.S. Women’s Chess Championships Fields Announced
The Saint Louis Chess Club to Host Nation’s Top Chess Talent Along with 2020 U.S. Chess and 2021 World Chess Hall of Fames Inductions
SAINT LOUIS, September 21, 2021 – The Saint Louis Chess Club (STLCC) is pleased to announce they will host America’s best chess players for the 2021 U.S. Chess Championship and 2021 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship. The fields are confirmed and fans are sure to see some exciting battles over the board from October 5 - October 19, 2021.
Tuesday, October 5th will kick off the chess festivities with the Private Opening Ceremony for the 2021 U.S. Chess and U.S. Women's Chess Championships and the 2020 U.S. Chess Hall of Fame Inductions of Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield & Rex Sinquefield.
Rex Sinquefield, Missouri resident who was born in Saint Louis and co-founder of the STLCC responsible for the relocation of the World Chess Hall of Fame to Saint Louis, Missouri, and the rapid resurgence of American chess; and Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield, Missouri resident and co-founder of the STLCC, who spearheaded the launch of Scouts BSA chess merit badge and helped bring the benefits of chess to thousands of children in the Saint Louis metropolitan area and across the country.
The 2021 U.S. & U.S. Women’s Chess Championships will conclude with a private closing ceremony and the 2021 World Chess Hall of Fame Inductions of Grandmasters Judit Polgar, Miguel Najdorf, and Eugene Torre.
Judit Polgar, who is universally considered to be the strongest woman chess player of all time and broke Bobby Fischer’s record as the world’s youngest grandmaster; Miguel Najdorf, whose name is associated with one of the most famous openings in chess, the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense, in addition to being one of the most successful performers in Chess Olympiad history; and Eugene Torre, a trailblazer for Asian chess for half a century, achieving a number of continental milestones including first grandmaster, first to defeat a reigning world champion, and first to reach the Candidates stage of the World Championship.
“Participating in the U.S. and U.S. Women’s Chess Championships has been considered one of the ultimate goals for elite chess players in this country,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “Although last year’s tournaments were held online we are thrilled to announce the return of these two over the board events that will once again be held in the Nation’s Chess Capital. The drama and excitement that is sure to unfold provides inspiration for chess players in the United States and worldwide. We look forward to hosting our nation’s chess championships for the 13th consecutive year and showcasing the best of our sport.”
"We are pleased that our premier events are returning to over-the-board play, and that they continue to be hosted by our partners at the Saint Louis Chess Club, who always make the experience an exceptional one for both players and fans, " said US Chess Executive Director, Carol Meyer.
The 2021 U.S. Championships will be streamed live daily starting at 1:00pm CT on www.uschesschamps.com, featuring play-by-play and analysis from the world-renowned commentary team of GM Yasser Seirawan, GM Maurice Ashley and GM Christian Chirilla. Additional event information may be found at www.uschesschamps.com.
| 2021 U.S. Chess Championship Field | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | First Name | Last Name | Invitational Rating* | Qualification Method |
| GM | Fabiano | Caruana | 2855 | Rating |
| GM | Wesley | So | 2807 | 2020 U.S. Champion |
| GM | Lenier | Dominguez | 2794 | Rating |
| GM | Jeffery | Xiong | 2748 | Rating |
| GM | Sam | Shankland | 2736 | Rating |
| GM | Ray | Robson | 2711 | Rating |
| GM | Dariusz | Swiercz | 2698 | Rating |
| GM | Sam | Sevian | 2692 | Rating |
| GM | Lazaro | Bruzon | 2686 | Rating |
| GM | Alex | Lenderman | 2668 | U.S Chess Online Qualifier (replaced US Open) |
| GM | Daniel | Naroditsky | 2654 | Wildcard |
| GM | John | Burke | 2589 | 2020 U.S. Junior Champion |
| 2021 U.S. Women's Chess Championship Field | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | First Name | Last Name | Invitational Rating* | Qualification Method |
| GM | Irina | Krush | 2475 | 2020 U.S. Women's Champion |
| IM | Carissa | Yip | 2468 | 2020 US Girls’ Junior Champion |
| WGM | Anna | Zatonskih | 2453 | Rating |
| WGM | Tatev | Abrahamyan | 2403 | Rating |
| WIM | Nazi | Paikidze | 2386 | Rating |
| WIM | Gulrukhbegim | Tokhirjonova | 2375 | Rating |
| WIM | Katerina | Nemcova | 2347 | Rating |
| WGM | Thalia | Cervantes | 2316 | Rating |
| WGM | Anna | Sharevich | 2296 | Rating |
| WIM | Sabina | Foisor | 2286 | Rating |
| WIM | Ashritha | Eswaran | 2286 | Wildcard |
| WIM | Megan | Lee | 2268 | Wildcard |
*Invitational ratings are calculated based on the September U.S. Chess rating supplement, with bonuses for being at or near peak rating and penalties for inactivity.*
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 saintlouischessclub.org
###
For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Buffington
Marketing & Event Manager
(314)277-3930
rbuffington@saintlouischessclub.org
Leinier Dominguez Wins the 2021 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX Tournament
Saint Louis Grandmaster Takes Home the $37,500 First Prize
SAINT LOUIS, September 13, 2021 – GM Leinier Dominguez secured victory in the 2021 Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX after winning a dramatic final round game against GM Levon Aronian and ending with 6 points and the $37,500 first prize. Finishing in a tie second place were Grandmasters Wesley So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and Sam Shankland, while legendary World Champion Garry Kasparov concluded the tournament in fifth with an impressive performance. This tournament featured three exciting days of over the board chess played by the world’s best in Chess960 or Fischer Random chess.
The final round of the tournament was the most dramatic of all as Wesley So, Leinier Dominguez, Garry Kasparov, and Sam Shankland were all tied for first place going into the final round; with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave just a half-point behind the four leaders.
Both Shankland and So had chances at various points, but could only draw against Caruana and Nakamura, respectively; Kasparov got in trouble against Vachier-Lagrave and ended up with a losing position. Only Dominguez could manage to win, taking advantage of a slip by Aronian to collect the full point and ultimately clinch first place.
“From the start of the tournament I was trying to take it one game at a time,” said Saint Louis based Grandmaster, Leinier Dominguez in his interview with commentator Grandmaster Maurice Ashley. “It’s been awhile since I’ve won a tournament this strong, and I’m pleased that it happened here in Saint Louis of all places. To have won a tournament with such a strong field to play against feels really great.”
“The Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX is always such a treat for chess fans watching from around the globe,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “With this year’s tournament format being played over the chess board once again added an extra level of excitement for viewers. To have Garry Kasparov return once again among such a strong field certainly made for an unforgettable three days.”
| Place | Name | Total Points | Total Prize Winnings |
| 1 | Leinier Dominguez | 6 | $37,500 |
| T2 | Wesley So | 5.5 | $20,000 |
| T2 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | 5.5 | $20,000 |
| T2 | Sam Shankland | 5.5 | $20,000 |
| 5 | Garry Kasparov | 5 | $12,500 |
| 6 | Fabiano Caruana | 4.5 | $10,000 |
| 7 | Levon Aronian | 4 | $7,500 |
| 8 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 3.5 | $7,500 |
| 9 | Hikaru Nakamura | 3 | $7,500 |
| 10 | Peter Svidler | 2.5 | $7,500 |
Daily round recaps from Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX can be found online at www.uschesschamps.com and the video highlights and full commentary can be watched on the Saint Louis Chess Club's Youtube and Twitch.tv channels.
About Chess960
Chess960 or Fischer Random. Chess960 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 did not know the order of the home rank pieces until they arrived before the start of each round.
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 saintlouischessclub.org
###
For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Buffington
Marketing & Event Manager
(314)277-3930
rbuffington@saintlouischessclub.org
Saint Louis Chess Club To Host Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX
Tournament to Feature Ten of the World’s Best including Legendary World Champion Garry Kasparov and the top American Players
SAINT LOUIS, September 2, 2021 – The top international chess superstars are set to battle it out over the board from September 7-10 in Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX will feature the world’s top grandmasters including legendary World Champion Garry Kasparov, World Number 2 Fabiano Caruana, and the recent 2021 Grand Chess Tour winner, Wesley So. The ten grandmasters will be competing at the Saint Louis Chess Club from September 8 - September 10th in round robin format. The tournament will be played in Chess 9LX style, also known as Fischer Random, with a $150,000 total prize fund.
Chess 9LX is another term for Chess 960 or Fischer Random. Chess 9LX 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 they arrive before the start of each round and will have to rely on their creativity in a series of rapid and blitz games.
Kicking off the tournament will be the Ultimate Moves exhibition event on September 7th at 1:00pm CT. Ultimate Moves is a casual team based event with Saint Louis Chess Club co-founder Rex Sinquefield playing on one team and Saint Louis Chess Club board member, Mike Leuken playing on the competing team.
“We are thrilled to bring this fan favorite tournament to our global audience this September. Fans are sure to enjoy the fast-paced action and surprises that keeps the world’s best players on their toes for this unique event,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club.
| Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX Field | |
|---|---|
| Player | URS Rating |
| GM Hikaru Nakamura | 2803 |
| GM Wesley So | 2793 |
| GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | 2787 |
| GM Fabiano Caruana | 2784 |
| GM Levon Aronian | 2774 |
| GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2767 |
| GM Leinier Dominguez | 2750 |
| GM Peter Svidler | 2738 |
| GM Sam Shankland | 2698 |
| GM Garry Kasparov | 2542 |
Ratings as of September 2021
Games will start daily at 2:00pm CDT (GMT-5) from September 8-10 for Champions Showdown: Chess 9LX and from September 15-19 for Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz. The tournament will include expert commentary featuring GM’s Maurice Ashley and Alejandro Ramirez. Due to COVID-19 precautions there will be no live spectators allowed but fans can watch the action online at uschesschamps.com or on the Saint Louis Chess Club's Youtube and Twitch.tv channels.
About Chess 9LX
Chess 9LX is a trademark of the St. Louis Chess Club, and the name of one of its annual tournaments. All competitions in the Chess 9LX tournament are played in the Chess 960 or Fischer Random style. Players will not know the order of the home rank pieces until they arrive before the start of the round and will have to rely on their creativity in rapid and blitz games.
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 saintlouischessclub.org
###
For more information, please contact:
Rebecca Buffington
Marketing & Event Manager
(314)277-3930
rbuffington@saintlouischessclub.org
2021 U.S. Junior, U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Senior Champions Crowned in Saint Louis
GM Hans Niemann, IM Annie Wang, and GM Gregory Kaidanov emerge victorious in the U.S. Junior, U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Senior Championships
SAINT LOUIS (Wednesday, June 30) – The national junior and senior chess championships have concluded in Saint Louis, the nation’s Chess Capital, with 18-year-old Hans Niemann taking home the 2021 U.S. Junior Championship, 19-year-old, Annie Wang, winning the 2021 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, and U.S. Chess Hall-of-Famer Gregory Kaidanov beating out a field that included four other hall-of-fame inductees to become the 2021 U.S. Senior Champion.
The U.S. Junior, U.S. Girls’ Junior, and U.S. Senior Championships have been mainstay events at the Saint Louis Chess Club for some time now, with this being the twelfth, fifth and third year for each tournament respectively. All three tournaments ran concurrently from July 15-26, 2021 and were broadcast live on www.uschesschamps.com and on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels.
Each event featured ten of the nation’s best junior and senior players to compete for approximately $100,000 in prizes and scholarships. “The caliber of talent we saw among these players indicates that American chess continues to grow and thrive,” said Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “It was exciting to see these players in action over the board again and we look forward to continuing to host the nation’s best here in Saint Louis.”
This victory marked the first win of the U.S. Junior Chess Championship for Niemann, who
qualified for the 2022 U.S. Chess Championship next year by doing so. Niemann scored 6.0/9 in the event, finishing half a point ahead of his nearest rivals. He earned $6,000 dollars plus a $10,000 scholarship for his efforts. Earlier this year, Niemann travelled to Europe to play a series of tournaments, earning his final grandmaster norms and gaining over 100 points in rating. Niemann entered the event with extreme confidence, and despite losing his penultimate round to IM Christopher Yoo, was still able to score enough points to finish in first place by the end.
In the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship, IM Annie Wang just needed a round-nine draw in order to clinch her first U.S. Girls’ Junior title. She was paired against her main rival of the tournament, WCM Ruiyang Yan, who going into the round was a full point behind Wang. Annie prepared well for her opponent’s defense and ultimately won the first place prize of the 2021 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship. With this win Wang not only won the $3,000 first place prize and a $10,000 scholarship to the school of her choice, she also qualified for the 2022 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship.
Scholarships for the U.S. Girls’ Junior and U.S. Junior Championships were sponsored by Dewain Barber and US Chess.
Winning the 2021 U.S. Senior Championship was GM Gregory Kaidanov, a 61-year-old grandmaster from Lexington, Kentucky. For his first national title, Kaidanov earned top honors by defeating GM Larry Christiansen in the playoffs after the two ended the main event tied at 6.5/9. Kaidanov dominated the first six rounds, scoring 5.5/6, but stumbled in the final three, allowing Christiansen to catch up. In the rapid playoff, Kaidanov drew the first game and then won the second in brilliant style, ultimately winning the overall 2021 U.S. Senior Champion title and the $12,000 top prize.
Next month, the Saint Louis Chess Club will host the final two stops on the Grand Chess Tour, the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz from August 10th through 16th and the Sinquefield Cup from August 16th through August 27th. Each tournament will feature ten of the world’s best players; more information about the upcoming events can be found on grandchesstour.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.
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