2012 U.S. Championships News
On a rainy December morning, the chess community is buzzing with excitement as the Winter Chess Classic 2023 is about to kick off. With grandmasters from around the globe descending upon our city, this event promises to be a thrilling showcase of strategic brilliance and tactical mastery.
The tournament, hosted in the heart of the city at the prestigious Saint Louis University starting today, will witness 12 internationally-ranked players battling it out for the coveted Winter Chess Classic title. The participants include reigning champions, rising stars, and seasoned veterans, each ready to put their skills to the test in the unforgiving arena of the 64 squares.
“While this is the first Classic we’ve hosted at SLU, it won’t be our last”, said Varuzhan Akobian, Head Coach of the Saint Louis University Chess Team and participant in the 2023 Winter Chess Classic. “We’re happy to play host for such an exciting event.”
One of the most intriguing aspects of the Winter Chess Classic is the format. It is a team tournament featuring 6 players on each team, competing for more than $30,000 in prizes. This tournament promises a riveting chess marathon. From the classical rounds Saturday through Monday to the rapid and blitz rounds that follow, each game is a crucial step towards claiming victory. The tournament culminates in a day full of blitz and, should they be needed, playoffs and a farewell to the players. From the classical rounds that demand patience and deep calculation to the rapid and blitz rounds that test quick thinking and adaptability, the players will face a diverse set of challenges.
The 2023 Winter Chess Classic is not just a tournament; it's a celebration of intellect, strategy, and the global chess community. Tune in daily to uschesschamps.com to follow all the action. May the best mind prevail!
SAINT LOUIS (October 19, 2023) – Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana and International Master Carissa Yip took top honors out of a field of elite American chess players in the 2023 U.S. Chess Championship and 2023 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship, respectively.
Hosted in America’s chess capital by the Saint Louis Chess Club at the World Chess Hall of Fame October 5 - 18, 2023, the 2023 U.S. Chess Championship events featured 24 of the top chess players who competed for a purse of more than $400,000.
“This year’s U.S. Championships were among some of the most exciting we’ve hosted at the Saint Louis Chess Club with incredible matches and dramatic finishes from the best chess players from across the country,” Tony Rich, Executive Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “This year’s tournaments also mark the 15th anniversary of the formation of the Saint Louis Chess Club and as the host of these top-tier national 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 we are proud to celebrate this milestone with the players that continue to make the United States one of the most competitive countries in the world of chess.”
In impressive fashion, Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana claimed the 2023 U.S. Chess Championship and a $60,000 prize, marking his third national title, while Grandmasters Wesley So, Leinier Dominguez and Abhimanyu Mishra shared a three-way tie for second place, each earning $35,000.
“It’s always special for me to win the U.S. Chess Championship. It’s very important to me because of how strong of a tournament it is,” said Caruana. “It’s harder to get a win in chess these days because of how hard the competition is. It’s really huge for me to be able to win here because wins don’t come easy.”
Final tournament results:
|
POSITION |
PLAYER |
PRIZE MONEY |
|
1 |
GM Fabiano Caruana |
$60,000 |
|
T-2 |
GM Wesley So |
$35,000 |
|
T-2 |
GM Leinier Dominguez |
$35,000 |
|
T-2 |
GM Abhimanyu Mishra |
$35,000 |
|
T-5 |
GM Ray Robson |
$15,000 |
|
T-5 |
GM Sam Sevian |
$15,000 |
|
T-5 |
GM Hans Niemann |
$15,000 |
|
8 |
GM Levon Aronian |
$10,000 |
|
T-9 |
GM Jeffery Xiong |
$8,500 |
|
T-9 |
GM Sam Shankland |
$8,500 |
|
T-11 |
GM Dariusz Swiercz |
$6,500 |
|
T-11 |
GM Andrew Tang |
$6,500 |
In the Women’s division, 19-year old International Master Carissa Yip became the 2023 U.S. Women’s Champion after a dramatic final round, taking home her second championship title and earning $40,000. Woman Grandmaster Begim Tohkirjonova earned the second place title and a prize of $30,000.
“When I got to the board for the last match, I really wanted to win. I’ve been playing chess non-stop for the past month and hoped we wouldn’t have to go to a play-off. Luckily things worked out,” said Yip.
Final tournament results:
|
POSITION |
PLAYER |
PRIZE MONEY |
|
1 |
IM Carissa Yip |
$40,000 |
|
2 |
WGM Begim Tokhirjonova |
$30,000 |
|
3 |
FM Alice Lee |
$20,000 |
|
4 |
WGM Tatev Abrahamyan |
$13,000 |
|
5 |
GM Irina Krush |
$9,000 |
|
6 |
IM Nazi Paikidze |
$8,000 |
|
7 |
FM Ruiyang Yan |
$7,000 |
|
T-8 |
IM Anna Zatonskih |
$5,750 |
|
T-8 |
WGM Jennifer Yu |
$5,750 |
|
10 |
WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan |
$5,000 |
|
11 |
FM Ashritha Eswaran |
$4,500 |
|
12 |
WGM Thalia Cervantes |
$4,000 |
Replays and full tournament recaps about the 2023 U.S. Championships are available at www.uschesschamps.com or on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube channel.
Also held in conjunction with the 2023 U.S. Championships, GM Yury Shulman, chess problemist William Shinkman and women’s chess pioneer Lisa Lane were inducted into the 2023 U.S. Chess Hall of Fame for their incredible contributions to the sport of chess.
For more information, visit saintlouischessclub.org, uschesschamps.com or 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 (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.