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U.S. CHESS CHAMPS

HOME OF U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP CHESS & THE COUNTRY’S TOP PLAYERS

The 2025 American Cup: Showcasing America’s Top Chess Talents

promo graphic The American Cup 2025

 

Saint Louis to Host Exciting Double-Elimination Tournament, Offering $400,000 in Prizes to Elite Competitors; Champions Showdown Serves as Event Prequel

SAINT LOUIS, March 3, 2025 – The 2025 American Cup hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club, set to take place at World Chess Hall of Fame March 15-24, promises to be a defining event in the world of chess. As one of the most prestigious tournaments in the United States, the American Cup brings together the top players from across the nation.

This year’s American Cup will feature elite grandmasters and rising chess stars, competing in a high-stakes double-elimination format that tests both classical and rapid chess skills. The field includes world No. 2 GM Fabiano Caruana and world No. 3 GM Hikaru Nakamura, along with standout competitors like IM Carissa Yip, who is relocating to Saint Louis to focus on her game, 15-year-old rising star IM Alice Lee, and GM Irina Krush, an eight-time U.S. Women’s Champion and two-time American Cup winner.

Yip’s plans to move to Saint Louis were inspired by the Cairns Chess Queens Award and the Saint Louis Chess Club’s commitment to supporting female chess players. She will become the highest-rated female chess player to call the US Chess Capital home. Yip shared: “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work more closely with the Saint Louis Chess Club, particularly in their support of women and girls in chess. I’d like to thank everyone who helped make this possible, and I’m excited to pursue chess at the highest level in Saint Louis.”

With $400,000 in prize money on the line, players will battle under intense pressure, ensuring thrilling matchups and high-stakes drama that will keep chess fans worldwide on the edge of their seats.

“We’re excited to once again host the American Cup and bring together the nation’s finest chess players,” said Tony Rich, Technical Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “This year’s competition promises to be even more exciting, with an exceptional mix of seasoned grandmasters and rising stars. We’re looking forward to an action-packed tournament that will keep fans on the edge of their seats until the final move.”

2025 Open & Women’s Division Fields

OPEN FIELD

TitleNameLocationCurrent FIDE Rating
GMFabiano CaruanaSaint Louis, MO2803
GMHikaru NakamuraSunrise, FL2802
GMWesley SoExcelsior, MN2747
GMLevon AronianSaint Louis, MO2745
GMLeinier DominguezSaint Louis, MO2741
GMSam SevianHolden, MA2692
GMRay RobsonSaint Louis, MO2689
GMAbhimanyu MishraEnglishtown, NJ2600

WOMEN’S FIELD

TitleNameLocationCurrent FIDE Rating
IMCarissa YipSaint Louis, MO2416
IMAlice LeeNorth Oaks, MN2386
GMIrina KrushBrooklyn, NY2378
FM/WGMThalia CervantesSaint Louis, MO2318
WGMTatev AbrahamyanSaint Louis, MO2310
IMAnna ZatonskihBochum, Germany2302
WGMAtousa PourkashiyanSunrise, FL2297
IMNazi PaikidzeLas Vegas, NV2294

The rounds will be streamed daily on uschesschamps.com with expert commentary featuring Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan and Cristian Chirila, along with Woman Grandmaster Katerina Nemcova.

The Kings Come to Town for 2025 Champions Showdown

In advance of the American Cup, the Saint Louis Chess Club will again also host the 2025 Champions Showdown: The Kings.

Taking place from March 4–6, The Kings is an exhibition event unveiling a dynamic new format, featuring six of the nation’s top chess players in a daily triathlon of blitz, rapid, and semi-classical matches.

Competing for a prize pool of $250,000, the payouts take an interesting approach – awarding $4,500 per blitz game, $9,000 per rapid game and $14,000 per semi-classical game. In addition, a $2,500 prize will be awarded to the most outstanding game, as decided by an appointed committee.

Featured players include GMs Levon Aronian, Fabiano Caruana, Leinier Dominguez, Hikaru Nakamura, Ray Robson, and Wesley So.

 

 

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Past Events

  • 2025 Spring Chess Classic
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  • Today in Chess: 2022 FIDE Candidates
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  • Today in Chess: 2020 FIDE Candidates
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  • 2020 Clutch Chess: International
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  • 2019 U.S. Senior Championship
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  • 2019 Saint Louis Norm Congress
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  • 2019 US Collegiate Rapid & Blitz
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  • 2018 TiC: World Championship
  • 2018 Saint Louis Invitational
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  • 2018 Today in Chess: Candidates
  • 2018 Spring Chess Classic
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  • 2017 Winter Chess Classic
  • 2017 Saint Louis Winter Invitational
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  • 2017 Champions Showdown
  • 2017 Fall Chess Classic
  • 2017 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz
  • 2017 Sinquefield Cup
  • 2017 Match of the Millennials
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  • 2017 Your Next Move
  • 2017 Paris GCT
  • 2017 Spring Chess Classic
  • 2017 U.S. Championship
  • 2017 U.S. Women's Championship
  • 2016 Saint Louis Autumn Invitational
  • 2016 Champions Showdown
  • 2016 Sinquefield Cup
  • 2016 U.S. Junior Closed
  • 2016 Saint Louis Invitational
  • 2016 U.S. Championships
  • 2016 U.S. Women's Championship
  • 2015 Showdown in Saint Louis
  • 2015 U.S. Championships
  • 2015 U.S. Junior Closed Championship
  • Kasparov vs. Short
  • 2014 Sinquefield Cup
  • 2013 Sinquefield Cup
  • 2013 U.S. Championships
  • 2013 U.S. Junior Closed Championship

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