Fifth edition witnesses an increase of 25% total prize fund

GM Koneru Humpy and GM Harika Dronavalli will be the two Indians in this strong field | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club

Players

16th Women's World Champion and the defending champion of this event - GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN, 2546), two-time World Rapid Women's Champion - GM Koneru Humpy (2543), two-time World Blitz Women's Champion - GM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ, 2509), 38th Olympiad Women Gold medalist - GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO, 2505),15th Women's World Champion - GM Mariya Muzychuk (UKR, 2492), 45th Olympiad Women Gold medalist - GM Harika Dronavalli (2483), 44th Olympiad individual Gold medalist - GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO, 2462), European Individual Women's 2019 Champion - IM Alina Kashlinskaya (POL, 2459), three-time US Women's Champion - IM Carissa Yip (2431) and American Cup 2024 and 2025 winner - IM Alice Lee (USA, 2389).

5th Cairns Cup participants | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club, Graphic: Official site

Round 1 pairings

GM Zhongyi Tan - IM Alina Kashlinskaya

GM Koneru Humpy - GM Nana Dzagnidze

GM Bibisara Assaubayeva - GM Mariya Muzychuk

IM Alice Lee - GM Nino Batsiashvili

GM Harika Dronavalli - IM Carissa Yip

Photo Gallery

IM Alice Lee (USA), IM Carissa Yip (USA) and GM Koneru Humpy | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club

The defending champion GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) thinking which necklace to choose... | Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

...She drew number 1 | Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

IM Alina Kashlinskaya (POL) got number 10 | Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

The newly crowned GM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) got number 3 | Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

GM Mariya Muzychuk (UKR) got number 8 | Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) thinking which necklace to choose | Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

Ten necklaces for ten players at the Draw of Lots | Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

The necklaces were designed by the mother of GM Yasser Seirawan (USA) | Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

Schedule

Every day Round starts at 12 p.m. local time, 10:30 p.m. IST. Only rest day is on Sunday 15th June 2025.

Schedule | Source: Official site

Total prize fund

The total prize fund is US$ 250000. The top three prizes are $60000, $50000 and $40000.

Prize details | Source: Official site
5th Cairns Cup 2025 promo | Video: Saint Louis Chess Club

Format

It is a round-robin event with a Classical time control of 40 moves in 90 minutes + 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.

 

Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield, cofounder of Saint Louis Chess Club, created Cairns Chess Queen award. The award is designed to encourage more female chess players from the United States to become Grandmasters. We will award $100,000 to any US female who earns the GM title – the overall GM title - in the next five years. The award will be given to up to five players, and eligibility will be strictly limited to female chess players who are American Citizens or who become American Citizens before earning the grandmaster title. Of course, GMs will be confirmed by FIDE.

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations

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