The Saint Louis Chess Club is once again hosting the American Cup, a premier chess tournament featuring the nation's strongest players. Now in its fourth edition, the event will maintain its distinctive double-elimination format, testing participants' skills in both classical and rapid chess. The tournament offers a total prize fund of $400,000 and will take place in Saint Louis, widely regarded as the chess capital of the United States.

Elite GMs, rising stars and household names

My Black Secrets in the Modern Italian

The Italian Game is considered a sound but quiet opening without early trades, giving rise to rich positions where plans are more important than forced variations. So shows black's plans on this DVD.

The 2025 American Cup will be divided into two sections: the open championship and the women's championship. Both sections follow a double-elimination format, ensuring that players must lose two matches before being eliminated from contention. This structure allows for a competitive and dynamic event, requiring players to demonstrate resilience and adaptability.

The open section will feature elite grandmasters, including world No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura and world No. 4 Fabiano Caruana, both of whom have previously won the event. Also competing is Wesley So, a two-time runner-up who has finished in second place in both in 2023 and 2024.

Wesley So during the 2024 edition | Photo: Lennart Ootes

The women's section will showcase a strong field, including IM Carissa Yip, who is relocating to Saint Louis to further her chess career. Yip's move has been influenced by the Cairns Chess Queens Award and the Saint Louis Chess Club's commitment to promoting female participation in chess. She will become the highest-rated female player to reside in Saint Louis. 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.

Also competing in the women's championship are 15-year-old IM Alice Lee, a rising star, and GM Irina Krush, an eight-time US Women' Champion and two-time American Cup winner.

Carissa Yip won the US Women's Championship three times, in 2021, 2023 and 2024 | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Past champions and historical context

Since its inception, the American Cup has seen a high level of competition. In the open section, Fabiano Caruana won the inaugural edition in 2022, followed by Hikaru Nakamura in 2023 and Levon Aronian in 2024. Wesley So has been a consistent contender, finishing as the runner-up in both 2023 and 2024.

In the women's championship, the final has always featured either GM Irina Krush or IM Alice Lee. Krush emerged victorious in both 2022 and 2023, defeating Lee on both occasions. However, in 2024, Lee managed to overcome Krush to claim her first American Cup title.

Alice Lee next to tournament sponsor Rex Sinquefield | Photo: Crystal Fuller

Lineups

Navigating the Ruy Lopez Vol.1-3

The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest openings which continues to enjoy high popularity from club level to the absolute world top. In this video series, American super GM Fabiano Caruana, talking to IM Oliver Reeh, presents a complete repertoire for White.

Schedule

Format

Each round shall consist of a 2-game match followed by playoff games should they be
needed. Players will be ranked and pairing numbers assigned 1-8 based on their March FIDE classical rating. Any players with the same rating will be listed alphabetically by last name.

Players will be paired 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5 in the first round. The higher-seeded player will receive white in game 1 of the Champions and Elimination Brackets.

• In the Championship Bracket, each match will consist of two classic games. If a player loses a match, they shall move to the Elimination Bracket as shown below.
• In the Elimination Bracket, each match will consist of two rapid games. If a player loses a second match, that player shall be eliminated from the Event.
• Should match 14 (winner of the Championship Bracket vs. winner of the Elimination Bracket) result in one lost match per player, the two players shall contest a 2-game rapid match (match 15) followed by playoff games (if necessary).
• In the Playoffs, players shall contest a two-game blitz match with colors determined by lot. If the match ends in a tie, the players shall play a second two-game match with colors reversed from match 1. If the second match ends in a tie, the players shall contest an Armageddon game with colors determined by lot.

Time controls

• The classical time control shall be game in ninety (90) minutes plus thirty (30)-seconds increment from move one (G/90+30).
• The rapid time control shall be game in twenty-five (25) minutes plus ten (10)-seconds increment from move one (G/25+10).
• The playoff time control shall be game in three (3) minutes plus two (2)-seconds increment from move one (G/3+2).
• The Armageddon time control shall be: white starts with (3) minutes and black starts with (2) two minutes, plus two (2)-seconds increment from move one.

Endgames of the World Champions from Fischer to Carlsen

Let endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller show and explain the finesses of the world champions. Although they had different styles each and every one of them played the endgame exceptionally well, so take the opportunity to enjoy and learn from some of the best endgames in the history of chess.

Links

• Official site
• Fabiano Caruana wins American Cup! (2022)
• Hikaru Nakamura wins the American Cup (2023)
• Aronian and Lee clinch American Cup titles (2024)