The Cairns Cup, the equivalent of the Sinquefield Cup for top female players, started on Thursday in Saint Louis. The tournament is named after its initiator and co-founder of the Sinquefield Cup, Dr Jeanne Cairns-Sinquefield, and aims to promote women's chess. Dr Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield also offered other incentives for women to play more chess.
Guest of honour at the opening ceremony was Nona Gaprindashvili, women's world champion from 1962 to 1978. The Georgian took part in the tournament's warm-up, the Ultimate Move event on the eve of the tournament, and opened the 2024 Cairns Cup with the official bell-ringing ceremony on the first day of play.
The ten-strong field includes three players from the USA, Irina Krush, Anna Zatonskih and 14-year-old Alice Lee. Other top international players include former world champions Alexandra Kosteniuk, Mariya Muzychuk and Tan Zhongyi, as well as top players Harika Dronavalli, Nana Dzagnidze, Anna Muzychuk and Elisabeth Pähtz. With the exception of Alice Lee, all of these players hold the title of Grandmaster.
The opening round saw three decisive games. Tan Zhongyi defeated Alice Lee and Mariya Muzychuk won against Anna Zatonskih. Alexandra Kosteniuk also beat Elisabeth Pähtz, so the world champions had three wins to their name.

Tan Zhongyi (right)

Mariya Muzychuk (left)
Irina Krush and Anna Muzychuk drew their game, as did Harika Dronavalli and Nana Dzagnidze.
Alexandra Kosteniuk and Elisabeth Pähtz know each other from many tournaments and are good friends. But in their games they fight hard against each other.

Alexandra Kosteniuk wants to know what is happening

Elisabeth Pähtz soon knew that she was in trouble
Elisabeth Pähtz has a rather poor record against Alexandra Kosteniuk, especially in the Sicilian Defence. The two grandmasters engaged in a theoretical duel in the Rossolimo Variation, which gradually developed in Kosteniuk's favour.

Nona Gaprindashvili
Results
| Name | Rtg. | Nt. | Pts. | | Pts. | | Name | Rtg | Nt. |
---|
WGM | | 2368 | | 0 | 0-1 | 0 | GM | | 2540 | |
GM | | 2510 | | 0 | 1-0 | 0 | WGM | | 2327 | |
| | 2489 | | 0 | ½-½ | 0 | GM | | 2506 | |
GM | | 2415 | | 0 | ½-½ | 0 | GM | | 2505 | |
GM | | 2501 | | 0 | 1-0 | 0 | GM | | 2457 | |
Table
Rk. | | Name | Rtg. | Nt. | Pts. | n | | | | | | | | | | | TB | Perf. |
---|
1 | GM | | 2540 | | 1.0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.00 | 3168 |
2 | GM | | 2510 | | 1.0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.00 | 3127 |
3 | GM | | 2501 | | 1.0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.00 | 3257 |
4 | GM | | 2506 | | 0.5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.25 | 2489 |
5 | GM | | 2505 | | 0.5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.25 | 2415 |
6 | | | 2489 | | 0.5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.25 | 2506 |
7 | GM | | 2415 | | 0.5 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.25 | 2505 |
8 | GM | | 2457 | | 0.0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.00 | 1701 |
9 | WGM | | 2368 | | 0.0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.00 | 1740 |
10 | WGM | | 2327 | | 0.0 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0.00 | 1710 |
TBs: Sonneborn-Berger |
Games
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.g3 Nxd4 6.Qxd4 b6 7.Bg2 Bb7 8.0-0 Nf6 9.Nc3 Bc5 10.Qd3 0-0 11.Bg5 Qc7 12.Rad1 Bc6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Kh1 b5 15.Qf3 Be7 16.Qh5 Qe5 17.Qh6 b4 18.f4 Qc5 19.f5 Kh8 20.Ne2 Qxc2 21.Nd4 Qc5 22.Nxc6 dxc6 23.e5 Qxe5 24.fxe6 fxe6 25.Rfe1 Rad8 26.Rc1 Qg5 27.Qxg5 fxg5 28.Rxc6 Rf2 29.Rcxe6 Bf6 30.Rf1 Rxf1+ 31.Bxf1 Bxb2 32.Kg2 a5 33.Bb5 Rd5 34.Bc4 Rc5 35.Bb3 Kg7 36.Kf3 h5 37.Ke4 Bf6 38.Ra6 Re5+ 39.Kd3 g4 40.Ra7+ Kg6 41.Ra6 Kf5 42.Bf7 h4 43.Bg8 hxg3 44.hxg3 Rc5 45.Be6+ Kg5 46.Ra8 Rc3+ 47.Ke4 Rxg3 48.Rxa5+ Kh4 49.Ra6 Bg5 50.Ra7 Re3+ 51.Kf5 Rf3+ 52.Ke4 Re3+ 53.Kf5 Rf3+ 54.Ke4 Rf6 55.Rh7+ Kg3 56.Bf5 Rf8 57.Rb7 Re8+ 58.Kd3 Re3+ 59.Kd4 Rf3 60.Be4 Rf2 61.Rxb4 Rd2+ 62.Ke5 Rxa2 63.Bf5 Bf4+ 64.Ke4 Re2+ 65.Kd3 Re3+ 66.Kc2 Re5 67.Bd7 Rc5+ 68.Kb3 Kf3 69.Rc4 Re5 70.Bc6+ Kg3 71.Bd7 Re7 72.Rd4 Kf3 73.Bxg4+ Kxg4 74.Kc4 Kf5 75.Rd5+ Be5 76.Kd3 Rh7 77.Rc5 Rh3+ 78.Kc4 Ke4 79.Rc6 Rh1 80.Kb5 Bd4 81.Rc8 Rb1+ 82.Kc6 Rb6+ 83.Kc7 Re6 84.Kd7 Kd5 85.Rc7 Rh6 86.Rb7 Bb6 87.Kc8 Rh8+ 88.Kd7 Bc5 89.Rc7 Rh6 90.Rb7 Bb6 91.Kc8 Rg6 92.Kd7 Kc5 93.Rb8 Kd5 94.Rb7 Rd6+ 95.Ke7 Ke5 96.Rd7 Rh6 97.Kf7 Rf6+ 98.Ke7 Bc5+ 99.Kd8 Bd6 100.Kc8 Rf8+ 101.Rd8 Rf3 102.Rd7 Ke6 103.Rh7 Rf8+ 104.Kb7 Kd5 105.Rh5+ Be5 106.Kb6 Rb8+ 107.Ka5 Rb1 108.Ka6 Kd6 109.Ka5 Bc3+ 110.Ka4 Kc6 111.Ka3 Bd4 112.Ka2 Rb4 113.Rg5 Bc5 114.Rg3 Kd5 115.Rc3 Rb8 116.Rc2 Kd4 117.Rb2 Ra8+ 118.Kb1 Kd3 119.Rb3+ Kc4 120.Rb2 Bd4 121.Ra2 Rh8 122.Kc2 Bc3 123.Ra4+ Bb4 124.Ra2 Rh3 125.Rb2 Rh2+ 126.Kb1 Rh1+ ½–½
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Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | ½–½ | 2024 | B44 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.1 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | 1–0 | 2024 | B30 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.2 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Tan,Z | 2540 | 0–1 | 2024 | A50 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.3 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | ½–½ | 2024 | D35 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.4 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | 1–0 | 2024 | C11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 1.5 |
Tan,Z | 2540 | Krush,I | 2415 | ½–½ | 2024 | B43 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.1 |
Muzychuk,A | 2505 | Muzychuk,M | 2510 | ½–½ | 2024 | B12 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.2 |
Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | 1–0 | 2024 | A13 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.3 |
Paehtz,E | 2457 | Lee,A | 2368 | ½–½ | 2024 | A09 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.4 |
Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | 1–0 | 2024 | A34 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 2.5 |
Zatonskih,A | 2327 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | ½–½ | 2024 | B13 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.1 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Dronavalli,H | 2489 | ½–½ | 2024 | D11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.2 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Tan,Z | 2540 | ½–½ | 2024 | C15 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.3 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | 1–0 | 2024 | B47 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.4 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | ½–½ | 2024 | E43 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 3.5 |
Paehtz,E | 2457 | Muzychuk,M | 2510 | ½–½ | 2024 | A11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.1 |
Tan,Z | 2540 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | 1–0 | 2024 | C13 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.2 |
Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | ½–½ | 2024 | D35 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.3 |
Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Krush,I | 2415 | ½–½ | 2024 | B33 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.4 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Lee,A | 2368 | 0–1 | 2024 | C42 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 4.5 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | ½–½ | 2024 | E04 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.1 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | ½–½ | 2024 | E49 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.2 |
Muzychuk,A | 2505 | Tan,Z | 2540 | ½–½ | 2024 | B12 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.3 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Dronavalli,H | 2489 | ½–½ | 2024 | C54 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.4 |
Zatonskih,A | 2327 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | ½–½ | 2024 | E11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 5.5 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Muzychuk,M | 2510 | 1–0 | 2024 | B11 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.1 |
Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | ½–½ | 2024 | C13 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.2 |
Paehtz,E | 2457 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | ½–½ | 2024 | A07 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.3 |
Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | Tan,Z | 2540 | ½–½ | 2024 | D59 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.4 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Krush,I | 2415 | ½–½ | 2024 | E17 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 6.5 |
Tan,Z | 2540 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | 1–0 | 2024 | D40 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.1 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | 0–1 | 2024 | E48 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.2 |
Zatonskih,A | 2327 | Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | 0–1 | 2024 | D12 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.3 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Lee,A | 2368 | 1–0 | 2024 | D27 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.4 |
Muzychuk,A | 2505 | Dronavalli,H | 2489 | ½–½ | 2024 | C60 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 7.5 |
Krush,I | 2415 | Muzychuk,M | 2510 | ½–½ | 2024 | E48 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.1 |
Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | Muzychuk,A | 2505 | 0–1 | 2024 | C55 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.2 |
Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | Paehtz,E | 2457 | ½–½ | 2024 | E62 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.3 |
Dronavalli,H | 2489 | Tan,Z | 2540 | ½–½ | 2024 | B51 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.4 |
Lee,A | 2368 | Zatonskih,A | 2327 | 1–0 | 2024 | D30 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 8.5 |
Tan,Z | 2540 | Kosteniuk,A | 2501 | ½–½ | 2024 | D14 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.1 |
Paehtz,E | 2457 | Dronavalli,H | 2489 | ½–½ | 2024 | E06 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.2 |
Muzychuk,A | 2505 | Lee,A | 2368 | 1–0 | 2024 | C42 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.3 |
Zatonskih,A | 2327 | Krush,I | 2415 | ½–½ | 2024 | D02 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.4 |
Muzychuk,M | 2510 | Dzagnidze,N | 2506 | ½–½ | 2024 | B22 | Cairns Cup 2024 | 9.5 |
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