Rachel Li wins US Women's Championship on her debut

by Johannes Fischer
10/23/2026 – Going into the final round of the 2026 US Women’s Championship in St Louis, Rachael Li was the sole leader with 8 points from 10 games, one point ahead of Alice Lee. Li therefore needed only a draw against Anna Zatonskih in the final round to win the tournament. Li secured both the draw and the title, becoming US Women's Champion at just 16 years of age. She also collected $45,000 in prize money, qualified for the next Women's World Cup and earned her first IM norm. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club
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The first player to take the title on her debut

Rachel Li and Anna Zatonskih drew after 49 moves in an opposite-coloured bishop endgame, but the game could very nearly have ended shortly after it began. Zatonskih had the opportunity to force a draw by threefold repetition after only 14 moves, but as she explained during the game in the "Confessional", she would have considered that "unfair to Alice Lee".

Li therefore won the title in her very first appearance at the US Women's Championship and became the youngest player to do so on her debut. The youngest US women's champion of all time, however, remains Irina Krush, who won her first title at the age of 14.

Irina Krush during her game against Tatev Abrahamyan | Photo: Crystal Fuller

After the game, Li thanked above all her older brother, grandmaster Ruifeng Li, who had helped her with her preparation. She also thanked her parents: "They were more nervous during the tournament than I was".

Alice Lee interviewed by Maurice Ashley

For her success, Li received $45,000 in prize money: $35,000 for first place, a $5,000 winner's bonus and a further $5,000 for the "Finish Strong Prize", a special award for the best result over the final six rounds.

Alice Lee defeated Anna Sargsyan and finished clear second, one point behind, earning $30,000 in prize money and qualification for the next Women's World Cup.

Alice Lee | Photo: Crystal Fuller

Krush finished third after defeating Abrahamyan in the final round. Rose Atwell produced an attractive combination in the last round, defeating Nazi Paikidze with a queen sacrifice.

Round 11 results

Final standings

All games

Links

<< US Championship 2026: Tiebreak!
European Club Cup: Three co-leaders in both sections going into final round >>
Topics: Rachel Li, US Championship 2026
Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
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US Championships: Caruana bounces back, Li stuns Lee in women's section

10/16/2026 – Fabiano Caruana and Awonder Liang scored victories in round six of the US Championship to join Wesley So and Andy Woodward in the lead on 4/6. Caruana bounced back from his defeat against Woodward by beating Sam Shankland. In the women's tournament, Rachael Li defeated overnight leader Alice Lee, allowing Thalia Cervantes to join them in first place. Irina Krush also won and stands half a point behind. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club
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Video

60m English Anti-Bayonet

King’s Indian fans who choose the Mar del Plata attack (7...Nc6) against White’s classical system (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0) usually aim for a complex position with mutual attacks on open wings, requiring long-term strategic planning and tactical sharpness in critical moments. Computers often do not know how to handle the arising complex strategic positions, which suits players who like to think on their own instead of memorizing long variations. However, the fashionable Bayonet Attack (9.b4) interferes with Black’s ideas. After Black’s main move 9...Nh5 the positions opens, the lines get forced and computer analysis is important again. But this DVD offers an antidote against White’s Bayonet Attack, namely 9...a5! This move leads to sound positions with very few concrete lines, in which the focus is on strategy not on tactics. Objectively chances are equal but if Black knows what to do things might quickly become dangerous for White.