Saint Louis Chess Club Awards $400,000 During Signature Event

The 2026 American Cup, hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club (STLCC) concluded with victories from two of America’s top chess competitors. Grandmaster (GM) Wesley So captured the Open title with a commanding performance, while International Master (IM) Alice Lee claimed the Women’s Championship for a remarkable third consecutive year. At just 16, Lee’s historic three-peat highlights her rapid rise among the world’s elite young players, and So’s win marks his first American Cup title, reinforcing his place among the nation’s strongest grandmasters.

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Grandmaster Wesley So celebrates his victory in the Open Division at the 2026 American Cup, held at the Saint Louis Chess Club. So claimed his first American Cup title after a commanding performance against a field of the nation’s top players.

“This year’s American Cup delivered everything fans love about chess - from bold, creative play to intense strategic battles at the highest level,” said Yasser Seirawan, Chief Commentator and Spokesperson for the STLCC. “Congratulations to Wesley on a superb performance and to Alice on her extraordinary triple victory. Achieving that kind of sweep, especially at such a young age, is truly remarkable, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for her.”

The 2026 American Cup returned March 3–12 to the STLCC’s newly expanded facility, continuing its tradition as one of the most prestigious events on U.S. soil. The tournament brought together many of the nation’s top players, creating an elite field that showcased both established champions and rising stars.

“We congratulate Wesley So and Alice Lee on their exceptional performances at this year’s American Cup,” said Rex Sinquefield, co-founder of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “The strength and depth of U.S. players on display was impressive, and Alice’s third consecutive Women’s title at just 16 shows the remarkable talent developing in our country. Achievements like these highlight the high level of competition and the continued growth of chess in the United States.”

Wesley So Claims First American Cup Win

GM Wesley So of Excelsior, Minn. clinched his first American Cup title in the Open Division, taking home the $90,000 first prize—including a $15,000 bonus for winning the Champions Bracket.

“It feels wonderful and honestly a little unbelievable,” said So. “Levon is incredibly determined, and I knew it would be a very tough game. It’s always a big honor to play him. I’m very thankful to Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield for creating this tournament, to everyone who helps make the event possible, and to my family for their support.”

St. Louis-based players GM Levon Aronian and GM Fabiano Caruana finished in second and third place, earning $55,000 and $30,000 respectively.

FINAL STANDINGS: OPEN SECTION

Alice Lee Makes It a Three-peat in the Women's Section

IM Alice Lee of North Oaks, Minn. captured the Women’s title at the American Cup for a remarkable third consecutive year, defeating St. Louisian IM Carissa Yip in the Rapid Grand Final to secure the title. With the victory, Lee earned her second Women’s American Cup title along with the Champions Bracket bonus, bringing her total prize winnings to $49,000. Yip finished in second place, earning $30,000, while IM Tatev Abrahamyan, also from Saint Louis, claimed third place and a $20,000 prize following another strong showing in the elite field.

“First and foremost, thank you to the club, Rex Sinquefield and Jeanne Sinquefield, and the entire team for putting on such an amazing event,” said Alice Lee. “It feels great to win three times in a row. I was really happy that Carissa played well—she was even stronger in yesterday’s matches. Today was an interesting match. I felt my position was good, my knights were solid, and I just focused on playing my game.”

FINAL STANDINGS: WOMEN’S SECTION

Chess fans can re-watch all the action on the Saint Louis Chess Club's YouTube channel with expert commentary from Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan and Maurice Ashley, along with IM Nazí Paikidze.

Looking ahead, the Saint Louis Chess Club will host special daily “Today In Chess” broadcasts of the Candidates Tournament 2026 from March 29-April 16. Held in Pegeia, the prestigious double round-robin tournament will determine the official challenger to reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju. The elite field includes top GMs such as Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Anish Giri, R. Praggnanandhaa, Wei Yi, Andrey Esipenko, Javokhir Sindaro and Matthias Bluebaum. Fans can follow the action with live commentary and analysis from GMs Yasser Seirawan, Maurice Ashley and Evgenij Miroshnichenko, as well as IM Nazi Paikidze, streamed daily on the club’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

About the Saint Louis Chess Club

The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.

Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.

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Grandmaster Wesley So wins the Open Division, and International Master Alice Lee claims her third consecutive Women’s Championship at the 2026 American Cup, with $400,000 in total prizes awarded at the Saint Louis Chess Club.