The Cairns Cup returns to Saint Louis this August with ten of the world's best women players competing for $250,000. The tournament runs August 10-19 alongside the Sinquefield Cup, making it part of chess's most prestigious summer gathering.
The field spans seven countries, bringing together the elite of women's chess. Saint Louis Chess Club expanded its facilities to accommodate both tournaments simultaneously, cementing the event as a showcase for the game's highest level.
The Cairns Cup has established itself as one of women's chess's most competitive and well-funded events. The $250,000 prize fund ranks among the largest available to female players anywhere. The tournament format attracts the world's top-rated women, which means the games will have genuine bite. No one shows up to Saint Louis in August to coast.
Running the Cairns Cup and Sinquefield Cup back-to-back creates something rare in chess: two world-class tournaments in one location within days of each other. Fans get sustained access to elite play. Sponsors get concentrated exposure. Players get to compete against the absolute best without traveling between venues.
The field composition matters here. Seven countries represented means this is truly international chess at its peak, not a regional event. The pairing with the Sinquefield Cup, which attracts the world's top male players, makes Saint Louis the center of the chess world that week. The expanded Chess Club was built for exactly this kind of programming.