The next generation of American chess stars made their mark while legends reinforced their legacy in this year’s U.S. Junior, U.S. Junior Girls, and U.S. Senior Championships—three of the nation’s most prestigious events, hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club in Saint Louis, Mo., the official chess capital of the United States.

Rising star and the youngest competitor in his field at just 15, Grandmaster (GM) Andy Woodward claimed the U.S. Junior Championship title. FIDE Master (FM)/Women Grandmaster (WGM) Zoey Tang captured the U.S. Junior Girls Championship, while GM Alex Fishbein emerged victorious in the U.S. Senior Championship after a dramatic playoff—marking first-time wins for all three players in their respective divisions.

These events always deliver incredible competition, but this year’s championships were truly special. From the poise of our young talents to the brilliance of our seasoned champions, the level of play was inspiring across the board. It’s clear that American chess has an exciting road ahead—and there’s truly no better stage for it than right here in Saint Louis.

— Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan, Chief Commentator and Spokesperson for the Saint Louis Chess Club

The U.S. Junior Girls, U.S. Junior, and U.S. Senior Championships continue to be mainstay events at the Saint Louis Chess Club. From July 15–25, 2025, the invitation-only tournaments took place at University Tower in Saint Louis, featuring the top 10 players in each division competing for national titles and a record-breaking combined prize fund of $225,000.

GM Andy Woodward Clinches U.S. Junior Championship

GM Andy Woodward won the 2025 U.S. Junior Championship and $23,000 with a mature, undefeated performance—and sealed the title with a draw against GM Kirk Ghazarian in the final round to finish clear first. His steady finish underscored his status as one of America’s most promising young talents.

I’m really happy. It’s a very difficult tournament to win, so I just tried to stay calm throughout. Now I can finally relax a little. This is definitely the biggest event I’ve won so far, and it feels really good. I’m also really excited to have qualified for the U.S. Championship—I’m looking forward to the challenge and just doing my best to compete.

— GM Andy Woodward

Hot on his heels were GM Brewington Hardaway of Bronx, NY and GM Abhimanyu Mishra of Englishtown, NJ, who tied for second, each winning $11,000.

U.S. JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS

Seventeen-Year-Old Zoey Tang Wins U.S. Junior Girls Championship

FM/WGM Zoey Tang, 17, of Portland, OR, emerged victorious in the 2025 U.S. Junior Girls Championship, rising above a field of returning champions and rising stars. With the win, she earned $15,000 and secured an invitation to compete in the 2025 U.S. Women’s Championship — a major milestone in her already impressive career.

It still feels a little surreal. I’ve played this tournament so many times, and to finally win it means so much. I didn’t want my fate to depend on other games—I wanted to fight for it myself. It wasn’t perfect chess, but I stayed resilient, and in the end, it paid off. I’m really grateful for everyone who supported me—my coach, my mom, and my friends cheering me on back home.

— FM/WGM Zoey Tang

Finishing in second place was 12-year-old WFM Megan Paragua of New York, NY, who stunned the field with her poise and skill, taking home $8,500. Rounding out the top three was WFM Rachael Li, 15, of Plano, TX, who earned $6,250 for her strong performance.

U.S. JUNIOR GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS

GM Alex Fishbein Wins U.S. Senior Championship

In the U.S. Senior division, GM Alex Fishbein was crowned champion after a hard-fought playoff on the final day, clinching his first U.S. Senior Championship title and earning an impressive $23,166.67.

This win means a lot to me. I’ve had a long chess career, most of it while working outside the game. After stepping away from finance, I finally gave myself permission to really focus on chess again—and this tournament was my chance to see what I could do. I wasn’t the most talented player in the field, but I worked incredibly hard, and to have that effort rewarded at this stage in my life is incredibly meaningful.

— GM Alex Fishbein

The playoff followed a three-way tie at the top of the standings, with GM Vladimir Akopian of Glendale, CA and GM Alex Shabalov of Pittsburgh, PA finishing in a tie for second, each taking home $18,166.67. The event featured a formidable field of legendary players and Hall of Famers.

U.S. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS

If you missed the games live, you can rewatch the action, player interviews and event commentary by GMs Yasser Seirawan and Cristian Chirila and IM Nazi Paikidze by visiting the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch.tv channels.

Next up for the Saint Louis Chess Club are the final regular season events of the 2025 Grand Chess Tour, the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, taking place August 9–17, followed immediately by the Sinquefield Cup.

SAINT LOUIS, June 20, 2025

In what may be one of the most dramatic chess upsets of the year, International Masters (IM) Carissa Yip and Alice Lee — the two youngest and lowest-rated players in the field — defied odds to finish first and second at the 2025 Cairns Cup.

Twenty-one-year-old Yip, the U.S. No. 1 women’s player, overcame a rocky start to clinch her first Cairns Cup title and $65,000, while 14-year-old Alice Lee delivered a commanding performance throughout the tournament, finishing just behind her in second place.

“I’m excited to kick off my life in Saint Louis with a win at the Cairns Cup. I had a bit of a shaky start and wasn’t feeling my best throughout the tournament, but I knew I had to turn things around. I’m proud I was able to power through and finish strong.”

— IM Carissa Yip

Yip, an alum of the Young Stars Program in partnership with the Kasparov Chess Foundation and Saint Louis Chess Club, recently announced her move to Saint Louis to train at the Saint Louis Chess Club, is now setting her sights on becoming only the second American woman to earn the full Grandmaster (GM) title.

“Thank you to 10 of the top female chess players from around the world for coming to Saint Louis for the Cairns Cup. It was a great tournament. Congratulations to American Carissa Yip on winning the tournament as part of her goal of becoming a grandmaster.”

— Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield

The 2025 Cairns Cup final standings include:

2025 CAIRNS CUP FINAL STANDINGS

About the Cairns Cup

Established in 2019, the Cairns Cup was created by the Saint Louis Chess Club to provide a competitive tournament for elite female players. Aptly named in honor of Saint Louis Chess Club co-founder Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield’s maiden name, the 2025 Cairns Cup featured a ten player field of top women from across the world competing for a $250,000 purse during the round robin style tournament held at the World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries from June 10-20. International Arbiter (IA) Maya Myers served as Chief Arbiter and IA Anastasia Sorokina was Deputy Arbiter.

To rewatch all of the action from the tournament broadcast visit the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube channel.