April 21, 2025 - April 29, 2025
Holiday notice: The Saint Louis Chess Club will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025. We’ll reopen with normal hours on Monday, April 21.
Jun 10, 2025 - Jun 20, 2025
total Prize fund
$250,000
Event Type
Invitational Events
Streaming
Format
In-Person
On Campus
Virtual
The Saint Louis Chess Club is proud to present the 2025 Cairns Cup, one of the strongest female super-tournaments in the world. This fifth edition features ten of the best female chess players competing for $250,000 in prize money, the largest in the event’s history.
The tournament follows a prestigious ten player, nine round, round-robin format of traditional classical chess, similar to the illustrious Sinquefield Cup. Games will be held at the World Chess Hall of Fame in the historic Central West End neighborhood.
Follow the action live at the Saint Louis Chess Club, with our Grandmaster in Residence providing daily analysis and complimentary snacks and beverages for members and guests.
Named in honor of co-founder Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield’s maiden name, the tournament reinforces her commitment to women’s chess. In 2024, she created the Cairns Chess Queens Award, a $100,000 award for any woman in the United States who achieves the Grandmaster title.
Watch the games live on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch channels with professional commentary.
January 1, 1970
May 3, 2013 - May 13, 2013
May 5, 2013 - May 13, 2013
June 13, 2013 - June 23, 2013
September 9, 2013 - September 15, 2013
August 27, 2014 - September 7, 2014
March 31, 2015 - April 14, 2015
April 25, 2015 - April 26, 2015
July 6, 2015 - July 16, 2015
July 15, 2021 - July 26, 2021