U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO) and Saint Louis Chess Club Host Bipartisan Congressional Chess Tournament with Leading Chess Figures and Saint Louis Students in the Nation’s Capital

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2026 – Today, U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO) hosted a special bipartisan Congressional Chess Tournament in partnership with the Saint Louis Chess Club, where members of Congress faced off against chess students and internationally recognized chess players during an event designed to showcase the importance of chess education in schools across the country.

Schmitt was joined by Rex Sinquefield, co-founder of the Saint Louis Chess Club, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO), U.S. Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO) and U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO), as well as Grandmasters Var Akobian and Yasser Seirawan and International Masters Eric Rosen and Irene Sukandar — respected and recognizable figures from both the congressional and chess communities.

“It was an honor to show off Missouri talent and welcome the Saint Louis Chess Club here to Washington, D.C. Chess teaches young people critical thinking, discipline, and the strategic skills they’ll need to succeed in life. As a proud St. Louisan, I’m honored to represent the chess capital of the world,” said Sen. Schmitt.

“Chess is a thinking game, a strategic game, where you must anticipate several moves ahead. It teaches us so many lessons that apply to everyday life,” said Rep. Bell. “The St. Louis region has a huge chess presence, bringing together and inspiring generations of people. I’m proud to be co-hosting the Bipartisan Congressional Chess Tournament, celebrating chess in St. Louis and across the country.”

Seven students from the Saint Louis Chess Club’s Select Chess Program traveled to Washington to participate in the tournament, competing against Schmitt and members of the Congressional Chess Caucus. The Congressional Chess Tournament highlights the educational benefits of chess and encourages schools to engage in chess programs that promote important developmental skills, including problem-solving, critical thinking, strategic planning, concentration, and spatial awareness.

“It’s an honor to be back on Capitol Hill to bring the Chess Capital of the United States to Washington for this longstanding bipartisan tradition,” said Rex Sinquefield, co-founder of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “Our work to revitalize chess in schools across Missouri and throughout the United States continues to grow every year. With more than 100,000 students in the greater Saint Louis area engaged in scholastic chess, we are excited about the game’s growing popularity among America’s youth and look forward to continuing to partner with Congress to expand awareness of chess and its many educational benefits.”

As the Chess Capital of the United States, Saint Louis is home to the Saint Louis Chess Club, the nation’s premier chess organization for scholastic and competitive chess. The club’s scholastic programs reach more than 100,000 students through innovative initiatives, including Scholastic Tournaments, Digital Classroom, First Responders C.H.E.S.S., and other educational programming. Seven in 10 students enrolled in these programs say they look forward to school more on days when chess is played and believe the game has taught them that they can accomplish difficult tasks through hard work and perseverance.

“Chess teaches discipline, resilience, creativity, and decision-making under pressure — skills that extend far beyond the chessboard,” said Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan. “It’s inspiring to see students from Saint Louis sharing their passion for the game with leaders from across the country here on Capitol Hill.”

At the competitive level, the Saint Louis Chess Club has made history by creating the Sinquefield Cup and the Cairns Cup, premier international tournaments that have attracted many of the world’s top players and helped revitalize chess in the United States. Today, approximately 25 Grandmasters live and train in Saint Louis — more Grandmasters per capita than anywhere else in the world.

Saint Louis is also home to the World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries (WCHOF), a leading arts and cultural institution centered on chess that has welcomed more than 250,000 visitors across 75 exhibitions. WCHOF has recently opened a major new year-long exhibition, “Game Plan: The Strategy of Chess & Sports,” exploring the connection between chess, athletics, and elite performance through interactive experiences, sports history, and stories highlighting the shared strategy, discipline, and competitive mindset behind both chess and professional sports. The exhibition spans all three galleries and runs through Spring 2027.

To learn more, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org and www.worldchesshof.org.

About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club (STLCC) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to making chess a vital part of the community and advancing Saint Louis’s reputation as the nation’s premier chess destination—the U.S. Chess Capital. In addition to hosting world-class tournaments and providing a welcoming space for casual and competitive play, the Club offers a robust slate of educational programming, including beginner lessons, chess improvement classes, lectures, and special events for players of all ages and skill levels.

Recognizing the cognitive, academic, and social benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is deeply committed to scholastic education. The Club supports existing chess programs in area schools while actively developing new in-school and after-school initiatives that introduce students to the game and help young players thrive both on and off the board. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.

About the World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries
The World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries (WCHOF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to building awareness of the cultural and artistic significance of chess. It opened on September 9, 2011, in the Central West End after moving from previous locations in New York, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Housed in a historic 15,900 square-foot residence-turned-business in Saint Louis’ Central West End neighborhood, the WCHOF features World Chess Hall of Fame inductees, the United States Chess Hall of Fame inductees selected by the U.S. Chess Trust, artifacts from the permanent collection and exhibitions highlighting the great players, historic games and rich cultural history of chess. The WCHOF partners with the Saint Louis Chess Club to provide innovative programming and outreach to local, national, and international audiences. For more information, visit worldchesshof.org and on social: Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube channels.