The Saint Louis Chess Club is reopening as the world’s chess capital. With a new 30,000-square-foot facility, a cutting-edge tournament hall, and a month of elite events, October will deliver something the chess world has never seen before: the very best of today, the legends of yesterday, and the stars of tomorrow.
The Grand Finale: Carlsen, Nakamura, Caruana, Gukesh
All roads lead to the Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown, October 25–30. Four giants of modern chess: World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura, World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, and reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju will collide in what is already being billed as the highest-rated tournament of the year.
The stakes are massive: a $412,000 prize fund, complete with daily win bonuses and a Champion’s Jackpot. The format is built for tension: an 18-game rapid double round-robin (10 minutes plus a 5-second increment), with escalating point values each day. Wins are worth 1 point on Day 1, 2 points on Day 2, and 3 points on Day 3, meaning comebacks are always possible, and no lead is secure until the final round.
“Having these four giants of the game here in Saint Louis shows the city’s importance on the world chess stage,” said GM Yasser Seirawan, event commentator and four-time U.S. Champion.
Four titans of the game. One city. High drama. Every move counts.
U.S. and U.S. Women’s Championships: National Glory
Before the finale, the heart of American chess beats strong. From October 12–25, the U.S. and U.S. Women’s Championships will bring together 12 of the nation’s best players in each field, battling for more than $400,000 in prize money. Fierce rivalries, new stars, and national pride are all on the line.
The championships also honor the legacy of the game. National Master Bruce Pandolfini and Grandmaster Irina Krush will be inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame, while Grandmasters Pia Cramling, Vlastimil Hort, and Jan Timman enter the World Chess Hall of Fame. Past, present, and future converge in Saint Louis.
Kasparov vs. Anand: Legends Reunited
The month begins October 7–11 with Clutch Chess: The Legends, a once-in-a-generation clash. Garry Kasparov, the fiery former world champion who defined an era, faces Viswanathan Anand, the Tiger of Madras, in a match designed to celebrate legacy while pushing competitive boundaries.
The format: a 12-game Chess960 (Fischer Random) match, played at rapid and blitz time controls, with an innovative scoring system to maximize suspense. The total prize fund is $160,000, ensuring that every game carries weight. As the very first event in the renovated club, it is both a tribute to history and a bold signal of the future.
“Saint Louis has become the beating heart of global chess,” Kasparov said. And it is only fitting that two legends christen the upgraded hall.
A New Era for Chess in Saint Louis
Behind the events is the club itself, reborn. “It’s not just about square footage, it’s about investing in the future of the game,” said Rex Sinquefield, co-founder of the Saint Louis Chess Club.
The expansion includes a first floor dedicated to education, fueling a scholastic program that has introduced chess to more than 100,000 students since 2007. New classrooms, expanded halls, and targeted initiatives for girls and women in chess are at the core of its mission.
A revamped broadcast studio ensures the action in Saint Louis reaches millions worldwide through Twitch, YouTube, and beyond. With more Grandmasters per capita than any city in the world, and now a facility to match its ambitions, Saint Louis is making its case as the global epicenter.
This October, legends return, champions are crowned, and titans clash. The newly transformed Saint Louis Chess Club isn’t reopening quietly. It’s redefining the future of the game.
I’m the senior editor of Attacking Chess, a keen chess player, rated above 2300 in chess.com. You can challenge me or asking questions at Chess.com.
