One of the strongest female super-tournaments in the world returns in 2025 with the fifth edition of the Cairns Cup! This elite tournament takes place June 10 – June 20 features ten of the best female chess players from around the world as they compete for a $250,000 prize fund, the largest in the event’s history. The Cairns Cup shares its format with other prestigious events like the illustrious Sinquefield Cup — a prestigious ten-player round-robin format of classical chess. It also shares the venue in Saint Louis, at the World Chess Hall of Fame located in the historic Central West End neighborhood.
“It is an honor to once again welcome some of the world’s top female players to Saint Louis,” said Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield, co-founder of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “Through events like the Cairns Cup, we aim to create greater opportunities for females in chess and inspire the next generation to compete, achieve, and lead in this timeless game.”
Live games from Cairns Cup 2025 will be daily on Chessdom, while additional news can be found in the Chessdom Newsletter – you can sign up for free in the form below.
Cairns Cup 2025 participants
| TITLE | NAME | FEDERATION | RATING |
| GM | Humpy Koneru | India | 2543 |
| GM | Tan Zhongyi | China | 2536 |
| GM | Nana Dzagnidze | Georgia | 2509 |
| IM | Bibisara Assaubayeva | Kazakhstan | 2494 |
| GM | Mariya Muzychuk | Ukraine | 2494 |
| GM | Harika Dronavalli | India | 2483 |
| GM | Alina Kashlinskaya | Poland | 2467 |
| GM | Nino Batsiashvili | Georgia | 2455 |
| IM | Carissa Yip | United States | 2412 |
| IM | Alice Lee | United States | 2389 |
See the Women Top 100 rating list here
Historical winners of Cairns Cup
2019: Valentina Gunina
2020: Humpy Koneru
2023: Anna Zatonskih
2024: Tan Zhongyi
More about Cairns Cup
Launched in 2024 and running through July 4, 2029, the Saint Louis Chess Club is offering the Cairns Chess Queens Award — a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at encouraging more female chess players from the United States to achieve the Grandmaster (GM) title. A $100,000 prize will be awarded to any U.S. female player who earns the overall GM title within this five-year period. Up to five players will be recognized, with eligibility limited to female chess players who are American citizens or who become citizens before earning the title.
“The Saint Louis Chess Club remains dedicated to advancing the game of chess at every level,” said Tony Rich, Technical Director of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “The Cairns Cup plays a vital role in fostering the growth of women in chess, offering a world-class stage where top talent can challenge themselves, gain critical experience, and inspire future generations.”
The tournament follows a prestigious ten-player round-robin format of classical chess, similar in format to the illustrious Sinquefield Cup. Games will be held at the World Chess Hall of Fame & Galleries in the historic Central West End neighborhood where its latest exhibition — “Charles Houska: Master of Play” — will be on display during the tournament.
Each round of the Cairns Cup will be streamed live daily from June 10 to 20 at 12:20 p.m. CDT with expert commentary by Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Katerina Nemcova, WGM Almira Skripchenko and International Master (IM) Nazi Paikidze. International Arbiter (IA) Maya Myers will serve as Chief Arbiter and IA Anastasia Sorokina as Deputy Arbiter.
