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5th Cairns Cup R2: Alice Lee wins two in-a-row

by Shahid Ahmed - 12/06/2025

IM Alice Lee (USA) scored a huge win over the 15th Women's World Champion, GM Mariya Muzychuk (UKR) in Round 2 of 5th Cairns Cup 2025. The teenager needed only one opportunity and she seized it correctly. She is now the sole player who has won both of her games so far. GM Koneru Humpy and GM Harika Dronavalli drew against GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) and GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO) respectively. Both of them were well contested draws. The only other victory of the round was scored by GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) over GM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ). Round 3 starts today at 12 p.m. local time, 10:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club

Humpy and Harika play hard-fought draws

IM Alice Lee (USA) defeated two GMs in two consecutive rounds | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club
Interview with GM Koneru Humpy | Video: Saint Louis Chess Club

GM Zhongyi Tan (CHN) - GM Koneru Humpy: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club
Interview with GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO) | Video: Saint Louis Chess Club

GM Nino Batsiashvili (GEO) - GM Harika Dronavalli: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club
Interview with GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) | Video: Saint Louis Chess Club

GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) capitalized on her opponent, GM Bibisara Assaubayeva's (KAZ) mistake in the endgame | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club

Mariya - Alice

Position after 23...Bxe4!

GM Mariya Muzychuk (UKR, 2492) made a slight inaccuracy 23.Nde2 IM Alice Lee (USA, 2389) 23...Bxe4! pounced on her opportunity 24.Ng3?? worsened things for White exf4-+ 25.Qxf4 Bxc2 26.Rxe8+ Rxe8 27.Nxh5 Re1+ 28.Kh2 Be5 and it's over. Black went on to win the game.

Interview with IM Alice Lee (USA) | Video: Saint Louis Chess Club

IM Alice Lee (USA) scored a huge win over the 15th Women's World Chess Champion - GM Mariya Muzychuk (UKR) | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club

IM Alina Kashlinskaya (POL) - IM Carissa Yip (USA): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club

Round 2 in progress | Photo: Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club

Replay live stream

Replay Round 2 live commentary by GM Yasser Seirawan (USA), IMs Nazi Paikidze (USA) and Almira Skripchenko (FRA), and WGM Katerina Nemcova (USA) | Video: Saint Louis Chess Club

Round 2 results

GM Nana Dzagnidze (GEO) and IM Alice Lee (USA) scored the victories in Round 2 | Graphic: Saint Louis Chess Club

Standings after Round 2

IM Alice Lee is the only player at 2/2 | Graphic: Saint Louis Chess Club

Round 3 pairings

Round 3 pairings | Graphic: Saint Louis Chess Club

Schedule

Every day Round starts at 12 p.m. local time, 10:30 p.m. IST. Only rest day is on Sunday 15th June 2025.

Schedule | Source: Official site

Total prize fund

The total prize fund is US$ 250000. The top three prizes are $60000, $50000 and $40000.

Prize details | Source: Official site

Format

It is a round-robin event with a Classical time control of 40 moves in 90 minutes + 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment from move no.1.

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations

Saint Louis Chess Club: Official site, facebook, twitter, instagram, youtube


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