Tan Zhongyi on the Verge of Winning the 6th Cairns Cup 2026

by Devansh Singh - 19/08/2026

Tan Zhongyi is looking unstoppable at the 6th Cairns Cup; she scored her 2nd consecutive win after defeating Bibisara Assaubayeva in the penultimate round. Zhongyi is leading the tournament with 6.5/8 points, and only Alice Lee can catch up with her if she wins and Zhongyi loses in the final round. In the 8th round, Alice Lee defeated World Championship Challenger Vaishali Rameshbabu with black pieces. A draw is enough for Zhongyi to clinch the title, while Alice Lee will be playing for a win in the last round. The Final round will start on 19th August at 12 PM Local Time / 10:30 PM IST. Photos: Lennart Ootes

What a Performance

Tan Zhongyi is showing a masterclass at the Saint Louis Chess Club. She scored her 5th win of the tournament after defeating Bibisara in the 8th round.

Tan Zhongyi defeated Bibisara Assaubayeva

Alice Lee defeated Vaishali with black pieces

Carissa Yip won against Stavroula Tsolakidou

Koneru Humpy drew against Divya Deshmukh

Results

Standings

Replay Round 8 Games

Photo Gallery: GCT

About the 2026 Cairns Cup

One of the strongest female super-tournaments in the world returns in 2026 with the sixth edition of the Cairns Cup, running concurrently with the Sinquefield Cup at the Saint Louis Chess Club from August 8–21. Tournament play runs August 10–19, featuring ten of the world’s top female players competing across nine rounds of classical chess for a historic $250,000 prize fund. Inspired by its mission to promote chess to women, the tournament was named in honor of club co-founder Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield’s maiden name.

The Field

Playing Field | Photo: Crystal Fuller / Saint Louis Chess Club

The 10-player lineup features an elite international field: Humpy Koneru, Tan Zhongyi, Anna Muzychuk, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Divya Deshmukh, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Carissa Yip, Stavroula Tsolakidou, and Alice Lee.

Schedule

Prize Fund

The total prize fund is $250,000, representing the largest prize purse in the history of the Cairns Cup.

How to Watch

Follow every round with professional commentary led by Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan on the Saint Louis Chess Club's YouTube channel and on Twitch. For spectators in Saint Louis, day passes include standing-room access to both the Sinquefield Cup and Cairns Cup playing halls, live Grandmaster commentary, and complimentary food, snacks, and beverages.

Format

The Cairns Cup is a 10-player, 9-round single round-robin classical tournament. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment from move one. Players receive 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss.

Venue: Saint Louis Chess Club

The Saint Louis Chess Club stands as the premier global destination for competitive play, anchoring Saint Louis as the “Chess Capital of the United States.” This state-of-the-art facility features a world-class tournament hall designed to accommodate everyone from local enthusiasts to legendary Grandmasters. As a non-profit educational organization, the club serves as the prestigious home for all major U.S. Championship events as well as the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, the Sinquefield Cup, the Cairns Cup and more.