Sinquefield Cup 2026 R3: Wesley So Beats Caruana Fabiano to Gain Sole Lead

by Devansh Singh - 13/08/2026

In the 3rd round of the Sinquefield Cup 2026, there were 3 decisive results. Praggnanandhaa lost to Vincent Keymer with black pieces. Sam Sevian defeated Anish Giri, and Wesley So defeated Fabiano Caruana to gain the sole lead. The games between Javokhir Sindarov vs. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Jorden van Foreest vs. Levon Aronian ended in a draw. The 4th round will start on 13th August at 12 PM Local Time / 10:30 PM IST. Photos: Lennart Ootes

Marathon Game by Sevian

Sam Sevian played a long marathon game against Anish Giri to score his 1st win of the tournament. It was an opposite coloured bishop and rook endgame which was heading towards a draw, but Sam had an extra pawn. After grinding for hours, Anish made a mistake on the 106th Move under time pressure, and Sam converted it to a full point.

Even after the long battle, both players analysed the game

Wesley So won a beautiful game against Caruana Fabiano to gain the sole lead

Vincent defeated Praggnanandhaa in a complex battle to score the full point

White to play, Checkmate in 1

Sindarov drew against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

Levon Aronian drew against Jorden van Foreest

Standings

Replay Round 3 Games

Photo Gallery: GCT

About the 2026 Sinquefield Cup

The final regular-season stop and signature classical event of the Grand Chess Tour, the 2026 Sinquefield Cup returns to the Saint Louis Chess Club from August 8–21. Tournament play runs August 10–19, with ten elite grandmasters contesting nine rounds of classical chess and one last opportunity to earn Tour Points before the 2026 GCT Grand Finals.

The Field

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

The current 10-player lineup features eight full-tour competitors: Fabiano Caruana, Javokhir Sindarov, Vincent Keymer, Wesley So, Anish Giri, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Jorden van Foreest, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. They are joined by wildcards Levon Aronian and Samuel Sevian.

Schedule

Prize Fund

The total prize fund is $475,000: a $350,000 base prize fund plus a $125,000 Decisive Games Bonus pool. The base first-place prize is $100,000, while the bonus pool is divided into equal shares based on the total number of decisive games, with one share awarded for each win.

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 Sinquefield 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.