Saint Louis Chess Club Announces $100,000 Awards for U.S. Female Grandmasters by 2029

The Saint Louis Chess Club has made a groundbreaking announcement in support of women’s chess, offering $100,000 awards to U.S. female players who achieve the grandmaster title by July 4, 2029. This initiative, known as the Cairns Chess Queens Award, was unveiled by Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield, co-founder of the club, during the Cairns Cup opening on Thursday.

The disparity in the number of female versus male grandmasters in the chess world has been a hot topic of debate. With only 42 women holding the grandmaster title out of 1,826 players, the award aims to inspire more U.S. women players to pursue and achieve this prestigious title.

For eight-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion GM Irina Krush, who was the first and only female to earn the title while representing the country in 2013, this news is particularly exciting. Krush was officially honored and presented with a $100,000 check for her exceptional achievements.

Several talented young U.S. female players are on the brink of achieving the grandmaster title, including two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion IM Carissa Yip and IM Alice Lee, who is just 14 years old. The award has the potential to motivate these players and others like them to reach new heights in their chess careers.

Sinquefield hopes that this initiative will encourage other countries to offer similar awards and support their female chess players in achieving greater success. With only 16 countries currently having at least one female grandmaster, the Cairns Chess Queens Award sets a positive example for the global chess community.

The Cairns Cup, hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club for the fourth time, features eight of the world’s top female grandmasters competing for a generous prize fund of $200,000. The winner of the tournament will take home $50,000, showcasing the growing support and recognition for women’s chess on the international stage.