So and Li Crowned U.S. Champions at 2026 Saint Louis Championship

A Decisive Tiebreak Crowns So

Saint Louis, Missouri — Wesley So and Rachael Li were crowned the 2026 U.S. Chess Champions at the Saint Louis Chess Club, where the combined Open and Women’s championships concluded on October 22 after an 11-round classical format that ran from October 9 to 22.

In the Open event, So and defending champion Fabiano Caruana both finished level on 7 out of 11 points, forcing a tiebreak to determine the title. Grigory Oparin claimed third place to complete the podium.

So held a one-point advantage heading into the final round but fell to Sam Sevian in a closely contested rook endgame, ending his sole loss of the tournament. Caruana capitalized with a win over Awonder Liang, setting up the playoff.

The tiebreak consisted of two rapid games. So drew with the black pieces in the first encounter before seizing the initiative with white in the second to claim his fourth U.S. championship title.

Li Secures the Women’s Crown

In the Women’s event, Rachael Li produced a breakout performance on her debut to become the youngest player ever to capture the title. Alice Lee finished as runner-up, and Irina Krush earned third place.

Lee opened with four consecutive victories in Rounds 2 through 5, establishing an early lead. Li responded with a win over Lee in a Queen’s Indian Defense to close the gap. A crucial Round 9 defeat for Lee at the hands of Krush, combined with Li’s grind-out victory over Nazi Paikidze, shifted momentum decisively in Li’s favor.

Going into the final round a full point ahead, Li secured a comfortable draw against Anna Zatonskih to clinch the championship outright, while Lee won her final game against Anna Sargsyan to finish half a point back.

Prize Fund and Format

The 2026 edition featured a combined prize fund across both events, with the Open carrying a total purse of $250,000 and a first-place award of $55,000. The Women’s event offered $152,000 in total prizes, including $35,000 for the champion.

• Open standings: 1st – Wesley So, 2nd – Fabiano Caruana, 3rd – Grigory Oparin
• Women’s standings: 1st – Rachael Li, 2nd – Alice Lee, 3rd – Irina Krush
• Venue: Saint Louis Chess Club, Saint Louis, Missouri
• Dates: October 9–22, 2026 | Rounds: 11

Source

This report is based on information published by FIDE — International Chess Federation.

Official source: https://www.fide.com/2026-u-s-championship-wesley-so-and-rachael-li-claim-titles/