The annual Cairns Cup, an elite women’s chess tournament ends today in St Louis, Missouri, USA. Up to Wednesday last, Chinese grandmaster Tan Zhongyi was leading after the sixth round of play. The tournament saw ten players facing off, including three world champions. It was a single round robin event making it nine rounds contested. The total prize money was US$200,000 with a first prize of US$50,000. Each of the ten contestants would be rewarded for their efforts.
The Cairns Cup is the equivalent of the Sinquefield Cup for top women players. The tournament is named after its initiator and co-founder of the Sinquefield Cup, Dr Jeanne Cairns-Sinquefield, and aims to promote women’s chess. Dr Cairns-Sinquefield announced an incentive of US$100,000 for up to five American women who achieve the title of grandmaster within the next five years. Irina Krush is the first American woman to receive the award.
The 2024 Cairns Cup was honoured with the presence of living chess legend and five-time world champion from Georgia, 82-year-old Nona Gaprindashvili. She was the women’s world champion from 1962 to 1978 and in 1978 she became the first woman ever to be awarded the International Chess Federation (FIDE) title of grandmaster. Gaprindashvili is also an inductee to the World Chess Hall of Fame.
According to the website, Dr Cairns-Sinquefield stated: “We are proud to again organise an elite international chess tournament created to provide more opportunities for female chess players. We hope by providing a world class facility and a competitive prize fund, we will help inspire more women to play chess on a competitive level.”
Chess game
White: Alexey Sarana
Black: Parham Maghsoodloo
Event: 2024 Chess Cup Masters, Tashkent, UZB, June 7
Type of Game: Nimzo-Indian Defence, Normal Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 b6 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 d5 7. O-O Re8 8. Ne5 Ba6 9. cxd5 exd5 10. Bxa6 Nxa6 11. Qa4 Qc8 12. Bd2 c5 13. Rac1 Qb7 14. Rfd1 Bxc3 15. Bxc3 b5 16. Qa5 c4 17. b3 Re6 18. f3 Nc7 19. Be1 Nfe8 20. Qd2 Rd8 21. Bg3 f6 22. Ng4 h5 23. Nf2 Rc6 24. Qc2 Ne6 25. bxc4 bxc4 26. Rb1 Rb6 27. Rxb6 axb6 28. Rb1 b5 29. Nd1 N6c7 30. Qb2 Qa6 31. Nc3 Qe6 32. Re1 Qc6 33. Qb4 Kf7 34. h4 Rd7 35. Rb1 Qe6 36. Bf4 Nd6 37. Qc5 Nb7 38. Qa7 Nd6 39. Qb6 Nf5 40. Qc5 Nxh4 41. e4 b4 42. Qxb4 dxe4 43. Bxc7 exf3 44. Bg3 Nxg2 45. Qc5 Kg6 46. d5 Qg4 47. Kf2 h4 48. Bh2 Qf5 49. Qxc4 Re7 50. Rc1 Rb7 51. Nb5 Ne3 52. Kxe3 Re7+
53. Kd2 Re2+ 54. Kc3 Rxh2 55. Qd3 Rxa2 56. d6 f2 57. Qxf5+ Kxf5 58. d7 Ra8 59. Nd6+ Ke6 60. Nc8 Ra3+ 61. Kd2 Kxd7 62. Nb6+ Ke6 63. Nc4 Ra2+ 64. Kd3 g5 65. Ne3 f5 66. Nf1 g4 67. Ke3 g3 68. Kf3 f4 69. Rb1 Ra3+ 0-1. White resigns.
