Overview
- Wesley So opened the tournament with an 80-move victory over Sam Shankland on Friday to win his first-round game and mark his 33rd birthday with a signature result.
- Jeffery Xiong and Awonder Liang also won in the Open, with Xiong converting a complex pawn endgame against Sam Sevian and Liang defeating Hans Niemann in 34 moves as the first game to finish decisively.
- The Women’s section produced four decisive Round 1 results, including Irina Krush’s queen blunder that handed Rachael Li the point and opening wins for Anna Zatonskih, Thalia Cervantes and Megan Paragua.
- Both events use 90 minutes/40 moves plus 30 minutes with a 30-second increment, keep last year’s prize funds (Open $250,000 with $55,000 for first; Women’s $152,000 with $35,000 for first), and offer bonus prizes and anti-draw rules to encourage decisive play.
- Play continues through Oct. 22 with live broadcasts from the Saint Louis Chess Club and early standings already reflecting two perfect scorers in each section after Round 2, a development that shapes the race for qualification and bonus prizes.