Saint Louis Welcomes Rising Stars, Trailblazers and Chess Legends for Expanded 2026 U.S. Junior, Junior Girls’, Senior and Senior Women’s Championships

SAINT LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The brightest young talents and most accomplished veterans in American chess will once again converge in the nation’s Chess Capital as the Saint Louis Chess Club hosts the 2026 U.S. National Championships, including the U.S. Junior Championship, U.S. Junior Girls’ Championship, U.S. Senior Championship and inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Championship from July 12–25.

The invitation-only national championships will showcase America’s top rising stars and legendary competitors battling for national titles and a combined prize fund of $285,000. This year’s event marks a significant expansion of the championship lineup with the addition of the U.S. Senior Women’s Championship, which will be held in Saint Louis for the first time, bringing together four elite national championships that celebrate excellence across generations of American chess.

The 2026 U.S. Junior Championships will also feature a historic milestone as International Master (IM) Alice Lee, one of the nation’s most promising young players, becomes the first female competitor to opt into the open U.S. Junior Championship rather than compete in the U.S. Junior Girls Championship. Her participation highlights the growing strength of female players competing at the highest levels of American chess.

“We’re excited to once again welcome the nation’s top young players and veteran champions to Saint Louis,” said Yasser Seirawan, Chief Commentator and Spokesperson for the Saint Louis Chess Club. “The addition of the U.S. Senior Women’s Championship and the historic participation of Alice Lee in the U.S. Junior Championship make this a particularly special year. These four championships showcase both the future of American chess and the players whose achievements have helped shape its history.”

U.S. Junior Championship

The U.S. Junior Championship returns with a $75,000 prize fund and a field featuring many of the strongest young players in the country. Among the competitors is IM Alice Lee, whose decision to compete in the open championship field marks a historic first for the event and adds another compelling storyline to one of America’s premier junior competitions.

2026 U.S. Junior Championship Field
Name	Age	Qualification Method	Invitational Rating	Hometown
IM Evan Park	18	2025 U.S. Junior Open Championship	2536	Pittsburgh, PA
IM Bach Ngo	18	2025 Denker Tournament of High School Champions	2474	Gainesville, FL
GM Andy Woodward	16	2025 U.S. Junior Championship	2711	McKinney, TX
GM Abhimanyu Mishra	17	Rating	2723	Englishtown, NJ
GM Brewington Hardaway	17	Rating	2617	Bronx, NY
GM Kirk Ghazarian	20	Rating	2608	Coto De Caza, CA
GM Nico Chasin	19	Rating	2574	New York, NY
IM Liam Putnam	17	Rating	2570	Rocky Point, NY
IM Tanitoluwa Adewumi	15	Rating	2567	New York, NY
IM Alice Lee	16	Wildcard	2497	North Oaks, MN

U.S. Junior Girls’ Championship

The U.S. Junior Girls’ Championship will feature the nation’s top young female players competing for a share of the $50,000 prize fund and the opportunity to add their names to the distinguished list of champions who have gone on to represent the United States on the world stage.

2026 U.S. Junior Girls’ Championship Field
Name	Age	Qualification Method	Invitational Rating	Hometown
WGM Zoey Tang	18	2025 U.S. Girls Championship	2439	Portland, OR
CM Irene Fei	13	2025 Haring Tournament of Champions	2202	Ames, IA
FM Rose Atwell	17	Rating	2456	Valencia, CA
WIM Rachael Li	16	Rating	2404	Plano, TX
FM Jasmine Su	15	Rating	2351	Darien, CT
FM Megan Paragua	13	Rating	2342	Elmhurst, NY
WGM Rochelle Wu	20	Rating	2324	Azusa, CA
WGM Iris Mou	17	Rating	2322	New York, NY
WFM Aimee Yang	12	Rating	2255	Blue Bell, PA
WIM Chloe Gaw	17	Wildcard	2247	New York, NY

U.S. Senior Championship

Created by the Saint Louis Chess Club, the U.S. Senior Championship returns with a $100,000 prize fund and a field of legendary competitors, including former champions and some of the most accomplished players in American chess history.

2026 U.S. Senior Championship Field
Name	Qualification Method	Invitational Rating	Hometown
GM Alex Fishbein	2025 U.S. Senior Championship	2458	Spring Hill, TN
IM Stuart Rachels	2025 Irwin Tournament of Champions	2472	Tuscaloosa, AL
GM Jesse Kraai	2025 U.S. Senior Open Championship	2426	Baltimore, MD
GM Alexander Onischuk	Rating	2644	Lubbock, TX
GM Vladimir Akopian	Rating	2596	Glendale, CA
GM Alexander Goldin	Rating	2549	Lexington, KY
GM Gregory Kaidanov	Rating	2502	Lexington, KY
GM Igor Novikov	Rating	2500	Lexington, KY
GM Alexander Shabalov	Rating	2498	Pittsburgh, PA
GM Joel Benjamin	Wildcard	2498	Waldwick, NJ

U.S. Senior Women’s Championship

Making its debut in Saint Louis, the U.S. Senior Women’s Championship will feature many of the nation’s most accomplished female players competing for the title and a share of the $60,000 prize fund. The championship represents an exciting new chapter for American chess, recognizing the achievements and ongoing contributions of women who have helped shape the game across generations.

2026 U.S. Senior Women’s Championship Field
Name	Qualification Method	Invitational Rating	Hometown
WFM Natalia Tsodikova	2025 U.S. Senior Women’s Championship	2191	Danville, CA
WIM Alexey Root	2025 Top Female Finisher U.S. Senior Open	1921	Denton, TX
WGM Anjelina Belakovskaia	Rating	2171	Phoenix, AZ
WIM Beatriz Marinello	Rating	2106	New York, NY
WFM Olga Sagalchik	Rating	2071	Brooklyn, NY
WFM Ivona Jezierska	Rating	2026	Los Angeles, CA
Jennifer Smith	Rating	1949	Ann Arbor, MI
WCM Diana Lanni	Rating	1947	Washington, DC
Catherine Dodson	Rating	1935	Virginia Beach, VA
WFM Chouchanik Airapetian	Wildcard	1927	Mercer Island, WA

The rating for players is based on the April 2026 US Chess Invitational Rating lists, part of the US Chess Invitational Event Regulations, which were used to determine the invitations for these events.

Fans will have the opportunity to experience all four national championships live in Saint Louis, with in-person viewing and access to the tournament playing halls throughout the event. Admission is free for club members and includes standing-room viewing, complimentary beverages and light refreshments. Non-members may purchase a $5 day pass or a $100 annual membership to attend.

Fans can also follow every move live with expert commentary from Grandmasters Yasser Seirawan and Cristian Chirila alongside Woman Grandmaster Katerina Nemcova and International Master Irene Sukander. Daily coverage will be available on uschesschamps.com and on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

About the Saint Louis Chess Club

The Saint Louis Chess Club (STLCC) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to making chess a vital part of the community and advancing Saint Louis’s reputation as the nation’s premier chess destination—the U.S. Chess Capital. In addition to hosting world-class tournaments and providing a welcoming space for casual and competitive play, the Club offers a robust slate of educational programming, including beginner lessons, chess improvement classes, lectures, and special events for players of all ages and skill levels.

Recognizing the cognitive, academic, and social benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is deeply committed to scholastic education. The Club supports existing chess programs in area schools while actively developing new in-school and after-school initiatives that introduce students to the game and help young players thrive both on and off the board. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.