American Cup

Format:

- Each round shall consist of a 2-game match followed by playoff games should they be needed. - Players will be ranked and pairing numbers assigned 1-8 based on their March FIDE classical rating. Any players with the same rating will be listed alphabetically by last name. - Players will be paired 1 vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5 in the first round. The higher-seeded player will receive white in game 1 of the Champions and Elimination Brackets. - In the Championship Bracket, each match will consist of two classical games. If a player loses a match, they shall move to the Elimination Bracket as shown below. - In the Elimination Bracket, each match will consist of two rapid games. If a player loses a second match, that player shall be eliminated from the Event. - Should match 14 (winner of the Championship Bracket vs. winner of the Elimination Bracket) result in one lost match per player, the two players shall contest a 2-game rapid match (match 15) followed by playoff games (if necessary). - In the Playoffs, players shall contest a two-game blitz match with colors determined by lot. If the match ends in a tie, the players shall play a second two-game match with colors reversed from match 1. If the second match ends in a tie, the players shall contest an Armageddon game with colors determined by lot. - See the tournament bracket for further rounds. Time Controls:

- The classical time control shall be game in ninety (90) minutes plus thirty (30)-seconds increment from move one (G/90+30). - The rapid time control shall be game in twenty five (25) minutes plus ten (10)-seconds increment from move one (G/25+10). - The playoff time control shall be game in three (3) minutes plus two (2)-seconds increment from move one (G/3+2). - The Armageddon time control shall be: white starts with (3) minutes and black starts with (2) two minutes, plus two (2)-seconds increment from move one.

Prizes:

The total prize fund shall be $400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars).- The player who wins the Championship Bracket shall receive an additional prize bonus as outlined in the table below. Open Group Place 1: $75,000 Place 2: $55,000 Place 3: $30,000 Place 4: $25,000 Place 5-6: $15,000 Place 7-8: $10,000 Winner's Bracket Bonus: $15,000 Total: $250,000

The 2026 American Cup chess tournament returns to the Saint Louis Chess Club from March 2–13, bringing together the strongest chess players in the United States for a high-stakes double-elimination tournament with $400,000 in total prize money.

The Open division is led by World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, a 2026 Candidates Qualifier, joined by GMs Wesley So, Leinier Dominguez, Levon Aronian, Awonder Liang, Sam Sevian, Ray Robson, and Abhimanyu Mishra.

Played across classical and rapid time controls, the double-elimination format demands resilience and creativity at every stage, from opening round through the finals. Every match matters, and a single loss doesn’t mean elimination — making for some of the most dramatic chess played anywhere in the world.