So Wins Second Title Amid Fierce Competition, Top Four Headed to Grand Chess Tour Finals in Brazil
U.S. Grandmaster Wesley So triumphed at the 2025 Sinquefield Cup, outlasting a world-class field and a thrilling three-way tie at the top that led to playoffs to decide it all. In the end, So emerged victorious on home soil to claim his second Sinquefield Cup title in Saint Louis. As one of the crown jewels of the 2025 Grand Chess Tour (GCT), the Sinquefield Cup once again delivered drama, brilliance and a spectacular finish.
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American Grandmaster Wesley So celebrates his second Sinquefield Cup victory in Saint Louis.
“It’s been nine years since the last time I won the Sinquefield Cup. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. While I didn’t make it to Brazil, I’m proud to be back in the Top 10,” said So.
The tournament, hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club, awarded $350,000 in prizes, including $77,667 to So for his first place finish. GMs Praggnanandhaa R. from India and Fabiano Caruana from the United States fell just short in the playoffs, tying for second place with $67,667 each.
“The Saint Louis Chess Club is proud to serve as the final leg of the GCT, where we see exciting and competitive play each year,” said Rex Sinquefield, co-founder of the Saint Louis Chess Club. “Congratulations to GM Wesley So on winning this year’s Sinquefield Cup for the second time. We’re especially proud to see the title claimed by an American grandmaster.”
Sinquefield Cup Results |
|||
POSITION |
PLAYER |
COUNTRY |
PRIZE MONEY |
1 |
GM Wesley So |
USA |
$77,667 |
T-2 |
GM Praggnanandhaa R. |
IND |
$67,667 |
T-2 |
GM Fabiano Caruana |
USA |
$67,667 |
4 |
GM Levon Aronian |
USA |
$32,000 |
T-5 |
GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda |
POL |
$21,834 |
T-5 |
GM Sam Sevian |
USA |
$21,834 |
T-5 |
GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave |
FRA |
$21,834 |
8 |
GM Gukesh Dommaraju |
IND |
$16,000 |
9 |
GM Alireza Firouzja |
FRA |
$13,000 |
10 |
GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov |
UZB |
$10,500 |
Top Four Advance to GCT Finals
The tour will come to a dramatic conclusion during the GCT Finals, with play set to begin on September 28, 2025 during its first-ever stop in South America in the vibrant Brazilian City of São Paulo.
The stage is set for an electrifying showdown as GMs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Fabiano Caruana, Levon Aronian and Praggnanandhaa R. battle for the championship crown. With the regular season behind them, the top four now face off in the high-stakes knockout for the title of GCT Champion — and a $350,000 prize fund on the line.
“Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the GCT is a milestone for the global chess community,” said Michael Khodarkovsky, Executive Director of the GCT. “This year’s tour has been one of the most competitive and exciting yet, and we are thrilled to see it culminate with the Finals in Brazil—a fitting stage for such an important moment in GCT history.”
The final regular season standings are as follows:
POSITION |
PLAYER |
COUNTRY |
POINTS |
MONEY WON |
1 |
GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave |
FRA |
33 |
$144,000 |
2 |
GM Fabiano Caruana |
USA |
30.5 |
$139,167 |
3 |
GM Levon Aronian |
USA |
30.5 |
$109,125 |
4 |
GM Praggnanandhaa R. |
IND |
30 |
$178,334 |
5 |
GM Wesley So |
USA |
29.5 |
$139,792 |
6 |
GM Alireza Firouzja |
FRA |
24.5 |
$113,167 |
7 |
GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov |
UZB |
19 |
$67,500 |
8 |
GM Gukesh Dommaraju |
IND |
19 |
$68,625 |
9 |
GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda |
POL |
16 |
$59,333 |
Follow all the action live September 28-October 3 by watching the professional commentary team of GMs Maurice Ashley, Yasser Seirawan and Peter Svidler, International Master (IM) Nazi Paikidze and Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Anastasia Karlovich on the Saint Louis Chess Club’s Youtube and Twitch channels.
The 2025 GCT prize fund of $1.6 million is provided by major sponsors Superbet Foundation and Saint Louis Chess Club, both non-profit organizations that support chess education and the mission to expand the game of chess to a worldwide audience.
For more information about the GCT, visit grandchesstour.org.
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Grand Chess Tour
Grand Chess Tour is a circuit of international events, each demonstrating the highest level of organization for the world's best players. The legendary Garry Kasparov, one of the world's greatest ambassadors for chess, inspired the Grand Chess Tour and helped solidify the partnership between the organizers. For more information about the tour, please visit grandchesstour.org.
Superbet Foundation
The Superbet Foundation, a non-profit organization, is responsible for coordinating the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of the Superbet Group. Their goal is to support the advancement of health, education, and sports initiatives, with a special emphasis on promoting the game of chess and its myriad benefits within all the communities they serve.
Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures. Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit saintlouischessclub.org.
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Wesley So wins the 2025 Sinquefield Cup as the top four field is set for the Grand Chess Tour Finals in Brazil.
Contacts
For more information, contact:
Courtney Suthoff
media@saintlouischessclub.org
