TWIC is 31. First issue 17th September 1994.
12th Sinquefield Cup 2025 (9)
Wesley So wins the Sinquefield Cup after a playoff
Mark Crowther - Thursday 28th August 2025
The end of the tie-break between Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So. Photo © | https://saintlouischessclub.org
The Sinquefield Cup was won by Wesley So for a second time, he won first of all in 2016. So was the only winner in the final round when he defeated the woefully out of form Nodirbek Abdusattorov. So then won a blitz tie-break by beating Praggnanandhaa and drawing with Fabiano Caruana. So won $77,667 and Praggnanandhaa and Caruana $67,667.
The result of this event settled who made the Grand Chess Tour finals next month in Sao Paulo. Those qualifiers were MVL, Caruana, Levon Aronian and Praggnanandhaa, the latter displacing Alireza Firouzja from the top four as a result of this tournament.
Final Day Summary
The day started with round 9 where other than So-Abdusattorov the other games were drawn, those were Caruana-Gukesh (Fabiano tried a bit but ultimately there was nothing), and three pretty fast draws Aronian-Praggnanandhaa, Duda-MVL and Firouzja-Sevian.
The tie-breaks were at a blitz time control of 5 minutes plus 2 seconds a move. Praggnanandhaa seemed to get the worse of the opening against Caruana but at this time control it wasn't that much, as Caruana fell short of time his position rapidly deteriorated to a loss.
It was Praggnanandhaa's turn to struggle on the clock in game two, Wesley So presented him with a problem that he could only partially solved and involved a very awkward development of his King. Short of time and in a difficult position Praggnanandhaa's position completely disintegrated.
Caruana needed to beat So to send all three into a further tie-break of Armageddon games. He eventually won two pawns and had a favorable position but as time ran short So took over and got the draw he needed.
| 12th Sinquefield Cup Saint Louis (USA), 16-29 viii 2025 | cat. XX (2750) | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 1. | Praggnanandhaa, R | g | IND | 2779 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5½ | 2827 | |||
| 2. | So, Wesley | g | USA | 2745 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 5½ | 2830 | |||
| 3. | Caruana, Fabiano | g | USA | 2784 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5½ | 2826 | |||
| 4. | Aronian, Levon | g | USA | 2737 | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 5 | 2794 | |||
| 5. | Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime | g | FRA | 2736 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 4½ | 2751 | |||
| 6. | Sevian, Samuel | g | USA | 2683 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 4½ | 2757 | |||
| 7. | Duda, Jan-Krzysztof | g | POL | 2725 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 0 | 1 | 4½ | 2753 | |||
| 8. | Gukesh, D | g | IND | 2776 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | 4 | 2704 | |||
| 9. | Firouzja, Alireza | g | FRA | 2766 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | * | 0 | 3½ | 2668 | |||
| 10. | Abdusattorov, Nodirbek | g | UZB | 2771 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | * | 2½ | 2581 | |||
| Round 9 (August 27, 2025) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| So, Wesley | - Abdusattorov, Nodirbek | 1-0 | 52 | C44 | Scotch Gambit | |
| Caruana, Fabiano | - Gukesh, D | ½-½ | 44 | C50 | Giuoco Piano | |
| Aronian, Levon | - Praggnanandhaa, R | ½-½ | 32 | C46 | Four Knights | |
| Duda, Jan-Krzysztof | - Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime | ½-½ | 15 | D85 | Gruenfeld Defence | |
| Firouzja, Alireza | - Sevian, Samuel | ½-½ | 26 | C49 | Four Knights Metger | |
| 12th Sinquefield Cup TB Saint Louis USA Mon 18th Aug 2025 - Fri 29th Aug 2025
Leading Final Round 3 Standings: |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Name | Rtg | Gms | 1 | 2 | 3 | Pts |
| 1 | So, Wesley | 2745 | 2 | * | 1 | ½ | 1.5 |
| 2 | Praggnanandhaa, R | 2779 | 2 | 0 | * | 1 | 1.0 |
| 3 | Caruana, Fabiano | 2784 | 2 | ½ | 0 | * | 0.5 |
| 3 players | |||||||
