Yip Wins Cairns Cup, Scores 2nd GM Norm

IM Carissa Yip won the Cairns Cup 2025 on Thursday in St. Louis after drawing a dramatic final game with IM Alice Lee, who needed a win for a GM norm and tournament victory. A draw was enough for Yip to score her second GM norm instead, with a 2614 performance rating.

Former Women's World Champion Mariya Muzychuk defeated GM Koneru Humpy, while GM Nino Batsiashvili couldn't avoid finishing in last place after losing to GM-elect Bibisara Assaubayeva. The games GM Harika Dronavalli vs. IM Alina Kashlinskaya and GM Nana Dzagnidze vs. GM Tan Zhongyi ended in draws.

Cairns Cup 2025 Final Standings

The fifth edition of the Cairns Cup was a big success story for American chess as two local heroines, who were the lowest-ranked players in the field, dominated the tournament and played for first place until the very end. "You couldn't have scripted something more exciting or interesting, at least for Americans," noted Rex Sinquefield, the man behind the Saint Louis Chess Club and dozens of top-level chess events.

Yip ½-½ Lee

Yip and Lee clashing in the final round provided enough intrigue already, but there was also the side story of the GM norms. For Lee it would have been her first, but she needed to win with the black pieces. Her queen sacrifice on move 18 was an interesting choice taking into account her strong bishop pair, but soon it became clear that it was Yip who was in control.

The only question remaining was whether she could win, but Lee defended perfectly and reached a fortress. Two moves before reaching a hundred, Yip gave up trying.

GM Rafael Leitao provides analysis of the game:

Afterward, it was revealed that Yip had been quite sick during the tournament, especially during the first half. That explained her start of 1.5/4, perhaps. She even saw a doctor at some point, and her dad had suggested dropping out. Yip's answer was: "No, I’ll power through."

No, I'll power through.
—Carissa Yip

That was a brilliant move, as Yip ended up winning the tournament, earning $65,000, and scoring that second norm. (Her first was her 2023 Junior Open victory at the North American Junior Championships.) She is now the second American winner at the Cairns Cup after IM Anna Zatonskih’s victory in 2023—incidentally, as the lowest-rated player.

Note that getting that GM title will lead to another pay day for Yip as long as she manages to do it before the summer of 2029. On July 4, 2024, Jeanne Sinquefield (middle name Cairns!) created the Cairns Chess Queens Award for up to five female players who earn the GM title in the next five years, worth $100,000.

Muzychuk 1-0 Koneru

"I think I played OK but maybe my opponent was a bit exhausted," said Muzychuk after what was her second win in the tournament. For Humpy, however, it was a third consecutive loss. The tournament was three rounds too long for her, you could say.

"I thought this game was just for two results but I was afraid to spoil and lose my advantage," said Muzychuk about the double-rook endgame. She didn't spoil it, though, and kept pressing, until her opponent made a critical error on move 41.

Batsiashvili 0-1 Assaubayeva

This encounter was basically the story of a single mistake in the opening that haunted Batsiashvili for the rest of the game. In a slightly better opening position, she took a poisoned pawn on a7, probably missing her opponent's reply. She had to give up two minor pieces for a rook, and despite putting up a good fight, the Georgian GM never really stood a chance.

"Maybe it was my best game in the tournament," said Assaubayeva. "I didn’t prepare at all, after yesterday’s game I just wanted to finish the tournament."

Dzagnidze ½-½ Tan

It was a big fight between Dzagnidze and Tan in which the Chinese GM was better, and eventually a pawn up, but it wasn't enough to win the game. 

Harika ½-½ Kashlinskaya

In what was one of the most quiet games of the tournament, Harika and Kashlinskaya drew in 38 moves but without a serious fight. The Indian GM played the Exchange French, and after some exchanges of pieces, even a surprising little combination by Kashlinskaya couldn't change the evaluation.

The 2025 Cairns Cup, which took place June 10-20 in St. Louis, was one of the strongest women's tournaments in the world. The event was a 10-player round-robin with a classical time control of 90 minutes for 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game plus a 30-second increment starting on move one. The event featured a $250,000 prize fund.

Previous coverage:

• Round 8: Yip Leads Ahead Of Final Round Vs. Lee
• Round 7: American Duo Lee, Yip Topple Leaders
• Round 6: Humpy Leads After All-Decisive Round 6
• Round 5: Yip Grinds Out 2nd Win; 3 Leaders Remain
• Round 4: Humpy, Harika Catch Lee In Shared Lead
• Round 3: Yip Picks Up 1st Win
• Round 2: Alice Lee Takes Sole Lead On Perfect 2/2
• Round 1: All-Decisive Round Ends With 5 Early Leaders