Tan Zhongyi wins second Cairns Cup chess title

Grandmaster Tan Zhongyi of China has won the 2026 Cairns Cup, marking her second title in the prestigious women’s super-tournament. The event, held at the Saint Louis Chess Club, featured a $250,000 prize fund, the largest in the tournament's history.

Tan secured the championship with a commanding performance, finishing a full point ahead of runner-up Alice Lee of the United States. Lee, 16, earned $50,000 and achieved her first Grandmaster norm. The tournament followed a ten-player, nine-round round-robin format.

Bibisara Assaubayeva of Kazakhstan and Carissa Yip of the United States tied for third place, each receiving $35,000. Tan’s victory included key wins against Assaubayeva and Divya Deshmukh, consolidating her lead in the final rounds.