The Saint Louis Masters is the city’s classical-format open held annually at the Saint Louis Chess Club in late February. 2026 was the sixth edition, played from 25 February to 1 March, won by Russian-born GM Mikhail Antipov in a six-round Swiss with around forty players in the master section. The event sits below the headline Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz and Sinquefield Cup on the city’s chess calendar, but its prize fund and field consistently attract several US 2600s and visiting international grandmasters.
What it is
A six-round classical Swiss at 90+30. Open to titled players and rated players above a stated minimum (typically FIDE 2300 for the master section). Smaller side sections run concurrently for lower-rated players, but the main event is the master Swiss. Prize fund split across the top finishers and several rating bands; the winner’s share has historically been around $10,000.
The 2026 edition
Antipov, a long-time fixture of the US grandmaster circuit since his federation transfer in the early 2020s, took the title with 5/6 — winning four games and drawing the final two against fellow US grandmasters when a draw secured first place. Leinier Domínguez and Daniel Naroditsky shared second on 4.5. The event drew its largest live-stream audience to date, reflecting the Saint Louis Chess Club’s continued growth as the centre of US elite chess.
Final standings
| # | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mikhail Antipov | Winner |