ST. LOUIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The nation’s top chess players are set to compete in America’s most prestigious competitions: the 2026 U.S. Chess Championship and the 2026 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship. Hosted by the Saint Louis Chess Club (STLCC), each field will feature 12 elite players competing over the board from Oct. 7–23, with Round 1 beginning Oct. 9, for a total prize fund of more than $400,000. “The U.S. Championship and U.S. Women’s Championship represent the pinnacle of American chess