American Cup (chess)
# American Cup (chess)

The American Cup is an annual invitational double-elimination chess tournament in St. Louis, Missouri, United States.

## Format

The tournament is 8 player double elimination tournament, featuring 8 of the strongest players in the United States. The championship bracket is played with a time control of 90 minutes, with a 30 second increment throughout for 2 games. The elimination bracket is played with a time control of 25 minutes and a 10 second increment for 2 games. If needed two tiebreak games of 10 minutes with a 5 second increment are played followed by an Armageddon game if necessary. The 2023 edition had 2 blitz games after the initial 10 minute rapid games if still tied before going to Armageddon.

## Tournament

### 2022 Bracket

The inaugural edition was held from April 20–28, 2022. Levon Aronian, Fabiano Caruana, Lenier Dominguez, Wesley So, Sam Shankland, Sam Sevian, Jeffery Xiong, and Ray Robson participated in the inaugural event. The tournament was won by Fabiano Caruana.

| Champion Round 1 | Champion Round 1 | Champion Round 1 | Champion Round 2 | Champion Round 2 | Champion Round 2 | Champion Final | Champion Final | Champion Final | | | | Final | Final | Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Levon Aronian | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Ray Robson | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Ray Robson | 1½ | 1 | Levon Aronian | ½ | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Lenier Dominguez | 1½ | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Sam Shankland | 1½ | 4 | Lenier Dominguez | 1½ | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Lenier Dominguez | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Lenier Dominguez | 2½ | | | | 4 | Lenier Dominguez | ½ | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 1½ | | | | | | |
| 3 | Wesley So | ½ | | | | 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 1½ | | | | | | |
| 6 | Sam Sevian | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Sam Sevian | 1½ | 6 | Sam Sevian | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Jeffery Xiong | 2 | 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 1½ |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Levon Aronian | ½ |
| Elimination Round 1 | Elimination Round 1 | Elimination Round 1 | Elimination Round 2 | Elimination Round 2 | Elimination Round 2 | Elimination Round 3 | Elimination Round 3 | Elimination Round 3 | Elimination Final | Elimination Final | Elimination Final | |
| | | | 8 | Ray Robson | 2½ | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Sam Shankland | 2 | 6 | Sam Sevian | 1½ | | | | 1 | Levon Aronian | 2½ | |
| 8 | Ray Robson | 3 | | | | 8 | Ray Robson | 0 | 4 | Lenier Dominguez | 1½ | |
| | | | | | | 1 | Levon Aronian | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | Wesley So | ½ | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Wesley So | 1½ | 1 | Levon Aronian | 1½ | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Jeffery Xiong | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### 2023 Bracket

The 2nd edition of the tournament was held from March 17th-March 26th. Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Levon Aronian, Lenier Dominguez, Sam Shankland, Sam Sevian and Ray Robson participated in this edition. The tournament was won by Hikaru Nakamura.

| Champion Round 1 | Champion Round 1 | Champion Round 1 | Champion Round 2 | Champion Round 2 | Champion Round 2 | Champion Final | Champion Final | Champion Final | | | | Final | Final | Final | Final Rematch | Final Rematch | Final Rematch |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Hikaru Nakamura | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Sam Sevian | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Sam Sevian | ½ | 1 | Hikaru Nakamura | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Lenier Dominguez | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Lenier Dominguez | 2½ | 5 | Lenier Dominguez | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Levon Aronian | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Levon Aronian | 1½ | | | | 1 | Hikaru Nakamura | 4 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | Wesley So | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Wesley So | 2½ | | | | 3 | Wesley So | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Sam Shankland | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Sam Shankland | 1½ | 3 | Wesley So | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Ray Robson | 1½ | 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Hikaru Nakamura | 1 | 1 | Hikaru Nakamura | 2½ |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Wesley So | 3 | 3 | Wesley So | 1½ |
| Elimination Round 1 | Elimination Round 1 | Elimination Round 1 | Elimination Round 2 | Elimination Round 2 | Elimination Round 2 | Elimination Round 3 | Elimination Round 3 | Elimination Round 3 | Elimination Final | Elimination Final | Elimination Final | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Levon Aronian | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Sam Sevian | ½ | 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 2 | | | | 3 | Wesley So | 2½ | | | | | | |
| 4 | Levon Aronian | 1½ | | | | 5 | Lenier Dominguez | ½ | 4 | Levon Aronian | 1½ | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Levon Aronian | 1½ | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Lenier Dominguez | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Sam Shankland | 3½ | 6 | Sam Shankland | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Ray Robson | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Women's American Cup

Running simultaneously with the main tournament a women's tournament is held, featuring 8 of the strongest women in the United States.

### 2022 Women's Tournament Bracket

Irina Krush, Anna Zatonskih, Stavroula Tsolakidou, Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova, Katerina Nemcova, Alice Lee, Tatev Abrahamyan, and Ruiyang Yan. The inaugural Women's tournament was won by Irina Krush. 12-year-old Alice Lee finished as the runner-up.

| Women's Champion Round 1 | Women's Champion Round 1 | Women's Champion Round 1 | Women's Champion Round 2 | Women's Champion Round 2 | Women's Champion Round 2 | Women's Champion Final | Women's Champion Final | Women's Champion Final | | | | Women's Final | Women's Final | Women's Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Irina Krush | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Ruiyang Yan | ½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Ruiyang Yan | ½ | 1 | Irina Krush | 1½ | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | ½ | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Katerina Nemcova | ½ | 5 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | ½ | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | 1½ | | | | 1 | Irina Krush | 1½ | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 6 | Alice Lee | ½ | | | | | | |
| 3 | Stavroula Tsolakidou | 1 | | | | 6 | Alice Lee | ½ | | | | | | |
| 6 | Alice Lee | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Alice Lee | 3 | 6 | Alice Lee | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 7 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Anna Zatonskih | 1 | 7 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Irina Krush | 1½ |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Alice Lee | ½ |
| Women's Elimination Round 1 | Women's Elimination Round 1 | Women's Elimination Round 1 | Women's Elimination Round 2 | Women's Elimination Round 2 | Women's Elimination Round 2 | Women's Elimination Round 3 | Women's Elimination Round 3 | Women's Elimination Round 3 | Women's Elimination Final | Women's Elimination Final | Women's Elimination Final | |
| | | | 4 | Katerina Nemcova | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Katerina Nemcova | 3 | 7 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 2 | | | | 7 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 2 | |
| 8 | Ruiyang Yan | 2 | | | | 7 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 3 | 6 | Alice Lee | 3 | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Anna Zatonskih | 1½ | 3 | Stavroula Tsolakidou | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Stavroula Tsolakidou | 2½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### 2023 Women's Tournament Bracket

The women's field for the 2023 edition includes Irina Krush, Alice Lee, Anna Zatonskih, Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova, Katerina Nemcova, Nazi Paikidze, Atousa Pourkashiyan, and Tatev Abrahamyan. Again, Irina Krush won before Alice Lee.

| Women's Champion Round 1 | Women's Champion Round 1 | Women's Champion Round 1 | Women's Champion Round 2 | Women's Champion Round 2 | Women's Champion Round 2 | Women's Champion Final | Women's Champion Final | Women's Champion Final | | | | Women's Final | Women's Final | Women's Final |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Irina Krush | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 0 | 1 | Irina Krush | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | 2 | 4 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Katerina Nemcova | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Katerina Nemcova | 0 | | | | 1 | Irina Krush | 3 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Alice Lee | 1 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Anna Zatonskih | ½ | | | | 2 | Alice Lee | 1 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Nazi Paikidze | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Nazi Paikidze | 1½ | 6 | Nazi Paikidze | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Alice Lee | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Alice Lee | 2 | 2 | Alice Lee | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Atousa Pourkashiyan | 0 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Irina Krush | 2½ |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Alice Lee | 1½ |
| Women's Elimination Round 1 | Women's Elimination Round 1 | Women's Elimination Round 1 | Women's Elimination Round 2 | Women's Elimination Round 2 | Women's Elimination Round 2 | Women's Elimination Round 3 | Women's Elimination Round 3 | Women's Elimination Round 3 | Women's Elimination Final | Women's Elimination Final | Women's Elimination Final | |
| | | | 8 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 1½ | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Tatev Abrahamyan | 2 | 6 | Nazi Paikidze | ½ | | | | 6 | Nazi Paikidze | 1 | |
| 5 | Katerina Nemcova | 0 | | | | 6 | Nazi Paikidze | 2 | 2 | Alice Lee | 3 | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | 0 | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 3 | Anna Zatonskih | ½ | 7 | Atousa Pourkashiyan | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Atousa Pourkashiyan | 1½ | | | | | | | | | | | | |
