15-year-old American GM Andy Woodward spoke about the situation with sponsor support in the USA. Woodward noted the contribution of Rex Sinquefield and the Saint Louis Chess Club to the development of chess in the USA and pointed to the small number of corporate sponsors.

Andy Woodward

Andy Woodward

American GM

“Unfortunately, there’s not much support in the US right now. At least for now.

I think Rex Sinquefield is perhaps the biggest supporter of chess in the USA, together with the Saint Louis Chess Club. They support chess and hold many strong tournaments in America, which is of course very cool. I think it helps a lot — they have huge prize funds at tournaments like the US Junior Championship and so on.

But if we’re talking about corporate sponsors specifically, we have virtually none in America — companies that support chess. This is perhaps one of the biggest challenges, especially considering that we have to travel with an adult companion, so travel costs about twice as much, and so on.

Overall, this is the main challenge for chess players who want to reach the next level.”

Significant support of chess in USA comes from wealthy individuals, specialized clubs, and online chess partnerships. Rex Sinquefield has spent over $50 million on chess development in St. Louis. The St. Louis Chess Club is a leading global chess center that has had a significant impact on American and international chess since its founding in 2008.

Credit: Lennart Ootes