The Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown 2026 begins tomorrow at the Saint Louis Chess Club in Missouri, USA. The event runs from October 27 to 29. First matches start at 5:00 PM UTC. The tournament features 4 international players.

Full list of participants:

  • 🇺🇿 Javokhir Sindarov
  • 🇺🇸 Fabiano Caruana
  • 🇺🇸 Hikaru Nakamura
  • 🇮🇳 Praggnanandhaa R

The event will feature a double Round-Robin format with 18 rounds. The time control for all games in the tournament is Rapid 10+5. Point values for wins increase each day. On Day 1, each win is worth 1 point and $1,000, on Day 2 each win is worth 2 points and $2,000, and on Day 3 each win is worth 3 points and $3,000.

The prize from each drawn game will roll over into a Champion’s Jackpot. Only the winner of the tournament will receive the Jackpot. In case of a tie for first, the winner will be determined through a playoff.

Clutch Chess is a unique type of chess tournament format, developed by Grandmaster Maurice Ashley. The event has been hosted at the Saint Louis Chess Club since 2025.

Credit: Lennart Ootes