2020 Cairns Cup Exhibition

Organized for the second Cairns Cup, this exhibition contains highlights related to women's chess from the collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF). Among the artifacts are objects related to important moments in women's chess history, including Women's World Chess Championships, Women's Chess Olympiads, and many U.S. national championships held at the Saint Louis Chess Club (STLCC). Several of the artifacts are related to competitors in the tournament, including Grandmasters Valentina Gunina, Alexandra Kosteniuk, Irina Krush and Woman Grandmaster Carissa Yip.

Inspired by its mission to further promote the game of chess to women and girls, the STLCC created the Cairns Cup, a nine-round classical chess tournament that brings together one of the strongest international fields ever assembled in women's chess with one of the largest prize funds for an all-female tournament. The tournament is named in honor of STLCC co-founder Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield, whose maiden name is Cairns. In addition to being the co-founder of the Club, Jeanne also played an instrumental role in creating the Scouts BSA Chess Merit Badge, which has been earned by over 170,000 scouts.

Artifacts Featured in the Exhibition

Dr. Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield at a Scouts BSA Event

Lori Mattler of Lace Photography

Jeanne Sinquefield at the Scouts BSA Chess Merit Badge Launch

September 10, 2011

11 x 14 in., Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

Valentina Gunina, 2019

Lennart Ootes

Valentina Gunina, Winner of the 2019 Cairns Cup

2019

14 x 11 in., Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

Jennifer Yu, 2019

Justin Kellar

2019 U.S. Women’s Chess Championship Winner Jennifer Yu

2019

11 x 14 in., Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

Carissa Yip, 2019

Crystal Fuller

Carissa Yip During Round 7 of the 2019 U.S. Girls’ Junior Chess Championship

July 18, 2019

11 x 14 in., Photograph

Collection of the Saint Louis Chess Club

Poster from the 1991 Women’s World Chess  Championship Match

Poster from the 1991 Women’s World Chess Championship Match, Manila, Philippines

September 25-November 2, 1991

20 ¾ x 14 ¾ in.

Paper

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

GM Maya Chiburdanidze, Date Unknown

Mark Rabkin

GM Maya Chiburdandize

Date unknown

7 ³⁄16 x 4 ¹¹⁄16 in.

Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

GM Xie Jun at the 1992 Chess Olympiad

Bill Hook

GM Xie Jun at the 1992 Chess Olympiad, Manila, Philippines

1992

6 x 4 in., Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame, gift of the U.S. Chess Center

Valentina Gunina, 2019

Crystal Fuller

Valentina Gunina Before Round 5 of the 2019 Cairns Cup

2019

11 x 14 in., Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

Hou Yifan, 2015

Spectrum Studios

GM Hou Yifan and GM Parimarjan Negi at the 2015 Showdown in Saint Louis

November 15, 2015

9 ½ x 14 in., Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

1972 Women’s World Chess Championship

Photographer unknown

GM Nona Gaprindashvili and WGM Alla Kushnir at the 1972 Women’s World Chess Championship, Riga, Latvia

1972

5 ½ x 3 ⅝ in., Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

GM Alexandra Kosteniuk’s Gold Medal from the 2008 Mind Sports Games, Beijing, China

GM Alexandra Kosteniuk’s Gold Medal from the 2008 Mind Sports Games, Beijing, China

2008

2 ¾ in. diameter, Metal and cloth

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

Chess Life, Vol. 47, No. 11, 1992

Chess Life, Vol. 47, No. 11

November 1992

10 ¾ x 8 ¼ in., Paper

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame, gift of Bill Merrell

Dream Team Calendar from the 2004 Chess Olympiad, Calvià, Majorca, Spain

Dream Team Calendar from the 2004 Chess Olympiad, Calvià, Majorca, Spain

2004

8 ½ x 11 in., Paper

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame, gift of John Donaldson

Scouts BSA Girls Merit Badge/Cairns Cup Community Day

Austin Fuller

Scouts BSA Girls Merit Badge/Cairns Cup Community Day

February 3, 2019

8 x 10 in., Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

John Urschel vs. Rachael Li at the 2017 Ultimate Moves Match

Lennart Ootes

John Urschel vs. Rachael Li at the 2017 Ultimate Moves Match

August 19, 2017

9 ½ x 14 in., Photograph

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

Vera Menchik, 1933

Studio Herbert Vandyk, Londres.

Vera Menchik, from Le Monde des Echecs

February 1933

9 ½ x 6 ¼ in., Paper

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame, gift of John Donaldson

Sports Illustrated, Vol. 15, No. 6, 1961

Sports Illustrated, Vol. 15, No. 6

August 7, 1961

11 x 8 ½ in., Paper

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame

Poster from the Sixth Women’s Chess  Olympiad, Medellin, Colombia

Poster from the Sixth Women’s Chess Olympiad, Medellin, Colombia

September 15 - October 7, 1974

19 ⅝ x 27 ¾ in., Paper

Collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame