New Champions Emerge: GM Andy Woodward, FM/WGM Zoey Tang, and GM Alex Fishbein Win in U.S. Junior, Junior Girls and Senior Championships in Saint Louis
Rising star Grandmaster Andy Woodward claimed the U.S. Junior Championship title. FIDE Master / Woman Grandmaster Zoey Tang captured the U.S. Junior Girls Championship, while Grandmaster Alex Fishbein emerged victorious in the U.S. Senior Championship.
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Rising star and the youngest competitor in his field at just 15, Grandmaster (GM) Andy Woodward claimed the U.S. Junior Championship title. FIDE Master (FM) / Woman Grandmaster (WGM) Zoey Tang captured the U.S. Junior Girls Championship, while GM Alex Fishbein emerged victorious in the U.S. Senior Championship after a dramatic playoff—marking first-time wins for all three players in their respective divisions.
'These events always deliver incredible competition, but this year's championships were truly special,' said Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan, Chief Commentator and Spokesperson for the Saint Louis Chess Club. 'From the poise of our young talents to the brilliance of our seasoned champions, the level of play was inspiring across the board. It's clear that American chess has an exciting road ahead—and there's truly no better stage for it than right here in Saint Louis.'
The U.S. Junior Girls, U.S. Junior, and U.S. Senior Championships continue to be mainstay events at the Saint Louis Chess Club. From July 15–25, 2025, the invitation-only tournaments took place at University Tower in Saint Louis, featuring the top 10 players in each division competing for national titles and a record-breaking combined prize fund of $225,000.
GM Andy Woodward Clinches U.S. Junior Championship
GM Andy Woodward won the 2025 U.S. Junior Championship and $23,000 with a mature, undefeated performance—and sealed the title with a draw against GM Kirk Ghazarian in the final round to finish clear first. His steady finish underscored his status as one of America's most promising young talents.
"I'm really happy. It's a very difficult tournament to win, so I just tried to stay calm throughout. Now I can finally relax a little. This is definitely the biggest event I've won so far, and it feels really good. I'm also really excited to have qualified for the U.S. Championship—I'm looking forward to the challenge and just doing my best to compete,' said Woodward.
Hot on his heels were GM Brewington Hardaway of Bronx, NY and GM Abhimanyu Mishra of Englishtown, NJ, who tied for second, each winning $11,000.
Seventeen-Year-Old Zoey Tang Wins U.S. Junior Girls Championship
FM/WGM Zoey Tang, 17, of Portland, OR, emerged victorious in the 2025 U.S. Junior Girls Championship, rising above a field of returning champions and rising stars. With the win, she earned $15,000 and secured an invitation to compete in the 2025 U.S. Women's Championship — a major milestone in her already impressive career.
'It still feels a little surreal. I've played this tournament so many times, and to finally win it means so much. I didn't want my fate to depend on other games—I wanted to fight for it myself. It wasn't perfect chess, but I stayed resilient, and in the end, it paid off. I'm really grateful for everyone who supported me—my coach, my mom, and my friends cheering me on back home,' said Tang.
Finishing in second place was 12-year-old WFM Megan Paragua of New York, NY, who stunned the field with her poise and skill, taking home $8,500. Rounding out the top three was WFM Rachael Li, 15, of Plano, TX, who earned $6,250 for her strong performance.
GM Alex Fishbein Wins U.S. Senior Championship
In the U.S. Senior division, GM Alex Fishbein was crowned champion after a hard-fought playoff on the final day, clinching his first U.S. Senior Championship title and earning an impressive $23,1667.
'This win means a lot to me. I've had a long chess career, most of it while working outside the game. After stepping away from finance, I finally gave myself permission to really focus on chess again—and this tournament was my chance to see what I could do. I wasn't the most talented player in the field, but I worked incredibly hard, and to have that effort rewarded at this stage in my life is incredibly meaningful,' said Fishbein.
The playoff followed a three-way tie at the top of the standings, with GM Vladimir Akopian of Glendale, CA and GM Alex Shabalov of Pittsburgh, PA finishing in a tie for second, each taking home $18,1667. The event featured a formidable field of legendary players and Hall of Famers.
U.S. SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL RESULTS
PLACE
PLAYER
LOCATION
PRIZE MONEY
1
GM Alex Fishbein
Springhill, TN
$23,166.67
T-2
GM Vladimir Akopian
Glendale, CA
$18,167
T-2
GM Alex Shabalov
Pittsburgh, PA
$18,167
T-4
GM Larry Christiansen
Cambridge, MA
$8,750
T-4
GM Alexander Goldin
Lexington, KY
$8,750
T-6
GM Igor Novikov
Lexington, KY
$5,500
T-6
GM Joel Benjamin
Waldwick, NJ
$5,500
T-8
GM Gregory Kaidanov
Lexington, KY
$4,250
T-8
GM Maxim Dlugy
Albrightsville, PA
$4,250
10
IM Timothy Taylor
San Leandro, CA
$3,500
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If you missed the games live, you can rewatch the action, player interviews and event commentary by GMs Yasser Seirawan and Cristian Chirila and IM Nazi Paikidze by visiting the Saint Louis Chess Club's YouTube and Twitch.tv channels.
Next up for the Saint Louis Chess Club are the final regular season events of the 2025 Grand Chess Tour, the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, taking place August 9–17, followed immediately by the Sinquefield Cup.
About the Saint Louis Chess Club
The Saint Louis Chess Club is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization that is committed to making chess an important part of our community. In addition to providing a forum for the community to play tournaments and casual games, the club also offers chess improvement classes, beginner lessons and special lectures.
Recognizing the cognitive and behavioral benefits of chess, the Saint Louis Chess Club is committed to supporting those chess programs that already exist in area schools while encouraging the development of new in-school and after-school programs. For more information, visit www.saintlouischessclub.org.
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