Sinquefield Cup 2025: Indians in action in GCT event, format, schedule, pairings, prize money – All you need to know

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Levon Aronian and D. Gukesh in action during Grand Chess Tour. (Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess)

Indians in action at Sinquefield Cup 2025, format, schedule, pairings, prize money: The fifth and final event of the Grand Chess Tour 2025, the Sinquefield Cup, will be played at the World Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri from Monday. Reigning World Champion and World No. 5 D. Gukesh and the highest-ranked Indian R. Praggnanandhaa will feature in one of the strongest Classical events of the year.

American GM Fabiano Caruana will be the highest-ranked player in the event, which also includes in-form Levon Aronian, the French duo of Maxime-Vachier Lagrave and defending champion Alireza Firouzja, among others. The event is 10 10-player Round Robin event with 90 minutes allotted for the first 40 moves and then 30 additional minutes for the remainder, with a 30-second increment given per move starting from the first move.

Gukesh will take on Praggnanandhaa in the first round.

Here’s all you need to know about the Sinquefield Cup 2025 ahead of Round 1:

Format

The 2025 Sinquefield Cup is a single round-robin event. The time control is 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 more minutes for the rest of the game, plus a 30-second increment starting from move one.

Schedule

1st Round – 18th August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)
2nd Round – 19th August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)
3rd Round – 20th August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)
4th Round – 21st August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)
5th Round – 22nd August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)
Rest day – 23rd August 2025
6th Round – 24th August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)
7th Round – 25th August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)
8th Round – 26th August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)
9th Round – 27th August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)
Playoffs (If necessary) – 28th August 2025 (12 PM local/10:30 PM IST)

Playing field

Fabiano Caruana (USA)
R. Praggnanandhaa (IND)
D. Gukesh (IND)
Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB)
Alireza Firouzja (FRA)
Wesley So (USA)
Levon Aronian (USA)
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)
Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL)
Samuel Sevian (USA)

Round 1 pairing

Bo.	Rtg	White	Black	Rtg
1	2683	Samuel Sevian	Wesley So	2745
2	2736	Maxime Vachier-Lagrave	Alireza Firouzja	2766
3	2771	Nodirbek Abdusattorov	Levon Aronian	2737
4	2779	R. Praggnanandhaa	D. Gukesh	2776
5	2784	Fabiano Caruana	Jan-Krzysztof Duda	2725