Three days, twelve games
The Saint Louis Chess Club is reopening its newly expanded 30,000-square-foot campus this October with a full month of special events, beginning with Clutch Chess: The Legends, a three-day exhibition match between two of the most celebrated world champions in history, Viswanathan Anand and Garry Kasparov.
The encounter marks the official return of over-the-board chess to the club’s renovated facility, which now features a purpose-built tournament hall, modern teaching spaces, a chess-inspired restaurant, and state-of-the-art broadcast technology designed to enhance live coverage and spectator experience.
In this insightful video course, Grandmaster David Navara shares practical advice on when to calculate deeply in a position — and just as importantly, when not to.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Invisible moves
The match will be contested over twelve games in the Chess960 (Fischer Random) format, a variant that randomises the starting position of the back-rank pieces to reduce reliance on memorised opening theory. Each day, a new position will be drawn just before play begins, and both players will have to navigate unfamiliar territory from the very first move. The event will test intuition, creativity, and rapid calculation – qualities both Anand and Kasparov have demonstrated throughout their storied careers.
Vishy Anand signed autographs and gave interviews before the start of the event – Garry Kasparov could not make it to Saint Louis in time | Photo: Lennart Ootes
The format alternates between rapid and blitz games. Six of the twelve games (rounds 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, and 10) will be played at a rapid time control of 25 minutes per side, with a 10-second increment from move one. The other six (rounds 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, and 12) will use blitz time controls of 5 minutes plus a 3-second increment. Four games will be played each day, starting with a fresh Chess960 position daily. The structure is designed to keep the action dynamic and to encourage bold play throughout.
A total prize fund of $144,000 will be distributed across the match, using the distinctive “clutch” scoring system pioneered in earlier editions of the Saint Louis event series. Points and prize values increase each day, adding strategic depth as the match progresses.
Wins on Day 1 are worth one point and $1,000; on Day 2, two points and $2,000; and on Day 3, three points and $3,000. Draws split the points but roll their prize money forward, potentially creating dramatic stakes in the final rounds. If several games are drawn early, the final blitz encounter could carry as much as $24,000 in prize money on its own.
- October 8 – 1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw
- October 9 – 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw
- October 10 – 3 points for a win, 1½ points for a draw
This escalating format ensures that no lead is ever secure, as players must adapt not only to shifting positions and time controls but also to the increasing weight of each game. It is possible for a player trailing on points midway through the event to recover and win the match with a strong finish in the later rounds, where each victory counts triple.
Beyond the immediate competition, Clutch Chess: The Legends also serves as a symbolic reunion between two great champions whose rivalry defined an era. Kasparov and Anand met numerous times at the top level from the 1990s through the early 2000s, including their 1995 World Championship match in New York.
Signing the board of a very young chess fan | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Star commentator Yasser Seirawan always in good spirits | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Two local residents also visited the event: elite grandmasters Levon Aronian and Fabiano Caruana, with ChessBase India’s Sagar Shah close behind! | Photo: Lennart Ootes
