The Stacks project

Proof. Assume (1). By Schemes, Lemma 26.11.1 we see that $X$ has a unique generic point $\eta $. Then $X = \overline{\{ \eta \} }$. Hence $\eta $ is an element of every nonempty affine open $U \subset X$. This implies that $\eta \in U$ is dense hence $U$ is irreducible. It also implies any two nonempty affines meet. Thus (1) implies both (2) and (3).

Assume (2). Suppose $X = Z_1 \cup Z_2$ is a union of two closed subsets. For every $i$ we see that either $U_ i \subset Z_1$ or $U_ i \subset Z_2$. Pick some $i \in I$ and assume $U_ i \subset Z_1$ (possibly after renumbering $Z_1$, $Z_2$). For any $j \in I$ the open subset $U_ i \cap U_ j$ is dense in $U_ j$ and contained in the closed subset $Z_1 \cap U_ j$. We conclude that also $U_ j \subset Z_1$. Thus $X = Z_1$ as desired.

Assume (3). Choose an affine open covering $X = \bigcup _{i \in I} U_ i$. We may assume that each $U_ i$ is nonempty. Since $X$ is nonempty we see that $I$ is not empty. By assumption each $U_ i$ is irreducible. Suppose $U_ i \cap U_ j = \emptyset $ for some pair $i, j \in I$. Then the open $U_ i \amalg U_ j = U_ i \cup U_ j$ is affine, see Schemes, Lemma 26.6.8. Hence it is irreducible by assumption which is absurd. We conclude that (3) implies (2). The lemma is proved. $\square$