India's Mayank Chakraborty and Pratitee Bordoloi secured gold medals in the Open and Girls categories, respectively, at the Asian Junior Classical Chess Championship, leading the host nation to a memorable double victory and a total of four medals.
World Cup-winning Spanish footballer Gerard Pique has become a strategic shareholder in the Global Chess League franchise American Gambits. Pique, known for his illustrious football career, expressed his long-standing fascination with chess and his ambition to elevate the sport's global appeal. The fourth edition of the Global Chess League, featuring top grandmasters, is scheduled for September 3-13.
The Asian Junior Chess Championships will host 157 players from 10 countries in Mumbai from August 16-26. The tournament, featuring Classical, Rapid, and Blitz formats, offers Grandmaster and International Master norms to winners and showcases top U20 talent, including leading Indian and international players.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew his second game against Fabiano Caruana in the Grand Chess Tour final, missing a chance to level scores after a dominating performance.
Defending champions Alpine APL Pipers, led by World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi, defeated FYERS American Gambits 9-7 in a critical Global Chess League match. Carlsen ended Javokhir Sindarov's winning streak, while Gujrathi secured a marathon victory, propelling Pipers closer to a final berth.
French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja holds a half-point lead over India's Arjun Erigaisi after all matches in Round 4 of the Chennai Grandmasters 2026 chess tournament concluded in draws. World champion D Gukesh also drew his game, while chess legend Viswanathan Anand interacted with fans at the event.
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa began his Zagreb Grand Chess Tour campaign with an aggressive victory over top seed Vincent Keymer, showcasing a masterclass performance. While Praggnanandhaa holds a strong position, World Champion D Gukesh experienced mixed results, and Firouzja Alireza currently leads the tournament.
Indian-origin chess prodigies Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, and Shreyas Royal, 17, have made history by winning the 2026 British Chess Championships. Bodhana became Britain's youngest-ever Women's chess champion, while Royal scooped the overall British title, establishing their status as emerging world-class talents.
Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi, India's first female International Master and Women's Grandmaster, asserts that India is the strongest chess-playing nation globally and will only grow stronger. She highlights Chennai's pivotal role in this revolution, crediting pioneers like Manuel Aaron and Vishwanathan Anand, and expresses confidence in the next generation, including Gukesh and Vaishali. Vijayalakshmi also reflects on her own career, a near-miss men's GM title, and her plans for a comeback after a personal tragedy.
'India should hold several high-level chess tournaments that would attract the world's top players so that the country will have a say in the game.'
Woman Fide Master Pratitee Bordoloi and Grandmaster-elect Mayank Chakraborty have emerged as sole leaders in their respective categories at the Asian Junior Girls Classical Chess Championship and Open Championship in Mumbai after seven rounds. Both players secured crucial results to maintain their half-point advantage over their nearest rivals as the tournament progresses to its decisive stage.
If winning the National Championship does not help a player make the national team, what exactly is the value of becoming India's national champion?
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has moved into a joint lead with American Wesley So at the Sinquefield Cup after a decisive victory over France's Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, securing his spot in the Grand Finale.
Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta secured the championship at the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament. International Master Aswath S finished as runner-up, achieving his final Grandmaster norm to become India's 98th Grandmaster. Kushagra Mohan took third place, while Advik Agarwal earned his second International Master norm.
The Global Chess League (GCL) has launched Road2GCL, a six-week community engagement initiative, to build excitement for its fourth season in Bengaluru. The programme includes competitions like Road2GCL Contenders, offering aspiring players a chance to compete with GCL stars, alongside activities for clubs, schools, and content creators. Season 4 will feature 36 Grandmasters, including Magnus Carlsen and debutant Divya Deshmukh.
Indian Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi have successfully navigated the lower bracket of the Esports World Cup chess tournament in Paris, securing their spots in the quarter-finals. The duo will now compete in the knockout stage, aiming for the US$1.5 million prize pool.
Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has voiced significant reservations regarding a proposal by World Chess and FIDE to convert online rapid and blitz ratings into official FIDE ratings. He highlights fundamental integrity issues, such as mouse slips and the lack of physical supervision in home-based online play, making it difficult to ensure fair play. Erigaisi also commented on World Champion D Gukesh's recent form and dismissed the idea that AI diminishes creativity in chess.
The 22nd Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament, scheduled for January 2027, will feature a record-breaking prize pool of Rs 1.32 crore, making it the open tournament with the highest prize money globally. The event will have three categories, attracting FIDE-rated players, Grandmasters, and amateurs alike, with over 3,000 participants expected. This tournament has historically been crucial for developing Indian chess talent, including stars like D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa, and aims to establish New Delhi as a global chess hub.
R Praggnanandhaa delivered a statement performance in St. Louis, powering his way to his maiden Rapid & Blitz title with a round to spare.
The fourth season of the Global Chess League will feature Norwegian grandmaster Magnus Carlsen's return and Indian FIDE Women's World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh's debut.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has made history by becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour Finals in St. Louis, defeating GM Fabiano Caruana in a stunning comeback. Chess legends Garry Kasparov and Vidit Gujrathi congratulated him on this significant achievement.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay honoured Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa with a Rs 50 lakh incentive after his historic Norway Chess title win. The Chief Minister also played a friendly game of chess with the 20-year-old Grandmaster, where he was checkmated by the young prodigy.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay honoured Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa with a Rs 50 lakh cash incentive for winning the Norway Chess title, making him the first Indian to achieve this feat. The Chief Minister also played a game of chess with the young Grandmaster.
Top seed Abhijeet Gupta has maintained his lead in the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin chess tournament after securing his fourth win. International Master Aswath S caused a significant upset by defeating Belarus Grandmaster Fedorov Alexei, moving into second place. All five games in the fifth round produced decisive results.
The FIDE World Championship Match 2026 will feature reigning champion Gukesh D and challenger Javokhir Sindarov in Geneva, Switzerland. Both players will be 20, making it the youngest World Championship contest in history and signalling a generational shift in chess. The match will consist of 14 classical games, with tie-breaks if needed.
FIDE's decision to shortlist the All India Chess Federation for a prestigious FIDE Excellence Award has ignited a fierce debate within the Indian chess community.
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has made history by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title.
'My next aim is to go past 2700.'
The opening round of the Rs 35 lakh 360 One Masters Chess tournament saw several upsets, with higher-rated players, including second and third seeds, suffering defeats. While top seed GM Iniyan Pa secured a win, many Grandmasters faced unexpected challenges from lower-rated opponents and rising stars.
The opening round of the Rs 35 lakh 360 One Masters Chess tournament saw several upsets, with higher-rated players, including second and third seeds, suffering defeats. While top seed GM Iniyan Pa secured a win, many Grandmasters faced unexpected challenges from lower-rated opponents and rising stars.
The Asian Junior Classical Championship in Mumbai saw top seed Mayank Chakraborty win his opening match, while other leading contenders Vignesh Advaith Vemula and Akhilbay Imangali were held to draws. The girls' section witnessed several upsets, with lower-rated players securing draws or victories against higher-rated opponents. The tournament features a strong field of 85 players from nine federations, including International Masters and FIDE Masters.
World champion D Gukesh's live rating has slipped below 2700 after the first two rounds of the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The Indian men's team, defending champions, had an average start with two unconvincing wins, while the Indian women's team performed better against weaker opposition. Gukesh's rating drop comes ahead of his world title challenge against Javokhir Sindarov in November.
World Champion D Gukesh's struggles continue as he draws with Parham Maghsoodloo at the Prague International Chess Festival. Aravindh Chithambaram also drew his match, while Surya Shekhar Ganguly secured his first victory in the challengers' section.
The Asian Junior Classical Championship in Mumbai saw top seed Mayank Chakraborty win his opening match, while other leading contenders Vignesh Advaith Vemula and Akhilbay Imangali were held to draws. The girls' section witnessed several upsets, with lower-rated players securing draws or victories against higher-rated opponents. The tournament features a strong field of 85 players from nine federations, including International Masters and FIDE Masters.
As India's remarkable chess revolution gathers momentum, teenagers Rishabh Kumar and Adhiraj Mitra are ensuring that the country's future on the 64 squares remains brighter than ever.
Indian Grandmaster Iniyan Pa has won the Masters category of the Global Chess Festival, dominating the tournament from start to finish. The 24-year-old national champion secured the title in his debut appearance, earning a prize purse of Rs 8 lakh. Nithin Babu and Madhvendra Pratap Sharma also triumphed in the Challenger and Junior Master categories, respectively, qualifying for next year's Masters event.
World champion D Gukesh and Indian star R Praggnanandhaa are set to compete in the Zagreb Rapid and Blitz Tournament, part of the prestigious Grand Chess Tour. Despite Gukesh's sabbatical from classical chess, he joins a strong field including recent Norway Chess winner Praggnanandhaa, promising an exciting week of high-stakes chess.
Norway Chess has consistently innovated to enhance the experience for players and fans, introducing features like the 'confession box' and the Armageddon tie-break to make elite chess more engaging and decisive.
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin discusses fellow world champion D Gukesh's recent performance slump, attributing it to a lack of confidence rather than a decline in skill. Sarin expresses hope that the upcoming Chess Olympiad will help Gukesh regain his form. He also shares his views on the increasing role of AI in chess, the evolution towards faster formats, and potential improvements in the chess ecosystem.
Praggnanandhaa squandered a winning advantage against Vincent Keymer in the Grand Chess Tour opener, allowing the resilient German to survive and secure a hard-fought draw.
