'...his victory in securing the champion's title is a fitting recognition of his extraordinary talent and unwavering perseverance.'
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.
The Indian Under-11 girls' chess team, featuring Varenya Lakshmi Vaka, Aligiri Amrutha Hemal, and Maya Siddharth Narula, secured a bronze medal at the ASEAN Chess Championship in Singapore, finishing with 14.5 points.
Indian Grandmaster Pranesh M secured a significant victory at the Kanizsa Open in Hungary, defeating Germany's Vadim Petrovskiy in the final round. The 19-year-old, currently ranked 44th globally, finished with seven points, earning congratulations from the Indian Embassy for his performance on the international chess stage.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has secured his spot in the finals of the Grand Chess Tour's last leg, defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer 19-9. He is set to compete against defending champion Fabiano Caruana of the USA for the title.
The Cyprus Chess Federation president has criticised Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy's withdrawal from the Candidates Tournament, citing unfounded security concerns and disrespect for organisers and 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.
Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta maintained his sole lead in the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin chess tournament after drawing with IM Akshay Borgaonkar in the seventh round. Other Indian players, IM Kushagra Mohan and IM Ashwath S, also performed well, securing third and second places respectively.
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.
FYERS American Gambits defeated Triveni Continental Kings to retain their top position in the Global Chess League standings, ahead of Alpine APL Pipers. Other matches saw Ganges Grandmasters secure a dominant win over Continental Kings, while Mumba Masters suffered two defeats, including a loss to PBG Alaskan Knights. The Gambits, Pipers, and Grandmasters have all won four matches, with Gambits having played one more round.
Indian chess players Vignesh Vermula and Saranya Devi secured gold medals in the Open and Girls blitz sections respectively at the Asian Junior Chess Championship, marking a strong start for the nation. Vermula, a 23rd seed, won on tie-breaks, while Saranya, seeded ninth, displayed tactical precision to claim her title.
Indian chess Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, who turned 21, has already amassed a remarkable list of achievements, including becoming a Grandmaster at 12, reaching a career-high world ranking of No. 4, and recently winning the Grand Chess Tour St Louis Rapid and Blitz title.
India's Vivaan Vishal and Turkmenistan's Shohradova Lala won the Open and Girls sections, respectively, at the Asian Junior Rapid Chess Championship in Mumbai. Vivaan secured his title with a strong finish, while Shohradova claimed victory after a tie-break against India's Pratitee Bordoloi. The event now moves to the Classical Championship.
World champion D Gukesh is set to compete in the prestigious Norway Chess tournament, facing a strong field including Magnus Carlsen and R Praggnanandhaa. The event, held in Oslo, features top players in both Open and Women's sections, with India having four representatives.
In the Global Chess League, Ganges Grandmasters ended FYER American Gambits' winning streak with a 9-7 victory, moving to second place. Defending champions Alpine APL Pipers secured their second consecutive win, defeating Ganges Grandmasters 11-6. Key players like Polina Shuvalova, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Koneru Humpy delivered crucial performances, while Magnus Carlsen showcased his endgame prowess with a draw against Nepomniachtchi. PBG Alaskan Knights also registered a comfortable win against CheQ Mumba Masters.
'Being the defending champions certainly gives us confidence, but every Olympiad is a new event and starts from scratch.'
The Global Chess League's halfway stage saw significant upsets and dramatic finishes, with Triveni Continental Kings defeating table-toppers Alpine APL Pipers. Ganges Grandmasters secured a crucial win against PBG Alaskan Knights due to a last-second time violation, while CheQ Mumba Masters maintained their strong performance. These results have intensified the competition for the top two positions.
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen successfully defended his title at the Esports World Cup chess competition, completing an undefeated campaign by defeating Belarusian grandmaster Denis Lazavik in a dominant final. Carlsen secured a 2-0 victory, showcasing his strategic prowess and determination throughout the tournament.
Palaash Mapara's impressive winning streak has propelled him to the top of the leaderboard at the All India Chess Masters tournament in Mumbai.
FIDE, the world chess governing body, has rejected calls to move the Candidates Tournament from Cyprus despite security concerns arising from regional conflicts. The tournament is scheduled to begin on March 28.
World champion D Gukesh is 'crumbling under the weight of expectations' and needs to 'shut out the noise' to regain his form ahead of his title defence, said American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. Nakamura also revealed that the 2028 Chess Olympiad could potentially be his last tournament featuring 'true classical' chess.
D Gukesh defeated R Praggnanandhaa in a classical battle at the Norway Chess tournament, while Divya Deshmukh leads the women's section after a victory over China's Zhu Jiner.
Magnus Carlsen reflects on the challenges of ageing and memory as he struggles at the Norway Chess tournament, revealing his reliance on coffee and longing for a distraction with the Champions League final.
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.
R Praggnanandhaa defeated Magnus Carlsen in the Norway Chess tournament, while D Gukesh faced another setback, losing to Alireza Firouzja.
Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov has won the Candidates Chess Tournament, earning the right to challenge India's D Gukesh for the World Chess Championship title in 2026.
French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja defeated reigning world champion D Gukesh in a 69-move battle at the Chennai Grand Masters 2026, taking the sole lead after the second round. Indian players M Pranesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and Nihal Sarin all secured draws against their respective opponents in the prestigious tournament.
Palaash Mapara, Pratik Yadnik, and Ameya Dandekar each secured their fourth consecutive victories in the fourth round of the All India Chess Master's tournament in Mumbai.
R Praggnanandhaa delivered a statement performance in St. Louis, powering his way to his maiden Rapid & Blitz title with a round to spare.
World number one Magnus Carlsen is set to compete in the pilot event of the FIDE-approved Total Chess World Championship Tour in November, a precursor to a global season launching in March 2027.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew with Vincent Keymer in the third round of the Super Chess Classic, maintaining his position as joint leader alongside four other players.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa faced a setback at the Candidates chess tournament, while Javokhir Sindarov increased his lead.
Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan leads the Candidates chess tournament after defeating Fabiano Caruana, while R Praggnanandhaa drew his game against Matthias Bluebaum. In the women's event, Anna Muzychuk joined Bibisara Assaubayeva in the lead.
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen has offered his perspective on the upcoming World Chess Championship, where D Gukesh will face Javokhir Sindarov. Carlsen believes Gukesh should view the challenge as an opportunity to gain rather than a burden to defend, despite considering Sindarov the favourite. He also shared insights into the psychological aspects of the game and his personal preference for rapid chess over classical formats.
R Praggnanandhaa drew with Andrey Esipenko, while Javokhir Sindarov defeated Hikaru Nakamura to maintain his lead in the Candidates Tournament. In the women's event, Divya Deshmukh drew, and R Vaishali faced a difficult position.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew with Wesley So in the fifth round of the Super Chess Classic, part of the Grand Chess Tour, while Vincent Keymer of Germany maintained his lead.
R Vaishali kept Indian hopes alive by defeating Divya Deshmukh in the ninth round of the Women's Candidates Chess Tournament, while Anish Giri's victory impacted Fabiana Caruana's chances in the open section.
World champion D Gukesh is set to face Nihal Sarin in a highly anticipated first-round match at the Chennai Grand Masters 2026 chess tournament. The event features eight Grandmasters, including four Indians, competing for a prize purse of Rs 75,00,000 and crucial FIDE Circuit points in a double-round robin format.
Uzbek chess prodigy Javokhir Sindarov, set to challenge D Gukesh for the world crown, reveals he will only begin preparations for the highly anticipated match after competing in the Global Chess League and the Chess Olympiad this month, maintaining focus on immediate tournaments.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa is set to compete against Alireza Firouzja of France in the opening round of the Super Chess Classic in Bucharest, marking his first classical event of the year as part of the Grand Chess Tour.
