The 20th Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, running from September 19 to October 4, will feature approximately 17,000 athletes from 45 countries competing in 469 medal events across 43 sports. Japan hosts for the third time, introducing new sports like mixed martial arts and virtual taekwondo, while also serving as a qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal inaugurated the Khele Sanand Sports Utsav, an 18-day event aimed at promoting sports among 25,000 students across 105 villages in Sanand taluka, Gujarat. The initiative by Vijayi Bharat Foundation features various sports and age categories, with a focus on grassroots sports development.
Uzbek prodigy Javokhir Sindarov is gearing up for the World Chess Championship against Gukesh Dommaraju, focusing on preparing for Gukesh's strongest form rather than his recent tournament results. Sindarov, who won the Candidates Tournament and World Cup, believes the match will be an engrossing battle and is confident in his preparations, which have delivered a successful season.
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.
The FIDE elections will see three Indians, including chess legend Viswanathan Anand, vying for crucial leadership positions amidst a complex electoral landscape and a high-stakes three-way presidential battle.
Indian Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta has taken the sole lead in the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess tournament after drawing his fourth-round match. He is followed by Advik Agarwal and Vaidyanathan Kannan, with Kannan losing his joint lead.
Ganges Grandmasters, led by Ian Nepomniachtchi, defeated defending champions Alpine APL Pipers to win their first Global Chess League title. Nepomniachtchi's crucial win against Magnus Carlsen in the final, coupled with Stavroula Tsolakidou's performance, sealed the victory. FYERS American Gambits secured third place in the tournament.
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.
Top-seed Indian Abhijeet Gupta secured a crucial victory in the eighth round of the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament, maintaining his lead. Fellow Indian International Masters Aswath S and Kushagra Mohan also won, positioning themselves strongly for the title in the final round, with Aswath eyeing a Grandmaster title and Kushagra a Grandmaster norm.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa won three matches in a row on the final day to tie for the first place with Firouzja Alireza of France on 12 points as the rapid section of the Croatian leg of the Grand Chess Tour ended in Zagreb, Croatia on Friday.
AI has taken Indian sports stars back to the 1980s, and the results are getting plenty of attention online. From retro hairstyles to colourful outfits, cricketers and athletes are enjoying the viral trend and sharing their vintage avatars with fans.
The Global Chess League (GCL) announced that its fourth season will take place in Bengaluru starting September 3. The league, a joint initiative of Tech Mahindra and FIDE, features a unique team-based format with mixed-gender lineups and rapid-fire matches, aiming to transform chess into a global spectator sport.
Shreyansh Somaiya, the top seed, continued his winning streak at the Mumbai FIDE Rated All India Chess Masters, defeating Nikhil Joshi. Other notable victories and draws marked the event.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has made history by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess tournament, a feat that included defeating world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen twice. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him on this significant achievement.
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa began his campaign in the Zagreb leg of the Grand Chess Tour with a victory over top seed Vincent Keymer of Germany before drawing his next two games.
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.
Fifteen-year-old Delhi chess prodigy Vandan Alankar Sawai stuns World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in an online blitz tournament.
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.
D Gukesh aims to recover at Norway Chess after a difficult start, while R Praggnanandhaa enjoys a strong position. Gukesh's performance against Praggnanandhaa in round five will be crucial for his title aspirations.
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.
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.
IM Soham Kamotra secured a crucial draw against GM Iniyan Pa, ending his winning run in the Global Chess League. While Iniyan maintains a narrow lead, other Indian players like Abhijit Gupta, Viresh Sharnarthi, and Madhvendra Pratap Sharma also delivered significant performances.
D Gukesh aims to rebound at Norway Chess after a challenging start, while R Praggnanandhaa enjoys a strong position. Gukesh's performance against Praggnanandhaa in round five will be crucial in determining his title contention.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi discusses D Gukesh's mental strength challenge for his World Championship defence against Javokhir Sindarov, highlighting Gukesh's recent inconsistent form. Vidit also assesses India's strong prospects for the upcoming Chess Olympiad, praising the form of players like Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi, and Sarin, while cautioning against overconfidence. He also reflects on his Arjuna Award and the need for better organisation in chess formats.
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.
R Praggnanandhaa described his Norway Chess triumph as the biggest achievement of his career, emphasising that defeating some of the world's strongest players - including the great Magnus Carlsen - made the title particularly memorable.
R Praggnanandhaa defeated Magnus Carlsen in the Norway Chess tournament, while D Gukesh faced another setback, losing to Alireza Firouzja.
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has made history by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay honoured Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa with a Rs 50 lakh cash incentive and played a friendly game of chess with him at the Secretariat, where the young prodigy checkmated the CM. Praggnanandhaa recently made history by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title.
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.
Anemone Kulczak, the chief arbiter at Norway Chess, believes reigning world champion D Gukesh remains the clear favourite to defend his crown later this year.
Janhavi Soneji emerged as the winner of the Mumbai FIDE Rated All India Chess Masters' season four after a draw against AGM Rajveer Pinkesh Nahar.
The Indian contingent at the Norway Chess tournament faced a difficult day as all four players, including world champion D Gukesh, suffered defeats in Round 6. Magnus Carlsen gained momentum, while Wesley So took the lead.
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.
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.
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.
