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.
Salesforce has entered a multi-year partnership with FIDE, becoming the title sponsor for the 2026 and 2028 World Championship Matches and the 2027 Women's World Championship Match, and integrating its AI solutions to enhance FIDE's operations, player rankings, and fan engagement.
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.
From supporting young talents financially to earning global recognition, Indian chess is making its presence felt like never before.
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.
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.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has suspended Russia's membership for up to three years due to its failure to comply with a ruling to stop holding events in Russian-controlled Ukrainian territories. This decision follows Russia's continued organisation of chess events in annexed regions, violating a Court of Arbitration for Sport order.
Defending champions India faced significant organisational issues upon arrival in Samarkand for the Chess Olympiad, experiencing a five-hour delay in hotel room allotment. Players and coaches, including Grandmasters Srinath Narayanan and Vidit Gujrathi, expressed frustration over the poor arrangements for the prestigious FIDE tournament.
The ceremonial torch for the Chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, was handed over by FIDE Interim President Viswanathan Anand and AICF president Nitin Narang to Uzbek player Javokhir Sindarov. This event marks the official countdown to the prestigious team competition, continuing a tradition started by FIDE in 2022 to build excitement for the global chess event.
Defending champions India experienced significant organisational issues upon arrival in Samarkand for the Chess Olympiad, with players facing a five-hour delay in hotel room allotment. This caused frustration among players and coaches, though organisers assured the situation was being resolved.
Ten-year-old Indian chess prodigy Aarit Kapil has secured his second International Master (IM) norm at the Rudar GM Closed Tournament in Serbia. With impressive victories against strong opponents and a current lead in the tournament, Aarit is now just one norm away from achieving the coveted IM title, showcasing his exceptional talent on the international stage.
The Indian chess team, including defending champions, faced significant delays and were left without hotel rooms for over five hours upon arrival in Samarkand for the 46th Chess Olympiad, prompting captains to voice their frustration on social media.
Indian chess prodigies Pratitee Bordoloi and Mayank Chakraborty have significantly advanced their positions in the Asian Junior Classical Chess Championship, each securing crucial wins in the penultimate round. They now hold strong leads heading into the final round, poised to claim their respective titles.
India's title defence at the Chess Olympiad suffered a setback after a loss to hosts Uzbekistan, leaving them two points behind the leaders.
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.
India's men's and women's chess teams are set to defend their respective Chess Olympiad titles, with strong lineups featuring world champion D Gukesh and in-form R Praggnanandhaa for the men, and Koneru Humpy leading the top-seeded women's squad.
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.
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.
'Being the defending champions certainly gives us confidence, but every Olympiad is a new event and starts from scratch.'
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.
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.
India's 19-year-old Grandmaster Pranesh M clinched the Group A title at the prestigious Kanizsa Open 2026, defeating Germany's Vadim Petrovskiy in the final round.
India is sending a strong contingent, including world champion D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and R Vaishali, to the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand from September 16 to 27.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has made history by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title.
Viswanathan Anand shares his views on R. Praggnanandhaa's chances at the upcoming FIDE Candidates tournament, highlighting potential rivals and the tournament's significance.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has sought to allay security concerns surrounding the upcoming Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, emphasising that safety measures and contingency plans are in place despite regional instability.
With D Gukesh and R Vaishali set to play world title matches, experts urge India to bid for hosting rights, calling it a major boost for the sport.
Chess legend Magnus Carlsen expresses his enjoyment in the game's evolution and new formats but acknowledges his time at the top is "limited." He advises organisers not to tailor the future of chess solely to his preferences, despite his continued participation in events like the Global Chess League. Grandmaster Levon Aronian also weighs in on the sport's growing online popularity and the need for continued innovation to attract wider audiences.
Indian Grandmaster Koneru Humpy has withdrawn from the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament, citing concerns over her personal safety amidst the West Asia conflict.
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.
'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.'
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.
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 dealt another stunning blow to hometown hero and World No 1 Magnus Carlsen, defeating the Norwegian in a classical game for the second time at Norway Chess 2026.
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.
