Grandmaster R Vaishali emerged victorious at the Women's Candidates Tournament, earning the right to challenge Ju Wenjun for the World Championship title.
The trophy was unveiled during a colourful opening ceremony which was attended by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and FIDE chief Arkady Dvorkovich.
With a maximum of 11 games remaining under classical time control, the scores are tied at 1.5-1.5. This was after Liren won the opener and the second game ended in a draw.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew against Wei Yi in the second round of the FIDE Candidates tournament, maintaining his joint lead. In the women's section, Divya Deshmukh missed a chance to take the lead, drawing with R Vaishali.
Reigning classical World champion D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and world No.1 Magnus Carlsen were among the leaders after the first five rounds on the opening day of the FIDE World Rapid Championships in Doha on Thursday.
Chess960, created by former world champion Bobby Fischer in 1996, has been gaining in popularity after an invitational tournament played last year at the Weissenhaus Luxury Resort, which hosted the G7 Foreign Minister summit in 2022.
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.
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.
The FIDE World Cup will be held at a resort in North Goa from October 31 to November 27, 2025, offering a total prize fund of US$2 million.
R. Vaishali, the newly-crowned Candidates champion, exemplifies quiet intensity and strong values, nurtured by a supportive family, as she prepares for the World Championship showdown against Ju Wenjun.
Esipenko becomes third Candidates qualifier; World Cup final to be decided in tiebreak
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi for winning a bronze medal at the World Blitz Championships in Doha, saying it mirrored the country's rapid strides in the sport.
Turkey's 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus is set to surpass the 2,700 rating mark, a level unofficially known as 'super grandmaster', after defeating former world champion Veselin Topalov with four wins and two draws at an event in Monaco.
Months after a dress-code controversy involving five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) announced a new dress code for the FIDE Grand Swiss and FIDE Women's Grand Swiss.
World Chess Champion D. Gukesh has decided to reduce his tournament schedule to focus on training and preparation for his upcoming title defence, following a series of disappointing performances.
Humpy settles for bronze after coming close to World Rapid title; Erigaisi finishes third
While the mind games will go on in the last two games and a potential tiebreaker, American Hikaru Nakamura and world number one Magnus Carlsen feel that the balance had tilted slightly in Ding Liren's favour.
'India is quickly becoming the beating heart of modern chess, and its role as an economic power is more and more visible.'
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.
Magnus Carlsen of Norway feels that on current form Indian star D Gukesh is the favourite to win the World Chess Championship
China's Ding Liren stormed back in fine fashion with a victory against Gukesh Dommaraju in Game 12 of the World Chess Championship 2024 to level the match at 6-6.
Reigning champion Koneru Humpy displayed her trademark composure and tenacity to remain in joint lead in the women's section.
India hosts the event from a position of unprecedented strength with a string of titles under its belt.
Carlsen accuses FIDE chief of broken promises.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew with Deac Bogdan-Daniel, while Alireza Firouzja withdrew from the Super Chess Classic due to injury.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has announced a significantly relaxed dress code for next month's World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha, "allowing classic non-distressed jeans for both men and women", a year after the 'jeansgate' storm involving Magnus Carlsen at the same event.
Anna Muzychuk of Ukraine will replace Koneru Humpy in the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus after Humpy withdrew due to safety concerns related to the region's proximity to the West Asia conflict.
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing esports and gaming content outfit S8UL, has qualified for the chess event of the upcoming Esports World Cup in Paris.
Indian Grandmaster Harika Dronavalli had to settle for the bronze medal after a heartbreaking defeat against Tan Zhongyi of China via the tie-breaker in the semi-finals of the FIDE World Women's Chess Championship in Tehran.
The two-day World Blitz Championship in both the Open and Women's categories commences in Doha, on Monday, December 29.
Magnus Carlsen pushed away a camera after losing to Vladislav Artemiev at the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Qatar.
Divya Deshmukh not only became the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women's World Cup, she also instantly secured the prestigious Grandmaster title.
India's R Vaishali wins the FIDE Women's Candidates 2026 in Cyprus, earning the right to challenge world champion Ju Wenjun and drawing praise for her historic achievement.
'...There's nothing to say about the chess aspect... One of those places that you don't feel sad about leaving.'
Viswanathan Anand believes that this year's world championship can happen in Chennai if R Praggnanandhaa wins the Candidates Tournament
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa defeated Anish Giri in the first round of the Candidates chess tournament. Other notable results included Javokhir Sindarov's win and draws in the women's section featuring Divya Deshmukh and R Vaishali.
Dutch chess Grandmaster Jan Timman, known as "the best of the West" in a time when chess was dominated by players from the Soviet Union, has died at the age of 74, the Dutch Chess Federation said on Thursday.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa is set to compete against Romania's Deac Bogdan-Daniel in the sixth round of the Super Chess Classic, part of the Grand Chess Tour, aiming to end his series of draws.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa will face Romania's Deac Bogdan-Daniel in the sixth round of the Super Chess Classic, part of the Grand Chess Tour, hoping to end his series of draws.
Chennai's Velammal Vidyalaya, the alma mater of the youngest reigning World champion D Gukesh and Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, won the gold medal at the World Schools Team Chess Championship in Virginia, United States.
