Chess News

Latest news from FIDE, ChessBase, Lichess and TSF

Candidates Round 6: Sindarov Leads, Faces Wei Yi with Black

Candidates Round 6: Sindarov Leads, Faces Wei Yi with Black

Round 6 of the Candidates marks another key step in the World Championship cycle, with sole leader Javokhir Sindarov taking the black pieces against Wei Yi. The 14-round double round-robin remains the ultimate test of preparation, resilience and attacking skill.

Candidates Round 5: Sindarov stuns Nakamura, Caruana stays in pursuit

Candidates Round 5: Sindarov stuns Nakamura, Caruana stays in pursuit

Javokhir Sindarov defeated Hikaru Nakamura with the black pieces in round five of the Candidates Tournament to reach 4.5/5. Fabiano Caruana bounced back by beating Matthias Bluebaum and remains one point behind the leader.

Carlsen, Keymer and Niemann among the early leaders at grenke

Carlsen, Keymer and Niemann among the early leaders at grenke

After three rounds of the grenke Chess Festival in Karlsruhe, 19 players remain on a perfect score in the Freestyle Open A. Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer and Hans Niemann are among the leaders in a packed and highly competitive field.

Fethi Apaydın Attends Anti-Doping Workshop, Highlighting Ethics and Education in Chess

Fethi Apaydın Attends Anti-Doping Workshop, Highlighting Ethics and Education in Chess

Turkish Chess Federation President Fethi Apaydın took part in a broad anti-doping workshop in Istanbul. The event focused on ethics in sport, raising awareness, and strengthening educational capacity across sports-related academic programs.

Lichess Game of the Month: February 2026 Highlights

Lichess Game of the Month: February 2026 Highlights

Lichess selected @Boggled_Toggo’s game as February 2026’s standout performance, praised for its powerful kingside pawn advance and elegant mating finish. Turkish trainer and FM Nazmi Can Doğan also provided detailed annotations to help players learn from the game.

FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz 2026 Set for Hong Kong

FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz 2026 Set for Hong Kong

The fourth FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships will be held in Hong Kong from 16 to 22 June 2026. With mixed-team lineups featuring elite grandmasters, women players and recreational competitors, the event is shaping up to be the strongest edition yet.

Candidates Round 5: Sindarov Leads, Three-Way Tie in Women's Event

Candidates Round 5: Sindarov Leads, Three-Way Tie in Women's Event

Javokhir Sindarov kept sole first place with 4.5/5 after round five, while Fabiano Caruana stayed within striking distance. In the Women's Candidates, Kateryna Lagno, Anna Muzychuk, and Zhu Jiner share the lead on 3/5.

Sindarov Surges, Caruana Stays Close as Tension Rises in the Women’s Candidates

Sindarov Surges, Caruana Stays Close as Tension Rises in the Women’s Candidates

Javokhir Sindarov defeated Hikaru Nakamura in round five of the FIDE Candidates to reach +4, while Fabiano Caruana kept within striking distance with a win over Matthias Bluebaum. In the Women’s Candidates, Kateryna Lagno beat Bibisara Assaubayeva and Zhu Jiner joined the lead after a strong victory over Vaishali.

Sindarov surges, Caruana stays close as Women’s race tightens

Sindarov surges, Caruana stays close as Women’s race tightens

Javokhir Sindarov defeated Hikaru Nakamura in round five of the FIDE Candidates to reach 4.5/5, while Fabiano Caruana remained his closest pursuer. In the Women’s Candidates, Kateryna Lagno and Zhu Jiner won crucial games, creating a three-way tie for first place.

Candidates Tournament Round 5: A Key Turning Point

Candidates Tournament Round 5: A Key Turning Point

After the first rest day, the Candidates Tournaments resumed with round five, where every half-point carries enormous weight. The events remain the final and most demanding qualifying stage for the World Championship matches.

FIDE Travel Support for Samarkand 2026 Olympiad and Congress

FIDE Travel Support for Samarkand 2026 Olympiad and Congress

FIDE has outlined travel subsidies for eligible federations attending the 2026 Chess Olympiad and FIDE Congress in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Support will vary by development category and continent, and invited teams as well as Congress delegates are covered under the scheme.

Rook vs Pawns Endgame Challenge

Rook vs Pawns Endgame Challenge

ChessBase presents four instructive rook-versus-pawns endgame studies that test technique, calculation and defensive resourcefulness. Two positions ask White to win, while the later studies demand precise analysis without engine assistance.

Freestyle Chess Open Starts in Karlsruhe

Freestyle Chess Open Starts in Karlsruhe

The Freestyle Chess Open has begun in Karlsruhe as the centerpiece of the grenke Chess Festival. Led by Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, the elite field will contest nine rounds in randomly generated starting positions.

FIDE Ratings April 2026: Stability at the Top, Shifts Behind

FIDE Ratings April 2026: Stability at the Top, Shifts Behind

The April 2026 FIDE classical ratings show no change in the world’s top three, with Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana holding firm. Behind them, Nodirbek Abdusattorov moved ahead of Vincent Keymer, while world champion Gukesh slipped to 15th.

FIDE Chess in Education Courses for April 2026

FIDE Chess in Education Courses for April 2026

FIDE’s Chess in Education Commission has announced a new set of online and in-person courses for spring 2026. The programs aim to train both educational chess teachers and the lecturers who will prepare future instructors worldwide.

Turkic Chess Union General Assembly to Set the Course for a New Era in Astana

Turkic Chess Union General Assembly to Set the Course for a New Era in Astana

The second General Assembly of the Turkic Chess Union will be held in Astana on 14 May 2026. Delegates from member countries will review recent projects and discuss new steps to strengthen chess cooperation among Turkic states.

Candidates Tournament Rest Day Brings a Lighter Mood

Candidates Tournament Rest Day Brings a Lighter Mood

The first rest day at the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 offered players a welcome break from intense preparation and game-day pressure. While some relaxed with sport or seaside walks, Andrey Esipenko and Anna Muzychuk joined a traditional Cypriot halloumi-making workshop.

grenke Freestyle Chess Open Begins in Karlsruhe

grenke Freestyle Chess Open Begins in Karlsruhe

The grenke Freestyle Chess Open is being held from 2 to 6 April in Karlsruhe as a nine-round Swiss tournament with classical time control. The event stands out by allowing players to switch from the parallel classical open to the Freestyle section while keeping their score.

Tabatabaei Cruises to Reykjavík Open Title with 2849 Performance

Tabatabaei Cruises to Reykjavík Open Title with 2849 Performance

Amin Tabatabaei won the Reykjavík Open in commanding style after starting with seven straight victories. The Iranian grandmaster finished clear first with a 2849 performance rating and climbed in the live rankings.

Women's Candidates Round 4: Muzychuk Catches Assaubayeva

Women's Candidates Round 4: Muzychuk Catches Assaubayeva

Anna Muzychuk joined Bibisara Assaubayeva in the lead after defeating Kateryna Lagno in round four of the Women's Candidates. Zhu Jiner also scored a win, while Assaubayeva and Vaishali both drew after tense battles.