The FIDE Circuit 2026-27 standings are taking on a new shape
The FIDE Circuit 2026-27 race has seen major shifts in recent weeks. With the FIDE Candidates Tournament and the European Individual Chess Championship now concluded, the balance at the top of the standings has changed considerably. Even so, Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov has managed to retain first place despite not having played a classical event since early March. The margin at the top, however, is now extremely slim: after his success in Cyprus, Javokhir Sindarov moved to within just 2.75 points of the leader, pushing the race into a far more competitive phase.
One of the most striking aspects of this update is the direct impact of high-value events on the standings. The FIDE Candidates Tournament in particular gave a major boost to several players. Runner-up Anish Giri and third-place finisher Fabiano Caruana both surged into the Circuit's top 10 thanks to their strong points haul. Wei Yi also climbed into the leading group, underlining that he will be one of the most serious contenders in the race going forward. Because the FIDE Circuit rewards not only one standout finish but also consistent performances across the season, the classical events these players choose next could prove decisive.
Another area of movement came from open tournaments and traditionally strong closed events. Aram Hakobian climbed two places after collecting 6.2 points for his third-place finish in the XXIII Karpov Tournament. Veteran star Vasyl Ivanchuk, meanwhile, earned a combined 10.2 points by finishing third in both the Reykjavik Open and the X Open Internacional de Ajedrez Semana Santa San Vicente. These results once again highlighted that the Circuit is shaped not only by elite invitational events, but also by strong open competitions. As the calendar unfolds, players' tournament selection is becoming almost as important as their play on the board.
The biggest surprise of the European Individual Championship was undoubtedly Roman Dehtiarov. The Ukrainian teenager, who turns 18 this year, captured the title to secure the biggest result of his career so far and leap to 7th place in the Circuit standings. Bronze medalist Aydin Suleymanli added 10.09 points to his tally and rounded out the top 10. All of this underlines just how intense and fluid the FIDE Circuit 2026-27 already is, even at this relatively early stage. Abdusattorov still sits in the leader's seat for now, but the pressure from Sindarov and the chasing pack is growing with each passing week.