A short escape from the chessboard to the court at the Candidates

The FIDE Candidates and Women’s Candidates Tournaments are defined not only by opening preparation, deep calculation and critical battles for draws and wins, but also by the ways players refresh themselves mentally. On the second rest day, the organizers brought participants together on a padel court. Padel, a sport that has surged in popularity in recent years—especially in Spain and increasingly across the world—stands out for its hybrid nature between tennis and squash, its enclosed court with walls in play, and its doubles format. The activity quickly drew attention and added both fun and breathing space to the intense atmosphere of the event.

It is not surprising that padel fits so naturally into the chess world. The sport demands quick reflexes, agility, good positioning and team coordination, while chess tests calculation, concentration, decision-making quality and psychological resilience. One keeps the body alert; the other sharpens the mind. In the middle of long preparation sessions and high-pressure games, such physical activity helps players change rhythm and reset. In an event like the Candidates, where every move can affect the fate of the tournament, using rest days well can be almost as important as choosing the right opening.

A total of 16 teams and 32 players took part in the event. The court was not occupied by chess players alone; seconds, commentators, media staff, friends and family members also joined in. Candidates participant Fabiano Caruana teamed up with his second Cristian Chirila, while Andrey Esipenko partnered with David Paravyan. Another notable chess-heavy duo was Anna Muzychuk and Ivan Cheparinov. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich also made a brief appearance in the opening round, adding color to the event. For many participants, this was their first encounter with padel, but the enthusiasm on display suggested the sport could become an even more familiar sight during the second half of the tournament.

In the opening stage, the teams were divided into two groups, with the best performers advancing to the quarterfinals, then the semifinals and the final. After more than two hours of intense competition, the pair of Pavel Tregubov and Konstantin Kiselev emerged as the standout team. Yet more important than the final result was the shared spirit and social bond the event created around the tournament. Chess is often seen as an individual intellectual struggle, but side events like this reveal the human dimension of the players, support teams and organizers. In short, there was competition not only on the board but also on the court at the Candidates—this time with the goal not of improving the standings, but of recharging energy for the demanding second half of the event.