A global gathering of senior chess in Durrës
The 2026 World Senior Team Chess Championship officially began on 19 April in Durrës, the Adriatic coastal city of Albania. Held at the five-star Grand Blue Fafa Resort, the event stands out as one of the most notable senior team tournaments of the year, both for its excellent playing conditions and for the strength of its international field. The championship is being played in two main age categories, 50+ and 65+, allowing experienced masters from different generations to compete within their own sections.
In the 50+ section, 36 teams from 23 countries are taking part. Based on average Elo, the top seeds are USA 1, England 1 and Kazakhstan, while Italy, Iceland and Alkaloid Chess Club are also among the strongest contenders. The presence of well-known names such as grandmasters Michael Adams, Simen Agdestein and Jaan Ehlvest further raises the sporting level of the tournament. In team chess, however, success depends not only on individual strength but also on board order, match strategy and the ability to judge risk at critical moments, so rating superiority on paper does not always translate directly into results over the board.
The 65+ section is the largest part of the event, featuring 54 teams from 28 countries. In this group, the rating favourites are Lasker SGK, England I and Iceland, with Montenegro, the FIDE team and France 1 also regarded as serious medal candidates. Grandmasters such as Artur Yusupov, John Nunn and Sergey Janovsky underline the high technical quality still found in senior chess. Especially in terms of opening preparation, positional understanding and endgame technique, tournaments of this kind offer a different chess aesthetic from the fast and sharp battles often seen in younger age groups.
The World Senior Team Championship is about more than a race for medals; it is also an important international meeting point for generations who have devoted decades to chess. Former national team players, veteran grandmasters and masters who have competed for years at club level come together here not only to fight but also to keep chess memory alive. As the rounds progress in Durrës, pairings on the top boards are expected to shape the standings quickly. In senior chess, experience is the greatest weapon, yet over a long team marathon, stamina, quality of preparation and the ability to punish mistakes will determine who eventually becomes champion.