FIDE and Norway Chess are pleased to announce the first 16 players who have earned the right to receive an invitation to the 2026 Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot tournament (“Total Chess 2026 Pilot”), the new combined competition across Fast Classic, Rapid, and Blitz.
Monthly Archives: January 2026
The second day of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament brought further movement in the standings ahead of the final rapid rounds. In the open section, Vishy Anand remained at the top, now joined by Nihal Sarin after the young Indian’s perfect day. The women’s event again produced a sole leader, as Kateryna Lagno pulled […]
With their inclusion project Open Window, Tatiana Flores and Laura Schalkhäuser provide a forum for communication and the exchange of experiences related to living with disabilities. One of the topics they address is sport — including chess — and participation despite physical impairment. In an interview, Paralympic champion Martin Braxenthaler spoke about his personal experiences.
More convenience, better clarity, greater performance: ChessBase Mobile now comes with numerous improvements for even more efficient work at the chessboard — whether at home or on the go. And best of all, the app updates itself automatically, without requiring an update from the App Store. Just launch it and benefit immediately.
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) and Freestyle Chess Operations GmbH have agreed to stage the first official FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship in Weissenhaus, Germany, from February 13–15, 2026. There are eight players in the event, six qualified (Carlsen, Aronian, Caruana, Keymer, Erigaisi, and Sindarov), with one nominated (Niemann) and one to be still determined. […]
The opening day of Tata Steel Chess India in Kolkata delivered an entertaining start in both sections of the rapid tournament. In the open, Viswanathan Anand and Hans Niemann (pictured) share the lead with 2½ points after three rounds marked by a high number of decisive games. The women’s event produced a sole leader in […]
At Christmas 2025, Stefan Löffler delighted readers of his chess column in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung—one of Germany’s leading national newspapers—with a Christmas story. Forty years earlier, Garry Kasparov, still not yet world champion, had played a clock simul against the Bundesliga team of Hamburger SK and lost. Two years later, Kasparov returned to Hamburg […]
The seventh edition of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament is taking place in Kolkata on 7-11 January, featuring separate rapid and blitz tournaments in both the Open and Women’s sections. The rapid tournaments are played from 7 to 9 January, with three rounds per day. The blitz sections follow on 10–11 January, featuring nine […]
Zhu Jiner’s 2025 season marked a decisive shift in her standing within women’s chess. Focusing exclusively on classical chess, this analysis traces her rise from the edge of the top ten to world number two, examining her breakthrough performances in the Women’s Grand Prix, a brief mid-year dip in form and a strong finish – […]
The seventh edition of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament will take place in Kolkata on 7-11 January, featuring separate rapid and blitz tournaments in both the Open and Women’s sections. The event is highlighted by the return of five-time world champion and Indian chess icon Viswanathan Anand, alongside a strong mix of domestic and […]