The 2026 U.S. and U.S. Women’s Chess Championships will take place at the Saint Louis Chess Club from 8 to 23 October, with 12-player fields and more than $400,000 in total prize money. Fabiano Caruana (pictured) will defend his U.S. title against a field including Wesley So, Hans Niemann and Levon Aronian, while Carissa Yip […]
Monthly Archives: October 2026
Chess is currently banned in Afghanistan. This was not always the case. Despite the ban, Afghan teams took part in both the open and women’s sections of the Chess Olympiad, a decision that was not welcomed by the ruling Taliban. Three of the players were arrested at the border on their return and placed under […]
Arne Kähler shares impressions from the final moments in Samarkand: the start of the crucial matches Uzbekistan–Ukraine and India–Hungary in the last round, a blitz game against seven-year-old Uzbek talent Mukhammadyusuf Bakhramov, scenes from the press room, a chat with Frederik Svane from Germany and Konstantin Peyrer from Austria, and highlights from the closing ceremony. […]
The results of the Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan brought notable changes to the rankings. Among the big winners are Uzbekistan’s Abdusattorov, Sindarov and Yakubboev. Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus has extended his lead over Gukesh in the junior rankings, while Alice Lee of the United States is now the top-ranked female junior.
In this Olympiad special of The Underdog, Robert Ris presents seven remarkable upsets from both the Women’s and Open sections, chosen not only for the rating differences but also for the instructive chess behind them. The examples range from spectacular attacking ideas and sudden tactical reversals to missed winning chances and difficult endgames, showing how […]