Vahap Sanal and Team Türkiye triumph at NATO Chess Championship

Vahap Şanal won the 2026 NATO Chess Championship in Jūrmala with a perfect 7/7 score, while Türkiye took first place in the team competition. Slovenia’s Laura Unuk finished second overall and was the event’s top woman, with Germany’s Robert Stein claiming bronze on tiebreaks. The championship brought together 148 military players from 18 NATO countries and also featured a blitz event won by Dutch IM Mark Timmermans. | Photos: Official website