Praggnanandhaa wins FIDE Circuit 2025
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu has won the FIDE Circuit 2025, securing a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament. The Indian prodigy seized the lead in the race in May by overtaking Ding Liren and confidently maintained it throughout the season. By the end of November, his main rivals – Anish Giri, Fabiano Caruana, Matthias Bluebaum, and Javokhir Sindarov – had already qualified for the Candidates 2026 via other paths, while Vincent Keymer had no classical events scheduled for the rest of the year. Only Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who was playing in the points-heavy London Chess Classic Elite, had a theoretical chance to catch up. With this in mind, Praggnanandhaa made a last-minute entry into the London Chess Classic Open to clinch his Candidates qualification, regardless of the upcoming FIDE Rapid and Blitz results. He did deliver, scoring 7/9 in a strong field, tying for first place, and collecting 8.17 circuit points. Despite Abdusattorov’s brilliant performance in the London Chess Classic Elite, which produced one of the highest TPRs in the history of chess and netted him 19.62 circuit points, Praggnanandhaa’s result placed him out of reach and punched his ticket to the 2026 Candidates. Congratulations to Praggnanandhaa, who deservedly earned one of the eight slots in the 2026 Candidates. The young Indian has been the best FIDE Circuit player throughout the year, winning the Tata Steel Masters, Superbet Chess Classic Romania, UzChess Cup Masters, and London Chess Classic Open, and finishing second in the Stepan Avagyan Memorial and 12th Sinquefield Cup. We maintain dedicated pages on our website for the FIDE Circuit 2025 featuring the latest information on eligible tournaments, current standings, and regulations. Visit: FIDE Circuit 2025
Kakuma Chess Club Project: 2025 Milestones
In 2025, the Kakuma Chess Club, supported by FIDE and project partners, successfully delivered structured chess training, girls’ empowerment sessions, and competitive tournaments across the Kakuma and Kalobeyei refugee camps. The program reached over 2,300 children and youth this year, providing life skills, safe recreation, exposure to national events, and pathways toward long-term chess excellence. The Kakuma and Kalobeyei refugee camps host diverse populations facing significant psychosocial and educational challenges. The Kakuma Chess Club uses chess as a low-cost and culturally inclusive tool to strengthen cognitive abilities, promote peaceful coexistence, and offer meaningful alternatives for youth engagement. In collaboration with FIDE, Chess Kenya, UNHCR, and LWF, the program continues to grow into one of the most respected youth development initiatives in the camps. “As the leader of the Chess for Protection project, who has been involved since its very beginning four years ago, I am truly happy with the progress we have achieved. We have built a strong and well-structured foundation, and the number of people interested in learning chess continues to grow. However, it is very important to remember that in this community we speak about chess in a social context — as a form of support, a tool that helps people express themselves, and a way to overcome painful life experiences. I am very glad that chess is not only a sport, but also a powerful means of helping people around the world who find themselves in difficult circumstances. We have achieved all of this together with our partners — UNHCR, Chess Kenya, Lutheran, DGT, and Gift of Chess,” said Anastasia Sorokina, leader of the Chess for Protection project. Project milestones Girls’ Chess Club: January–December 2025, with weekly Saturday sessions held at four schools: Bear-El-Naam Girls Primary School, Angelina Jolie Girls Primary School, Lifeworks Tumaini Girls Secondary School, and The Big Heart Foundation Girls Secondary School. The Big Heart Foundation Girls Secondary School joined the program in June, and with FIDE’s support, received all necessary equipment to hold weekly lessons. The program created a supportive, girl-centered environment to encourage confidence, skill development, and long-term participation. Anastasiya Karlovych and Salome Melia, trainers of the Girls’ Club:“We’re proud of everything our girls accomplished this year! Their progress, determination, and unity made this season truly special. We grew from three schools to four, and it’s wonderful to see our community continue to grow and inspire even more young girls!” Main program activities:February–October 2025. Led by trained Local Chess Facilitators, activities were conducted in 37 learning institutions and more than 20 community clubs across Kakuma and Kalobeyei. 2025 Tournament participation Kenya National Youths & Cadets Championship– Mangu High School A major national event exposing youth to high-level competition. World Refugee Day Chess Tournament– Kakuma Second official edition. Featured Open and Female categories with cash prizes. Kitale National Youths & Cadets Championship– Kitale Polytechnic Enhanced exposure to competitions outside the camp setting. Victoria East Africa U21 Championship– Kisumu (Sarova Imperial Hotel) Results and achievements Development of local chess experts who now serve as facilitators. Increased participation in national and regional tournaments. Improved life skills: strategic thinking, resilience, patience, and emotional control. Strengthened networks and friendships through external travel. Girls’ participation increased significantly through dedicated training spaces. Youths received recognition and cash awards during World Refugee Day activities. Material support FIDE:Since the project’s inception, FIDE has provided over 600 chess materials to support its operations. Gift of Chess:100 boards for competitions, plus over 20 boards for community clubs. DGT:100 digital chess clocks. Sergejs Klimakovs’ visits to KakumaFM Sergejs Klimakovs has provided in-person coaching in Kakuma. Following his first session in March, he conducted a second offline training camp for the teams from November 21 to December 3, 2025, as part of the preparation process for the Chess Olympiad. The training camp in Kakuma began with a facilitators’ awards ceremony, where certificates of appreciation were presented for their significant contribution to the development of chess culture in Kakuma, Kalobeyei, and the surrounding areas. Following the ceremony, Sergejs Klimakovs also held a seminar for facilitators on effective exercises and practices, offering tips for developing chess players of all ages, from beginner to master. On the second day, the camp began for the most talented young chess players from Kakuma and the surrounding area. In the morning, girls worked on the basic principles of thinking in various types of positions. In the afternoon, boys learned to understand the main types of basic rook endgames and explored the nuanced topic of “balancing activity, piece coordination, and material.” Over the next two weeks, the young talents of Kakuma learned many new and interesting concepts in chess. In the final days of the camp, they faced a major test: a round-robin tournament. This in-person training also served as a preparation process for the 2026 Chess Olympiad, including team qualification and training. The next training visit is planned for February 2026, followed by a FIDE team visit in May 2026. From December 15-17, 2025, Dana Reizniece, Anastasia Sorokina, and Andre Voegtlin will represent FIDE and the Chess for Protection project at the UNHCR Global Refugee Forum: unhcr.org/about-unhcr/overview/global-compact-refugees/global-refugee-forum. Looking ahead The Kakuma Chess Club continues to be a vital force for youth empowerment, education, and social cohesion within Kakuma and Kalobeyei. In 2025, the program expanded its reach, nurtured new talent, and offered transformative experiences despite challenging conditions. With sustained donor support, the project is well-positioned to grow into an even stronger platform for protection, learning, and community development.
The next generation of chess stars playing in Doha
A strong field of young talents is set to challenge the elite at the World Rapid and Blitz in Doha this December. Here are some of the names who may become the next kings and queens of the chessboard. In less than three weeks the eyes of the chess world will be on Doha – the capital of Qatar which, for the last week of the year, will be the world centre of chess, where the World Rapid and Blitz Champions will be decided. Usually, the main media interest is on the top-dogs – the 2700+ regulars who traditionally dominate big events: Carlsen, Gukesh, Nepomniachtchi, Caruana in the Open, or the likes of Ju Wenjun, Lei Tingjie, Goryachkina, Koneru, Lagno, Anna Muzychuk in the Women’s competition. But Doha will also be the stage for another story shaping chess – a generational showdown between the established stars and those whose rise is just beginning. Teenagers and even pre-teens are lining up on the same boards, facing the same clocks, testing themselves against the stars they grew up watching. Some already have grandmaster titles. Some have become national champions before they finished school. All of them are moving fast – both on and off the board. These are the rising stars in Doha. Young, ambitious, ruthless and fearless, staking their claim for the top. The Open Photo: Michal Walusza GM Ivan Zemlyanskii (pictured above) – born in 2010, he already boasts a rating over 2590 in classical chess. In May 2024, at the age of just 13, Ivan became the youngest Russian grandmaster in history and one of the youngest in the world, after scoring his final norm at the Sharjah Masters. Since then, he has been closing in on the 2600 mark. GM Savva Vetokhin is another new name with serious results. Born in 2009, he is already a 2550 plus grandmaster and has a long line of youth medals. His titles include the World Under-10 champion, the World Under-14 Blitz champion, and a silver medal at the World Under-8 Rapid Championship. His commanding victory at the strong Sunway Sitges open in 2024, without a single loss, marked him out as a player to follow. Photo: Michal Walusza GM Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş (pictured above) from Turkey, born in 2011, is the fourth-youngest grandmaster in history and the youngest player ever to reach 2600. He has already made strong impressions at events such as Grenke and the TePe Sigeman tournament. Coming across as confident both on and off the board, Erdoğmuş is recognised for his attacking style, demonstrated in the much talked about “Turkish Immortal” game against Aditya Mittal in the 2025 Grand Swiss. At just 14 and already a top 100 player, he will be one of the most closely watched prodigies in Doha. GM Ediz Gürel, also from Turkey, was born in 2008 and became a grandmaster in 2024. He won an individual bronze medal playing on board two for Turkey at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest in September 2024. In 2025, he made headlines by defeating reigning world champion Gukesh in Samarkand, becoming one of the youngest players ever to beat a reigning World Champion. That single game as well as his broader performance in Samarkand placed him firmly in the global spotlight. IM Faustino Oro (pictured above) of Argentina was born in 2013. Known as the “Messi of chess”, He became the first player under 12 to cross 2500 rating and to score a grandmaster norm. His unbeaten 7½ out of 9 at a Legends and Prodigies event in Madrid confirmed that his strength is not limited to junior tournaments. IM Mukhammadzokhid Suyarov from Uzbekistan, born in 2009, has a classical rating of 2454 and already holds the IM title. He is coming to Doha with the crown of the World Junior Rapid Champion, which he won in Lima, in September. His current rapid rating is 2411. Mukhammadzokhid has beaten several grandmasters in strong open tournaments, scored well in events such as the UzChess Cup, qualified from the Asian zonal to the 2025 World Cup and took third place in a Chessable Masters qualifier. Photo: Eteri Kublashvili IM Aldiyar Ansat (pictured above) of Kazakhstan – born in 2008 – became the chess champion of Kazakhstan in 2023 and has a rating in the high 2400s. Aldiyar has already won the Asian Zonal 3.4 Championship, earning a place in the 2025 World Cup. For a teenager, leading a strong and rising chess country in major events is a big statement. IM Erdem Khubukshanov, born in 2007, is another young star on the rise. His classical rating is around 2500 and his rapid and blitz ratings are around 2420. He has been scoring plus results in strong open tournaments and has established himself as part of the new generation of ambitious IMs who are close to grandmaster level. Photo: Michal Walusza GM Ihor Samunenkov (pictured above) from Ukraine, born in 2009, is already a grandmaster with a standard rating close to 2580. He is seen as one of the leaders among the under 16 players worldwide, and his steady results in elite junior events have built him a reputation as a very solid and mature player for his age. GM Denis Lazavik, at 19, sits slightly above the usual age line for a junior event, but very much within the spirit of a rising star. He is a 2600 level grandmaster, one of the most successful young players in online and rapid chess, with strong results in elite internet tournaments and over the board opens. He is not yet a regular in the biggest classical super tournaments, which keeps him in the “still rising” group rather than the fully established elite. GM Bharath Subramaniyam H of India, born in 2007, became India’s 73rd grandmaster at the age of 14 years and two months. Now in the mid-2500s, he has a record full of strong international results and earlier youth titles. His pace of development has kept him in