Montenegrin Championship 2026: Denis Kadrić captures first title
Grandmaster Denis Kadrić, has become the newly crowned Montenegrin Chess Champion. The second seed scored impressive 9/11 in a strong field and claimed his first national title after finishing third in each of his three previous appearances. The championship, an 11-round Swiss tournament, was organized by the Chess Federation of Montenegro and held at the National Library “Radosav Ljumović” in Podgorica from February 10-19, with sponsorship provided by the Ministry of Sports and Youth. The total prize fund amounted to €15,000. Arbiters Zoran Peruničić and Momčilo Pekić carried out their duties smoothly and professionally. As many expected, the event turned into a close race with the winner decided only in the final round. Kadrić and FM Oleg Jaksin had a great start both winning four straight games before clashing in Round 5. Jaksin prevailed but his lead was short-lived as he lost in the next round allowing IM Aleksandar Tomic, FM Jovan Milovic and Kadrić to catch up. In Round 7 Kadrić and Milovic scored victories and pulled away. The new joint leaders locked horns in Round 8. Kadrić emerged victorious, took the sole lead and preserved it to the very end. Heading into the final round a half point ahead of GM Nikola Đukić, he drew with the 2025 Champion and top seed Nikita Petrov and claimed the title, as his main rival also split the point with FM Nemanja Vukcevic. Đukić and Milović finished a half point behind the champion, tying for second place. Tiebreak criteria awarded the silver medal to Đukić and the bronze to Milović, who also serves as President of the Chess Federation of Montenegro and recalled his days as a youth representative for Yugoslavia. Đukić delivered a stable performance and improved his rating, scoring seven wins and three draws with his sole loss coming in the fourth round against eventual champion Kadrić. Playing with determination and flair, Milović notched eight wins, one draw, and two losses to secure his first podium finish at the national championship. Final standings Special prizes were awarded to Nikolina Koljević as the tournament’s most successful female player, and to Peko Đurović as the top junior. Rating category prizes went to Nikola Popović (under 1700), Mito Đukanović (under 2000), and Božidar Kisić (under 2200). Photos: Šahovski savez Crne Gore
Asian Continental stage of FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Championship 2026 announced
FIDE and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF) invite all FIDE member federations from Asia to participate in the Asian Continental stage of the World Schools Team Championship 2026 (WSTC 2026). The competition will take place in Almaty, Kazakhstan, from April 6 (arrival) to April 11 (departure), 2026, at the Hotel Kazakhstan. The winning team will earn the title of Asian Continental School Team Champion and qualify directly for the WSTC 2026 Grand Final, where four continental champions will compete for the title of FIDE ISCF World Schools Team Champion 2026. Team composition & eligibility Each team must consist of: four main players one reserve one non-playing captain Each team must include at least one boy and one girl (with limited exceptions for single-gender schools). Eligible players must be born between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2018. National federations are responsible for verifying that participating children are enrolled in the school they represent during the 2025–2026 academic year. The tournament will be played over eight rounds (Swiss system). Participation & support In accordance with the event framework, a number of teams will receive organizer support, including: full-board accommodation airport and local transfers economy-class flights for designated supported teams Detailed conditions are outlined in the official Invitation and Regulations. Educational programme In line with the Year of Chess in Education 2026, the championship will feature an educational programme alongside the competition, including: masterclasses by leading chess players and educators interactive workshops side events promoting cultural exchange and educational collaboration The programme aims to combine competitive excellence with meaningful educational impact. Registration The registration deadline is March 20, 2026. Teams must register exclusively through their respective FIDE member federations via the official online registration form. Teams can register using the online form at: https://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/registration Full Invitation, Regulations and registration details are available at: https://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/files/Invitation_letter_WSTC_2026.pdf Contact e-mail: worldschoolteam@fide.comOfficial website: https://worldschoolteam2026.fide.com/ INVITATION LETTER (PDF)