FIDE Candidates 2026 pairings drawn in Cyprus
The pairings for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 and the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 have been determined following the official Drawing of Lots ceremony held at the Cap St George’s Hotel & Resort in Paphos, Cyprus, the host venue of both events. The FIDE Candidates Tournaments, which will take place from 28 March to 16 April 2026, will determine the challengers for the World Championship and Women’s World Championship titles. With the playing schedule now established, preparations enter their final phase as players begin targeted opening preparation and match strategy against their confirmed opponents. Drawing of lots ceremony The ceremony held at the Cap St George’s Hotel & Resort brought together FIDE officials, representatives of the Cyprus Chess Federation, government authorities, partners and invited guests, marking the formal commencement of the Candidates stage of the World Championship cycle. FIDE Vice President Georgios Makropoulos underlined the importance of hosting the event in Cyprus: “It is a very important decision to bring both the Open and Women’s Candidates to Cyprus. I am sure the players will enjoy Paphos and the chess games here. Chess in Cyprus is developing rapidly, and this event will help it grow even further.” Cyprus Chess Federation President Criton Tornaritis then took to the stage and highlighted the significance of staging one of the world’s premier chess events in the country and its inspiration for young players: “We have the Candidates now in Cyprus, one of the biggest events in world chess. I would like to thank FIDE for bringing such an important event to our country. Our main priority as a federation is to support children and develop chess in schools, and events like this inspire the next generation of players in Cyprus.” Constantinos Malaou, the Business Development Director of Cap St George’s Hotel & Resort welcomed participants and emphasised Cyprus’ place on the global chess map as the road to the World Championship begins: “The selection of Cyprus and of Cap St Georges by FIDE is a distinction of exceptional importance. It reflects international confidence in the standards, credibility, and organisational excellence required to host an event of historic and global significance, and it places our country and our resort on the world chess map at the very moment when the world’s attention turns to the road toward the crown.” Following the addresses by officials, attention turned to the highlight of the night, the drawing of lots. FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 The drawing procedure was conducted by Chief Arbiter Takis Nikolopoulos, who explained the double round-robin format and the role of Berger pairing tables in determining the full schedule once players receive their draw numbers. In line with standard practice in elite double round-robins, the Berger tables were adjusted by exchanging Rounds 6 and 7, ensuring that no player receives the same colour three times consecutively. In accordance with FIDE regulations, players from the same federation must meet in the first rounds of the tournament. With two participants from the United States, Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura were assigned paired numbers to ensure they face each other in Round 1. The draw resulted in the following numbers: Round 1 pairings The opening round already features several key clashes, including the all-American encounter between Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura, a matchup with deep Candidates history, and the two rating favourites of the event. Praggnanandhaa R – Giri brings together two of the most theoretically prepared and solid players in the field, while Sindarov – Esipenko pairs two of the youngest participants in a direct generational contest. Matthias Bluebaum and Wei Yi complete the Round 1 lineup in a meeting between two players making their Candidates debut. With colors reversed, the same pairings will be repeated in Round 8, and the Berger tables schedule several decisive encounters late in the event. FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 The Women’s draw required an additional preliminary step due to federation distribution: three players from India, two from China, and two representing FIDE. Regulations require players from the same federation to meet in the early rounds. The drawing first determined the group of numbers assigned to the three Indian players, ensuring they would oppose each other within the first three rounds. Chinese players and those under the FIDE flag were then allocated paired numbers to meet in Round 1. The final numbers are: Round 1 pairings The first round in the FIDE Women’s Candidates also presents several top-level encounters, many featuring players from the same federation. Zhu Jiner faces former Women’s World Champion Tan Zhongyi, Aleksandra Goryachkina meets long-time rival Kateryna Lagno, and Vaishali R takes on Bibisara Assaubayeva in a matchup between two of the youngest players in the field. The round is completed by the meeting between Humpy Koneru and Divya Deshmukh, pairing one of the most experienced players in the tournament with one of its newest participants. With the draw completed, the competitive framework of both FIDE Candidates Tournaments is now fixed. Over fourteen rounds in Cyprus, each player will face every opponent twice, once with each color, in the most demanding and balanced format in elite chess. For the participants, the announcement of pairings marks a decisive shift in preparation. Opening repertoires, rest-day planning, and strategic approaches are refined months in advance based on the confirmed sequence of opponents. FIDE Candidates 2026 pairings Round 1 on 2026/03/29 at 15:30 Javokhir Sindarov – Andrey EsipenkoMatthias Bluebaum – Wei YiPraggnanandhaa R – Anish GiriFabiano Caruana – Hikaru Nakamura Round 2 on 2026/03/30 at 15:30 Andrey Esipenko – Hikaru NakamuraAnish Giri – Fabiano CaruanaWei Yi – Praggnanandhaa R Javokhir Sindarov – Matthias Bluebaum Round 3 on 2026/03/31 at 15:30 Matthias Bluebaum – Andrey EsipenkoPraggnanandhaa R – Javokhir Sindarov Fabiano Caruana – Wei Yi Hikaru Nakamura – Anish Giri Round 4 on 2026/04/01 at 15:30 Andrey Esipenko – Anish Giri Wei Yi – Hikaru Nakamura Javokhir Sindarov – Fabiano Caruana Matthias Bluebaum – Praggnanandhaa R Round 5 on 2026/04/03 at 15:30 Praggnanandhaa R – Andrey Esipenko Fabiano Caruana –
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)