FIDE Council to review implementation of CAS Decision
In accordance with the CAS decision in case CAS 2024/A/10911, the Chess Federation of Russia was required to comply with the decision by 9 June 2026. The FIDE Council has therefore formally requested the Chess Federation of Russia to provide evidence of its compliance with the decision. In line with Article 20.9 of the FIDE Charter, a meeting of the FIDE Council has been scheduled for 17 June 2026 to assess the implementation of the CAS decision and to take any decisions in accordance with the FIDE Charter.
FIDE Circuit 2026–2027: Abdusattorov maintains lead; Assaubayeva seizes top spot in women’s race
Nodirbek Abdusattorov retains a narrow lead over Javokhir Sindarov in the FIDE Circuit 2026–2027 race after the May tournaments. Abdusattorov earned 7.25 points at TePe Sigeman, while Sindarov collected 8.53 points at the Super Chess Classic Romania, further closing the gap. Fabiano Caruana remains in third position following his runner-up finishes in Super Rapid and Blitz Poland and the Super Chess Classic Romania. These results brought him 28.93 points in total. The winner of the latter tournament, Vincent Keymer, broke into the top 10, climbing to fourth place. The top finishers of the recently concluded point-heavy Norway Chess 2026, Praggnanandhaa R and Wesley So, have also joined the upper echelon of the race. Haik Martirosyan and Ian Nepomniachtchi round out the top 10, following their solid performances at the Sardinia World Chess Festival. The Norway Chess Women, one of two events counted towards the FIDE Circuit Women in May–June, considerably reshaped the leaderboard. Bibisara Assaubayeva‘s triumph in this competition earned her 29.7 circuit points, propelling her to the top position. She is followed by Zhu Jiner, who gained 21.6 points in this competition and moved to second position in the race. Both overtook the former leader, Vaishali R, who dropped to third. The European Women’s Individual Championship 2026 produced a major sensation as 76th seed Anastasiia Hnatyshyn emerged as the outright winner of the event. This remarkable achievement catapulted the 15-year-old Ukrainian (who is turning 16 this week) straight to fourth place in the Circuit standings. Another notable change in the leading group is the surge of Savitha Shri B, the winner of the recently concluded Asian Women’s Individual Chess Championship. The Indian WGM picked up valuable circuit points to enter the top 10. We maintain dedicated pages on our website for the FIDE Circuit 2026–2027, featuring the latest information on eligible tournaments, current standings, and regulations. Visit: FIDE Circuit 2026-27 and FIDE Women’s Circuit 2026-27
Schackcykeln: “The Chess Bike” project launches in Trelleborg, Sweden
Schackcykeln (The Chess Bike), a free mobile chess initiative, is launching on June 15, 2026, in Trelleborg, Sweden. A cargo bike equipped with chess sets, tables, and chairs will visit parks, squares, beaches, and residential areas throughout summer 2026. The initiative is open to everyone – no registration required and no cost. The project is funded by the Swedish Postcode Foundation (SEK 60,000) and is run entirely by volunteers at Söderslätt Schacksällskap. The goal: 50 sessions, 10 locations, and 200 unique participants. A standout feature of Schackcykeln is its integration of modern technology. The bike is GPS-tracked via Copenhagen Trackers. The founders built a custom app where visitors can track the bike live on a map and receive notifications about its next location – making chess accessible and discoverable in real time. The idea behind Schackcykeln is to lower the barriers to chess participation. Many people are curious about chess but never take the first step because they don’t know where to play, lack a partner, or feel intimidated by formal club settings. By bringing the game directly to public spaces – parks, squares, and beaches – the project meets people where they already are. Photos: Agnes Orre
Kong Xiangrui and Savitha Shri B crowned Asian Individual Champions
The Asian Individual Chess Championship concluded in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, after nine rounds of play on June 6, 2026. This marked the first time Mongolia has hosted a top-tier Asian chess tournament, an event that received strong support from the Mongolian government and Prime Minister Uchral Nyam-Osor. Held in both the Open and Women’s sections, the competition featured an impressive field of 34 Grandmasters, 12 Women’s Grandmasters, 51 International Masters, 20 Women International Masters, 49 FIDE Masters, and 18 Candidate Masters representing 30 countries. The total prize fund for the 2026 Asian Chess Championship stood at USD 100,000, with the Open Champion receiving USD 15,000. Open section The open section was fiercely contested, with the lead changing hands throughout the tournament. Heading into the final ninth round, three players – IM Kong Xiangrui, GM Xiao Tong (both China), and GM Zhamsaran Tsydypov (FIDE) – were tied for first place with 6.5/8. A group of three players, including top seed Yu Yangyi, trailed them by half a point. All three leaders drew their games, finishing on 7/9. Among their pursuers, only GM Savva Vetokhin (FIDE) made the most of this opportunity, scoring a crucial win over GM Erdem Khubukshanov (FIDE) to catch up and force a four-way tie for the top spot. Based on the average rating of opponents (the first tiebreak criterion), Kong Xiangrui claimed gold, Xiao Tong took silver, and Tsydypov completed the podium. All four top finishers in the Open section qualified for the FIDE World Cup 2027. Final standings Open The women’s event saw the triumph of the younger generation, also ending in a tie for the top position. IM Savitha Shri B of India and WGM Afruza Khamdamova of Uzbekistan scored 7.5/9 each, with Savitha capturing gold thanks to the higher average rating of her opponents. She also earned a spot in the Women’s World Cup 2027. Six players finished a full point behind, with Song Yuxin of China taking bronze based on the same tiebreak criterion. Final standings Women Photos: Asian Individual Chess Championship Official website: https://asianchess.com/