WTRBCC 2026: Dragon Chilling take control in Hong Kong
China’s Dragon Chilling delivered a stellar performance on the second day of the FIDE World Team Rapid Championship, taking sole lead after round five. After eight rounds, they are on 14 match points and remain the only undefeated team in the tournament. Defending champions Team MGD1 are in second place with 13 match points, having won three matches and drawn one on day two. Their result has been greatly boosted by their board six player, Abhijeet Shah Aryan (pictured below), who scored 7.5/8. The Kazakh team Barys, led by seasoned players Dmitry Andreikin and Peter Svidler, are third with 12 match points. Dragon Chilling made a strong start in round five with a 3.5:2.5 victory over day-one co-leaders KazChess. The team swung the match thanks to GM Yu Yangyi and their steady board six player, Wang Zihao. With three games ending in draws, Dragon Chilling had already secured the match, but board one was still playing. Ding Liren was fighting a lost queen endgame against Richard Rapport, his second during the 2023 World Championship match. In what turned out to be the longest game of the round, Ding ultimately had to resign. After defeating KazChess, Dragon Chilling drew with Endgame.ai, led by Hans Niemann, and title defenders Team MGD1. They finished the day with a commanding 4:2 victory over the Indian squad Chessgurukul, headed by Praggnanandhaa R. Despite his team’s lead, Ding Liren’s individual performance has been uneven. The former world champion has five draws, two defeats and just one victory. The key drivers of Dragon Chilling’s success have been Yu Yangyi – who started with 5/5, then lost two games and drew in round eight – and board six Wang Zihao, who scored six wins and drew one game in the seven rounds he has played. Rating favorites and previous rapid winners, WR Chess had a mixed day. They started with a 4:2 victory over Mr Birdie and Friends (named in homage to a player’s recently deceased pet) but then lost to Team MGD1, 3.5:2.5. In round seven, they defeated Sky Chess, but then suffered a bitter 4:2 defeat in the eighth round at the hands of Barys. They are now in 11th place, with 10 match points. WR’s star player, world number one Magnus Carlsen, scored just half a point from the three games on day two. He started with a draw against Vladislav Artemiev. Despite arriving five minutes late to the game, Artemiev used his well-known blitz skills to hold Carlsen to a draw. The former World Champion then stumbled in round six, losing to MGD1’s Arjun Erigaisi, and was stunned in round seven by Shant Sargsyan, who is rated around 200 points lower. WR rested Carlsen in the final round, but it did not change their fortunes, as they suffered a surprising 4:2 defeat to Barys, who leapt to third place. With four rounds left, everything will be decided on the third and final day of the FIDE World Team Rapid Championship. Amateurs fighting for the world crown The inaugural FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup kicked off in Hong Kong today, running alongside the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships. With an average rating of 1618, the competition gives non-professional players a rare chance to experience a world championship atmosphere – playing in the same venue, on the same boards and clocks, as some of the best players in the world. The event consists of a nine-round Swiss tournament divided into two pools, followed by the finals. After three rounds on the first day, Le Petit Prince and South Luzon Amateurs PH lead Pool A, both having won all three matches. In Pool B, first place is shared by Trophy Hunters and Hong Kong Young Dragons, who also finished the day with a perfect score. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Michal Walusza About the WTRBСС and the FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup The FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships were launched in 2023. It is a global team competition where teams are made up of elite grandmasters, prodigies and recreational players. It consists of two tournaments – rapid and blitz. This is the first time the event is being held in Hong Kong and East Asia. The Hong Kong event also features the FIDE World Team Amateur Rapid Chess Cup, where teams are strictly made up of amateur chess players. The WTRBCC take place from 17-21 June, with three days for the rapid and two days for the blitz. The prize fund for the WTRBСС is €500,000, and €25,000 for the Amateur cup. Official websites:WTRBCC: http://worldrapidblitzteams2026.fide.comAmateur Cup: http://worldteamamateurrapid2026.hkchessevent.com
Darmen Sadvakasov and Viktor Bologan conduct simultaneous exhibitions in Japan
On June 13–14, 2026, Japan hosted chess events featuring Grandmasters Darmen Sadvakasov – First Vice-President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and Vice-President of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) – and Viktor Bologan, FIDE Executive Director. The visit took place under the Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives (FACI) program, which aims to develop chess cooperation across Asian countries, popularize the game, and foster the exchange of expertise between leading chess players and national federations. The main events were held in Tokyo and Kyoto. On June 13, Tokyo hosted The Joys of Chess with Grandmaster Legends festival, followed by the KYOCHESS Spotlight event in Kyoto on June 14. Participants had the opportunity to play against the renowned grandmasters in simultaneous exhibitions (simuls), as well as attend masterclasses and educational lectures focusing on chess training and contemporary trends in the development of the game. The simuls in Kyoto drew 19 players, including both beginners and experienced players from Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and other regions of Japan. Viktor Bologan’s session concluded relatively quickly, with the grandmaster securing eight wins and one draw. Darmen Sadvakasov’s simul lasted over two hours, resulting in 10 victories. For many participants, this was their first opportunity to play against a grandmaster. During the masterclasses, Viktor Bologan analyzed his game against Chinese Grandmaster Ye Jiangchuan from the 2000 Tan Chin Nam Cup, while Darmen Sadvakasov reviewed a game from his 2004 match against Grandmaster Anatoly Karpov in Astana. Following the lectures, participants asked the grandmasters questions about the future of chess, the impact of artificial intelligence on the game, and modern approaches to preparation. “Under the Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives program, we conducted a simultaneous exhibition and masterclasses alongside Grandmaster and FIDE Executive Director Viktor Bologan in Tokyo and Kyoto. A large number of chess enthusiasts attended each event. Since there are no grandmasters in Japan, this was a major milestone for them. We received a wealth of positive feedback and gratitude. Talented youth are emerging in Japan, and I am confident that the country will continue to achieve great success in chess. We, as the Kazakhstan Chess Federation and the Asian Chess Federation, will assist in developing chess in this country,” said Darmen Sadvakasov, First Vice-President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. Darmen Sadvakasov and Viktor Bologan also met with representatives of the Japan Chess Federation to discuss opportunities for the further development of chess. “Key areas for future work were identified, with the main emphasis placed on youth chess and organizing a larger number of FIDE-rated tournaments. At the meeting with the Japanese Olympic Committee, special attention was given to the issue of chess recognition by the local Olympic Committee. We also discussed the inclusion of chess in the program of the 2030 Asian Games in Qatar. “The Japanese Olympic Committee will consider holding an exhibition chess event during the Asian Games in Nagoya this autumn. Both events in Tokyo and Kyoto received excellent reviews from the participants. Such initiatives will significantly contribute to the popularization of chess in Japan. A training camp for Japan’s leading young chess players is already planned for August as part of the FACI project,” shared FIDE Executive Director Viktor Bologan. Darmen Sadvakasov is the 1998 World Junior Under-20 Champion, a grandmaster, First Vice-President of the KCF, and Vice-President of the Asian Chess Federation. Over the years, he has secured match victories against former World Champion Anatoly Karpov and world title contender Viktor Korchnoi. Viktor Bologan is the strongest chess player in the history of Moldova, a grandmaster, FIDE Executive Director, and the author of numerous chess books. Throughout his career, he has been part of the global chess elite, reaching a peak Elo rating of 2734. The Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives project is implemented by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation in cooperation with FIDE and the Asian Chess Federation, with the support of Freedom Holding Corp. Its goal is to expand chess cooperation in Asia, develop educational programs, and support initiatives aimed at popularizing chess in the region.