Bojan Maksimović wins 2026 Serbian Championship
GM Bojan Maksimović emerged victorious at the 20th Serbian Individual Chess Championship, claiming his maiden national title. The 20th Serbian Individual Chess Championship, a 10-player round-robin, took place in Senta from 13-21 June. For the first time in the history of the open section, the 2026 edition featured a female participant – national team player Sofia Pogorelskikh. Maksimović made a flying start, winning three consecutive games to seize the lead – a position he never relinquished. He secured the title with a round to spare, totaling 6.5/9. “Before the start of the championship, I was hoping for one of the top three places, although I wasn’t sure about my form. However, it turned out that I was in good shape. Although the tournament was long and demanding, with many difficult games, I capitalized on my opponents’ mistakes, and in the end everything worked out as it should,” Maksimović said after his victory. IM Stefan Tadić finished half a point behind the champion and claimed silver, while GM Mihail Brjakin took bronze with 5.5/9. 2026 Serbian Chess Championship – Final Standings The top three players also earned the right to participate in the next Individual Championship of Serbia. Trophies and medals were presented to the winners by Goran Vlajković, Vice President of the Chess Federation of Serbia. Photos: Šahovski savez Srbije
Nepal Championship 2026: Rupesh Jaiswal and Kritisara Adhikari claim titles
The 26th Nepal National Chess Championship and the 11th Nepal Women’s National Chess Championship 2026 concluded in Hotel Kamakshya, Damak, Koshi Province. Held from 14–19 June 2026, the event brought together the country’s top chess players, with 12 qualified participants competing in Open and Women’s categories under a round-robin format. The championships were organized jointly by the Province Sports Development Board, Koshi Province, and the Jhapa District Chess Association under the auspices of the Nepal Chess Federation. In the Open section, top seed FM Rupesh Jaiswal successfully defended his national title, scoring an impressive 9.5/11. The champion completed the event undefeated and finished two points ahead of runner-up Ashish Phunyal. Final standings – Open In the Women’s section, Kritisara Adhikari delivered an excellent performance and, despite a sixth-round setback, emerged as the champion with 8.5/11. Pooja Bhandari and Nihana Shrestha claimed silver and bronze, respectively. Final standings – Women Based on their performances in the national championships, the following players qualified to represent Nepal at the 46th Chess Olympiad: Open Team: FM Rupesh Jaiswal Ashish Phunyal Rajan Subedi CM Sushrut Dahal CM Purushottam Dilwal Women’s Team: Sindira Joshi Kritisara Adhikari Pooja Bhandari Nihana Shrestha Angel Maharjan The Nepal Chess Federation congratulates all participants, winners, and qualifiers and extends its appreciation to the organizers, officials, sponsors, and supporters who contributed to the successful conduct of the championships.