2026 Dutch Championships: Sergey Tiviakov and Machteld van Foreest claim titles
Machteld van Foreest and Sergey Tiviakov, both residents of Groningen, emerged as the new Dutch champions. Van Foreest successfully defended her title and won her third overall, while for Tiviakov, it was his fourth national crown. The 2026 Dutch Chess Championships were held from July 4 to July 11 at the Renaissance Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Hotel and featured a spectacular knockout format, with 16-player and 12-player brackets in the Open and Women sections, respectively. The Open section brought together all top Dutch players except Anish Giri and the defending champion Jorden van Foreest, who opted not to play. After convincingly winning his first match against Eelke de Boer, Tiviakov faced a tough test in the quarterfinal against second seed Erwin L’Ami. Tiviakov lost the first game but bounced back in the second, forcing a tiebreaker in which he prevailed by 1.5–0.5. His semifinal duel was less challenging, as Tiviakov drew the first game and won the second to advance to the final. Meanwhile, eleventh seed Liam Vrolijk surprised many by battling past Casper Schoppen, Sipke Ernst, and Max Warmerdam to punch his ticket to the final. The first game of the final ended in a quiet draw, but in the second, Tiviakov was under considerable pressure. However, Vrolijk did not manage to find the best continuation at the critical moment, and the opponents eventually split a point. Tiviakov dominated the subsequent blitz tiebreaker, winning both games and securing the title. The Women’s event followed a more predictable script, as the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals. There, FM Anna-Maja Kazarian defeated the rating favourite, Eline Roebers, by 1.5–0.5, while the defending champion, van Foreest, edged past Peng Zhaoqin in an exciting tiebreaker. The final was all about van Foreest, who won both games in emphatic fashion to claim her third national title. Complete results Open and Women The closing ceremony for the Dutch National Chess Championship was held almost immediately after the tiebreaker between Tiviakov and Vrolijk. KNSB Youth Chess Board Member Peter Scheeren thanked the organisers for a “fantastic National Championship” and the federation office for the wonderful theme day held today, parallel to the final round of the championship. Remco van der Jagt, General Manager within the IHCP Group – of which our host, Hotel Renaissance Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, is a part – presented flowers and trophies to the Women’s champion, Machteld van Foreest, and runner-up, Anna-Maja Kazarian, and to the Open section finalists, Sergey Tiviakov and Liam Vrolijk. Official website: https://nk.schaken.nl/nk-nieuws/ Photos: KNSB
“Chess as Social Value” – Online panel discussion by the FIDE Social Commission
The FIDE Social Commission celebrates International Chess Day with an interactive discussion to showcase chess as a tool for rehabilitation, protection, and development. In celebration of the International Chess Day on July 20, the FIDE Social Commission will host an interactive online panel discussion titled “Chess as Social Value”. The event will bring together leading experts, policymakers, and practitioners to demonstrate how chess transcends the game to create tangible social change across the globe. The panel features a distinguished lineup of speakers from diverse backgrounds, including former government ministers, programme builders, prison chess educators, and researchers. The panel includes: Dana Reizniece (Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, Former Minister of Finance and Economy, Latvia) to discuss chess as a policy instrument; Mikhail Korenman (Leader of Chess for Freedom project, USA) to share the approach to leading a project from zero to structure; Lasma Kokorevica (Prison administration, Latvia) to highlight the power of chess for rehabilitation and dignity in detention; Anastasia Sorokina (Leader of FIDE Chess for Protection project, Australia) to speak of chess as a tool for nclusion and protection for refugees; Susan Namangale (Global Director of Gift of Chess, Malawi) on how to reach communities and improve access in various regions; Russell Makofsky (Founder of Gift of Chess) to share personal experience of impact and sustainability; Antonio Porter (Director of Programs, Cook County Department of Corrections) to discuss the system from within when administration meets culture; Prabitha Urwyler (Board member for Social Chess at Swiss Chess) to speak of chess impact measurement and innovation; Hans Alther (former politician) to share hands-on practice as personal commitment while teaching chess in prison. The panel is deliberately designed to focus not on abstract theories but on real-world impact. This panel does not talk about chess; it talks about what chess makes possible – in prisons, schools, communities, ministries, and research labs. The discussion will be structured around guiding questions, each designed to elicit concrete examples from the panelists’ direct experience. The panel builds on FIDE’s commitment, declared in 2025 as the “Year of Social Chess,” to harness chess for social good. Recent initiatives showcased at the #SocialChess conference in Budapest highlight the game’s transformative power across diverse settings: In Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp, the Chess for Protection initiative has reached over 2,500 people in partnership with UNHCR, providing educational and social tools in challenging conditions. The Chess for Freedom project, active at Cook County Jail and 60 other countries, has demonstrated significant behavioral improvements among inmates participating in chess coaching. Chess for Elderly and recovery initiatives are exploring the therapeutic potential of the game for cognitive health, addiction recovery, and support for cancer patients. As FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich emphasized, “Chess is more than a sport – it is a powerful social and educational tool. That is why FIDE takes it as its responsibility not only to promote chess competitions but to also make the game more available and accessible to everyone, everywhere.” Event Details Event: Panel Discussion: “Chess as Social Value”Date: International Chess Day, July 20Duration: 60 Minutes (interactive, with audience questions)Moderated under the auspices of the FIDE Social CommissionZoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81383426889?pwd=u8DeBeUwSpQypbAap3aClZ0i4o1lxf.1