Javokhir Sindarov achieved a remarkable double victory at the inaugural Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz, winning both the Rapid and Blitz Final events.
The First Naroditsky Memorial Rapid and Blitz took place at the Marriott City Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, from July 3–5, 2026. The event brought together elite play, the vibrant creator community, and the chess community at large. The festival featured a $50,000 total guaranteed prize fund and awarded FIDE Circuit and US Chess Grand Prix points. The NMRB was open to all players – professionals and amateurs – regardless of rating. Capacity was limited to 300 players for the inaugural edition.
The programme included Rapid and Blitz Championships, Creator Invitational, and Blitz Final featuring the top ten performers from the Masters Blitz.
During the opening ceremony of the blitz event, FIDE’s Daniel Naroditsky Best Creator Award was announced before Elena Schuman, Daniel’s mother, made the ceremonial first move. The award recognises the extraordinary contribution Naroditsky made as a player, educator, commentator, and content creator. Through his streams and videos, he combined elite chess knowledge with an exceptional ability to make people feel welcome in the game.
The Rapid Masters event, a seven-round Swiss tournament, turned into an exciting duel between Javokhir Sindarov and Aravindh Chithambaram, who both finished on 6/7 to share first place. Sindarov went on to win the blitz tiebreaker 2–0 to claim the title.
In the Challengers section, Andrew Fletcher emerged victorious with 6.5 points.
The World Championship Challenger continued his excellent form in the Blitz Finals, winning clear first place with an impressive score of 7.5/9. Wesley So finished second with 7/9, while NM Ethan Sheehan caused a minor sensation, clinching third place with 6/9 in a highly competitive field.
IM John Bartholomew (pictured below) dominated the first Naroditsky Memorial Creator Invitational, winning the title with a perfect score of 9/9. Runner-up IM Levy Rozman scored 7/9.
