Five rounds have been played at the FIDE World Senior Chess Championships 2026 in Vrnjačka Banja, Serbia, and the competition is taking shape across all four categories. Some of the pre-tournament favourites are living up to expectations, while others have already dropped valuable points. With six rounds still to come, there is plenty of chess left to play.
The standout performance of the first five rounds belongs to WGM Galina Strutinskaya, the only player in the event with a perfect score.
Women 65+: Strutinskaya remains perfect
WGM Galina Strutinskaya (FIDE) could hardly have asked for a better start. Five games, five victories and a full-point lead over her nearest rivals.
WGM Irina Chelushkina (Serbia) and WIM Larisa Khropova (FIDE) share second place with 4/5. Three players are another half-point behind: Elena Krasenkowa (Poland), Bagyashree Sathe Thipsay (India), and Ingrid Lauterbach (Germany).
Among the participants is one of the greatest figures in chess history, former Women’s World Champion GM Nona Gaprindashvili of Georgia. The top seed, who is also competing for the special Women 75+ title, has collected three points from five games. Despite a modest start by her standards, her experience and competitive spirit make her a player to watch in the remaining rounds.
Strutinskaya has put herself in an excellent position, but with six rounds remaining, her closest rivals still have time to challenge her lead.
Women 50+: Calzetta Ruiz leads ahead of Cramling
Spain’s WGM Monica Calzetta Ruiz leads the Women 50+ championship with 4.5 points from five games, half a point ahead of Swedish GM Pia Cramling.
Cramling, the top seed and one of the most respected players in women’s chess, remains unbeaten on four points. She is well placed to challenge for the title, although there is no shortage of competition behind her.
Six players are tied on 3.5 points: IM Inna Gaponenko (Ukraine), WGM Maritza Arribas Robaina (Cuba), WIM Sopio Tereladze and WGM Inga Khurtsilava (Georgia), GM Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant (Scotland), and Yelena Gaichenya (Kazakhstan).
Calzetta Ruiz has made the strongest start, but Cramling is close behind, and the group on 3.5 points is certainly not out of the picture. The next few rounds should give a clearer indication of who will be fighting for the medals.
Open 50+: Three Grandmasters share the lead
The Open 50+ championship features a particularly strong field, with several experienced grandmasters competing for the title.
After four consecutive victories, GMs Petr Kostenko and Kiril Georgiev drew their direct encounter in the fifth round, moving to 4.5 points each. They were joined at the top by GM Pavel Kotsur, who drew with GM Ramil Hasangatin.
Georgiev, a former World Junior Champion and one of Bulgaria’s most distinguished grandmasters, remains one of the leading title contenders.
A strong chasing group is just half a point behind, including GMs Ramil Hasangatin, Victor Mikhalevski, Hannes Stefansson, Suat Atalik and Mikheil Kekelidze.
The top seed, GM Murtas Kazhgaleyev of Kazakhstan, recovered from an earlier setback with a fifth-round victory and stands on 3.5 points.
With three players sharing the lead and several experienced grandmasters close behind, the battle for the title remains wide open.
Open 65+: Five players tied at the top
The Open 65+ championship is developing into a fascinating contest, with five players sharing the lead on 4.5 points after five rounds.
The fifth-round encounter between top seed GM Zurab Sturua of Georgia and England’s GM Keith Arkell ended in a draw, leaving both players on 4.5 points.
GMs Rainer Knaak of Germany and Branko Damljanović of Serbia joined them at the top after winning their fifth-round games. Knaak defeated Dominique Guigonis, while Damljanović overcame IM David Cummings.
IM Oleg Kozlov also moved to 4.5 points following his victory over IM Vladimir Bogdanov, completing a five-way tie for first place.
A five-way tie at the top sets the stage for an intriguing second half of the championship, where experience and consistency could make all the difference.
The first five rounds have already provided plenty of interesting games and a few surprises, but the most important battles are still ahead.
Galina Strutinskaya’s five consecutive victories have been the outstanding individual achievement so far. In the other three categories, the margins at the top are much smaller, leaving several players with realistic hopes of claiming a world title.
The FIDE World Senior Chess Championships 2026 continue at Hotel Zepter in Vrnjačka Banja, with the final round scheduled for November 14.
Vrnjačka Banja Trophy 2026 rapid chess tournament
As part of the World Senior Chess Championship, the international open rapid chess tournament Vrnjačka Banja Trophy 2026 was held on November 8, bringing together 293 participants from 40 countries, including 17 grandmasters.
The tournament offered an opportunity for players of different generations to compete against each other, with a significant number of participants from the World Senior Championships also joining the field. Their presence added an interesting dimension to the event, bringing together experienced senior players and younger competitors in a lively and competitive atmosphere.
The tournament was opened with a ceremonial first move by Ivana Drenovak, Chief of Staff to the President of the Municipality of Vrnjačka Banja, and Zoran Gajić, Minister of Sports in the technical government. Both, along with Andrija Jorgić, President of the Chess Federation of Serbia, addressed those present.
GM Mikhail Bryakin (Serbia) claimed first place with an excellent score of 8/9, finishing ahead of IM Miodrag Perunović (Serbia) and GM Evgeny Vorobiov (Russia), who also scored eight points but were separated by tie-breaks. IM Danila Sutormin (Serbia) finished fourth with 7.5 points, followed by GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Philippines) and GM Goran Todorović (Serbia), also on 7.5 points.
Official website: https://wscc.beochess.rs/