GCL 2026: FYERS American Gambits make a perfect start
Defending champions Alpine APL Pipers kicked off their campaign with a fighting win with the black pieces, beating CheQ Mumba Masters 10-8. Two-time winners Triveni Continental Kings suffered a 9-10 reversal against Ganges Grandmasters. Meanwhile, FYERS American Gambits got off to a flying start, defeating PBG Alaskan Knights 10-4 and Triveni Continental Kings 14-5 on the opening day of the Global Chess League (GCL), a joint initiative of Tech Mahindra and FIDE, in Bengaluru on Saturday. The opening day of the GCL Season 4 got off to a blockbuster start as hundreds of chess fans flocked to the venue to watch the world’s best players in action and they were treated to some high-quality chess. With world number 1 Magnus Carlsen returning to the Pipers’ fold after a hiatus of a year, all eyes were on how the defending champions would start their campaign against the formidable Mumba Masters. The holders were put under early pressure as Mumba Masters’ M Pranesh defeated Anish Giri on the Superstar Men’s board. But Player of the Match Vidit Gujrathi brought his team back into the contest as his strong positional play was enough to beat Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. The experienced Koneru Humpy then defeated Carissa Yip to put the Pipers in a strong position. However, Harika Dronavalli then inflicted a heart-breaking loss on Women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh to make it two wins each for both teams. Carlsen was solid on the icon board against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and that was enough to ensure a winning start for his team. Earlier, two-time champions Triveni Continental Kings strategy to play with black pieces against Ganges Grandmasters after winning the toss made it the day’s most exciting encounter with five of the six games ending in a result. The experienced Levon Aronian gave the Ganges Grandmasters a solid start by beating Wei Yi in just 29 moves. Player of the match Polina Shuvalova and Stavroula Tsolakidou then extended their team’s lead by winning the two Superstar Women’s boards. Shuvalova defeated Zhu Jiner in 70 moves while Tsolakidou downed former women’s world champion Alexandra Kosteniuk in 59 moves. However, Leinier Dominguez Perez lost to Aravindh Chithambaram on time as his clock ran out after 43 moves with their position looking mostly even. Continental Kings’ V Pranav then forced Ganges Grandmasters’ Leon Luke Mendonca to resign after 40 moves to close the gap to just one point as a win with black pieces gives a team 4 game points while a victory with white counts for three game points. In the opening match of the day, Candidates 2026 winner GM Javokhir Sindarov showed that he is the man in form as he got the better of GM Viswanathan Anand on the icon board in 57 moves to give the FYERS American Gambits an early advantage over PBG Alaskan Knights. PBG Alaskan Knights’ GM Arjun Erigaisi had his chances with black pieces but the 23-year-old could find his way past GM Nihal Sarin’s defence. With all the other Superstar Men and Women boards finishing in draws, PBG Alaskan Knights needed Abhimanyu Mishra to carve out a win over Marc’Andria Maurizzi on the prodigy board. But the GCL debutant had to resign after 81 moves as Maurizzi converted his advantage in the king-pawn ending. Sindarov was also awarded the Player of the Match for his win and said he was happy with the start his team has got. “I was also watching the other boards and I felt even my game was heading to a draw. But I sacrificed a pawn in the endgame and then I knew I could win.” In the final match of the day the FYERS American Gambits scored their second convincing victory, this time over the Triveni Continental Kings. The team chose to play with the black pieces and their plan worked to perfection. Nihal Sarin, Daniil Dubov and Marc’Andria Maurizzi all won with Black giving FYERS a huge lead. Although Sara Khadem stumbled in a drawing rook endgame against Alexandra Kosteniuk this loss did not change match as FYERS secured their second straight match win. Standings after Day 1 Schedule for Sunday, 6 September 20263.30 PM: Alpine APL Pipers vs Ganges Grandmasters5.00 PM: CheQ Mumba Masters vs PBG Alaskan Knights6.30 PM: Ganges Grandmasters vs FYERS American Gambits8.00 PM: Triveni Continental Kings vs CheQ Mumba Masters GCL official website: https://globalchessleague.com/
England and Slovenia triumph in European Senior Team Championship 2026
The European Senior Team Chess Championship 2026 concluded yesterday in Hersonissos, Crete, Greece. The event took place from August 26 to September 5 at the Hotel Royal Belvedere in Hersonissos and brought together 32 teams and 150 players competing in two age categories: 50+ and 65+. Each tournament was played over 9 rounds using the Swiss system, with classical time control. England 1 dominated the Open 50+ section, scoring a convincing 17 match points (8 match wins and 1 drawn match). Italy followed with 16 match points and took silver, while the Netherlands and Slovakia tied for third place with 13 match points each. The Netherlands claimed the bronze medal on tiebreak, while Slovakia finished in fourth place. After nine rounds in the Open 65+ section, Slovenia and England 1 tied for first place with 16 match points each. The tiebreak criteria favoured Slovenia, who clinched the gold medal, while England 1 claimed silver. Italy followed with 15 match points to complete the podium. Competing in the Open 50+ category, England’s women’s team was crowned European Women’s Senior Team Champions 2026. The final rankings of both sections can be found here. The closing ceremony was attended by ECU Director of Strategic Projects Ms. Nina Rob, ECU Honorary Vice President Mr. Malcolm Pein, and representatives of the Municipality of Hersonissos, who awarded the winners and top finishers. The best players on each board in each section were awarded medals. Open 50+ section:Board 1: 1. GM Michele Godena (ITA); 2. GM Lubomir Ftacnik (SVK); 3. GM Stuart Conquest (ENG)Board 2: 1. GM Daniel Gormally (ENG); 2. GM Alberto David (ITA); 3. IM Mark Van Der Werf (NED)Board 3: 1. IM Fabrizio Bellia (ITA); 2. GM Mark Hebden (ENG); 3. IM Martin Martens (NED)Board 4: 1. GM John Emms (ENG); 2. IM Carlo D’Amore (ITA); 3. FM Claudiu Andrei Zetocha (SVK)Board 5: 1. IM Graeme Buckley (ENG); 2. Clive Frostick (ENG); 3. IM Giulio Borgo (ITA) Open 65+ section:Board 1: 1. GM Carlos Horacio Garcia Palermo (ITA); 2. GM John Nunn (ENG); 3. GM Alexander Beliavsky (SLO)Board 2: 1. GM Lexy Ortega (ITA); 2. GM Anthony Kosten (ENG); 3. Paul Townsend (ENG)Board 3: 1. IM Leon Mazi (SLO); 2. FM Markky Henttinen (FIN); 3. FM Mario Sibilio (ITA)Board 4: 1. IM Vojko Mencinger (SLO); 2. FM Ivano Ceschia (ITA); 3. Edgar Wilson (ENG)Board 5: 1. IM Peter Large (ENG); 2. FM Olivier Tassi (ITA); 3. Mats Lindgren (SWE) Text: European Chess Union Photos: Zetta Gransa
GCL Season 4 preview: What to expect as the world’s top players head to Bengaluru
The FIDE Tech Mahindra Global Chess League is returning for its fourth season. With its unique format and competition concept, GCL is looking less like an annual chess tournament and more like a mature global sports league. After Dubai, London and Mumbai, Season 4 will take place in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru, from 5th to 13th September. With India being one of the fastest-growing chess markets and following an unprecedented response to Season 3 in Mumbai, hosting the event in the country for the second time in a row builds on strong Indian momentum in world chess. This is where the “India exports not only chess talent but also a chess format” narrative belongs. Season 4 will see Magnus Carlsen’s return to the competition. World Cup winner and India’s rising woman chess star Divya Deshmukh joins the GCL for the first time, while Viswanathan Anand moves from Ganges Grandmasters, where he spent the first three seasons, to PBG Alaskan Knights. The unusually strong generational pairings, the Road2GCL event prior to the season, a more ambitious technology/fan layer, and growing outside investment in franchises point to an exciting new GCL Season ahead. “We are very excited about Season 4 which is designed to deliver a bigger, bolder version of everything done in the previous three events. We will have a significantly larger fan-facing setup than in previous events, a more prominent technology layer with AR/VR and Physical AI, and we already have a refreshed set of teams promising exciting matchups and outcomes,” says Peeyush Dubey, Chairperson, Tech Mahindra Global Chess League. Bengaluru: Chess meets India’s technology capital Season 4 takes place in Bengaluru, marking a clear connection between chess and technology, which has been one of the staple points of GCL since inception. Dubbed “the Silicon Valley of India,” the city is home to India’s best-known tech companies, with a large population of students and tech professionals. This goes hand in hand with GCL positioning technology as a key tool in improving the spectator experience and engagement with chess. Bangalore Palace – the 19th century royal palace built for the Maharaja of Mysore – will host the opening ceremony while the competition itself will take place at The Lalit Ashok luxury hotel. Taking chess beyond the venue, GCL also continued with its Road2GCL programme which was launched in 2025 and saw online and in-person competitions. The year-round engagement platform is designed to bring players, creators, fans to celebrate chess through different events. When GCL launched four years ago featuring a franchise league structure, some doubted the chances of this approach succeeding in chess. Still, with Season 4 lined up, the league has moved from proving that franchise chess can work to building continuity. According to the analysis provided by GCL, the media reach grew 65% from Season 1 to Season 3, while the media value of the project increased 2.4 times. Magnus Carlsen’s return and Divya Deshmukh’s debut From a purely chess perspective, the biggest news of Season Four is the return of Magnus Carlsen after he skipped Season 3. The Norwegian returns as the Icon player of the Alpine APL Pipers, the defending champions of the League. It is not just Carlsen who makes Pipers the top favourites this season. The team lineup features Anish Giri and Vidit Gujrathi on Men’s Superstar boards. The Pipers also strengthened their women’s ranks, with Koneru Humpy being joined by Divya Deshmukh, the rising sensation who took the Women’s World Cup by surprise. At 19, she defeated Humpy in the FIDE Women’s World Cup final in Batumi. The victory made her the first Indian winner of the Women’s World Cup and earnt her the Grandmaster title. The Humpy – Divya tandem also tells another compelling story of GCL: two generations of elite Indian women players in the same team, highlighting that generational dynamics are also a big GCL feature. The team’s Prodigy board will be manned by Volodar Murzin, the 2024 World Rapid Chess Champion. Viswanathan Anand changes teams for Season 4 One of the most visible changes this season involves Viswanathan Anand. After representing Ganges Grandmasters for the first three editions, the five-time World Champion moves to PBG Alaskan Knights and takes their Icon board. Anand will be leading one of the youngest teams in the League: with the 15-year-old Turkish star Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus joining Arjun Erigaisi on the Superstar Men boards. Kateryna Lagno and Nino Batsiashvili fill the Superstar Women positions, while Abhimanyu Mishra (17) makes his league debut as the team’s Prodigy. Anand, therefore, enters Season 4 alongside some of the youngest players in elite chess. The other franchises have taken different approaches. Two-time champions Triveni Continental Kings have retained much of their established core, including Alireza Firouzja, Wei Yi, Alexandra Kosteniuk, and Zhu Jiner. Ganges Grandmasters have built around experience, with Ian Nepomniachtchi taking the Icon board alongside Levon Aronian and Leinier Dominguez. Mumba Masters continue with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave as their Icon, while FYERS American Gambits enter the season with World Champion Candidate Javokhir Sindarov leading a squad that also includes Daniil Dubov and Nihal Sarin. A particularly strong “old guard vs. next generation” season The generational divide is another defining characteristic of Season 4. At one end there are seasoned champions Anand, Carlsen, Aronian, Nepomniachtchi, MVL, Humpy, Kosteniuk. At the other end – rising stars: Divya, Erdogmus, Abhimanyu Mishra, Murzin, Pranav Venkatesh, Leon Mendonca, and others. The team structure of the competition means that different generations will not just be playing against or alongside one another, but they will depend on one another for the team result. Why GCL plays differently from a traditional chess tournament The competition format remains GCL’s biggest competitive differentiator. For those new to GCL, this format is the main thing to understand ahead of the event. Six franchises compete in a double round-robin league stage before the knockouts to determine the champion. Each team fields six players across six boards at the same time in a match. The teams consist
Chess is getting its own home on the internet: FIDE and World Chess apply for the .chess domain extension
The application for the game’s official top-level domain has been submitted to ICANN – the first chance in over a decade to create one. If approved, every federation, club, tournament and titled player will be able to carry a verified domain name ending in .chess. LAUSANNE / LONDON, September 1, 2026 – The International Chess Federation (FIDE) and World Chess (LSE: CHSS), FIDE’s official commercial partner, announce that an application has been submitted to ICANN, the organisation that governs internet names, for .chess – a new top-level domain (TLD) built for the game. The application was filed in ICANN’s first new-domain window since 2012, through a dedicated subsidiary of World Chess and on behalf of FIDE. The application was submitted as a community one – this status provides it with potential leverage over any competing applications for the same string through ICANN’s Community Priority Evaluation process. Today, the chess-related domains are scattered across .com, .org and dozens of country-code strings, and nothing marks them as belonging to the game. .chess changes that. Just as .com serves commerce, .chess will serve one game: a dedicated, officially recognised TLD where every name – be it for a national federation or a neighbourhood club, a super-tournament or a grandmaster’s own page – is verified as genuine part of the chess world. What .chess means for the chess world National federations will receive dedicated .chess domains, allocated in coordination with FIDE – a common, recognisable internet identifier system for organised chess in every country. Clubs, academies, organisers, platforms, media and players will be able to register names that instantly say what they are: a string built for the game, backed by the institution that has governed it since 1924, and operated by World Chess. Under the agreement, FIDE acts as the institutional sponsor of the domain and receives a share of the revenues it generates, together with an allocation of domains within the TLD. World Chess manages the application, funds the project and, if the application is successful, will operate the extension on FIDE’s behalf. The initiative is a part of the broader programme by FIDE to build the sport’s digital infrastructure. First move for the community Registration will open only if and when ICANN approves the application. Ahead of that, an early-access list is open at worldchess.com/domains: members of the list will receive regular project updates, including notices of the upcoming domain registration availability, allowing them to be among the first to secure the names they are interested in. Viswanathan Anand, Interim FIDE President “Chess deserves its own place on the internet – one where a player, a parent or a sponsor can see at a glance that a domain is genuinely part of the game. .chess will give our federations and our community a shared, trusted home online, and I am glad that FIDE is anchoring it together with World Chess.” Ilya Merenzon, CEO of World Chess “Chess has everything a major sport needs — ratings, titles, a global federation, a billion-strong audience – everything except its own territory on the internet. .chess is that territory. Approval is not guaranteed, and ICANN’s process is rigorous. But this is infrastructure the game deserves, and together with FIDE we intend to build it – and to hand every federation, club and player a domain that says exactly who they are. FIDE – the international governing body for chess, recognised by the International Olympic Committee, with 200+ national federations – has endorsed the application as institutional sponsor. The Company’s management believes the application is strongly positioned in the Community Priority Evaluation.” For national chess federations Federations will receive further information from FIDE and World Chess about their dedicated domain names as the ICANN process advances. Questions and expressions of interest can be sent to im@worldchess.com – no action is required at this stage. You can find more information and sign up for alerts at worldchess.com/domains. About World Chess World Chess (LSE: CHSS) is a London-based chess gaming and entertainment company and FIDE’s official commercial partner. World Chess organised the FIDE World Championship Matches in the USA and the UK and revolutionised the sport by signing the biggest media partnerships in chess history. World Chess is the creator and operator of Armageddon, the chess league for prime-time television. For more information, visit worldchess.com. Media contacts World Chess – Ilya Merenzon, Chief Executive Officer: merenzon@worldchess.com FIDE – Press Office: press@fide.com
FIDE September 2026 rating list published
The FIDE September 2026 rating list was primarily shaped by the Grand Chess Tour Sinquefield Cup, the GCT Finals, the Cairns Cup, and several open tournaments across Europe. Wesley So triumphantly returned to the Top 5 Open after a nearly four-year hiatus, following his victory in the Sinquefield Cup and a third-place finish in the Grand Chess Tour Finals. Meanwhile, the 2026 GCT winner, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, climbed to 8th position and is now back in the Top 10. Photo: Lennart Ootes On the women’s list, Tan Zhongyi returned to the Top 5 after a seven-month absence following her triumph at the 2026 Cairns Cup. Biggest rating gains in top 100 Open and Women lists Modipalli Deekshitha WCM IND 2454 (+297) Kaliakhmet, Elnaz WIM KAZ 2347 (+43) Toncheva, Nadya FM BUL 2408 (+36) Puranik, Abhimanyu GM IND 2629 (+26) Lee, Alice IM USA 2453 (+23) Salimova, Nurgyul IM BUL 2439 (+23) Muradli, Mahammad GM AZE 2653 (+23) Guichard, Pauline IM FRA 2344 (+20) Tan, Zhongyi GM CHN 2536 (+16) Yu, Jennifer FM USA 2354 (+14) Deekshitha Modipalli (pictured below) of India became the biggest rating gainer on record (since we began publishing these reports), boosting her Elo by a phenomenal 297 points following her strong performances at the XIV Torneo Internacional Cidade de Pontevedra “Masters” (+175) and the Leca Chess Open 2026 (+122). Photo: Leca Chess Open These extraordinary results catapulted the Indian rising star straight to 23rd position on the women’s list and third place on the women’s junior list. Remarkably, she earned as many as 469 rating points across just four tournaments! Undoubtedly, the Indian teenager is the player to watch in the coming months. Elnaz Kaliakhmet overperformed at the Kanizsa Open – Group A, earning 43 rating points, while Nadya Toncheva added 36 points to her tally for her third-place finish at the 35th Open Chess Tournament of Kavala. Photo: Maria Emelianova Mahammad Muradli (pictured above) and Abhimanyu Puranik shone in the Türkiye Chess Super League and the French Team Championship, where they collected 26 and 23 rating points, respectively. Notably, the Azerbaijani GM reached a career-high 64th position on the list. The runner-up of the Cairns Cup, Alice Lee (pictured below), finished just a half-point behind the champion but has every reason to celebrate: her strong performance in this elite tournament brought her 23 rating points and her first GM norm. Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club / Crystal Fuller Brandon Jacobson made his debut in the Top 100 Open after winning the 50è Open Internacional d’Escacs Vila de Sitges Grup A, a result that earned him 18 points. Pauline Guichard lost in a tiebreak for the title at the French Women’s Championship, but she might have found solace in gaining 20 rating points and returning to the Top 100 Women. For more information, visit: https://ratings.fide.com/
FIDE Electoral Commission publishes lists of valid candidacies
The FIDE Electoral Commission has published its report dated August 30, 2026, approving the lists of valid applications for the positions of Elected Vice President, Member of the Constitutional Commission, and Zonal President. Valid candidacies for Elected Vice President The Electoral Commission approved the following candidacies: • Igor Glek (BEL)• George Mastrokoukos (CAN)• Yuhua Xu (CHN)• Yassin Souleiman Hassan (DJI)• Martha Fierro Baquero (ECU)*• Georgios Makropoulos (GRE)• David Llada Fernandez (ESP)• Javier Ochoa De Echaguen (ESP)• Bharat Singh Chauhan (IND)• Willy Iclicki (LIE)• Susan Namangale (MAW)• Olalekan Adeyemi (NGR)• Joran Aulin-Jansson (NOR)• Prospero A. Pichay Jr. (PHI)• Pavel Kolobkov (RUS)• Fouad Fahmi Darwish (UAE)• Michael Khodarkovsky (USA)• Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB) *The Electoral Commission requires Ms. Martha Fierro Baquero to amend her application as a condition for confirming the validity of her candidacy, including information about her conviction by a national criminal court of international abduction of a minor and sentencing to two years and six months of imprisonment. Four Elected Vice Presidents will be elected in accordance with the FIDE Electoral Rules. Valid candidacies for Member of the Constitutional Commission The Electoral Commission approved the following two candidacies: • Francois Paul Strydom (RSA)• Jorge Alfredo Arias Bouzada (URU) The 2026 election is an interim election concerning one position on the Constitutional Commission. Valid candidacies for Zonal Presidents The Electoral Commission also approved the following list of valid candidacies for Zonal Presidents: EuropeZone 1.4• Milan Roman (SVK)Zone 1.7• Toms Kalnins (LAT)Zone 1.10• Paris Klerides (CYP)AmericasZone 2.3• Allan Herbert (BAR)Zone 2.4• Kaiser Luiz Mafra (BRA)• Victor Pimentel Mendoza (PER)Zone 2.5• Alejandra Andrea Diaz Sepulveda (CHI)AsiaZone 3.1• Dhafer Abdulameer Madhloom (IRQ)• Sabri AbdulMawla Sallam (YEM)Zone 3.2• Syed Shahab Uddin (BAN)• Malinda Seneviratne (SRI)Zone 3.4• Aizharkyn Shyngys Kyzy (KGZ)• Zafar Mirzo (TJK)• Vepa Malikgulyyev (TKM)• Hulkar Tohirjonova (UZB)• Khusan Turdialiev (UZB)Zone 3.5• Huanyu Chen (CHN)Zone 3.6• Shaun Patrick Press (PNG)Zone 3.7• Sanjay Kumar Chadha (IND) Elections for the Zones of the African Continent were already held in July 2026. For some Zones, no valid candidacies have been submitted. In specific exceptional cases, the Electoral Commission indicated that a new deadline for submitting candidacies may be authorised, subject to the consensus of all Member Federations belonging to the respective Zone, and no later than September 10, 2026. The full list of decisions of the FIDE Electoral Commission is available in the attached report (PDF).
Batumi to host FIDE World Cadet Championships 2026: Registration now open
The clock is ticking for the world’s brightest young chess talents. FIDE and the Georgian Chess Federation are pleased to announce that the 2026 World Cadet Championships will take place in the Black Sea resort of Batumi, Georgia, from November 21 to 29, 2026. Forty-eight of the planet’s best young players, split across six categories (Open and Girls Under-8, Under-10, and Under-12), will compete in a high-stakes round-robin format over 7 rounds. The time control is 90 minutes per player, plus a 30-second increment starting from move one. All 48 participants are invited players with personal rights, entitling them to free full-board accommodation for the duration of the Championship. Player selection for the 2026 World Cadet Championships is as follows: 3 spots – The three winners of the 2026 World Cup U8-U12. 4 spots – One nomination from each continent. Nominations shall be sent by the Continental Presidents’ offices. 1 spot – Nomination from the organizing federation If a participating federation does not register an invited player for any reason, or if a continent does not accept the invitation by the deadline, the spots will become FIDE EVE wildcards. The deadline for registration is October 12, 2026. In addition to the FIDE titles and medals, the top three players in each category will be awarded a cup, medal, diploma, and a brand-new Apple device. Every participant will receive an official certificate to commemorate their journey. National Federations must handle the registration process for participants and accompanying persons and shall be responsible for the expenses of coaches and parents. Incomplete or individual registrations will not be accepted; only official federation forms submitted by October 12 will be considered. For full details, visa information, and the official registration form, please visit: For full details, visa information, and the official registration form, visit:https://wcc2026.fide.comOr contact: wcc@fide.com Invitation, schedule, regulations (PDF)
2026 2nd FIDE Council Meeting, August 23: List of decisions
2nd FIDE Council Meeting August 23, 2026 List of decisions CM2-2026/01 To note Interim President’s report. CM2-2026/02 To approve Treasurer’s report CM2-2026/03 To support in principle the suggested amendments to the FIDE Charter and to submit them to the General Assembly. To submit these amendments for review by the FIDE Constitutional Commission and to suggest corrections where necessary. CM2-2026/04 To support in principle the suggested amendments to the FIDE Electoral rules and to submit them to the General Assembly. To submit these amendments for review by the FIDE Constitutional Commission and to suggest corrections where necessary. CM2-2026-05 In connection with the request from the Chess Federation of Uzbekistan regarding the possibility of participation of the Chess Federation of Russia and the Chess Federation of Rwanda in the framework of the 2026 Chess Olympiad, the Council confirmed that the right to participate in the Chess Olympiad 2026 is held only by the national team of a federation whose membership is valid and has not been suspended in accordance with Article 13 of the FIDE Charter. CM2-2026-06 To approve the Regulations for the FIDE World Championship Match 2026. CM2-2026/07 To approve the Regulations for the World Cup 2027 CM2-2026/08 To approve the Regulations for the Women’s World Cup 2027. CM2-2026/09 To note the Constitutional Commission’s report. CM2-2026/10 To note the Global Strategy Commission’s report CM2-2026/11 To note the Arbiters’ Commission’s report CM2-2026/12 To approve the recommendations of the Arbiters’ Commission on Seminars, Classification upgrades, Amendments to the lecturer list, FA norms, and titles. CM2-2026/13 To approve the recommendations of the Qualification Commission on titles. CM2-2026/14 To approve the proposal of the Qualification Commission to introduce a “Deceased” status or indicator to the FIDE profile instead of hiding it. CM2-2026/15 To approve the proposal of the Qualification Commission and the General Strategy Commission to add to article 1.2.2 of the Title Regulations “Only players registered with Federations contained within the Continent, Region or Zone organising the event shall be eligible to participate in these events.” CM2-2026/16 To approve the recommendations of the Trainers’ Commission on titles and Academies. CM2-2026/17 To approve the recommendations of the Events Commission on titles. CM2-2026/18 To approve the recommendations of the Chess in Education Commission on titles. CM2-2026/19 To approve the recommendations of the Fair Play Commission on titles. CM2-2026/20 To further discuss the proposed draft of the Laws of Chess by a working group led by FIDE Executive Director V. Bologan. CM2-2026/21 To note the Social Commission’s report. CM2-2026/22To note the Commission’s for Women’s Chess report. CM2-2026/23 To note Continental Presidents’ reports. CM2-2026/24 To formally refer the complaints regarding the ACC Continental elections to the Constitutional Commission, instructing it to provide a formal opinion on whether there are legal grounds under Article 27.3 for non-recognition of the elections; and also to provide a recommendation on any other legally binding actions to be taken by the Council. CM2-2026/25 To approve that the Asian Chess Federation shall have its continental elections 21-24 December 2026 in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. CM2-2026/26 To acknowledge the information regarding the election of the President of the Afghanistan Chess Federation held on 30 July 2026 and to recognize the results of the said election. To terminate, with immediate effect, the mandate of Mr. Adzhmal Mangal as the Special Envoy for Afghan Chess. To instruct the FIDE Secretariat to update the FIDE Directory and all relevant official records accordingly. CM2-2026/27 To take note of the information regarding the current situation of the Maldives Chess Federation. To recognise the Interim Committee as caretaker for the federation. To appoint Mr. Victor Bologan as FIDE authorised observer for the future elections at the Maldives Chess Federation, with immediate effect and until further notice. To authorize Mr. Bologan also to provide necessary advice and assistance on behalf of FIDE to the Interim Committee and the Federation. CM2-2026/28 To take note of the information regarding the current situation and to welcome the recent developments within the Sierra Leone Chess Federation. To officially recognize Dr. Samzu Agbaje as the duly appointed Delegate of the Sierra Leone Chess Federation to the FIDE Congress, with all associated rights, duties, and responsibilities, effective immediately. To terminate, with immediate effect, the mandate, special powers, and functions previously assigned to Mr. Nigel Short in any capacity in relation to the Sierra Leone Chess Federation, acknowledging that his intervention is no longer required. To instruct the FIDE Secretariat to update the FIDE Directory and all relevant official records to reflect Dr. Samzu Agbaje as the official FIDE Delegate for Sierra Leone. CM2-2026/29 To take note of the application for Affiliated Membership status submitted by the Somaliland Chess Association. To take note of the opinion provided by the African Chess Confederation (ACC) regarding this application. To reject the application of the Somaliland Chess Association for admission as an Affiliated Member of FIDE. CM2-2026/30 To note the information regarding FIDE Awards and request the FIDE Council members to provide their nominees. CM2-2026/31 To approve the Agenda for the FIDE General Assembly and to request the official opinion of the Constitutional Commission regarding the final composition of the items.
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu wins Grand Chess Tour 2026
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu overcame a six-point deficit on the final day to defeat Fabiano Caruana 15–13 and claim the 2026 Grand Chess Tour title. In the match for third place, Wesley So prevailed over Vincent Keymer after sweeping all four blitz games. The 2026 Grand Chess Tour season culminated at the GCT Finals, held at the Saint Louis Chess Club from August 22–27. The four highest-ranked full-tour players after the regular season – Seed No. 1 Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Seed No. 2 Wesley So, Seed No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, and Seed No. 4 Vincent Keymer – contested a knockout tournament for the GCT crown. Each match included two Classical games, two Rapid games, and four Blitz games. The total prize fund was $450,000, distributed as follows: $200,000 for first place, $125,000 for second, $75,000 for third, and $50,000 for fourth. Semifinals Praggnanandhaa defeated Vincent Keymer in convincing fashion, winning the point-heavy classical and rapid segments and punching his ticket to the final before the blitz portion. The second semifinal, Fabiano Caruana vs. Wesley So, was a much closer affair. After the two classical games were drawn, Caruana pulled ahead by winning the bonus blitz game. The opponents then split the points in the rapid encounters to settle the matter in blitz. After scoring victories in the first and third games and drawing the second, Caruana advanced to the final. Final and third-place matchCaruana got off to a strong start, defeating Praggnanandhaa in the first classical game with the white pieces. The Indian GM came very close to leveling the match in the return game but did not manage to capitalize on his winning chances and had to settle for a draw. Heading into the final day six points down (3–9), Praggnanandhaa roared back, winning both rapid games to seize an 11–9 lead. Caruana evened the score after winning the second blitz game, but Praggnanandhaa responded strongly in the next one, restoring a two-point lead. The Indian GM achieved a completely winning position in the final blitz game but opted to force a draw by perpetual check, securing the title. In the third-place match, Vincent Keymer obtained a two-point edge over Wesley So after winning the bonus blitz game (both classical games were drawn). The opponents traded victories in the rapid segment, but the blitz portion of the match was completely dominated by So, who won all four games to secure third place. Final standings Photos: Grand Chess Tour / Lennart Ootes Official website: https://grandchesstour.org/
FIDE stands with Nepal’s chess community in the wake of devastating floods
Dear President and Members of the Nepal Chess Federation, On behalf of FIDE and in my capacity as Interim President, I wish to express my deepest condolences and solidarity following the tragic floods that struck Nepal on 26 August. We are deeply saddened by the loss of life and the suffering caused by this devastating disaster. Our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones, their homes, or their livelihoods, as well as with the communities affected by the floods. At this difficult time, I would like to convey FIDE’s sincere support to the Nepal Chess Federation and to the entire chess community in Nepal. We stand with you in solidarity and hope that the rescue and recovery efforts will bring relief to those affected and that the country will recover swiftly from this tragedy. Please convey our heartfelt condolences to all members of the Nepalese chess community and, above all, to those who have been personally affected by this disaster. With deepest sympathy and solidarity, Viswanathan AnandInterim President FIDE