A night of celebration and chess: World Under-16 Chess Olympiad begins in Barranquilla, Colombia
Yesterday, the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, hosted the grand opening ceremony of the World Under-16 Chess Olympiad at the Elías Chegwin Coliseum. With delegations from 45 countries and 86 teams, the parade of flags filled the arena with color and excitement, marking the official start of one of the world’s most prestigious youth chess competitions. The evening was filled with joy, music, and culture, concluding with an unforgettable performance by the winner of Yo me llamo Shakira, who thrilled the audience with her show. Prominent figures from the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and FIDE America attended the event, reaffirming international support for the growth of chess in Colombia and highlighting the significance of this global sporting occasion. Distinguished personalities from the chess world, as well as from the sporting and cultural spheres, were present, including José Carrillo Pujol, President of FIDE America; the FIDE America board; Akaki Iashvili, FIDE Special Tasks Director; Victor Bologan, FIDE Executive Director; Dr. Vivi Barguil, Executive Director of the Rueda Rueda Foundation; Weymar Muñoz, President of the Colombian Chess Federation; and Daniel Trujillo, Sports Secretary, along with delegates, federation presidents, and representatives of various partner organizations. FIDE Executive Director Victor Bologan and FIDE Continental President for the Americas José Carrillo Pujol made the first ceremonial moves, officially setting the competition underway. The Colombian Chess Federation extends its deepest gratitude to all the individuals, institutions, and organizations that made this Olympiad possible—especially the sponsors, whose support has helped transform Barranquilla into the world epicenter of youth chess. Photos: Federación Colombiana de Ajedrez Official website: youtholympiad2025.fide.com/
GCT Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz: Levon Aronian captures the title
Levon Aronian won the Grand Chess Tour Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz in convincing fashion, finishing three points ahead of runner-up Fabiano Caruana. Held at the World Chess Hall of Fame in St. Louis, Missouri, from August 11–15, the final rapid and blitz event of the 2025 season featured six full-tour players and four wildcards. The tournament included nine rounds of rapid (2 points for a win, 1 for a draw), followed by eighteen rounds of blitz (1 point for a win), for a total of 135 games across five days. The rapid section turned into an exciting race between Caruana and Aronian. After defeating his main rival in their head-to-head clash, Caruana topped the rapid standings with an excellent 14/18, while Aronian trailed just one point behind. The oldest participant in the field, Aronian carried his strong form into the blitz, notably winning both games against Caruana and securing the title with two rounds to spare. Caruana, the leader after the rapid, struggled in the blitz as surprising mistakes and blunders crept into his play. Even so, his strong rapid result was enough to keep him in second place, just half a point ahead of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Despite finishing only sixth in the blitz, the Frenchman retained his third overall position and, thanks to that result, climbed to the top of the Grand Chess Tour standings—most likely punching his ticket to the Tour Finals in São Paulo. Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who started the blitz segment seventh in the standings, produced a remarkable surge by tying for first place in the blitz portion and ultimately finishing fourth, just half a point behind MVL. World Champion Gukesh D delivered a solid showing in the rapid, but a seventh-place finish in the blitz left him in the sixth position overall. Photos: Saint Louis Chess Club / Lennart Ootes Official website: grandchesstour.org/
Vincent Keymer wins Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025
GM Vincent Keymer clinched the title at the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025 with an impressive score of 7/9. The German chess star secured the championship and the first prize of almost $30,000 with a round to spare, earning 21 rating points in the process. He is now likely to debut in the top 10 of the FIDE September rating list. The 2025 Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters, a 10-player round-robin with classical time control, was held from August 6–15 in the capital of Tamil Nadu. Third seed Keymer made a blazing start, winning his first three games and taking the lead, which he never relinquished. Heading into the final round with the title already secured, he outplayed Ray Robson with the black pieces to finish with a +5 score. Anish Giri pulled off a crucial final-round victory over Jorden van Foreest in a hectic game to catch up with top seed Arjun Erigaisi and Murali Karthikeyan, who drew their game. This trio tied for second place on 5/9, with Giri taking silver and Erigaisi bronze based on the Sonneborn-Berger tiebreak. Keymer and Giri were the only players to remain unbeaten in the event. Final standings: 1 GM Keymer, Vincent GER 2730 7 2 GM Giri, Anish NED 2748 5 3 GM Erigaisi, Arjun IND 2776 5 4 GM Karthikeyan, Murali IND 2658 5 5 GM Nihal, Sarin IND 2692 4½ 6 GM Liang, Awonder USA 2696 4½ 7 GM Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi IND 2720 4 8 GM Van Foreest, Jorden NED 2697 4 9 GM Pranav, V IND 2597 3 10 GM Robson, Ray USA 2687 3 Photos: ChesssBase India
FIDE Education Commission announces its 28th “Preparation of Teachers” course
FIDE Chess in Education Commission is pleased to announce the dates of the new Preparation of Teachers course. The course will be held online in English from August 22-24, 2025. The target audience is teachers, chess educators, beginner and advanced players with basic chess knowledge and experience working with children. This brand-new course is focused on chess as an educational tool in the classroom. Participants, based upon their exam results, qualify for the FIDE title of School Instructor. Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be offered lifetime access to the Opening Master premium chess databases, which currently hold more than 9.6 million official over-the-board human chess games and are growing on a monthly basis. Read the detailed course description here. Candidates who wish to attend the course must complete and return the following registration form: cloud.fide.com/s/kBpkMnW4XydtKd5 The cut-off date for applications is August 19. Applicants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and the maximum number of places on each course is 20. Note: Titles are conferred during the subsequent FIDE Council meeting and will reflect on FIDE profiles approximately four weeks thereafter. Share with colleagues and friends! Let’s make chess education more accessible and effective together! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at edu.courses@fide.com
FIDE opens bidding process for the 2026 Candidates and Women’s Candidates Tournaments
The International Chess Federation has officially opened the bidding process for one of the most anticipated events on the chess calendar – the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament and the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament, two major events scheduled to begin between 25 March and 5 April 2026. As the final step in the qualification for the World Championship Match, the Candidates is the gateway to challenging for the ultimate title in chess. It is one of the most-watched events in the sport, bringing together the world’s best players in an intense battle of skill, preparation, and endurance. Key facts and requirements: 8 participants in each tournament Duration: up to 22 days Minimum prize funds: Open Candidates – €700,000 (up from €500,000 in 2024) Women’s Candidates – €300,000 (up from €250,000 in 2024) Minimum combined prize fund: €1,000,000 All organisers must respect FIDE sponsor and partner rights, including video and game broadcast Bids are open to any FIDE member federation or organiser approved by their national federation. The bid submission period runs from August 12 to October 15, 2025 (23:59 Lausanne time), with all documents submitted in English to office@fide.com. The FIDE General Strategy Commission will evaluate all applications, and the FIDE Council will approve the final host city. Full bidding regulations for both events can be found in the official documents: Regulations for the FIDE Candidates 2026 Regulations for the FIDE Women’s Candidates 2026 Call for bids – FIDE Candidates Tournaments 2026 Bidding Form (DOCX)
idChess Technology at the WSTCC 2025: Live streaming, VAR, and video highlights
The 2025 World Schools Team Championship took place at Episcopal High School — just 11 kilometers from downtown Washington, D.C. — from August 3–7, bringing together over 50 teams from six continents. For the first time in the history of the competition, it featured innovative idChess technology for real-time game broadcasting to chess fans around the world. idChess enables live game broadcasting on any chessboard using only a smartphone: phones are mounted on tripods beside the boards, and games are automatically converted into PGN format through computer vision and AI technologies. The platform also supports VAR — a video assistant for chess — helping arbiters make informed decisions in controversial situations. In July 2023, FIDE announced the adoption of idChess VAR at international tournaments, marking a new approach to officiating and ensuring fair play while providing players, coaches, and fans with richer content and deeper insight into games. Another notable feature is the automatic creation of video highlights. Trained on millions of chess games, the idChess neural network identifies and marks the best moves and combinations. The platform then generates short video clips, which tournament organizers can publish on their page on the idChess Media Platform. Watch the games of the World School Team Championship here. “The World Schools Team Championship is not only a celebration of young chess talents but also a platform for innovation,” said FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. “By integrating idChess into this year’s event, we are setting a new standard in how youth competitions are run and experienced around the world. It reflects our commitment to making chess more accessible and engaging, especially for the next generation.” idChess technology is now used at tournaments in more than 150 countries, including national championships, international opens, school competitions, and regular chess club meetings. The platform is recognized for its simplicity, requiring only smartphones, tripods, and a stable internet connection. For organizers, idChess offers a fast and affordable way to enter the world of digital broadcasting. Schools and federations can adopt the system with minimal technical training, opening new possibilities for promotion, engagement, and game review. Organizers can submit a request to receive free access to a tournament organizer account. idChess official website: idchess.com/
FIDE World Junior Rapid and Blitz Championships 2025: Registration deadline extended
FIDE and the Peruvian Chess Sports Federation invite all FIDE member federations to participate in the World Junior U20 Rapid & Blitz Championships 2025. The championships will be held in Lima, the capital of Peru from September 22 (arrival) to September 29 (departure) 2025. Each federation can register an unlimited number of players. The winners of the World Junior U20 Rapid and Blitz Championship 2024 and the first 10 players on the starting list (10 from the open list and 10 from the girls’ list) will receive free accommodation in a double room and full board. FIDE member Federations should proceed with the registration of their participants. The registration deadline has been extended to August 22, 2025. E-mail: juniorrapidblitz@fide.com Official website: fidewj2025.com/ Regulations, schedule, visa information (PDF) https://youtu.be/jbd8YVORXTY
Michael Adams wins his ninth British Chess Championship; Yao and Mirzoeva tie for Women’s title
Michael Adams, the king of British chess, won his ninth national title on Sunday in a sensational three-way playoff finish to the 111th British Chess Championships in Liverpool. The 53-year-old Cornishman, nicknamed “The Spider”, showed all his class to win the rapidplay tiebreaker ahead of International Master Peter Roberson and Grandmaster Stuart Conquest, the 2008 champion. All three had tied on 7/9 during the regular nine-round championship at Liverpool’s magnificent St George’s Hall. Full list of prizewinners here Adams, who led throughout, takes home £5,000 and the British Crown Trophy he first won in 1989 from the English Chess Federation organised event. Meanwhile, Lan Yao and Elmira Mirzoeva, both WGM title-holders, were crowned joint 2025 British Women’s champions. Lan drew in the final-round, while Mirzoeva won to finish level on 6/9. It was Lan’s fourth title in a row and Mirzoeva’s first. Other notable results: 10-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan won her final WIM norm William Claridge-Hansen has an IM norm 11-year-old Supratit Banerjee gained an IM norm Roberson and Conquest, the winner the last time the British was in Liverpool 17 years ago, both had an incredible tournament. The playoff format dictated Roberson and Conquest fight it out for the right to play Adams over two 10+5 games. The 58-year-old Conquest (pictured below), affectionately known as “The Fox”, rolled back the years to emerge with a 2-0 win and get a chance to take the crown. But, in a battle of the golden oldies, the overwhelming favourite Adams was too strong and claimed the 2025 title. Adams is now behind only Jonathan Penrose, who won 10 titles between 1958 and 1969, in the all-time list of British champions. “Another brilliant win for the Cornish sensation,” Grandmaster Danny Gormally, the ECF’s expert commentator, said. “An unbelieveable score!” Over 1,000 chess players from across the UK, including the best of Britain’s grandmasters and child prodigies, had descended on Liverpool to take part in a series of tournaments and wider chess events held over nine days. The final round of the elite nine-round Swiss championship started on Sunday with six players locked on 6/8. Any one of three grandmasters in Adams, Nikita Vitiugov and Conquest plus three International Masters in Roberson, Richard Pert and the Pole Maciej Czopor could have gone on to win. It was tense. First, Roberson downed Pert to go ahead before Adams won his final game to force a playoff with a trademark grinding win over Czopor. Conquest, who was in also fine form throughout, then won his place in the playoff by sensationally downing England’s current number-one Vitiugov. “I don’t think we’ve seen the best yet of Vitiugov, I’m pretty certain of that,” Gormally said. “He will win national titles, there’s no question about it. He wasn’t at his best in this tournament.” Shreyas Royal, England’s youngest ever grandmaster (pictured below, right), had challenged until the eighth round when a loss to Conquest ended his chances. The 16-year-old was then beaten at the last by 22-year-old International Master Jonah Willow. However, Royal’s strong showing demonstrated his time will come. Another youngster who put in an impressive show was 11-year-old Supratit Banerjee who finished on 6/9 having beaten two grandmasters and sealed his first IM norm. Gormally tipped the youngster as a shoe-in for a future British champion. Gormally also heralded the performance of 10-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan who turned around a losing position in the final round to beat the experienced Grandmaster Peter Wells. Looking at the game, Gormally said: “How on earth did she win this? She must be some kind of magician!” Sivanandan secured her final WIM norm and is another tipped for a big future. Defending champion Gawain Jones finished on 6.5/9. He said afterwards he “wasn’t quite firing” during the tournament. The 2026 British Chess Championships, which includes age-group events from under-8 to seniors, will be held at the University of Warwick in Coventry, the English Chess Federation has announced. The event in Coventry will be the 112th British Chess Championship in a series which has run almost unbroken since 1904. Written by Leon Watson, English Chess Federation Photos: Yuri Krylov, English Chess Federation Official website: britishchesschampionships.co.uk/
Queen’s Gambit Challenge Stage 2: Registration now open
FIDE and WOM are excited to announce that registration for Stage 2 of the Queen’s Gambit Challenge – Intermediate Training is now open! Following a hugely successful first stage, which brought together 380 female players from over 50 countries, we’re back to support the next chapter in your chess journey. This stage is designed especially for female players from Level 3, 4, and 5 federations who are ready to enhance their skills, deepen their understanding of the game, and take steps toward representing their country in events like the Women’s Olympiad. The program is completely free and runs for seven weeks, featuring online lessons led by internationally recognized coaches. Key Details: Registration Deadline: September 6, 2025 Start of classes: September 20, 2025 Format: Online training led by experienced, internationally recognized coaches Duration: 7 weeks Who can join: Female players of any age from FIDE Level 3, 4, and 5 federations This initiative is part of FIDE’s broader commitment to increasing women’s participation and excellence in chess worldwide. Eligibility:Female players from FIDE Level 3, 4, and 5 federations. How to Register:Eligible participants can register by completing the form HERE. FIDE Development Levels – List of federations Federations are encouraged to invite and support their female players in taking part. Dana Reizniece, FIDE Deputy Chair of the Management Board and long-time advocate for women in chess, shared her thoughts on the initiative: “The Queen’s Gambit Challenge is not just about building chess skills, it’s also about building confidence. We want every girl and woman to feel that there’s a place for her in the chess world, no matter where she starts.” Whether you are continuing from Stage 1 or joining for the first time, we look forward to helping you take the next step in your chess journey. Let’s continue building a stronger future for women in chess, together!
Velammal MHS School (India) takes gold at 2025 World Schools Team Championship
After eight exciting rounds, the 2025 World Schools Team Championship wrapped up today in Alexandria, Virginia. Set on the beautiful campus of Episcopal High School, the event brought together some of the most talented young chess players from around the world. Rising above the rest with a perfect score, Velammal MHS School from India claimed the gold medal, winning all eight of their matches. With India continuing to make waves across all levels and formats of chess, this victory adds yet another title to the country’s growing collection. Velammal MHS is no stranger to success—former students include Grandmasters R. Praggnanandhaa and Leon Mendonca. So it came as little surprise when the team entered the final round with the top spot already secured. The race for second place was much closer, with seven teams still in contention heading into the final round. Kazakhstan’s National School of Physics and Mathematics ultimately clinched the silver medal, finishing with the same number of match points as The Harker School (USA) but edging them out on tiebreaks. The Harker School earned a well-deserved third place, just ahead of Astana 2 RSPM, who narrowly missed the podium. Top 10 Final Standings: Complete final standings In addition to team honors, board medals were awarded to players who delivered outstanding individual performances. Three participants finished with perfect scores (8 out of 8)—a remarkable achievement: Imangali Akhilbay (KAZ – National School of Physics and Mathematics) on board two (pictured below, left), Edisa Berdibaeva (KGZ – School-Gymnasium No. 11, Karakol) on board three, and Pranav K. P. (IND – Velammal MHS School), who played reserve on board five. After the final moves were played, players were treated to fun and educational excursions in Washington, D.C. They visited the National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum —two of the city’s most iconic landmarks. With most teams heading home the next day, these outings were the perfect way to cap off their time in the U.S. The week came to a close with a vibrant closing ceremony in the auditorium. The evening kicked off with music, audience engagement, and a warm welcome from the host, followed by the U.S. national anthem. David Hater, FIDE delegate and Executive Board Member of the U.S. Chess Federation, gave opening remarks before the FIDE anthem played. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich then took the stage to address the audience, extending his congratulations to the champions and gratitude to all who contributed to the event’s success: “I want to start by congratulating the winners on their great result! Your success is well-deserved, and I hope you leave here with not only medals but also with experiences that will encourage you to achieve more in life. And to all the other teams and their coaches, thank you for the passion and sportsmanship you showed. You have all made this event into a true example of what chess is all about; sportsmanship, friendship, creativity and progress.” A highlight reel followed, showing memorable moments from the week and drawing cheers as players spotted themselves and their teams on screen. Chief Arbiter Alex McFarlane then addressed the crowd, thanked the officials and arbiters, and confirmed everything was in order to begin the awards. Board medals were handed out one by one, with FIDE Vice Presidents and officials joining the Chief Arbiter to present the honours. Tournament Director Nadzeya Krauchuk took the stage next and introduced a second video, this one capturing the off-the-board moments that defined the spirit of the event. (All videos and content can be found on the official FIDE YouTube channel). Then came the big moment: the team awards. The top three schools were announced, with Velammal MHS School stepping onto the top of the podium as confetti filled the air and the Indian national anthem played. It was a joyful celebration of a week of dedication and hard work. Flags were raised, as FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich returned to the stage to officially declare the 2025 World Schools Team Championship closed. As the curtain closes on this remarkable event, what remains are the connections, memories, and achievements shared by students from across the globe. The 2025 World Schools Team Championship will be remembered not only for its competitive excellence, but also for its message of unity, friendship, and the future of chess. Written by Charlize van Zyl Photos: Michal Walusza Official website: worldschoolteam2025.fide.com/