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Ani Aronian Releases Debut Music Video "Friends"

20/07/2026 -

For years, chess fans have seen Ani Aronian, the wife of GM Levon Aronian, cheering him on from the sidelines. But long before that, she was nurturing a dream of her own. She has been writing songs since childhood, pouring her thoughts and emotions into notebooks, though she wasn't ready to share them with the world. Now, with the release of her debut music video, Friends, Ani takes the first step in a new chapter. Read on to know the story behind her music video. Photo: Elena Tash

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4th Quantbox Chennai Grandmasters Round 4: Alireza Maintains his Lead, Arjun Erigaisi Closes In

19/07/2026 -

Alireza Firouzja is maintaining his sole lead after 4 rounds at the 4th Quantbox Chennai Grandmasters Chess Tournament. In the 3rd round, there was only 1 decisive result where Arjun Erigaisi defeated Hans Niemann. In the 4th round, all games ended in a draw. Currently, Alireza is on 3/4 points with 2 wins and 2 draws, while Arjun is chasing him with 2.5/4 points. The 5th round will start on 20th July at 3:30 PM IST. Photos: Tushar Damor

BREAKING: India gets its 99th Grandmaster - Rathanvel VS

18/07/2026 -

Rathanvel V S is India's 99th Grandmaster, achieving the coveted title after crossing the 2500 Elo mark at the 3rd Guwahati Smart City International Open 2026. The Coimbatore-born chess player had already completed his GM norms in 2022, but his journey to the rating milestone became a remarkable story of resilience and perseverance. A World Youth U-10 bronze medallist and one of India's strongest International Masters for several years, Rathanvel has finally earned the title his strength had long deserved.

World Champion D Gukesh loses to Alireza Firouzja at the 4th Quantbox Chennai Grandmasters 2026

18/07/2026 -

Alireza Firouzja defeated World Champion D Gukesh to score his second consecutive win of the 4th Quantbox Chennai Grandmasters Tournament. Alireza is the only player who scored a win in 2 rounds. In the 1st round, he defeated Pranesh M, and now he has defeated Gukesh. With this win, Alireza gained a full-point lead just after 2 rounds, as all other games ended in a draw in the 2nd round too. The 3rd round will start on 18th July at 3:30 PM IST. Photos: Tushar Damor

Alireza Firouzja starts with a win at the 4th Quantbox Chennai Grandmasters 2026

17/07/2026 -

Alireza Firouzja is in red-hot form from the past few events, and he is keeping up the same form at the 4th Quantbox Chennai Grandmasters too. Alireza defeated Pranesh M with white pieces in the 1st Round. The other 3 games ended in a draw. World Champion D Gukesh drew against Nihal Sarin, Hans Niemann drew against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Dmitry Andreikin drew against Arjun Erigaisi. The 2nd round will start on 17th July at 3:30 PM IST. Photos: Tushar Damor

59th Biel Chess Festival 2026 Day 5: R Vaishali Survives a Scare against Kosteniuk

17/07/2026 -

It was a peaceful day at the 59th Biel Chess Festival as all the games in the Masters ended in a draw. Levon Aronian drew against Jose Martinez, Le Quang Liem drew against Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, and Aydin Suleymanli drew against Matthias Bluebaum. In the Genreational Challenge, Marco Materia defeated Carissa Yip, and the other 2 games ended in a draw. Vaishali survived a scare against Kosteniuk and drew the game. The 4th classical game will start on 17th July at 2 PM Local Time. Photo: Biel Chess Festival

"If You Want a GM Norm, Beat a GM" : Michal Krasenkow

16/07/2026 -

GM Michał Krasenkow sits down after a dramatic comeback win to talk about his turbulent game, his storied career, and why he has no intention of making life easy for the Indian players chasing norms. Michal dominated the 2nd Chola Chess Grandmaster Round Robin Tournament and won the event in style. Check out the interview. Photos and Interview: Devansh Singh

59th Biel Chess Festival 2026 Day 4: Le Quang Liem Catches Aronian; 16-Year-Old Finek Dominates

16/07/2026 -

It was an action-packed fourth day at the Biel International Chess Festival, highlighted by a shifting leaderboard in the Masters Triathlon, an absolute masterclass by a 16-year-old rising star, Finek Vaclav, and fierce competition across the open tournaments. In the Masters, Le Quang Liem scored his 2nd consecutive win to get into the joint lead with Levon Aronian in the leaderboards. The 3rd classical game will start on 16th July at 2 PM Local Time. Photo: Biel Chess Festival

World Champion Gukesh Returns to Action at 4th Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2026

16/07/2026 -

The wait is finally over! The fourth edition of the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2026 officially starts today, July 16th, and will run until July 22nd at The Westin in Chennai. Organized by MGD1 Esports, this has firmly established itself as India’s strongest classical invitational tournament. World Champion D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, Pranesh M, Hans Niemann, Alireza Firouzja, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Dmitry Andreikin will go up against each other in this round robin tournament.

New Qualification Paths for 2028 FIDE Candidates Tournaments

16/07/2026 -

The FIDE Council has approved qualification paths for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2028 and the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2028, following proposals developed by the Global Strategy Commission. The regulations introduce new qualification opportunities while maintaining a balanced pathway through FIDE’s premier competitions. Read the full news release by FIDE.

What Vidit and Anish teach us about learning

15/07/2026 -

"How do I get better at chess?" It's one of the most frequently asked questions, and recently, it received two different answers from two of the world's best players. Vidit Gujrathi and Anish Giri share contrasting perspectives on the process of learning. This article explores why their ideas might be two equally important pieces of the same puzzle.

59th Biel Chess Festival 2026 Day 3: Le Quang Liem and Alexandra Kosteniuk Wins in Classical

15/07/2026 -

After the 1st Day of Chess960, 2nd Day of Rapid, and rest on the 3rd day. On the 14th July, the 1st Classical Game was played in both the Masters and Generational Challenge. In the Masters, Le Quang Liem scored a win over Jose Martinez, and in the Generational Challenger, Alexandra Kosteniuk defeated Carissa Yip. The other 2 games in both groups end in a draw. The 2nd classical game will start on 15th July at 2 PM Local Time. Photo: Biel Chess Festival

Rahulkumar Rohit Dominates Jyoti CNC 1st Below 1800 Classical Rating 2026

15/07/2026 -

Top-Seeded Rahulkumar Rohit showed a dominant performance at the Jyoti CNC 1st Below 1800 Classical Rating Chess Tournament 2026 to clinch the title. Rahul scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 points to win the tournament with a clear half-point lead over the field. The tournament was organised by Jyoti Foundation from 10th to 12th July 2026 in Vadodara, Gujarat, with a total prize fund of ₹3,00,000. Check out the interview with Rahul after his victory. Photos: Maulik Rawal, Chess coach (Sports Authority of Gujarat)

Shibantak Saha wins AICF Chess For Everyone FIDE Rating in Tripura

14/07/2026 -

Shibantak Saha scored 7.5/9 points to win the AICF Chess For Everyone FIDE Rating Chess Tournament 2026 held in Tripura. Shibantak Saha, Shakya Singha Modak, and Umashankar Dutta scored the same 7.5/9 points to finish in the top 3 according to tiebreak scores. The All Tripura Chess Association organised this tournament from 26th to 30th June at NSRCC, Agartala, Tripura. The total prize fund was ₹34,000. Photos: Mithu Debnath

FIDE Council approves new format for 2027 World Cup and Women’s World Cup

14/07/2026 -

The FIDE Council has approved a series of significant changes to the format of the 2027 FIDE World Cup and the 2027 FIDE Women’s World Cup, following recommendations from the Global Strategy Commission. They aim to make the competitions more inclusive, improve the experience for players, reduce the overall duration of the events, and ensure the World Cups remain one of the flagship competitions in the World Championship cycle.

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News Bites

India is 1.6 Elo points away from its 99th grandmaster

Daksh Jagesia Scores Maiden IM Norm at Barbera del Valles 2026 Group "A"

Oleg Skvortsov, the man behind Zurich Chess, passes away at 57

Rayaan Mikael Rozario and Pritika Nandi are the 39th U-9 National Champions

12-year-old Charvi scores her maiden WGM norm

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