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59th Biel Chess Festival 2026 Day 2: Levon Aronian Goes On a Rampage

13/07/2026 -

After the 1st day of Chess960, the real action began at Biel. On the 2nd day, the action kicks off with the highly anticipated Triathlon. It featured Rapid games in both the Masters and the Generations Challenge. Levon Aronian dominated the field with 9 points. Levon drew his 1st game against Suleymanli and won 4 consecutive games to gain a clear 3-point lead. In the Generations Challenge, Finek Vaclav ended the day on top with 8 points. Photo: Biel Chess Festival

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10 things that made the World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships 2026 in Hong Kong special

12/07/2026 -

From 17 to 21 June 2026, the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong hosted the fourth edition of the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships - the first time this event came to East Asia. 48 teams, more than 400 players across the full programme, a €500,000 prize fund, and very nearly every big name in world chess under one roof. ChessBase India was there for all of it and I came away convinced that the Hong Kong China Chess Federation has set a new benchmark for what a chess spectacle can look like. Here are ten things that made it truly special.

Abhijeet Gupta wins First Pune International GM Round Robin Event

12/07/2026 -

Top seed Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta of India emerged champion with 7.5 points at the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament, Organised by Buddhibal Kreeda Trust and Powered by The Habitat. International Master Aswath S finished runner-up with 7 points and, in the process, achieved his third and final Grandmaster norm to become India's 98th Grandmaster. IM Kushagra Mohan secured third place with 6.5 points, while Pune's FM Advik Agarwal earned his second International Master norm after finishing fourth with 5 points. Photos: IA/NI Vivek Sohani.

59th Biel Chess Festival 2026 Day 1: Bluebaum, Materia, and Tregubov Dominate Chess960

12/07/2026 -

The 59th Biel International Chess Festival officially launched per Biel tradition; Day 1 did not feature standard chess. Instead, the action launched with the high-stakes ACCENTUS Chess960 Rapid tournament, a format that strips away opening theory, forces players to rely entirely on raw creativity, and crucially serves as the ultimate tie-breaker for the upcoming Triathlons. Here is all you need to know about what happened on day 1. Photo: Biel Chess Festival

Paris Masters Championship 2026 Cancelled Due to Severe Heatwave

11/07/2026 -

In a sudden and unexpected turn of events, the 2026 Paris Masters Championship 2026 Championship has been officially cancelled. The tournament, which was highly anticipated by players across Europe and beyond, had to be called off following an emergency decree issued by the French government and local police authorities. Here is everything you need to know about the situation, the legal mandate behind it, and what happens next for the registered players. Photo: REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier

Nithin Babu Wins 360 One Challengers 2026

11/07/2026 -

Nithin Babu scored an unbeaten 8/9 points to win the 360 One Challengers Below 2400 Chess Tournament 2026. Madhesh Kumar S, Arul Anandh S P K, and Samyak Dharewa scored 7.5/9 points to finish in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places according to tiebreak scores. The tournament was organised by Indian Chess School at the World Trade Center, Mumbai, from 10th to 18th June 2026. The total prize fund was ₹15,00,000, and the top three prizes were ₹3,00,000, ₹2,00,000, and ₹1,00,000. Photos: Tushar Damor

Diving into "The Zen Mind" - India’s 98th Grandmaster, Aswath S

11/07/2026 -

The final round of a Grandmaster Round-Robin is a high-stakes pressure cooker. For 17-year-old Aswath S, the equation at the Pune International GM Round Robin 2026 was unforgiving; he needed an explicit win with the Black pieces to claim his final GM norm and secure the ultimate title. Instead of letting the weight of the moment fracture his focus, the young talent from Nagercoil entered a state of complete calm, delivered a tactical masterclass, and emerged as India's 98th Grandmaster. Fresh off his historic breakthrough, Aswath sat down with ChessBase India to talk about his mindset, his legendary childhood idols, the backbone of his success, and why a single pawn push will live forever in his memory.

Monoskam Mitra wins 6th IS International Below 1700 Classical Rating 2026

11/07/2026 -

Monoskam Mitra of West Bengal scored an unbeaten 8/9 to win the 6th IS International (Below 1700) Classical Rating 2026. 6 Players scored 7.5/9 to secure 2nd to 7th positions. Sankar Prasad Rao D and Prateek Kumar Behera got podium finishes because of their better tiebreak scores. The IS Chess Center organised the tournament at the JN Indoor Stadium, Cuttack, from 26th to 28th June 2026. The top 3 prizes were ₹25,000, ₹20,000, and ₹15,000 along with trophies. Photos: Mr. Suryamitra Sen

MP State Junior Chess Championship 2026: Battle for the State Title in Bhopal

10/07/2026 -

The Madhya Pradesh State Junior Boys & Girls FIDE Rating Championship 2026 will be held from August 15th to 18th, 2026, at Bhopal. Jointly organized by the Khelo Chess India Club, the Bhopal District Chess Association, and ChessBase India. Beyond the competitive exposure, the tournament carries massive stakes: it serves as the official selection tournament to select 4 players in each category to represent Madhya Pradesh in the Junior National Championship later this year.

FM Arun Kataria Dominates Baderia Global Rapid Rating 2026

10/07/2026 -

FM Arun Kataria scored an unbeaten 8.5/9 to win the Baderia Global International Open Fide Rapid Rating Chess Tournament 2026. Arvind Iyer and Pranay Chordia scored 8/9 points to finish in 2nd and 3rd place, according to tiebreak scores. Foundation Chess Academy organised the tournament on 26th and 27th June 2026 in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. The total prize fund was ₹2,22,222 with the top 3 prizes of ₹21,000, ₹16,000, and ₹10,000 respectively. Photos: Utkarsh Agarwal

How 3000+ donors came together to raise $1.1 million for the Naroditsky Fund

09/07/2026 -

Daniel Naroditsky touched millions as a player, commentator, and teacher. After his untimely passing, many who had never met him felt they had lost someone close. In the months that followed, the chess community came together and raised $1.1 million to establish the Naroditsky Memorial and Fellowship Fund. Here is the story behind the initiative and how it is carrying Daniel's legacy into the future. Photo: ChessBase

59th Biel Chess Festival 2026: Everything You Need to Know

09/07/2026 -

The grueling, thrilling, and unique marathon of elite chess is back. The 59th Biel International Chess Festival is set to take over the Biel Congress Center (Kongresshaus) in Switzerland from July 11 to 24, 2026. For over half a century, Biel has been a sacred ground for chess players. What makes it truly special is its signature Triathlon format, a brutal test of versatility where players must fight across Classical, Rapid, and Blitz time formats to claim the ultimate crown. Women's World Championship Challenger R Vaishali will be seen in action at Biel.

India to Host the Asian Junior Open & Girls Chess Championships 2026 in Mumbai

09/07/2026 -

The All India Chess Federation, under the aegis of the Asian Chess Federation and FIDE, is proud to host the Asian Junior Open & Girls Chess Championships 2026. This premier continental event will bring together Asia’s brightest young talents to compete at the prestigious ITC Maratha in Mumbai from August 16th to 26th, 2026

Alireza Firouzja Wins Thrilling Super Rapid and Blitz Croatia 2026 in Armageddon Playoff

08/07/2026 -

Alireza Firouzja won Super Chess Rapid and Blitz Croatia 2026. What originally looked like a comfortable Sunday cruise for Alireza Firouzja transformed into one of the most nerve-wracking, volatile final days in the history of the tour, culminating in the first-ever GCT title decided by an Armageddon playoff. Alireza drew against Nodirbek Abdusattorov in Armageddon to win Super Chess Rapid and Blitz Croatia. Photo: Lennart Ootes

Kunte Kaka would be smiling from heaven!

08/07/2026 -

On 8th July 2026, at the first-ever Pune International GM Round Robin, 18-year-old Aswath S won on demand in the final round to become India's 98th Grandmaster, while Pune's young FM Advik Agrawal secured an IM norm. The tournament was the lifelong dream of Prakash Kunte - the beloved "Kunte Kaka" - who passed away just a day before its conclusion, while his son GM Abhijit Kunte brought his vision to life.

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