Who is going to win Super Chess Classic Romania 2026?

by Devansh Singh - 23/05/2026

The games are getting tense at the Super Chess Classic 2026. In the penultimate round, Javokhir Sindarov defeated Jorden van Foreest, and Bogdan Daniel Deac won against Anish Giri. After 8 rounds of play, Fabiano Caruana and Vincent Keymer are still leading the pack with 5/8 points, while Javokhir Sindarov, Wesley So, and Jorden van Foreest are chasing the leaders with 4.5/8 points. The battle for first place is completely on. Who are you rooting for? The Final round will start on 23rd May at 4 PM Local Time/ 6:30 PM IST. Photo: Lennart Ootes

Read the Classics!

After winning against Jorden van Foreest, in an interview, Sindarov said: “I know this exact position! I remember the game between Garry Kasparov and Judit Polgár, where Kasparov had a rook and a knight, and he checkmated. I know how to checkmate here when the white king is on g1 or h1. If the knight comes to e3 and the Black king gets to g3, even without pawns, it’s always winning.”

Sindarov during the post-game interview | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

He was referring to the 1996 game between Garry Kasparov and Judit Polgár, where Kasparov converted the rook-and-knight vs. rook endgame successfully. See how the legend himself reacted to his statement!

Check out the games!

Now we will bring you all the action from this round.

Jorden van Foreest vs Javokhir Sindarov

The game was filled with ups and downs. Earlier in the middlegame, Sindarov gained a big advantage, but it slipped away. In the endgame, it was knight + rook vs. rook endgame with some pawns on the board, but Jorden's king was in a really passive position, which helped Sindarov win the game.

Position after 47.Rh5

Can you spot why Rh5 is a game-losing mistake?? (Hint: The black king can slowly come near the white king)

Jorden van Foreest vs. Javokhir Sindarov (0-1) | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Check out how he manages to outwit his opponent in an equal endgame! World-class play for sure.

Bogdan Daniel Deac vs. Anish Giri

The local Romanian star finally scored his first win of the tournament in the penultimate round against Anish Giri. Bogdan played a brilliant game and utilised the advantage of Giri's back-to-back blunders.

Bogdan Daniel Deac vs. Anish Giri (1-0) | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

R Praggnanandhaa vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave

R Praggnanandhaa and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave became the longest classical game in Grand Chess Tour history, surpassing the previous record of 132 moves from Wesley So vs. Ian Nepomniachtchi's game at the 2019 Sinquefield Cup. The Game went on for 139 moves and over 6 hours of play!!

Pragg drew against MVL | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

The tournament leaders drew their game in the 8th round | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Replay Round 8 Games

Pairings and Results

Round 8 Results | Graphic: Grand Chess Tour

Standings after Round 8 | Graphic: Grand Chess Tour

Round 9 Pairings | Graphic: Grand Chess Tour

Photo Gallery: ChessBase India, GCT

Round 8 is going on! | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Happy Happy Happy! | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Local star Bogdan Daniel Deac with his fan | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Can Fabi win the tournament? Stay tuned in | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Video Gallery: ChessBase India

Check out a detailed interview with this wonderful father-son duo.

Line Up

Check out the Line-up: Here | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Graphic: Grand Chess Tour

A spectacular start to the in Bucharest. Watch the amazing opening ceremony featuring the world’s top chess stars and unforgettable moments | Video: ChessBase India

Schedule

Prize Fund

The total prize fund for each of the Classical Events shall be Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($350,000), which shall be distributed as follows:

Source: Official Site

Format and Time Control

10-player Round Robin
90 minutes for 40 moves, and 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment from move 1.

Point System

1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss in all games.

Venue: National Bank of Romania Museum

Housed within the stunning Old Palace in Bucharest’s historic Lipscani district, the National Bank of Romania Museum offers a captivating journey through financial history. Visitors can explore one of the most significant numismatic collections in Central and Eastern Europe, featuring rare gold coins, antique banknotes, and the legendary National Treasure.

National Bank of Romania | Photo: Grand Chess Tour