Defending champions India announced formidable men's and women's chess squads for the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, led by D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and R Vaishali. Separately, Viswanathan Anand became interim FIDE president after Arkady Dvorkovich temporarily stepped aside due to EU sanctions.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich has temporarily stepped aside after being included in the EU's 21st sanctions list related to Russia's 2022 Ukraine invasion. Deputy President Viswanathan Anand will serve as interim president, while Dvorkovich plans to legally challenge the sanctions.
French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja won the fourth Chennai Grand Masters title, securing 4.5 points after drawing with Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi in the final round. Reigning world champion D Gukesh had a disappointing campaign, finishing last in the elite tournament.
GM M Pranesh secured his second consecutive victory over world champion D Gukesh at the Chennai Grand Masters. GM Nihal Sarin also defeated Arjun Erigaisi, leading to GM Alireza Firouzja taking the sole lead with four points heading into the final round.
The Chennai Grand Masters 2026, from July 16-22, features World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and 8 elite players including Hans Niemann. The tournament offers a Rs 75 lakh prize pool and crucial FIDE Circuit points for Candidates Tournament qualification.
Grandmaster Krishnan Sasikiran advises World Champion D Gukesh to speed up calculations and improve conversion of technical positions to defend his title against Javokhir Sindarov. Sasikiran noted Gukesh's unconventional play creates chaos but leads to time trouble, while Sindarov is well-prepared and relies on memory.
GM Krishnan Sasikiran advises World Champion D Gukesh to speed up calculations and manage time better for his upcoming title defense against Javokhir Sindarov. Sasikiran notes Gukesh's complex play is dangerous but leads to time trouble, urging focus on conversion and opponent weaknesses.
China's Dragon Chilling team leads the World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Hong Kong after the first day, with Asian teams showing strong performance. Pre-tournament favorites WR Chess, led by Magnus Carlsen, faced early setbacks.
Viswanathan Anand praises R Praggnanandhaa's recent win at Norway Chess 2026, suggesting D Gukesh learn from his perseverance to regain momentum before defending his world title.
D Gukesh's coach, Grzegorz Gajewski, defends the young chess champion's aggressive playing style, citing it as key to his world title win and integral to his identity, despite recent criticisms.
Tamil Nadu CM C. Joseph Vijay awarded R. Praggnanandhaa Rs 50 lakh and a memento for winning the Norway Chess tournament, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat.
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, 20, made history by winning Norway Chess 2026, becoming the first Indian to do so. He achieved a remarkable comeback from the bottom of the standings, including two classical victories over World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen.
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, 20, made history by becoming the first Indian to win the Norway Chess 2026, defeating Magnus Carlsen twice and overcoming a mid-tournament slump.
Reigning World Champion D Gukesh must defeat Magnus Carlsen in the final round of Norway Chess 2026 to avoid last place, while Wesley So, Praggnanandhaa, and Alireza Firouzja compete for the title.
R Praggnanandhaa defeats D Gukesh in Norway Chess, securing third consecutive win and contending for the title alongside Wesley So and Alireza Firouzja.
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa defeated Magnus Carlsen for the second time in two weeks at Norway Chess. Gukesh and Divya Deshmukh also faced classical defeats, while Wesley So and Bibisara Assaubayeva maintained their leads.
In Round 7 of the Norway Chess tournament, R Praggnanandhaa secured a dominant classical win, while Divya Deshmukh won her Armageddon tie-break. World Champion D Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen also won their respective tie-breaks.
In the 2026 Norway Chess tournament, R Praggnanandhaa secured a notable classical win. D Gukesh and Magnus Carlsen, surprisingly low in standings, won their Armageddon tie-breaks. Divya Deshmukh also won her Armageddon tie-break.
Indian chess stars Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and Divya Deshmukh suffered significant classical defeats in the reverse fixtures of Norway Chess. Magnus Carlsen returned to winning ways, while Koneru Humpy's struggles continued.
India's Dommaraju Gukesh defeated compatriot R Praggnanandhaa, while Divya Deshmukh beat Zhu Jiner, both securing crucial wins at Norway Chess after previous setbacks.
World chess champion D Gukesh had a viral moment during Norway Chess when he failed to open a water bottle mid-game, contrasting with his intense 116-move battle against Wesley So, which ended in a draw and subsequent Armageddon loss.
Divya Deshmukh defeated Koneru Humpy in an Armageddon decider at Norway Chess, while Praggnanandhaa lost to Alireza Firouzja in the open section.
Divya Deshmukh drew with Ju Wenjun in classical chess and won the Armageddon tiebreak. Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa also won their Armageddon matches. Magnus Carlsen lost to Alireza Firouzja, who played with an injured leg.
Reigning world chess champion D Gukesh admits criticism of his recent performances is justified, acknowledging he hasn't met expectations since winning the title in 2024. Speaking ahead of the Norway Chess tournament, Gukesh stated he focuses on his own game despite comments from chess legends.
