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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Norway Chess returns to Oslo with a strong Indian contingent including D Gukesh, Divya Deshmukh, Koneru Humpy, and R Praggnanandhaa. Gukesh faces pressure before his World Championship defense, while Deshmukh is the youngest women's competitor. Humpy returns after a withdrawal, and Praggnanandhaa seeks redemption.
Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi believes Indian World Champion D Gukesh is currently vulnerable against top players. He cited Gukesh's inconsistency since becoming the youngest world champion in 2024 and backed Javokhir Sindarov to win their upcoming title clash.
Javokhir Sindarov defeated D Gukesh in their first-ever blitz clash at the Grand Chess Tour in Warsaw, avenging his earlier rapid loss to the World Champion. Gukesh’s rare fist-pump celebration after that previous win had gone viral. With one win each, their growing rivalry now heads into a decisive final reverse-blitz showdown before this year’s World Championship clash.
India’s chess boom is inspiring young talents, but families face huge financial and logistical struggles behind the scenes. Parents spend lakhs on foreign tournaments, visas, travel, and coaching, often without sponsorship or federation support. Many also deal with poor tournament systems in India and scams abroad. Despite rising success stories like Vaishali and Gukesh, chess parents say survival in the sport remains extremely difficult.
World champion D Gukesh showed rare emotion after defeating future title challenger Javokhir Sindarov at the Grand Chess Tour in Poland. Playing with the black pieces, Gukesh outplayed the Uzbek grandmaster in 52 moves and celebrated with a fist pump after the win. The victory was seen as a strong statement ahead of their World Championship clash later this year.
World No. 1 and five-time world Magnus Carlsen suffered his first classical chess defeat in nearly a year after losing to Jorden van Foreest at the TePe Sigeman & Co Tournament 2026 in Malmo. Carlsen had remained unbeaten since his loss to D Gukesh in 2025. Arjun Erigaisi stayed unbeaten after drawing with Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
12-year-old Aarav Sarbalia is gaining recognition as a rising chess talent. Alongside his on-board progress, his structured social media content has attracted prominent followers, including Judit Polgar and D Gukesh's coach, Vishnu Prasanna. Supported by his family and guided by top coaching, Aarav is building momentum toward his long-term goal of achieving the Grandmaster (GM) title.
