7/16/2026 – Dear chess friends, from July 13–19, you can get the Champion’s Bundle: ChessBase’26 & FRITZ 21 – Summer Special: Instead of €269.80, get both for just €209.90! This is our summer special, and it runs for seven days. Two flagships, one price, built to work together.

7/16/2026 – Alireza Firouzja was the only winner in the opening round of the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters, defeating Pranesh M with black to move into the top ten in the live ratings list. The remaining three games were drawn after hard-fought battles, with Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Gukesh Dommaraju and Dmitry Andreikin all having to defend accurately against Hans Niemann, Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi respectively. | Photo: Tushar Damor

7/16/2026 – The tension continues to mount after round two of classical chess in the Masters and Generations Challenge Triathlongs at the Biel International Festival. At the top of the Masters standings, Le Quang Liem caught Levon Aronian after defeating Matthias Bluebaum. The Generations Challenge may be somewhat overshadowed by the main event, but its youngest participant is making a major impression. Sixteen-year-old Vaclav Finek of the Czech Republic has produced the best performances so far in both the rapid event and the two classical games, and now leads by a 3½-point margin. | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

7/16/2026 – The fourth Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters brings together an eight-player field headed by world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Arjun Erigaisi and Alireza Firouzja. The seven-round single round-robin also includes Hans Niemann, Nihal Sarin, Dmitry Andreikin and Pranesh M. Played from 16 to 22 July, the tournament features seven players rated above 2700. | Photo: Tushar Damor

7/15/2026 – Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş currently stands at no.27 in the world with a rating of 2713. He broke through the 2700 barrier in May, joining an elite club of (currently) only 32 players.

7/15/2026 – The first round of classical chess in the Masters and the Generations Challenge Triathlons at the Biel International Chess Festival was played on Tuesday. Each event produced two draws and one winner. Matthias Bluebaum (pictured) drew his game against Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, while Le Quang Liem defeated Jose Martinez. In the Generations Challenge, Alexandra Kosteniuk beat Carissa Yip. In the Masters Open, Christian Gloeckler surprisingly dropped half a point as early as round two. | Photo: Biel Chess Festival

7/15/2026 – "Even stronger. Even more beautiful. Even more direct." That is the slogan ChessBase uses to promote the latest edition of its well-known Fritz series. But what does the new version actually offer? Who is Fritz 21 designed for? Lukas Köpl took a close look at the latest release to find out what really lies behind the promises of being stronger, better looking and more direct.

7/15/2026 – Oleg Skvortsov, one of chess's leading patrons, has passed away. Between 2012 and 2017, he organized a series of world-class chess events, matches, and tournaments in Zurich, while also supporting the game through a number of other projects. | Photo: Wladimir Barsky

7/14/2026 – Twenty years ago, on 14 July 2006, Aleksander Wojtkiewicz passed away. Born in Soviet Latvia in 1963, he was one of the country's greatest chess talents and trained under Mikhail Tal. He later went into hiding to avoid military service, became involved in gambling and pimping, served a prison sentence, and after his release became a chess nomad. His early death in Baltimore was tragic.

7/14/2026 – 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. Full information in this FIDE press release.

7/14/2026 – For those making a last-minute decision: the 13th International IRT Chess Tournament gets underway in Lebu next Wednesday. Over five days (15–19 July), seven rounds will be played in the Swiss system. The region on Chile's Pacific coast offers stunning natural scenery, while seafood lovers will also find plenty to enjoy. | Photo: La Virgen, Boca Lebu by Valentina Pérez Garbayo.

7/14/2026 – "Enjoy the best game. Ever." This bold slogan is the motto of New in Chess Magazine, and in its six annual issues, it does much to justify that claim. The second issue of 2026 offers an appealing mix of tournament reports, training articles and insights into the world of chess. At its heart, however, are moving tributes to the Dutch grandmaster and author Jan Timman, who passed away on 18 February 2026. | Photo: Jan Timman 2019 | Photo: Lennart Ootes