12/4/2025 – Arjun Erigaisi claimed the Jerusalem Masters title after a tightly contested knockout stage that featured four seasoned competitors emerging from the round-robin phase. The tournament winner edged Viswanathan Anand in a blitz tiebreak after their rapid games ended level, while Peter Svidler secured third place by defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi. | Photo: Official website / Yoav Nis

12/3/2025 – The public release of "War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko" marks the first opportunity for general audiences to view the award-winning animated short outside festival and academy screenings. The film, created by Dave Mullins and Sean Ono Lennon, blends an anti-war message with a story centred on correspondence chess in an alternate First World War setting. Its release also supports War Child, raising funds for children affected by armed conflict. | Image: ElectroLeague

12/3/2025 – Nodirbek Abdusattorov secured at least a share of first place at the London Chess Classic by earning his sixth straight win in round seven, defeating Luke McShane in a hard-fought Ruy Lopez. With a two-point lead over Alireza Firouzja and only two rounds remaining, the Uzbek grandmaster is close to securing overall victory. The remaining games were drawn, including an enterprising effort by defending champion Gawain Maroroa Jones against Michael Adams. | Photo: Amruta Mokal (Freestyle Chess Grand Slam)

12/2/2025 – A six-game classical match in Monte Carlo will see Maxime Vachier-Lagrave face 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus from 3 to 8 December, in an event organised by the Monaco Chess Federation with support from Evren Ucok. The encounter brings together an established top-20 grandmaster and Türkiye's leading junior. The format mirrors the match Erdogmus played against Peter Svidler in Marseille earlier this year, where he impressed in the classical section. | Photos: Official website

12/2/2025 – Round six of the London Chess Classic saw Nodirbek Abdusattorov extend his lead with a fifth consecutive win, capitalising on a mistake by Sam Shankland in a dynamic Scotch Opening. Alireza Firouzja drew against Abhimanyu Mishra after early tactical complications gave way to a simplified position, while Pavel Eljanov won against Gawain Maroroa Jones. With three rounds remaining, Abdusattorov holds a 1½-point advantage over Firouzja, sitting in sole second place. | Photo: Official website

12/1/2025 – The European Rapid and Blitz Championships in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, brought together more than 350 players from 38 federations. Lithuanian GM Paulius Pultinevicius won the rapid title with a 10/11 score after a final-round victory over Vasyl Ivanchuk (who lost on time in an endgame with an extra pawn), while Jorden van Foreest secured the blitz crown by finishing on 11/13. | Photo: European Chess Union

11/30/2025 – Round four of the London Chess Classic saw Nodirbek Abdusattorov keep his sole lead with a third straight win, this time over Michael Adams in their first classical encounter ever. Alireza Firouzja also scored, outplaying Pavel Eljanov in a lengthy rook endgame, while Luke McShane defeated Gawain Maroroa Jones after a promising position for Black collapsed around move twenty. The remaining games were drawn, leaving Abdusattorov ahead on 3½ points. | Photo: Official website

11/28/2025 – Three decisive games in round two of the London Chess Classic saw Alireza Firouzja, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Nikolas Theodorou move into the shared lead. Abdusattorov's extensive preparation, Firouzja's tactical win over Luke McShane and Theodorou's controlled performance against defending champion Gawain Maroroa Jones offered contrasting paths to victory at Arsenal Football Club's stadium. | Photo: XTX Markets

11/26/2025 – Javokhir Sindarov capped a remarkable campaign in Goa by winning the 2025 FIDE World Cup, defeating Wei Yi in a tense rapid-play tiebreak. After both classical games ended drawn, the 19-year-old Uzbek grandmaster kept his composure in a dramatic set of rapid encounters, capitalising on late chances as his opponent faltered in time pressure. Sindarov secured the title, the $120,000 first prize and a major milestone in his fast-rising career. | Photos: Michal Walusza

11/26/2025 – A decisive result in the match for third place marked Tuesday's action at the FIDE World Cup in Goa, as Andrey Esipenko secured qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. The Russian grandmaster completed a 2–0 victory over Nodirbek Yakubboev with another confident performance in the rematch, while the second classical game of the final between Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov ended in a short draw, sending their title contest to rapid tiebreaks. | Photo: Michal Walusza

11/25/2025 – The quarterfinals of the 2025 Speed Chess Championship have concluded, producing two compelling semifinal pairings for the live stage in London this February. Magnus Carlsen will face Denis Lazavik, while Hikaru Nakamura is set to meet Alireza Firouzja in a clash of leading speed-play specialists. The event, organised by chess.com, continues to combine online matchplay with an on-site finale, bringing rapid-fire chess to a live audience on 7–8 February 2026.

11/24/2025 – The final stage of the FIDE World Cup began in Goa on Tuesday, with Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov opening their title match and Andrey Esipenko and Nodirbek Yakubboev starting their fight for the last remaining Candidates spot. Both encounters produced entertaining struggles: Wei pressed slightly in a Petroff Defence before the game was drawn, while Esipenko responded to his painful semifinal exit with a confident win to take the lead in the third-place match. | Photo: Michal Walusza

11/24/2025 – Russia, competing as the FIDE team, claimed gold at the World Women's Team Championship in Linares, capping an unbeaten run that carried them through both the pool stage and knockout rounds without requiring a single tiebreak. Azerbaijan finished second after an impressive campaign, while China secured bronze by defeating Kazakhstan. The event featured a standout individual performance from Polina Shuvalova, who scored an exceptional 9½/10 on board three for the champions. | Photo: Pavel Dvorkovich

11/24/2025 – Two players secured their places in the 2026 Candidates Tournament after Sunday's semifinal tiebreaks at the FIDE World Cup in Goa. Wei Yi and Javokhir Sindarov (pictured) both prevailed by a 2½–1½ score in their matches against Andrey Esipenko and Nodirbek Yakubboev, respectively. Wei's victory came after Esipenko unexpectedly blundered his rook, while Sindarov kept things under control throughout against his compatriot. | Photo: Michal Walusza

11/22/2025 – The quarterfinals of the Women's World Team Championship in Linares marked the start of the knockout phase, bringing four tightly contested duels and a number of notable shifts in momentum. China and Kazakhstan advanced only after blitz tiebreaks, while Russia and Azerbaijan secured their places more directly. With the semifinal pairings now confirmed, the event moves into its final weekend, where the remaining teams will compete for a place in Sunday's title match. | Pictured: Hou Yifan | Photo: Pavel Dvorkovich

11/21/2025 – Friday’s opening games of the FIDE World Cup semifinals offered balanced results but no shortage of depth. Both encounters were drawn, yet Wei Yi and Andrey Esipenko (pictured) produced an intricate tactical sequence, while Nodirbek Yakubboev and Javokhir Sindarov explored a queenless middlegame full of subtle decisions. With three Candidates spots at stake, every nuance now carries considerable weight as the matches head into their second classical games. | Photo: Michal Walusza

11/21/2025 – The preliminary stage of the Women's World Team Championship concluded on Thursday in Linares, with Russia and Georgia topping their respective groups and eight teams advancing to the knockout phase. The final round brought clear outcomes in both pools, alongside a few notable surprises, including India's qualification with a reserve lineup and Ukraine's early exit after two costly defeats. Several intriguing matchups now await in the quarterfinals, most notably China v. United States. | Pictured: Russian IM Polina Shuvalova | Photo: Pavel Dvorkovich

11/19/2025 – The paings of the semifinals at the FIDE World Cup in Goa were set on Wednesday after a tense day of rapid and blitz tiebreaks. Wei Yi, Andrey Esipenko and Javokhir Sindarov joined early qualifier Nodirbek Yakubboev in the final four, with all three earning their spots through hard-fought matches. A couple of comebacks, missed chances and dramatic momentum shifts shaped the day, leaving four players still in the race for three coveted places in the 2026 Candidates Tournament. | Photo: Michal Walusza