2/19/2026 – A 12-game match between Ediz Gürel and Jorden van Foreest was held in Ankara from 11 to 17 February under the auspices of the Turkish Chess Federation and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. Combining classical, Freestyle and blitz formats with a weighted scoring system, the encounter tested versatility across time controls. Van Foreest established control in the classical section and maintained his advantage through to the final day.

2/19/2026 – The 15th Women's Grandmaster Chess Festival – Krystyna Hołuj-Radzikowska Memorial – has brought leading female players to Poland for a team match between Poland and the Rest of the World. After three rounds, the hosts hold a narrow lead, while Austria's Olga Badelka tops the individual standings. The event honours nine-time Polish champion Krystyna Hołuj-Radzikowska and combines elite competition with a broader festival programme. | Image: Official website

2/17/2026 – US grandmaster Awonder Liang travelled to Sharjah to face Saleh Salem in the 12-game "Battle of the Minds", a mixed-format match held from 7 to 12 February. Combining rapid, classical and blitz chess, the contest remained closely balanced throughout. An early lead in the rapid segment ultimately enabled Liang to secure a narrow 8½–7½ victory. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club

2/16/2026 – Magnus Carlsen secured the 2026 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship title in Weissenhaus after defeating Fabiano Caruana 2½–1½ in the final. The match turned on a dramatic third game in which Caruana failed to convert a completely winning position and ended up losing. In the contest for third place, Nodirbek Abdusattorov overcame Vincent Keymer to join the two finalists in qualifying for the 2027 Freestyle Chess World Championship. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes

2/15/2026 – Alongside the main event in Weissenhaus, Bibisara Assaubayeva and Alexandra Kosteniuk contested a four-game Freestyle Chess exhibition match over the weekend. Played at the same time control as the world championship knockouts, the encounter ended 2½–1½ in Assaubayeva's favour. The result secured her a place in the forthcoming Women's FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship later this year. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes

2/15/2026 – The second day of action at the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship in Weissenhaus saw the start of the knockout phase, with the two semifinal matches deciding who will compete for the 2026 title. Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana emerged victorious and will meet in Sunday's final. In addition to a world title, a place in the 2027 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship has already been secured by both finalists. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Carlotta Wessel

2/14/2026 – The rapid round-robin on the opening day of the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship determined the four semifinalists for the 2026 title. Magnus Carlsen finished first on 4½/7, followed by Vincent Keymer, Fabiano Caruana and Nodirbek Abdusattorov on 4 points. Qualification was only settled in the final round, setting up Saturday's knockout matches: Carlsen chose to play Abdusattorov, which meant Caruana and Keymer will face off in the other semi. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes

2/13/2026 – From its early beginnings in Kanjiza and the Chess Classic in Mainz to the officially recognised FIDE championships of 2019 and 2022, the World Chess960 title has followed an uneven but traceable path. Published ahead of the upcoming Freestyle Chess World Championship in Weissenhaus, this overview revisits the main editions of the event, outlining formats, qualification systems and key matches that shaped the development of Freestyle Chess at world championship level. | Pictured: Peter Svidler dealing with a Freestyle Chess starting position (note that the bishops are on the a-file) at the Chess Classic in Mainz | Photo: Frederic Friedel

2/12/2026 – The FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026 will take place from 13 to 15 February at the Schloss Weissenhaus resort in Germany, marking the first jointly organised world title event in this format under an agreement between FIDE and a private organiser. Eight players, including Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, have qualified through the 2025 Grand Slam Tour and online competition, while a women's exhibition match will also be staged alongside the main event. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes

2/12/2026 – Jonathan Hawkins followed an uncommon route to the top of English chess. From a club player rated around 1800 in his late teens, he became a grandmaster, two-time British champion and author of "Amateur to IM", a book widely read among players seeking insight into long-term improvement. He later devoted much of his time to coaching, working with emerging talents such as Bodhana Sivanandan. Diagnosed with neuroendocrine carcinoma, he died on 22 December 2025 at 42, only months after his diagnosis. | Photo: English Chess Federation / John Upham

2/11/2026 – Montevideo hosted the 9th Ciudad de Montevideo Open, the Antel Cup, as part of its annual chess festival, attracting 79 players and 27 titled participants. Second seed Brandon Jacobson (pictured, right) claimed clear first place with 7½/9, remaining undefeated throughout the nine rounds. A key round-six win over top seed Johan-Sebastian Christiansen (pictured, left) proved decisive. Christiansen and 22-time Uruguayan champion Bernardo Roselli completed the podium. | Photo: Antel Cup

2/9/2026 – Eight rounds into the 2025/26 Chess Bundesliga season, SC Viernheim and OSG Baden-Baden occupy the top two places in the standings. Viernheim remain on a perfect 16/16 match points, while Baden-Baden trail by a single match point after drawing once. Schachfreunde Wolfhagen stay within reach on 13/16. The latest weekend saw both leaders collect two further victories, with Fabiano Caruana (pictured) making his debut for Baden-Baden. | Photo: Sven Noppes

2/9/2026 – The Speed Chess Championship concluded in London, with live matches deciding both the title and third place. Magnus Carlsen defeated Alireza Firouzja 15–12 to claim a third consecutive crown, while Denis Lazavik edged Hikaru Nakamura in the consolation match. The event introduced the Daniel Naroditsky Cup, with past and future champions' names to be engraved on the trophy. | Photo: chess.com / Luc Bouchon

2/6/2026 – Baadur Jobava and Nino Batsiashvili claimed their fifth national titles at the 2026 Georgian Chess Championships, held in Tbilisi from late January to early February. Jobava led the open tournament from the early rounds and finished unbeaten, while Batsiashvili dominated the women's event with a decisive mid-tournament winning streak. | Photos: Georgian Chess Federation

2/5/2026 – The final weekend of the Speed Chess Championship moves from the online arena to a live stage in London, where the semifinals and title match will be played in front of spectators. After earlier knockout rounds held online, four players remain: Magnus Carlsen, Denis Lazavik, Hikaru Nakamura and Alireza Firouzja. The event combines rapid, blitz and bullet segments, with a consolation match and detailed tiebreak procedures ensuring a clear overall winner across two days of play. | Photo: Maria Emelianova / chess.com

2/5/2026 – The Löwenthal Variation of the Sicilian Defence is often treated with caution in theoretical discussions. Yet detailed investigation by Nico Zwirs suggests the line holds more practical value than its reputation implies. By combining enterprising attacking setups with more measured, positionally sound alternatives, the repertoire aims to offer Black flexible, workable positions while steering play away from the heavily analysed Sicilian main lines.

2/4/2026 – The 2026 Israel Open Chess Championship, held in Acre from 19 to 27 January, brought together 103 players from across the country for a nine-round Swiss tournament. Nineteen-year-old GM Yahli Sokolovsky (pictured, right) emerged as the clear winner with 7½/9 and a 2694 performance rating, claiming his first national title. IM Yeshaayahu Tzidkiya and GM Evgeny Alekseev (pictured, centre and left) completed the podium after finishing half a point behind the champion. | Photo: Galina Pankratova

2/3/2026 – The Muscat Nights International Chess Championship brought together a strong international field in Oman's capital for nine rounds of classical play alongside a mid-event blitz tournament. In Open A, a six-way tie for first place left the title to be decided on tiebreaks, with Leon Luke Mendonca finishing ahead of fellow co-leaders after an unbeaten run. The event combined competitive depth at the top with a broad festival structure across rating sections. | Photo: Oman Chess Committee