3/5/2026 – The Prague Chess Festival has become a fixture on the tournament calendar and is now in its eighth edition. In an interview with ChessBase, organiser Petr Boleslav explains how the idea was born, why Prague was the natural home for the event, and what it takes to run such a top tournament with a rich programme of side events.

3/5/2026 – The American Cup, one of the United States' premier chess tournaments, returns to Saint Louis. Now in its fifth year, the event runs on March 3-12 at the Saint Louis Chess Club, featuring sixteen of America's top chess talents. With $400,000 in prize money up for grabs, the competitors will prove their mettle under mounting pressure in the double-elimination knockout format. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 19.00 CET (14.00 ET, 23.30 IST) | Pictured: Levon Aronian | Photo: Lennart Ootes

3/4/2026 – Together with Keti Tsataslashvili, Alojzije Jankovic works as a commentator at the Prague Chess Festival – a role that suits him well. The Croatian grandmaster (peak Elo 2593) had his own chess show on Croatian television for many years and runs a YouTube channel. He was editor-in-chief of the magazine ‘Sahovski Glasnik’, has written chess books, studied economics and is vice-president of the European Chess Union. In an interview with ChessBase, he talks about his passion for chess, his career, his favourite player, chess in film, and explains how systematic thinking can help you play better and be more successful in life.

2/26/2026 – Mahammad Muradli and Ulviyya Fataliyeva have been crowned champions at the Azerbaijan Chess Championships, held in Baku from 6 to 22 February. Muradli secured his third national title by defeating Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in the open final, while Ulviyya Fataliyeva claimed her first women's crown after a tiebreak victory over Ayan Allahverdiyeva. | Photo: Azerbaijani Chess Federation

2/26/2026 – FIDE has introduced a revised championship cycle for the Under-8, Under-10 and Under-12 categories, clarifying the pathway in global youth chess. The newly named FIDE World Cadets Cup U8-U12 will act as the qualifying stage, with world titles decided later at the World Cadets Championships, in which only 48 contenders will participate. The inaugural Cup will be held in Batumi from 15 to 28 June 2026.

2/25/2026 – The eighth edition of the Prague International Chess Festival was officially opened at the Don Giovanni Hotel in Prague, launching the Masters, Challengers and Futures tournaments. The event features the reigning World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, who played a symbolic opening duel with Czech beach volleyball world champion Ondřej Perušič. The game was part of the festival's ceremonial start ahead of play through 6 March. | Photo: Petr Vrabec

3/5/2026 – From 25 February to 6 March 2026, the eighth Prague International Chess Festival is taking place at the Don Giovanni Hotel, bringing together elite competition and a wide programme of side events. In the penultimate round, sole leader Jorden van Foreest plays white against defending champion Aravindh Chithambaram. | Follow the action live starting at 15.00 CET (9.00 ET, 19.30 IST) | Pictured: Zhu Jiner | Photo: Petr Vrabec / Prague Chess Festival

2/23/2026 – Grandmaster Denis Kadrić has won his first national title at the Montenegrin Chess Championship, scoring 9/11 in a closely contested event decided in the final round. Held in Podgorica and organised by the Chess Federation of Montenegro, the championship saw Nikola Đukić take silver and Jovan Milović bronze. | Photos: Chess Federation of Montenegro

2/21/2026 – The pairings for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 and the FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 have been confirmed following the official Drawing of Lots ceremony in Paphos. Scheduled from 28 March to 16 April 2026, both events will determine the challengers for the World Championship titles, with round-one matchups now set and preparations entering their final phase.

2/19/2026 – Following a review of applications, a panel appointed by the FIDE Council has selected seventeen players, coaches and organisers for inclusion in the 2026 support programme for chess veterans. A total of €37,000 will be distributed among the beneficiaries. Since its launch twelve years ago, the programme has provided nearly €500,000 in assistance, recognising long-standing contributions to the game through individual profiles and career summaries.

2/18/2026 – FIDE has confirmed the qualification routes for the 2026 FIDE Women's Freestyle Chess World Championship, establishing a structured pathway into the 8-player event. Bibisara Assaubayeva (pictured) has already secured her place after winning an exhibition match in Weissenhaus. The remaining spots will be decided through the Grenke Freestyle Open, rating-based invitations, an online qualifier for titled players and designated over-the-board qualifying events. | Photo: Freestyle Chess / Lennart Ootes

2/16/2026 – How do grandmasters organize their opening files? Inspired by Vishy Anand Austrian GM Felix Blohberger shares advice how to use databases that might help you to study more efficiently and play better.

2/15/2026 – The FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship is taking place on 13-15 February at the Weissenhaus resort. Eight players have qualified through the 2025 Grand Slam Tour and online competition. In Sunday's finals, Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana battle to become the Freestyle Chess world champion. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 15.00 CET (9.00 ET, 19.30 IST)

2/13/2026 – To mark March as a month celebrating women, the FIDE Commission for Women's Chess is inviting federations, clubs and organisers worldwide to join the 2026 Chess Women's Day Celebration under the theme "Visible, Connected, Worldwide". Following last year's global initiative, the campaign encourages tournaments, workshops and community events that promote women and girls in chess, linking local activities into a shared international network throughout the month. | Image: FIDE

2/10/2026 – Nodirbek Abdusattorov heads the FIDE Circuit 2026–27 standings after winning the Tata Steel Masters, earning 25.78 points at one of the season’s most significant events. Javokhir Sindarov, Hans Niemann, Jorden van Foreest and Vincent Keymer follow closely behind, while other early results from Wijk aan Zee, the Rilton Cup and the Brazil Series have also shaped the leaderboard. A dedicated page tracks the latest standings and regulations for the new cycle. | Image: FIDE

2/9/2026 – The Queens' Online Chess Festival returns in March 2026 for its sixth edition, offering a free, month-long celebration of women's chess around International Women’s Day. Organised by the FIDE Commission for Women's Chess, the event features a global Women's Open with continental qualifiers and a separate Princesses' tournament for unrated girls. Blitz competitions, titles, training prizes and fair-play safeguards form part of a programme open to players of all ages and levels worldwide.

2/8/2026 – The final weekend of the Speed Chess Championship moves from the online arena to a live stage in London, combining rapid, blitz and bullet segments. On Sunday, Hikaru Nakamura faces Denis Lazavik in the match for third place, while Magnus Carlsen will attempt to successfully defending his title against Alireza Firouzja. | Follow the games live with expert commentary. The consolation match starts at 14.00 CET, while the final starts at 19.00 CET.

2/6/2026 – Just two years after its launch, the New Zagreb Classic has become one of Europe's largest open tournaments, attracting more than 500 players from dozens of federations. Conceived by local organisers to give young talents broader competitive opportunities, the event combines a compact weekend format with wide participation across rating levels. The 2026 edition in Zagreb featured established masters, emerging juniors and first-time competitors, reflecting the tournament’s growing place on the European chess calendar. | Photos: Official website