4/6/2026 – Vincent Keymer holds the sole lead at the grenke Freestyle Open A with 6½/7 points after defeating Hans Niemann and drawing Magnus Carlsen in a tense encounter. A chasing group consisting of Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Alexey Sarana and Pranav Venkatesh remains within striking distance as the final two rounds of the event are set to take place on Monday. | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

4/5/2026 – After five rounds in Karlsruhe, Vincent Keymer and Hans Niemann are the only players left on a perfect score at the grenke Freestyle Chess Open, setting up a direct encounter for the sole lead. Magnus Carlsen follows half a point behind, alongside five other players, after conceding a draw in round four. Two starting positions close to classical chess were seen on Saturday, but results remain varied, with long games, time pressure and a notable upset influencing the standings. | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

4/4/2026 – After three rounds at the grenke Chess Festival in Karlsruhe, 19 players lead the Freestyle Open A on a perfect score. Magnus Carlsen, Hans Niemann and Vincent Keymer belong to the leading group. Early rounds have already produced demanding games and upsets, with qualification stakes and a crowded leaderboard shaping the next stage of the event. | Photo: Jeroen van den Belt / ChessBase

4/3/2026 – The Freestyle Chess Open in Karlsruhe has begun as part of the grenke Chess Festival, which brought together nearly 4,000 players across multiple events. Led by Magnus Carlsen, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Vincent Keymer, the main Freestyle Open features nine rounds with randomly generated starting positions. The winner will secure a place in the 2027 FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship. | Photo: Jeroen van den Belt / ChessBase

3/24/2026 – Across Latin America, chess leaders and public institutions are prioritising education initiatives over elite tournaments, aiming to expand the game's social impact and long-term growth. A memorandum signed in San José by government bodies, FIDE and regional organisers sets the stage for pilot school programmes in Costa Rica. The article explores the strategy behind this approach and the key figures promoting chess as a tool for development. | Photos: FIDE

3/22/2026 – To mark International Autism Awareness Day, the FIDE Infinite Chess initiative will host the online event "An Atypical Day" on 4 April. The session will feature personal accounts from families and coaches working with children with autism, alongside expert input from specialist Gulzhanar Akhaeva. Designed to promote understanding and inclusion, the talk highlights how chess can support connection, development and community participation.

3/20/2026 – Football star Erling Haaland has become a strategic investor in Norway Chess and its new Total Chess World Championship Tour. The planned circuit will feature four tournaments each season across fast classical, rapid and blitz formats, aiming to crown a combined world champion. A pilot event is scheduled for autumn 2026, with the full tour expected to launch in 2027. | Photo: FIDE

3/11/2026 – The FIDE Women's Candidates Tournament 2026 will take place from 28 March to 16 April in Cap St. Georges Hotel & Resort, Cyprus, where eight leading players will compete in a double round-robin to decide the challenger to the reigning champion, Ju Wenjun. The field combines experienced Candidates participants such as Humpy Koneru and Tan Zhongyi with younger contenders including Zhu Jiner and Divya Deshmukh. | Image: FIDE

3/8/2026 – Throughout March, the FIDE Commission for Women's Chess is coordinating the global Chess Women's Day Celebration, encouraging federations, clubs and organisers to stage events that promote women and girls in chess. Under the theme "Visible, Connected, Worldwide", the programme includes tournaments, training activities and online competitions across several continents. | Photo: XV Radzikowska Memorial

3/4/2026 – During the rest day of the Prague International Chess Festival, organisers held a special programme devoted to supporting women's chess and highlighting the Futures tournament for young female players. Swedish legend Pia Cramling gave a lecture and a simultaneous exhibition, while Czech actress Aňa Geislerová attended the event and received an introduction to the game from Indian star Divya Deshmukh. | Photo: Petr Vrabec / Prague Chess Festival

2/21/2026 – Hong Kong will host the fourth edition of the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championships from 17 to 21 June 2026, marking the event's first appearance in East Asia. Organised by FIDE, the tournament features rapid and blitz competitions, with teams required to field at least one female and one recreational player. The event follows previous editions in Düsseldorf, Astana and London.

2/20/2026 – Entries are open for the 2026 British Chess Championships, which will return to Coventry from 1 to 9 August at the University of Warwick. The event will feature a record £34,000 prize fund, a significantly increased women’s prize fund and an expanded festival programme. Organised by the English Chess Federation, the nine-day championships are expected to attract more than 1,000 players across all age groups. | Photo: Chess in Schools and Communities

2/20/2026 – FIDE and Freestyle Chess have agreed that the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championships will again be staged in Weissenhaus, Germany in 2027. The agreement confirms the continuation of the championship at the Baltic Sea venue following the inaugural edition in 2026. | Photo: FIDE

2/10/2026 – The Futures tournament at the Prague International Chess Festival 2026 brings together ten of Europe’s most promising young female talents. Held under the patronage of Czech First Lady Eva Pavlová and with chess legend GM Pia Cramling (pictured) as ambassador, the event provides top-level junior chess and inspiration within one of Europe’s most attractive chess festivals. | Photo: Prague Chess Festival

2/2/2026 – Following the recent announcement of the cooperation agreement between FIDE and Freestyle Chess, the International Chess Federation has now published the qualification paths for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2027. The 2027 Championship will feature a compact field of eight players who will secure a seat in a cycle of events that will span from April 2026 to January 2027, featuring both online and over-the-board tournaments.

1/28/2026 – The Grand Chess Tour will return in 2026 with a full season of classical, rapid and blitz events, a $2 million overall prize fund and the Finals staged in Saint Louis. Featuring a field of leading grandmasters, including world champion Gukesh Dommaraju and recent Tour winner Fabiano Caruana (pictured), the circuit continues its established format of elite tournaments across multiple time controls, with the top performers advancing to a knockout finale. | Photo: Lennart Ootes

1/24/2026 – The grenke Chess Festival will return to Karlsruhe over Easter 2026, bringing together thousands of players for parallel classical and Freestyle opens. For the first time, the Freestyle event will serve as a qualifier for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship, adding direct sporting stakes to the established festival format. Leading figures including Magnus Carlsen and Vincent Keymer are set to feature in one of the largest open gatherings in world chess. | Photo: Stev Bonhage

1/24/2026 – The European Chess Union has announced the creation of the European Chess Super League, a new elite club competition scheduled to debut in 2027. Featuring eight leading clubs and a substantial prize fund, the event aims to bring top-level team chess into a dedicated continental format. Organisers also confirmed plans for a corresponding Women's Super League, underlining a broader effort to expand the profile of club chess in Europe.