1/16/2026 – The Saint Louis Chess Club has unveiled its 2026 tournament calendar, outlining a full season of elite events in the United States and abroad. Anchored by an expanded 30,000-square-foot home campus, the schedule includes established fixtures such as the American Cup, Sinquefield Cup and U.S. Championships, alongside international stops on the Grand Chess Tour. | Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club

1/16/2026 – For nearly a century, Bled has held a special place in the history chess. In 1931, Bled hosted one of the most famous international tournaments of its time, won by World Champion Alexander Alekhine. In the decades that followed, Bled’s chess tournaments welcomed numerous greats of the game, including the legendary Bobby Fischer and Mikhail Tal, who in 1961, together with a lineup of masters, created a true chess spectacle. Now, Bled revives its rich chess tradition - with the Bled Chess Festival which is for players rated below 2300 and will take place from 9th to 16th March. | Photo: Bled Chess Festival

1/15/2026 – Beers by the Bay Chess & Social has announced the launch of a women's-only beginner chess class in San Diego, created in collaboration with Let's Go Girls – San Diego. Aimed at adult beginners, the monthly class offers a relaxed, social introduction to chess in an in-person setting. Held at a local venue in Pacific Beach, the initiative seeks to address the underrepresentation of women in community chess by providing an accessible and welcoming environment. | Photo: chessandsocial.com

1/14/2026 – From 1971 to 1980, FIDE issued just one rating list per year. This gradually increased to the current standard of monthly updates—a change driven by obvious practical needs. Yet frequent rating lists can sometimes obscure the broader picture of yearly progress. In this piece, the FIDE highlights players who achieved significant rating gains over the past year. | Picture: FIDE

1/9/2026 – A reigning world chess champion has not played a serious game in Czechia for exactly 95 years. That is about to change. GM Gukesh Dommaraju, also known as Gukesh D, will take part in the 8th edition of the Prague International Chess Festival. The Indian prodigy has broken numerous modern chess records. The Festival, the most prestigious chess event in central and eastern Europe, will be held from 24 February to 6 March at Hotel Don Giovanni in Prague.

1/9/2026 – FIDE and Norway Chess are pleased to announce the first 16 players who have earned the right to receive an invitation to the 2026 Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot tournament (“Total Chess 2026 Pilot”), the new combined competition across Fast Classic, Rapid, and Blitz.

1/6/2026 – A rare family chess spectacle took place in Budapest on 28 December, as four members of the Karácsonyi family combined for a 150-board team simul. With all siblings rated above 2000, they moved in sequence across every board, relying on shared understanding of the position throughout the six-hour event. Facing a competitive field, the quartet achieved an impressive overall score, creating what appears to be a unique moment in chess history and an inspiring example of collective play at a high level.

1/1/2026 – Dutch FM Zyon Kollen won his first World Diving Chess Championship title in Groningen, emerging on top at the largest edition of the event to date. Entering the final round with a perfect score, he secured the crown with a quick draw. The oversubscribed tournament brought together a diverse field across ages and experience, underlining the growing appeal of this hybrid discipline that blends classical chess with underwater endurance and breath control. | Photo: Oscar Bos / Etan Ilfeld

12/18/2025 – The Prague International Chess Festival will be held from 24 February to 6 March 2026. As the organisers have announced, Divya Deshmukh and Jiner Zhu, two of the world’s leading women players, will compete in the Challengers tournament. The event combines high-level chess with the opportunity to enjoy Prague, one of Europe’s most attractive cultural and tourist destinations.

12/10/2025 – For a long time, Praggnanandhaa led the 2025 FIDE Circuit rankings, but in theory, other players could still have overtaken him to qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. However, his strong performance in the London Chess Classic Open, where he tied for first place with 7 out of 9, secured his victory in the FIDE Circuit and his place in the Candidates Tournament. | Photo: Yury Krylov / London Chess Classic

12/6/2025 – Next Monday, the final of the Freestyle Grand Slam 2025 will begin in Grootenbosch (South Africa). To mark the opening, a diving chess competition was organised in Cape Town, which was won by Hans Niemann. Some participants of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam showed off their skills in a simultaneous match against local chess enthusiasts. | Photo: Stev Bonhage / Freestyle Chess

12/4/2025 – FIDE’s Commission for Women's Chess has announced the inaugural Pia Cramling Cup, a new rapid tournament for girls and women to be held during the Rilton Cup in Stockholm on 2 January 2026. Created in collaboration with Pia Cramling and the Stockholm Chess Federation, the event celebrates the former world number one's legacy while supporting emerging talent. Alongside the tournament, DGT and FIDE will offer technical training seminars aimed at expanding opportunities for women in chess.

11/23/2025 – FIDE has opened its new Global Survey on Chess in Education, inviting federations, schools and partner organisations to contribute before 28 February 2026. The initiative will inform FIDE's Educational Strategy for 2027–2030, building on the findings of the 2021 survey and the rapid growth of educational chess since. With results to be shared with major international institutions, the survey aims to support policy development and prepare for the 2026 Year of Chess in Education.

11/21/2025 – More than 360 players, including World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju and former champion Magnus Carlsen, have confirmed their participation in the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships in Doha from 25 to 30 December. The field features leading grandmasters, rising talents and returning legends across both the open and women's events. With over €1,000,000 in prizes and strong entries in every section, this year's edition promises a highly competitive end to the chess calendar.

11/19/2025 – Greco claimed the 2025 FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship title on the final day in Goa after beating Morgan Stanley in the final match. The event moved from a demanding round-robin phase into high-stakes knockout matches, with Greco and Morgan Stanley proving the strongest of the field. After an evenly balanced opening round in the final, Greco dominated the second to secure the championship and conclude this year's corporate competition. | Photos: Michal Walusza and Eteri Kublashvili / FIDE

11/16/2025 – The group stage of the FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship 2025 concluded on Saturday, with Morgan Stanley, Deloitte 1, Greco and Google advancing to the semifinals. A visit from super-GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu added a special moment to the day, which featured the return legs of the double round-robin format. With standings settled in both pools, teams now prepare for Sunday's decisive matches that will determine this year's corporate world champions. | Photos: Eteri Kublashvili / FIDE

11/15/2025 – A new meeting place for chess fans has opened in Gothenburg, as Svarta Hästen launched its second bar on 14 November. Following the success of the original Stockholm venue, the new location offers the same mix of casual play, social atmosphere and distinctive red-and-yellow chess tables. Housed in the converted stables of the Dickson Palace, it aims to provide an inviting space for beginners and experienced players alike.

11/13/2025 – FIDE has filed a formal complaint with its Ethics & Disciplinary Commission, naming former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik (pictured) as respondent. The referral concerns his repeated, unsubstantiated public accusations of computer-assisted cheating against Daniel Naroditsky and David Navara. The EDC will now review the case under its standard procedures. | Photo: Lennart Ootes