4/7/2026 – Head-to-head records between the participants of the Candidates Tournaments provide useful context for each pairing. Drawing on data compiled via Mega Database 2026, the key statistics from past encounters highlight imbalances and trends. While such figures are not decisive, they offer an additional perspective on how rivalries have developed before a tournament that will determine the next challenger for the world title.

4/7/2026 – The Candidates has started, arguably the most exciting event of the world with so much at stake. Beforehand, there was the usual speculation about who should be considered the favourites. After three rounds, already a lot was clear: both top favourite Fabiano Caruana and dark horse Javokhir Sindarov had a dream start with 2.5 out of 3, while world number 2 Hikaru Nakamura is struggling so far. Our Game of the Week is the truely astonishing fourth round clash between Sindarov and Caruana. Merijn's show is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.

4/7/2026 – Carlsen's king: Dangerous passed pawns are often mighty in an endgame. Here the question is, which direction should White's king take to secure the draw?: White to move and draw.

4/7/2026 – An exciting piece of home preparation was seen in the game Caruana-Bluebaum. Fabi introduced a new concept in the Petroff with 4.Nc4, followed by placing the knight on e3 and pushing the pawn to f5. Bluebaum was clearly caught by surprise and failed to come up with an adequate answer. In a position with opposite-castled kings White's attack was really fast and it was checkmate on move 28!

4/6/2026 – Anna Muzychuk leads the Women's Candidates Tournament at the halfway stage with 4½/7 after drawing a quiet game with Bibisara Assaubayeva in round seven. Vaishali Rameshbabu secured the only win of the day, capitalising on a late mistake by Tan Zhongyi to move into sole second place. The other games saw long, hard-fought draws, including a 135-move marathon between Divya Deshmukh and Kateryna Lagno. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

4/6/2026 – Two months ago Valery Golubenko played what may well have been one of the longest chess games ever seen, measured by number of moves, under the rather restrictive conditions of modern chess life. At move 88, with queen and b-pawn against queen, Golubenko's opponent held for 37 moves, until he missed an only move, and it was theoretically a mate in 47. | Photo during the game by Chess Club Kaksikodad – from the right, GM Aleksandr Volodin and the chief arbiter Askold Nassar

4/4/2026 – We have an exciting new live lecture coming up! On April 5, 2026, KCF Academy welcomes GM Mykhailo Oleksienko to host a live masterclass for what promises to be a deeply practical lecture: thinking too long in a complicated position and what to actually do about it.

4/4/2026 – Three players share the lead after five rounds at the Women's Candidates Tournament, with Zhu Jiner and Kateryna Lagno joining Anna Muzychuk on 3/5. Both Zhu and Lagno scored their second wins of the event, while Muzychuk agreed a quick draw with Aleksandra Goryachkina, who remains unbeaten with five draws. Tan Zhongyi and Divya Deshmukh also split the point in a balanced game, leaving the standings tightly packed with all eight players separated by just one point. | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

4/4/2026 – Javokhir Sindarov's formidable start continued in round five of the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus, as he defeated top seed Hikaru Nakamura with the black pieces to reach a 4½/5 score. Fabiano Caruana also won, beating Matthias Bluebaum to remain one point behind. The decisive games saw Nakamura and Bluebaum faltering in the opening phase. The remaining two encounters ended drawn. | Photo: FIDE / Yoav Nis

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 fourth edition of the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships will take place in Hong Kong from 16 to 22 June 2026. These tournaments are popular amongst players and fans alike, offering a unique space for top grandmasters, rising stars, and chess enthusiasts to play together and fight for World titles. Want to take part? The team registration is now open!

4/3/2026 – Head-to-head records between the participants of the Candidates Tournaments provide useful context for each pairing. Drawing on data compiled via Mega Database 2026, the key statistics from past encounters highlight imbalances and trends. While such figures are not decisive, they offer an additional perspective on how rivalries have developed before a tournament that will determine the next challenger for the world title.