A dominating performance

Sam Shankland retained his American Continental Championship title in Oaxtepec, Mexico, after finishing clear first with 9½/11 points. The 19^th edition of the event was held from 1 to 11 June 2026 at the Hotel Dorados Conventions & Resorts, with 126 players from across the Americas taking part.

The tournament was played as an 11-round Swiss and also served as a qualifier for the 2027 FIDE World Cup. Four places were available, adding further significance to the final standings and tiebreak scores (Buchholz Cut-1 was used as the first tiebreak criterion).

Master Class Vol.9: Paul Morphy

Learn about one of the greatest geniuses in the history of chess! Paul Morphy's career (1837-1884) lasted only a few years and yet he managed to defeat the best chess players of his time.

Shankland, the top seed, was among the frontrunners from the start, but he made the decisive break between rounds seven and nine - a run of three consecutive wins allowed him to move clear of the field, and he did not relinquish the lead thereafter. The US grandmaster conceded only three draws and finished a point and a half ahead of his nearest pursuers.

Thanks to his dominating performance, Shankland gained 11.3 rating points and gained 12 spots in the live rankings.

The top four finishers: Juan Carlos Obregón, Sandro Mareco, Sam Shankland and Alexandr Fier | Photo: Confederation of Chess for Americas

Five players shared second place on 8/11: Mexico's Juan Carlos Obregón, Argentina's Sandro Mareco, Brazil's Alexandr Fier and Yago De Moura Santiago and Peru's Jose Alberto Sánchez. After tiebreaks were applied, Obregón, Mareco and Fier joined Shankland in securing the four qualification spots for the 2027 World Cup.

For Obregón, the 15^th seed, the result was especially notable as the strongest performance by a local representative in the final standings.

The result gave Shankland his third American Continental title. He had previously won the championship in 2018 and 2025, and his latest victory extended a recent run of US successes in the event. Sam Sevian won the title in 2017, while Timur Gareyev did so in 2022.

Master your Technique Vol.3 - Practical Techniques you must know

In this volume, we dive into core aspects of chess technique. Smyslov taught the principle of tactical hierarchy, “checks, double attacks, and unprotected pieces”, and Mikhalchishin demonstrates how this method of calculation is vital.
After mastering positional play in Volume 1 and learning how to convert small advantages in Volume 2 of the Master Your Technique series, GM Mikhalchishin now presents Essential Techniques, covering topics from playing on the flank versus the center to maintaining tactical vigilance. In this volume, we dive into core aspects of chess technique. Smyslov taught the principle of tactical hierarchy, “checks, double attacks, and unprotected pieces”, and Mikhalchishin demonstrates how this method of calculation is vital. He shows how top players apply it, but also how even grandmasters sometimes miss critical resources, highlighting the necessity of developing a strong “tactical sense.” This approach encompasses tactical vigilance and scanning for sacrifices, but is also highly relevant to the second part of the course, which focuses on more strategic elements such as the use of heavy pieces and endgame technique.
Free Video Sample: Simple Tactics
Free Video Sample: Mating Net: Ne7+ Qxh7 Rh5+

Sam Shankland during his round-ten game with black against Sandro Mareco (draw) | Photo: Confederation of Chess for Americas

Shankland 1-0 Galaviz

Final standings

A Supergrandmaster's Guide to Openings Vol.1 & 2

This video course includes GM Anish Giri's deep insights and IM Sagar Shah's pertinent questions to the super GM. In Vol.1 all the openings after 1.e4 are covered.

...126 players

All available games

Master Class Vol.1: Bobby Fischer

No other World Champion was more infamous both inside and outside the chess world than Bobby Fischer. On this DVD, a team of experts shows you the winning techniques and strategies employed by the 11th World Champion.

Grandmaster Dorian Rogozenco delves into Fischer’s openings, and retraces the development of his repertoire. What variations did Fischer play, and what sources did he use to arm himself against the best Soviet players? Mihail Marin explains Fischer’s particular style and his special strategic talent in annotated games against Spassky, Taimanov and other greats. Karsten Müller is not just a leading international endgame expert, but also a true Fischer connoisseur.