Press release by FIDE

The recently concluded FIDE Candidates and the European Individual Championship have considerably reshaped the upper echelon of the FIDE Circuit 2026-27.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who has not played classical chess since early March, preserved his lead, but Javokhir Sindarov trails him by only 2.75 points following his triumph in Cyprus. The runner-up and third-place finisher of the point-heavy FIDE Candidates tournament – Anish Giri and Fabiano Caruana – as well as Wei Yi, have also entered the Circuit's top 10.

Understanding Middlegame Strategy Vol.14 Reversed Colour Systems – Benoni, Blumenfeld and Benko Gambit

You will learn how Black's dynamic piece activity and structural counterplay more than compensate for White's extra tempo in the colour-reversed setups.
The Benoni family of openings has toppled world champions, decided match games under the highest pressure, and rewarded those brave enough to play them with some of the most electrifying chess imaginable. In this Fritztrainer, Grandmaster Ivan Sokolov -  continuing his successful series "Understanding Middlegame Structures" - takes you deep inside the complexities of the Colour-Reversed Benoni, the Colour-Reversed Benko Gambit, and the Colour-Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: Colour Reversed Banoni - Game 1

Aram Hakobian moved up two positions after earning 6.2 circuit points for his third-place finish in the XXIII Karpov Tournament, while Vasyl Ivanchuk collected 10.2 points in the Reykjavik Open and the X Open Internacional de Ajedrez Semana Santa, placing third in both tournaments.

Roman Dehtiarov, turning 18 this year, caused a major sensation in the European Individual Chess Championship by claiming the title. This result catapulted the Ukrainian teenager to 7^th position in the circuit race. The bronze winner, Aydin Suleymanli, gained 10.09 points in this competition to round out the top 10.

The FIDE Women's Circuit 2026-27 also saw major shifts in the top layer, following the FIDE Women's Candidates and the IV International Women's Tournament in Uzbekistan.

The winner of the Women's Candidates, Vaishali Rameshbabu, surged to the top of the standings, followed by other top finishers: Bibisara Assaubayeva, Zhu Jiner, Aleksandra Goryachkina and Anna Muzychuk.

Ulviyya Fataliyeva's victory at the IV International Women's Tournament in Uzbekistan earned her 15.37 circuit points, propelling her to the fifth position in the race, while the runner-up, Nana Dzagnidze, broke into the top 10.

Mastering the London System

In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
The London System is one of the most popular openings at every level of chess but not all Londons are the same. In this course, Grandmaster Elisabeth Pähtz presents the London System, a structured and ambitious approach based on the immediate Bf4, leading to rich and dynamic positions.
Free sample video: Introduction
Free sample video: 5...cxd4 6.exd4 Qb6 sidelines

We maintain dedicated pages on our website for the FIDE Circuits 2026-27, featuring the latest information on eligible tournaments, current standings and regulations.

• FIDE Circuit 2026-27
• FIDE Women's Circuit 2026-27

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