2/8/2026 – The final weekend of the Speed Chess Championship moves from the online arena to a live stage in London, combining rapid, blitz and bullet segments. On Sunday, Hikaru Nakamura faces Denis Lazavik in the match for third place, while Magnus Carlsen will attempt to successfully defending his title against Alireza Firouzja. | Follow the games live with expert commentary. The consolation match starts at 14.00 CET, while the final starts at 19.00 CET.
new: Fritz 20
Your personal chess trainer. Your toughest opponent. Your strongest ally. FRITZ 20 is more than just a chess engine – it is a training revolution for ambitious players and professionals. Whether you are taking your first steps into the world of serious chess training, or already playing at tournament level, FRITZ 20 will help you train more efficiently, intelligently and individually than ever before.
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before. FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
IM Andrew Martin complements his Evans Gambit course with a simple and attacking repertoire against all of blacks sidelines after 1.e4 e5.
€34.90
Finals
The concluding stages of the Speed Chess Championship are being held in front of a live audience in London on 7–8 February 2026, with the semifinals, consolation match and final taking place at 180 Studios, a noted brutalist-style venue located in the heart of the city.
The semifinal pairings were decided by quarterfinal matches completed in November. Magnus Carlsen will meet Denis Lazavik, while Hikaru Nakamura faces Alireza Firouzja.
GM Blohberger presents a complete two-part repertoire for Black: practical, clear, and flexible – instead of endless theory, you’ll get straightforward concepts and strategies that are easy to learn and apply. The King’s Indian Defence has been one of the most dynamic and popular responses to 1.d4 for decades. Legends such as Garry Kasparov, Bobby Fischer, and Hikaru Nakamura have employed it at the highest level – and it continues to fascinate today, as it offers Black not only solidity but also rich attacking and counterattacking opportunities. Its special advantage: the King’s Indian is a universal system, equally effective against 1.d4, 1.c4, and 1.Nf3. Grandmaster Felix Blohberger, multiple Austrian Champion and experienced second, presents a complete two-part repertoire for Black. His approach: practical, clear, and flexible – instead of endless theory, you’ll get straightforward concepts and strategies that are easy to learn and apply.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: London System
Each match in the live finals follows the championship's standard three-segment structure of continuous games:
Segment 1: 90 minutes of games at a 5+1 time control
Segment 2: 60 minutes of games at a 3+1 time control
Segment 3: 30 minutes of games at a 1+1 time control
Colours alternate from game to game, with the higher-seeded player starting with white in the first game of each segment. A win scores one point and a draw half a point, and only games that have already begun before a segment timer expires count towards the score. Players may not forfeit a match except during the final ten minutes of the 1+1 segment.
In this video course, kings will play a role of strong and active pieces. We will explore how Kings can be helpful in defence and prophylaxis, or even in attack!
Format
Each match in the live finals follows the championship's standard three-segment structure of continuous games:
Segment 1: 90 minutes of games at a 5+1 time control
Segment 2: 60 minutes of games at a 3+1 time control
Segment 3: 30 minutes of games at a 1+1 time control
Colours alternate from game to game, with the higher-seeded player starting with white in the first game of each segment. A win scores one point and a draw half a point, and only games that have already begun before a segment timer expires count towards the score. Players may not forfeit a match except during the final ten minutes of the 1+1 segment.
If the score is level after all three segments, the tiebreak procedure is as follows:
Up to four additional 1+1 games are played, with colours continuing to alternate
The match ends as soon as one player reaches 2½ points in this mini-match
If still tied, a single Armageddon game is played
For Armageddon, both players secretly submit a bid indicating how much time (up to five minutes) they are willing to have with the black pieces. The lower bid receives Black with that time, while White gets the full five minutes and must win the game, as a draw counts as a win for Black.
Let our authors show you how Carlsen tailored his openings to be able to outplay his opponents strategically in the middlegame or to obtain an enduring advantage into the endgame.
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
2026 Chess Olympiad with analyses by Abdusattorov, Donchenko, Duda, So and many more – ‘Rooks love open files’: Tactics training with Oliver Reeh – ‘Don’t underestimate it’: Caruana’s blitz weapon 1.e4 e5 2.d3 – Total Video playing time: over 6 hours!
Keep it simple. Stay objective. Watch the clock. Sometimes take the risk. GM Loek van Wely explains the ten principles that decide real games. They aren’t about theory. They’re about what you do at the board when it counts.
Most players don’t lack the urge to attack, they just strike at the wrong moment, and GM Sipke Ernst shows you which signals tell you to go for the king and which tell you to choose another plan.
How grandmasters win without fireworks: GM Jan Markos shows you 11 very practical tips from "How to play in a lost position" to "Be patient like Carlsen" that will improve your tournament chess.
The Nimzo-Indian has stood the test of time for over a century: Still a top choice for elite players today, from Magnus Carlsen to Praggnanandhaa, it remains one of Black's most reliable ways to fight for real chances against 1.d4 2.c4 3.Nc3.
€39.90
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