Watch the World Chess Festival

by Frederic Friedel
5/5/2026 – So many top chess tournaments taking place, all at the same time. How can you keep abreast? We will tell you how ChessBase provides you with all the live games. Take for example this exciting FIDE event, with former World Championship challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi, marking a rare appearance in an open. To follow this or many other tournaments, you just need to go to the ChessBase Live Broadcast page. Try it out.
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. 

The Sardinia World Chess Festival 2026 is taking place in Orosei, Sardinia, Italy, from 3–10 May 2026. It takes place in three rating bands, Open A, Open B, Open C, with players competing in classical format, synchronized rounds, and a rich prize fund spanning main prizes and special awards. Organized by EmmediSport ASD under the direction of International Organizer GM Roberto Mogranzini, the festival offers a total prize fund of €50,100. 

Comprehensive information is available on this MyChess Events page.

The event is taking place in Orosei, blending competition with a unique playing environment next to one of Sardinia’s most beautiful beaches.

All games take place at the Club Hotel Marina Beach, a four-star venue offering full-board accommodation, sports facilities, and direct access to a private beach.

Participants will also have the opportunity to visit Cala Goloritzé, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world – combining elite chess with the natural beauty of Sardinia.

Watch the games live

This year's event includes GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, marking a rare appearance for the former World Championship challenger in an open tournament. He is joined by top grandmasters Parham Maghsoodloo, Ivan Šarić, Frederik Svane, Haik Martirosyan and GM Daniel Dardha, winner of the inaugural 2024 edition. The field is further enriched by rising talent IM Faustino Oro, as well as a strong Indian contingent, including Murali Karthikeyan, Leon Mendonca and GM Harika Dronavalli.

You can follow the action in Sardinia on the ChessBase Live Broadcast page:

There you can follow all the most important international chess tournaments, which are streamed live. Selecting the Sardinia World Festival will take you to the live broadcast:

Here you can follow the games live. Click on a game on the right and it will be displayed in the board section on the left. At the same time you will have the full notation, and any computer analysis that is available:

Below the boards are buttons to start an engine analysis (to answer any what-if and why-not questions that might arise); replay buttons (but you can also simply click on the notation); a maximize button and a download button (for the PGN of the game, a GIF or FEN description of the current diagram, etc.). Naturally, you can move the board to analyse how the game could continue.

Note that at some stage, and for important games, full computer analysis, with diagrams and an evaluation graph, will appear. In addition, clicking on "Table" below the broadcast screen will show you the current standings.
<< Knight forks and knightmares
Super Rapid & Blitz Poland - Live! >>
Editor-in-Chief emeritus of the ChessBase News page. Studied Philosophy and Linguistics at the University of Hamburg and Oxford, graduating with a thesis on speech act theory and moral language. He started a university career but switched to science journalism, producing documentaries for German TV. In 1986 he co-founded ChessBase.
Discussion and Feedback Submit your feedback to the editors

See also

Hong Kong World Rapid and Blitz

4/28/2026 – The fourth edition of the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships will take place from 16 to 22 June in Hong Kong, marking the event’s first appearance in East Asia. Top teams have already confirmed their participation, featuring some of the biggest names in the game, including world number one Magnus Carlsen, alongside the most recent FIDE Candidates and Women’s Candidates winners, Javokhir Sindarov and Vaishali Rameshbabu. | Photos: Rafal Oleksiewicz and Michal Walusza
More...
 3

See also

"Madwoman's Game", chess-themed documentary produced by Keanu Reeves, premieres at Miami Festival

4/28/2026 – "Madwoman's Game" premiered on 16 April at the Miami Chess Festival, presenting a chess-focused documentary that follows Bianca Mitchell-Avila's journey through competition, mentorship and personal development. The film explores how the game informs decision-making beyond the board. Its production was notably supported by Keanu Reeves, whose involvement came as an unexpected boost to the project. | Image: Screenshot from "Madwoman's Game"
More...
 6

Video

60m English The Elephant Gambit

The Elephant Gambit (1.e4.e5 2.Nf3 d5!?) has never really been given the attention it deserves. It is a very useful surprise weapon. Let us list the advantages of playing this particular opening: 1) Shock value 2) It is very aggressive. Black can take over the initiative early. 3) Many tricky lines 4) Unorthodox. Black is basically taking the game to the opponent as early as move two. Not many openings do that! It's a perfect opening for young players and club players to adopt. Let Andrew Martin select a repertoire for you on this 60 mins, which, if used with discretion, will rack up the points. I am sure that you will enjoy this unusual tour of the Elephant Gambit.