10/16/2026 – Fabiano Caruana and Awonder Liang scored victories in round six of the US Championship to join Wesley So and Andy Woodward in the lead on 4/6. Caruana bounced back from his defeat against Woodward by beating Sam Shankland. In the women's tournament, Rachael Li defeated overnight leader Alice Lee, allowing Thalia Cervantes to join them in first place. Irina Krush also won and stands half a point behind. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club

10/16/2026 – In 2027, the 54th International Dortmund Chess Days will mark a special chapter in their history spanning more than 50 years: from 8 to 15 August 2027, the Sparkassen Chess Trophy will be held for the first time in the “Salzlager” at the Hansa Coking Plant. As part of the 2027 International Garden Exhibition (IGA 2027), Germany’s longest-running chess festival will thus combine top-level international sport, grassroots chess and an extraordinary venue. The new venue allows for expansion to up to 450 participants.

10/16/2026 – In the diagram position, White has an extra piece and the mating idea Qh6-g7++ – so it's no wonder that the game only lasts two moves after 27.Kh2, right?

10/16/2026 – Three new Chess Houses have opened in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, providing public spaces where residents can play, train with coaches and take part in tournaments. Located in Abay Park, Metallurgists Park and the 17th microdistrict, the facilities were opened by FIDE President Timur Turlov and Shymkent Mayor Gabit Syzdykbekov. The launch was followed by a children’s blitz tournament involving more than 100 young players across the three venues. | Photos: FIDE

10/15/2026 – Today, Rafael Vaganian celebrates his 75th birthday. In 1971, he became the first Armenian chess player after Tigran Petrosian to be awarded the grandmaster title by FIDE. He won numerous medals in team competitions representing the Soviet Union and Armenia, was at one point ranked fourth in the world and played for SG Porz in the German Bundesliga for many years. | Photo: Frank Hoppe

10/15/2026 – Sixteen-year-old Andy Woodward defeated defending champion Fabiano Caruana in round five of the US Championship to join Wesley So in the lead on 3½/5. Jeffery Xiong, Ray Robson and Abhimanyu Mishra also scored victories. In the women's tournament, Alice Lee claimed her fourth consecutive win to extend her lead to a full point. Meanwhile, Rose Atwell defeated defending champion Carissa Yip, who suffered her third loss in the event. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club

10/15/2026 – This week we have a look at another masterpiece by Wei Yi he played in the 8th round of the Olympiad. With the Black pieces he came up with an aggressive setup dealing with the Keymer System (1.Nf3 d5 2.e3) and soon both kings were placed on opposite wings. With very precise play the Chinese top player managed to keep the position closed on the queenside, neutralizing all White's attacking attempts before launching an initiative on the other side of the board. In this episode, we'll have a look at some other examples on how to balance attack and defense. Make sure to check out the game Mendonca-Praggnanandhaa as well, another true modelgame form Black's perspective.

10/15/2026 – The Atyrau Masters in Kazakhstan has attracted a strong international field, with Shamsiddin Vokhidov and Leon Luke Mendonca heading the starting list. Both top seeds suffered unexpected defeats in the opening two rounds, losing to significantly lower-rated opponents. Nguyen Duc Hoa defeated Vokhidov in round one, while Sergey Sklokin-Bagiyan overcame Mendonca in round two. The nine-round Swiss tournament, part of the Kazakhstan Chess Cup, concludes on 20 October. | Photo: Kazakhstan Chess Federation

10/14/2026 – The English Chess Federation has congratulated 12-year-old chess prodigy Supratit Banerjee after his International Master title was officially approved by FIDE, making him the youngest English player to achieve the prestigious title. This is another milestone for a remarkable generation of young English chess talent that includes Britain's youngest WGM, 11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan.

10/14/2026 – The 6th Intercontinental Online Chess Championship for Prisoners began on 13 October with a record 140 teams from 56 countries competing across men's, women's and youth sections. Organised by FIDE and the Cook County Sheriff's Office, the three-day event continues a programme that uses chess as an educational and social tool in correctional facilities. Several teams completed the opening stage with perfect scores before advancing to the championship rounds.

10/14/2026 – FIDE is preparing changes to the regulations governing shorter classical time controls following a General Assembly resolution based on a proposal from the Icelandic Chess Federation. The FIDE Council plans to make 60+30 a standard classical control without special approval, while considering broader use of 45+30. Limits on games per day and title norms would remain, with further consultation planned before decisions on more extensive changes to classical tournament regulations. | Photo: FIDE

10/13/2026 – Fabiano Caruana defeated Ray Robson in round four of the US Championship to join Wesley So in the lead on 3/4. Awonder Liang suffered his first defeat against Jeffery Xiong, while Hans Niemann also collected a full point. In the women's tournament, Alice Lee took the sole lead by beating 13-year-old Megan Paragua, while Irina Krush scored her second victory of the event, defeating Nazi Paikidze. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Saint Louis Chess Club