Chess · Worth knowing

The 41st European Chess Club Cup concluded in Budva, Montenegro, with Bayegan Pendik Sports Chess Club from Turkey winning the Open section after a tense final round. Heading into the final round, three teams tied for the lead: Bayegan Pendik, SuperChess (Romania), and Novy Bor Chess Club (Czech Republic). In the decisive match, Bayegan Pendik defeated SuperChess 3.5-2.5 with key victories from GM Anish Giri and GM Amin Tabatabaei, while Novy Bor beat Elektroprivreda to finish with matching 13 match points. Bayegan Pendik clinched gold on tiebreaks, with Novy Bor taking silver and Rishon LeZion A (Israel) winning bronze. In the Women's event, Cercle d'Echecs de Monte-Carlo successfully defended its title after tying on points with CE Gambit Bonnevoie (Luxembourg) but winning on tiebreaks. The tournament also awarded best individual performers on each board across both sections, recognizing standout players like GM Sarin Nihal, GM Humpy Koneru, and GM Aleksandra Goryachkina.

GM Wesley So won his fourth U.S. Chess Championship title after defeating defending champion GM Fabiano Caruana 1.5-0.5 in rapid tiebreaks following a dramatic final round. So, who lost to GM Sam Sevian in round 11 and barely slept before the playoffs, demonstrated resilience despite both players being exhausted from the recent Chess Olympiad. The championship featured an unusual number of blunders throughout, and So's victory in game two came after Caruana played a dubious pawn sacrifice in the opening, allowing So to win a piece by move 22. This marks So's first U.S. Championship title in five years and caps a banner 2026 for the star, who has risen from 11th to 6th in world rankings after placing second at Norway Chess, winning the Sinquefield Cup, and now securing the national title worth $56,000.

Reigning National Champion Iniyan Panneerselvam discusses his recent performances in an interview with ChessBase India. He finished 7th at the Abu Dhabi Open, playing seven of the top 11 players and drawing his final six games—he notes that one or two additional wins would have significantly improved his placement. Iniyan reflects on critical games, including a clean victory against IM Kushagra Mohan and draws against experienced GMs like Vakhidov and Dubov, whose post-game analysis provided valuable insights into their approach. He also shares his commanding performances as top seed at the 360One Masters in Mumbai and La Plagne (7.5/9 in both), attributing success to good preparation, tournament atmosphere, and relaxed play. Looking ahead, Iniyan will defend his National Championship title in Banaras after competing at the Chola Chess International Open. His immediate targets include winning both tournaments and reaching a 2650 rating (having twice reached 2600). He emphasizes that young players aiming to break the 2500–2600 barrier should adopt the mindset of playing to win every game and every tournament, regardless of opposition strength.