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CANDIDATES CHESS TOURNAMENT NEWS

File image of American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. (Photo courtesy: GCL)

FIDE CEO Emil Sutovsky says ratings spot for Candidates 2028 could be eliminated after Magnus Carlsen's comments on Nakamura

December 08, 2025 12:42 pm

After Nakamura secured his spot in the Candidates, five-time world champion Carlsen bashed the way the ratings spot was awarded. Sutovsky took exception to this and said he would move to eliminate the pathway altogether.

L-R: China's Wei Yi, Uzbekistan Javokhir Sindarov and Russia's Andrey Esipenko after qualifying to Candidates via FIDE Chess World Cup. (PHOTO: Michal Walusza/FIDE)

Candidates 2026 Line-up: Full list of qualified players after Sindarov Wei Yi & Esipenko confirm qualification via FIDE World Cup

November 27, 2025 8:58 pm

Sindarov, Wei Yi and Esipenko qualified via the FIDE World Cup 2025 route, having finished in the top three positions.

Luxury resort in Cyprus to host FIDE Candidates and Women’s Candidates tournaments in March-April 2026

November 10, 2025 6:24 pm

FIDE announced that the tournaments will be held between March 28 and April 16, 2026.

India's R. Vaishali and Arjun Erigaisi in action during FIDE Grand Swiss. (Photo: FIDE/Michal Walusza)

How can Arjun Erigaisi and Vaishali qualify for Candidates through Grand Swiss? Check all scenarios, result, pairings and standings of final round

September 15, 2025 3:33 pm

Here are all the qualification scenarios for Arjun and Vaishali's Candidates qualification through FIDE Grand Swiss tournament happening in Samarkand.

Hikaru Nakamura reacts during a game at Norway Chess. (PHOTO: Michal Walusza via Norway Chess)

'We should've done better': FIDE's Emil Sutovsky on Hikaru Nakamura exploiting loophole to qualify for Candidates

September 13, 2025 5:34 pm

Sutovsky, however, said that the chess body should have done a better job of closing the loophole before players could take advantage of it, adding that they had thought that their top players were better than taking advantage of the loophole.

After Gukesh won the Candidates chess tournament, an old video from the 17-year-old went viral. In it, the then 11-year-old says he wants to be the 'youngest world champion ever.'. (PHOTO: FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Gukesh: ‘Right now just want to be the best, don’t care about youngest ever and other records’

April 28, 2024 2:16 pm

After Gukesh become the youngest-ever player to qualify for the prestigious World Chess Championship, a clip of him as an 11-year-old surfaced. In it he says: “I want to be the youngest world chess champion!”

Gukesh vs Ding Liren: It will cost about Rs 70 crore to host World Chess Championship

May 22, 2024 8:37 pm

What does it take to host the World Chess Championship, where Gukesh will take on Ding Liren later this year? We break it down in this explainer:

D Gukesh during the 2024 Candidates tournament in Toronto. (Michal Walusza/FIDE)

What Gukesh and Co can learn from the life of the Norwegian kid who at 13 had stunned Garry Kasparov?

April 28, 2024 2:06 pm

Now a living legend at 33, he shut-off outside noise, remained thankful to his supportive family, develop as a player and continued to enjoy playing chess

Gukesh was given a befitting welcome at Chennai airport after he became the youngest ever challenger for the world title by winning the Candidates Tournament in Toronto. (PHOTO: Venkata Krishna B)

India pushing to host Chess World Championship and give sensation D Gukesh the perfect liftoff against Ding Liren

April 28, 2024 2:06 pm

Gukesh became the youngest ever challenger for the world title by winning the Candidates Tournament in Toronto on Monday

Gukesh was given a grand welcome at Chennai airport with 80 school kids, a posse of cameramen and his mother at Chennai airport early on Thursday. (PHOTO: Venkata Krishna B)

How Gukesh was welcomed at 3 am after Candidates: 80 school kids, posse of cameramen, officials and an emotional mother

April 28, 2024 2:07 pm

AICF treasurer Dharmendra Kumar, who was at the Chennai airport at 3 am to welcome Gukesh, told The Indian Express that they are in discussions with FIDE to host the World Chess Championship. “We are definitely interested,” he said.