Chess News

Unlike most female players in the world, who play an occasional open tournament (with men in competition) in a year, Deshmukh has ventured off the beaten track at every opportunity she could in 2025. (Picture Credit: Michal Walusza/FIDE)

2025: Her Year – Divya Deshmukh’s gamble to play Open tournaments will pay off in the long run

December 25, 2025 08:58 IST

By playing Open tournaments, which also comprise male players, Divya Deshmukh, the FIDE Women's World Cup winner, is looking to sharpen her game in her quest to become the very best; "Even if she is struggling at times...she's still getting the experience," says Hikaru Nakamura

World champion Gukesh Dommaraju and chess legend Viswanathan Anand discuss after their match in the Global Chess League. (Photo: GCL)

Gukesh on playing Vishy Anand in a game: ‘Very tricky, a bit like playing against God’

December 24, 2025 22:39 IST

It was only on the last occasion possible that Gukesh beat his idol Vishy Anand possible at GCL. It was a win that proved decisive in Gukesh's side ending in third position

Charvi with her her mother Akhila at Norway Chess Open tournament earlier this year. (Express Photo by Amit Kamath)

At 11, Charvi, youngest participant in Women’s World Rapid and Blitz, following in footsteps of Polgar sisters

December 24, 2025 22:19 IST

Charvi Anilkumar has spent the entire year playing in open events against boys and men older than her, going against the norm of girls opting to play in women’s age group events.

Magnus Carlsen looks at a chess board. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

Magnus Carlsen ranks Praggnanandhaa as 3rd favourite to win Candidates tournament

December 24, 2025 20:54 IST

Carlsen also explained that besides the two Americans, Nakamura and Caruana, and Pragg, he doesn't think anyone has a real chance of winning the Candidates.

Global Chess League: Card games, camaraderie and champagne, as Pragg and Co win title with SG Pipers

December 23, 2025 23:12 IST

All the top three players of the side – Caruana, Giri, and Pragg – shared jokes during the presentations, a camaraderie that will soon turn into rivalry

Vidit says the need to take a step back from the sport came after an ‘intense burnout’ he felt chasing his world championship dream in the last cycle. (Global Chess League)

Vidit Gujrathi, India’s flagbearer in chess for past decade, shifts focus to ‘vibe coding’ chess apps he help elite players

December 24, 2025 19:21 IST

Over the last couple of months, Vidit Gujrathi has created at least three chess websites for elite players by ‘vibe coding’ them himself.

Leon Luke Mendonca of the Alpine SG Pipers (RIGHT) and Raunak Sadhwani of Ganges Grandmasters in the Global Chess League at Mumbai's Opera House. (Photo: GCL)

Why reaching 2700 rating is arguably the hardest leap to make in chessSubscriber Only

December 23, 2025 10:19 IST

India has currently nine challengers—Karthikeyan Murali (2660), Pranav V (26341), Raunak Sadhwani (2638), Pranesh M (2627), Aryan Chopra (2626), Aditya Mittal (2624), Abhimanyu Puranik (2622), SL Narayanan (2616), Leon Luke Mendonca (2615)—fighting it out in the 2600 ratings club with dreams of making the leap to the 2700s some day

Hikaru Nakamura interview: ‘Studying chess 10 hours a day is nonsense… it’s outdated’

December 23, 2025 13:55 IST

American Grandmaster Nakamura, who will be a contender at the Candidates next year, talks about how chess has changed and how 'work smarter, not harder' is his mantra

GCL: Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi win for the first time, spurred by kids in audience and a walk down Marine Drive

December 18, 2025 22:32 IST

There were other winners for the Knights team as well, with Leinier Dominguez Perez defeating Praggnanandhaa, and Kateryna Lagno taking down former women’s world champion and current women’s world no 1 Hou Yifan.

India's R Praggnanandhaa, who represents Alpine SG Piper at the Global Chess League, in action during a GCL 3 game at the Royal Opera House. (PHOTO: GCL)

Praggnanandhaa interview: Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi’s exploits in 2024 inspired me to be more ambitious

December 18, 2025 22:13 IST

At next year's Candidates, Praggnanandhaa will be the only Indian in contention in the open section.

R Praggnandhaa, Anish Giri, and Fabiano Caruana will be fighting it out in the eight-man Candidates tournament from March 28 to April 16. (Picture Credit: GCL)

Teammates at GCL now, Candidates rivals soon: How Praggnanandhaa, Anish Giri, and Fabiano Caruana are co-existing at Alpine SG Pipers

December 18, 2025 09:10 IST

Praggnanandhaa, Anish Giri, and Fabiano Caruana talk about the strange dynamic they share as part of Alpine SG Pipers in the GCL, knowing fully well that they will soon be facing off in the Candidates, where only finishing first matters.

SG Alpine Pipers' R Praggnanandhaa, and PBG Alaskan Knights' Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh during the third season of the Global Chess League. (PHOTOS: GCL)

Why being at home feels like a vacation to D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi

December 17, 2025 09:25 IST

A hectic tournament schedule that takes them around the world several times a year provides no time to rest, but they have no complaints. As Gukesh says: "If I don’t push myself at this age, when am I going to push myself?”

Viswanathan Anand from Ganges Grandmasters in action against Gukesh D from PBG Alaskan Knights on day 3 of the Global Chess League 3. (PHOTO: GCL)

Mentor vs protégé at GCL: When D Gukesh picked a fight on board with the Sicilian that ‘Vishy sir’ won

December 17, 2025 09:19 IST

World Champion loses to his mentor in another disappointing result as Ganges Grandmasters beat PBG Alaskan Knights

Arjun Erigaisi interview: ‘Not making it to the Candidates is not the end of the world’

December 16, 2025 00:21 IST

Arjun Erigaisi admits he took a 10-day break to stay at home, in the company of his mother and his sister, to get over the heartbreak.

Gukesh's wretched run of form has led to plenty of comparisons between Gukesh and his Chinese predecessor, who also went through a slump after claiming the throne. (FIDE/Michal Walusza)

Fabiano Caruana on Gukesh: ‘You can’t say that he’s clear no. 1 in world right now… but that’s normal’

December 14, 2025 23:14 IST

This has been Gukesh’s year of woe, with the teenager not winning any tournament since defeating Ding Liren for the crown in Singapore a year ago.

Ahead of the third edition of GCL in Mumbai, Pragg was in Dharavi as the chief guest at the Dharavi Chess Championship on Friday. (Express Photo by Deepak Joshi)

Praggnanandhaa on new events popping up in chess: ‘Difficult to adjust to each format sometimes, but happy there are new opportunities’

December 13, 2025 00:53 IST

R Praggnanandhaa, who recently secured his spot in the Candidates tournament via the FIDE Circuit route, he’s happy that the sport is now giving players so many opportunities to play and become full-time professionals.

Levon Aronian after winning the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz 2025. (Lennart Ootes via Saint Louis Chess)

After losing to streamer, Levon Aronian goes on unbeaten streak to claim South Africa leg of Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour

December 12, 2025 15:31 IST

Behind Aronian and Carlsen, Germany's Vincent Keymer claimed third place after defeating Javokhir Sindarov. Fabiano Caruana secured fifth place with a 1.5–0.5 victory over Arjun Erigaisi

The boy from India had recently made news for being the youngest rated chess player in history at the age of three. (Representative image/Anna Shtourman)

Three-year-old’s rise as youngest rated chess player now under cloud after complaint filed

December 12, 2025 08:32 IST

The complaint claims that all the three opponents who lost to the three-year-old boy were coaches from the academy where he trains. The boy's father and coach have denied this while stating that the fact that all three opponents were from the same city in MP was a coincidence.

Vishy Anand interview: World champion Gukesh’s results this year are no big deal; there’ll be some drama facing him in GCL

December 12, 2025 09:14 IST

Exactly one year ago, Gukesh became the youngest world champion in chess history. His mentor and chess legend Vishy Anand speaks on the teenager's form over the past year, the added scrutiny on the youngster, pressure of facing him in GCL and more

File image of Magnus Carlsen during the Tata Steel India Rapid and Blitz tournament in Kolkata. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)

Magnus Carlsen vs Levon Aronian in Freestyle Chess final even as Norwegian wraps up Grand Slam Tour title

December 11, 2025 11:56 IST

India's Arjun Erigaisi will face Fabiano Caruana for the fifth place spot and Hans Niemann will face Parham Maghsoodloo in the match for seventh spot.

Richard Rapport (left) takes on Peter Svidler in the second edition of Global Chess League in London last year. (PHOTO: GCL)

Richard Rapport praises ‘safety net’ that has helped India’s chess stars rise meteorically

December 11, 2025 09:01 IST

“When I saw Team Gukesh (at the World Chess Championship), it was a very impressive team of people. To be able to afford and to be able to maintain such a setup, it's just very impressive,” Rapport tells The Indian Express in an interview

Praggnanandhaa secures Candidates spot as last-gasp entry at London Classic’s open section pays off

December 8, 2025 23:32 IST

Praggnanandhaa secured his spot via the FIDE Circuit route which could have been in some peril if he had not played in London, because the other contender for the spot, Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov, had entered the elite event at London Classic.

World champion Gukesh D poses at the St Louis Chess Club during the Clutch Chess exhibition event. (PHOTO: Lennart Ootes via St Louis Chess Club)

Gukesh D in Ask Me Anything session: ‘For sure there is extra pressure (of being world champion)’

December 7, 2025 08:04 IST

When he was asked if he thought he could be World No 1 some day, Gukesh replied: "I know I will give my absolute best for it but whether or not it happens I would be happy with the effort I put in."

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 8, 2025 12:42 IST

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.

Hans Niemann and Fabiano Caruana playing underwater chess. (PHOTO: Freestyle Chess/Stev Bonhage)

Chess underwater! Hans Niemann defeats Fabiano Caruana to win unique diving event in Cape Town

December 4, 2025 23:59 IST

In this event, players make their moves on a small chess set placed 110 centimetres deep at the bottom of a swimming pool. After moving, a player surfaces to catch their breath, at which point their opponent must immediately dive to make the next move.