The Week in Chess

1. 3rd UzChess Cup 2026 - Games and Results

   The 3rd UzChess Cup took place in Tashkent Sun 7th Jun to Mon 15th Jun 2026. The Masters: Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Arjun Erigaisi, Hans Moke Niemann, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Santosh Gujrathi Vidit, Nodirbek Yakubboev, Shamsiddin Vokhidov, Nikolas Theodorou and Mukhiddin Madaminov.

   The lowest rated player, 19 year-old Mukhiddin Madaminov won after winning a tie-break blitz match against 8th seed Shamsiddin Vokhidov. They had both scored 5.5/9 half a point clear of Ian Nepomniachtchi, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Arjun Erigaisi. Mahammad Muradli won the Challengers with a dominant 7.5/9 two points clear of second placed Mittal Aditya. The Futures tournament was won by IM Khumoyun Begmuratov (born 2010). Timur Gareyev edged out Shavkatjon Abdukholikov on tie-break in the open after both scored 7.5/9.

2. Blohberger beats Navara 3.5-2.5 in a match - 3-4

   Felix Blohberger defeated David Navara in a match in Vienna Mon 8th Jun to Sat 13th Jun 2026. 22 year-old GM Blohberger has a YouTube Channel where he talks about chess. Blohberger had a personal sponsor for the match and it was held at the headquarters of the Austrian Chess Federation, they also provided the arbiter. Every round was commentated live. It was an interesting match, Navara was better in game one, game two was balanced, game three was the decisive one for the match, Navara was a pawn down in a Bishop vs Knight endgame, he probably should have held but his passive defensive idea wasn't the way to do it. Game four was the most exciting of the match with both sides having winning positions at various stages before a draw in a four queens endgame. Games five and six were a little calmer and both finished in draws.

3. Navara vs Blohberger Match 2026 - Games and Results

   David Navara played Felix Blohberger in a six game match in Vienna Mon 8th Jun - Sat 13th Jun 2026. Blohberger won game three and the remaining games were drawn.

4. 26th European Women's Championship 2026 - Games and Results

   The 26th European Women's Championship took place Mon 25th May to Friday 5th Jun 2026. Anastasiia Hnatyshyn took clear first place with 9/11 half a point clear of Sabrina Vega Gutierrez, Olga Badelka and Nurgyul Salimova.

5. 14th Norway Chess 2026 - Games and Results

   The 14th Norway Chess tournament took place Mon 25th May to Fri 5th Jun 2026. There was the regular tournament and a women's event, this year with the same prize-money. Each event had 6 players and 10 rounds and there was an Armageddon game if there's a draw.

   Open: Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So, R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh. Women: Ju Wenjun, Zhu Jiner, Humpy Koneru, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Anna Muzychuk and Deshmukh Divya.

   Praggnanandhaa won the event just pipping Wesley So by a point, Praggnanandhaa won his last four games. Magnus Carlsen had his poorest result in my memory, he won three and lost four. Bibisara Assaubayeva had led for much of the women's event and her only defeat in the final round didn't stop her winning. I give both the official final standings and a conventional table.

6. GCT Super Chess Classic Romania 2026 - Games and Results

   The Grand Chess Tour Super Chess Classic Romania took place Thu 14th May to Sat 23rd May 2026. Players: Caruana, Sindarov, Giri, Firouzja, Keymer, Wesley So, Jorden Van Foreest, Praggnanandhaa, MVL and Deac. Vincent Keymer emerged as the clear winner with 6/9 half a point clear of Fabiano Caruana on 5.5, Javokhir Sindarov and Wesley So were half a point further back on 5 points. Alireza Firouzja withdrew after five rounds after badly hurting his ankle, he had tried to carry on for a couple of rounds after round 3.

7. Faustino Oro earns his final GM norm in Sardinia - 9

   Argentinian chess player Faustino Oro finally has become a Grandmaster after a six points from nine games performance at the Sardinia World Chess Festival. Oro had previous norms at the Legends and Prodigies tournament in September 2025 and the Magistral Szmetan-Giardelli in December 2025. Oro had been chasing the third and final mark since then but couldn't break Abhimanyu Mishra's record of 12 years, 4 months, 25 days. Oro finally got his title at age of 12 years, 6 months, 26 days, the second youngest in history beating third place Sergey Karjakin by a few days.

   Oro earned the title after a win over Bartlomiej Niedbala in round 8 but his tournament ended on a bit of a whimper with a loss to Ian Nepomniachtchi in the final round. None of this matter very much, it's clear Oro has the talent to go very far and he will no doubt be just relieved to get this landmark out of the way.

8. Sardinia World Chess Festival 2026 -

   The Sardinia World Chess Festival took place Sun 3rd May 2026 to Sun 10th May 2026 in Orosei, Italy. Frederik Svane took clear first place with 7.5/9 half a point clear of Haik M. Martirosyan, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Mamikon Gharibyan. Tied for 25th place on 6/9 was Faustino Oro who in spite of a loss to Nepomniachtchi in the final round earned his final GM norm at 12 years, 6 months, 26 days, the second youngest in history, a couple of months behind Abhimanyu Mishra.