FM Zanas Nainys (LTU) scored 7.5/9 to win Bled Chess Festival Under-2300 Rating Tournament 2026. He finished a half point ahead of the rest. 12-year-old Leonard Belyaletdinov (SLO) scored 7/9 to secure second place. IM Leon Mazi (SLO), FM Adam Dorrance (CAN) and FM Miha Furlan (SLO) scored 6.5/9 each. They were placed third, fourth and fifth according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund was €6000. The top three prizes were €1000, €700 and €400 each. Next year the festival will take place from 8th to 14th March 2027. Check out a huge report of the tournament and see if you cannot afford to miss the next edition. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

GM Leon Luke Mendonca, GM Pranesh M, GM Arkadij Naiditsch (BUL), GM Mikhail Mozharov, IM Mayank Chakraborty and GM Adly Ahmed (EGY) scored 6.5/9 each at Muscat Nights International Open A (>2000). Leon won the tournament on tie-breaks. The remaining four were placed second to fifth according to tie-breaks. Both Leon and Pranesh remained undefeated. Total prize fund was US$ 24500. The top three prizes were US$ 6000 + trophy + medal, 4000 and 3000 each. Raghav Srivasthav V scored 8/9, finished a half point ahead of others to win Open B (<2000). He received US$ 2000 + trophy + medal. Mayank won the Blitz Rating Open scoring an unbeaten 10/11 and finished ahead of the rest by a full point. GM Adham Fawzy (EGY), Pranesh and FM Radin Yadegar (IRI) scored 9/11 each. They were placed second to fourht respectively. The top three in Blitz were US$ 400 + trophy + medal, $300 and $200 each. Photo: Oman Chess Committee

The FIDE World Cup 2025 winner, Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) defeated World no.5, Arjun Erigaisi to join the lead at the conclusion of Round 11 at 88th Tata Steel Masters 2026. Sindarov is now coleader of his compatriot, Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) who drew his game against Jorden van Foreest (NED). R Praggnanandhaa suffered his third loss of the event, this time against Vincent Keymer (GER). The World Champion, D Gukesh drew against Aravindh Chithambaram. Hans Niemann (USA) won a thrilling game against Thai Dai Van Nguyen (CZE) to move to 6.5/11, a half point behind Sindarov and Abdusattorov. Round 12 starts today at 2 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST for both Masters and Challengers section. Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Shakya Singha Modak scored an unbeaten 8/9 to win Tata Steel Chess Festival 2026 Under-19 Rapid. He finished a half point ahead of the rest. Four players - WFM Saparya Ghosh, Aahil Patra, Somiddho Rajbanshi and Archit Mohapatra scored 7.5/9 each. They secured second to fifth place according to tie-breaks. The two-day nine-round Under-19 Rapid tournament was organized by Dhanuka Dhunseri Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata, West Bengal on 10th and 11th January 2026. The total prize fund was ₹51000 + trophies. Top three prizes in Open and Girls were ₹10000 + trophy, ₹6000 and ₹4000 each respectively. This was Shakya's first tournament triumph of the year. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

IM Liam Putnam (USA) and GM Praveen Balakrishnan (USA) scored an unbeaten 8/9 each at 51st Ciudad de Sevilla International Open 2026. Liam won the tournament on tie-breaks, Praveen had to settle for second place. IM Aronyak Ghosh scored sole 7.5/9 to finish third. He also remained undefeated. GM P Shyaam Nikhil, GM Sayantan Das, GM Vignesh N R and IM Shahil Dey scored 7/9 each. They were placed fifth to eighth respectively according to tie-breaks. The total prize fund was €10500. The top three prizes were €2000, €1500 and €1000 along with a trophy each. Shyaam won the Blitz Rating Open 6/7. Vignesh also scored the same. He was placed second on tie-breaks. Photo: Ismael Nieto

The World Champion, D Gukesh bounced back once again in Round 10 of 88th Tata Steel Masters 2026. Gukesh joked about teaching a lesson to the 14-year-old as he lost few games against the stronger players when he was a 13/14-year-old. He also praised how Yagiz became stronger in the last year. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) drew his game against Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) to maintain his sole lead 6.5/10. Jorden van Foreest (NED) drew against Javokhir Sindarov (UZB). Both of them maintain their pursuit at 6/10 each. Matthias Bluebaum (GER) scored his second consecutive win to cross 2700 in the live ratings for the first time in his career. Bluebaum crushed Anish Giri who opted for a sharp line. World no.4 Vincent Keymer (GER) got the better of World no.5 Arjun Erigaisi. Aravindh Chithambaram scored his first win of the event against the Czech Republic no.1, Thai Dai Vang Nguyen after the former made a bold practical decision in the endgame. Today is the last rest day. Round 11 starts tomorrow Friday 30th January at 2 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST for both Masters and Challengers section. Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

GM Prraneeth Vuppala scored 7.5/9 to win 37th Roquetas Chess Festival Open 2026. Prraneeth finished a half point ahead of the rest. FM Pau Marin Ferragut (ESP), IM Filip Cukrowski (POL), IM Nico Chasin (USA) and IM Felix-Antonio Illinca (ROU) scored 7/9 each. They secured second to fifth place according to tie-breaks. The top three prizes were €2600 + trophy, €1600 and €1200 each respectively. GM Diptayan Ghosh, GM Raja Rithvik R and GM Vignesh N R scored 6.5/9 each. They were placed seventh, eighth and tenth respectively. IM Aronyak Ghosh scored an unbeaten 8/9 to secure second place in the 7th The Eve of Magi Blitz Rating Open. Nico won that event scoring 8.5/9. The top three prizes in Blitz were €120, €90 and €70. Photo: Club Ajedrez Roquetas

The World Champion, D Gukesh suffered his third loss in Round 9 of 88th Tata Steel Masters 2026. This was against the World Championship Candidate, Matthias Bluebaum (GER). It was also Gukesh's third loss in the last four games. R Praggnanandhaa scored his first win of the event against compatriot, Aravindh Chithambaram. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) maintains his sole lead 6/9, after a draw against his 44th Olympiad Gold medal winning teammate and FIDE World Cup 2025 winner, Javokhir Sindarov (UZB). Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR) and Jorden van Foreest (NED) won their respective games against Thai Dai Van Nguyen (CZE) and Vincent Keymer (GER) to move to 5.5/9 each. Round 10 starts today at 2 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST for both Masters and Challengers section. Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Rao's Chess Corner invites you to 2nd Grand RCC FIDE Rated International Chess Festival 2026. The number of events have been doubled to six from the inaugural edition. There will be a Classical, a Rapid, two Blitz, one Freestyle (Chess960 / Fischer Random) and one Puzzle Solving Tournament. That means there is something for everyone. The total cash prize up for grabs is ₹1400001, ₹500001 in Classical, ₹200000 in Rapid, ₹100000 in each of the two Blitz events, ₹50000 in Chess960, ₹25000 in Puzzle Solving, Grand Prix prize ₹400000 and Academy/Team prize ₹25000. Entry is FREE for GMs, IMs, WGMs and WIMs with accommodation. Read the article to know more about the entire festival. Graphic: Rao's Chess Corner

WFM Bristy Mukherjee won Tata Steel Chess Festival Women Rapid for the third time. She is the first player to achieve this unique feat of winning any Tata Steel Chess India Festival event for three times. Previously she won it in 2022 and 2024 . She along with four more players - IM Nisha Mohota, Debapriya Manna, WIM Chandreyee Hajra and Anushka Gupta scored 6.5/7 each. Bristy won the tournament on tie-breaks. The remaining four secured second to fifth place respectively. The one-day seven-round Rapid Women tournament was organized by Dhanuka Dhunseri Dibyendu Barua Chess Academy at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata, West Bengal on 9th January 2026. The total prize fund was ₹100000. Top three prizes were ₹20000 + trophy, ₹15000 and ₹10000 each respectively. This was Bristy's first tournament triumph of the year. Photos: Shahid Ahmed

IM Anatole Vlachos (GRE) scored an unbeaten 7.5/9 to win 22nd Bois-Colombes Master Open A (≥2000) 2025. He finished a full point ahead of the rest. Ten players scored 6.5/9 each. Out of them, IM Aronyak Ghosh and IM Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan (SRI) secured second and third place respectively. Anatole drew with the eventual runner-up, Aronyak in the seventh round. The total prize fund of the tournament combining three category was €8000. The top three prizes in Open A were €1500, €1000 and €600 along with a trophy each respectively. IM Arghyadip Das is the only other Indian to make a top ten finish in Open A. He scored 6.5/9 and was placed seventh. Photo: Cercle d’Échecs de Bois-Colombes

Anish Giri (NED) handed Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) his first loss in Round 8 of 88th Tata Steel Masters 2026. Despite having a full point lead, Abdusattorov was not in a mood to play a quiet game and stay ahead. He wanted to play for the maximum. Giri got a pleasant position by move no.20 and his opponent's position kept getting worse. The reigning World Champion, D Gukesh bounced back with an emphatic victory against Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO). Aravindh Chithambaram and Yagis Kaan Erdogmus (TUR) drew against Arjun Erigaisi and R Praggnanandhaa respectively. Today is the second of three rest days. Round 9 starts tomorrow Tuesday 27th January at 2 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST for both Masters and Challengers section. Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess