Vincent Keymer wins Super Chess Classic Romania 2026

by Devansh Singh - 24/05/2026

Vincent Keymer defeated Jorden van Foreest in the final round of the Super Chess Classic 2026 to win the title. This was Vincent's first year as a full-tour player in the Grand Chess Tour, and this one was his first event. Vincent Keymer scored 6/9 after suffering a loss in the 7th round against Javokhir Sindarov. Fabiano Caruana scored 5.5/9 to claim second place. Javokhir Sindarov and Wesley So scored 5/9 to finish in 3rd and 4th place. Vincent takes home 100,000 dollars + 31,000 dollars of bonuses, 13 Grand Chess Tour points, and a 7.8 elo Rating. With this, he is World No. 6 in the live ratings now. Photo: Lennart Ootes

Back-to-Back Victories

Vincent Keymer is in a red-hot form; he won Grenke Freestyle 2026, remaining unbeaten, and now he has won Super Chess Classic Romania 2026. Vincent had a rough loss against Javokhir Sindarov in the 7th round. But he persevered, drew a tough position against Fabiano in Round 8, and scored a critical win in the final round against Jorden with the White pieces to clinch clear first place.

Vincent Keymer with his father Christof and coach Peter Leko | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Champion: Vincent Keymer | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Vincent Keymer: "It's been an amazing event for me with quite a big blow in the middle. But still, overall, I am very happy with both the result and my performance. I managed to win all my white games. I guess, even by far, the biggest classical tournament victory ever for me. And starting like that in the Grand Chess Tour is, of course, an amazing feeling."

We caught up with Vincent for an interview after his final round win over Jorden van Foreest, and we interviewed his coach, Peter Leko!

Check out the games!

Now we will bring you all the action from this round.

Vincent Keymer vs Jorden van Foreest

It was the 3rd classical clash between Vincent and Jorden this year, both faced each other in the Tata Steel Masters and the Prague Masters, and Jorden emerged as victorious both times. It was an important clash for Vincent as he and Caruana were co-leading before this round. Check out the critical moment.

Position after 15...Qa5

Jorden made a huge error early in the opening and played 15...Qa5, this move allowed 16.Nd5 with a continuation to win the exchange.

Vincent Keymer vs Jorden van Foreest (1-0) | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Javokhir Sindarov vs Wesley So (0.5-0.5) | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Anish Giri vs. R Praggnanandhaa (0.5-0.5) | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs. Fabiano Caruana (0.5-0.5) | Photo: Abhyudaya Ram

Replay Round 9 Games

Results and Standings

Round 9 Results | Graphic: Grand Chess Tour

Final Standings | Graphic: Grand Chess Tour

Prize Money | Graphic: Grand Chess Tour

Photo Gallery: ChessBase India, GCT

Pragg and Wesley are analysing the game | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

All players | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Vincent secured $131,000 with 1st place | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

Vincent with his fans | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

A big congratulations to Peter Leko and Vincent's father, Christof

Video Gallery: ChessBase India

At just 7 years old, Ronaldo is defeating masters, playing blindfold chess, and dreaming of becoming the youngest World Chess Champion in history.

Line Up

Check out the Line-up: Here | Photo: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour

A spectacular start to the in Bucharest. Watch the amazing opening ceremony featuring the world’s top chess stars and unforgettable moments | Video: ChessBase India

Prize Fund

The total prize fund for each of the Classical Events shall be Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars ($350,000), which shall be distributed as follows:

Source: Official Site

Format and Time Control

10-player Round Robin
90 minutes for 40 moves, and 30 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment from move 1.

Point System

1 point for a win, ½ point for a draw, and 0 points for a loss in all games.

Venue: National Bank of Romania Museum

Housed within the stunning Old Palace in Bucharest’s historic Lipscani district, the National Bank of Romania Museum offers a captivating journey through financial history. Visitors can explore one of the most significant numismatic collections in Central and Eastern Europe, featuring rare gold coins, antique banknotes, and the legendary National Treasure.

National Bank of Romania | Photo: Grand Chess Tour