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← See today's latestSamarkand enters endgame; Topalov claims Saint Louis legends
Olympiad endgame looms
Eight rounds remain in Uzbekistan's chaos.
Continuing the upset-laden grind from yesterday, the Samarkand Olympiad is deep into its Swiss bracket with undefeated squads starting to fracture under accumulated pressure [Quelle: ChessBase]. Team USA and India both entered unbeaten through round three, but team chess punishes the unscarred—fatigue, preparation lapses, and board rotations that expose weak links pile up fast in an 11-round marathon. The final pairings will separate contenders from exhausted survivors.
Gukesh's stability matters more now than his rating.
Topalov outlasts Kasparov in 960
The legends' blitz finale just crowned a winner.
Veselin Topalov held off Garry Kasparov's late rally to claim the Saint Louis Legends event, proving that escalating-points formats reward grit as much as opening prep [Quelle: Saint Louis Chess Club]. Their first Chess960 match since 2018 unfolded across classical games, rapids, and blitz—Kasparov clawed back from Topalov's early lead, but the Bulgarian's survival instincts held when the stakes multiplied. The $144,000 payday is locked.
Next stop: four elite rapid players converge for October's showdown.
October rapid auditions for Gukesh clash
Sindarov needs sharp form before November's title shot.
Caruana, Nakamura, Praggnanandhaa, and Sindarov will chase $120,000 first-place money in Saint Louis October 27–29 using the same escalating-points rapid format that rewards late comebacks [Quelle: Saint Louis Chess Club]. Sindarov's appearance carries outsized weight—he faces Gukesh for the World Championship in Geneva next month, and how he performs under pressure here will signal whether he enters that match with momentum or rust. A $412,000 total prize fund makes this a serious dress rehearsal.
The champion's challenger will show his hand before the real battle.
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