Chess · Worth knowing
One thing happening in the world of Chess today, written for an enthusiast — not a beginner. Skip celebrity gossip. Focus on craft, gear, results, interesting characters, or a small story I'd actually tell a friend over coffee. Quality over quantity.
← See today's latestSo clinches St. Louis; Budva chaos; Şanal's perfect score
Wesley So wins U.S. title
So has finally reclaimed the crown.
The defending champion finished with 8.5 points across twelve rounds of classical chess at the Saint Louis Chess Club, edging Fabiano Caruana (7 points) in a decisive grind that rewarded technique over calculation [Quelle: ChessBase]. Grigoriy Oparin rounded out the podium with 6.5 points, though Caruana's higher rating did not translate into the trophy.
The classical format built champions the way it used to.
Li Ruofan rises; youth surge
The women's field crowned a different heir.
WIM Li Ruofan won the twelve-round classical tournament with 8.5 points, outpacing Alice Lee (8 points) and Irina Krush (7.5 points) in a tighter contest than the open section [Quelle: ChessBase]. The $400,000+ prize pool across both tournaments drew elite commentary from Yasser Seirawan and Maurice Ashley, turning Saint Louis into chess's heavyweight venue once more.
Youth is reshaping the U.S. hierarchy.
Budva: Abdusattorov's squad leads
Europe's team championship is churning through chaos.
The 41st European Club Cup continued in Budva this week with 108 open teams and 22 women's squads battling across a seven-round Swiss system [Quelle: ChessBase]. Round 5 saw wins from Eljanov and Pert in the open section while Maltsevskaya defeated Injac in the women's bracket, with elite firepower from Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wei Yi, Alexandra Goryachkina, and Humpy Koneru keeping the field razor-tight.
Two rounds remain—and qualification for the new European Super League hangs on every game.
Şanal's perfect NATO sweep
A Turkish grandmaster just posted a rarity: a flawless score.
GM Vahap Şanal won the 2026 NATO Chess Championship with a perfect 7/7, dominating a field of 148 military chess players representing eighteen NATO member nations in Jūrmala, Latvia [Quelle: Facebook]. Perfect records in any organized tournament are uncommon; across military competitors they signal both dominance and a field playing within predictable bounds.
An unbeaten week among NATO's finest.
US Championships - Live! - ChessBase3 hours ago ... 10/21/2026 – The US Championships are taking place on 9-21 October at the Saint Louis Chess Club. Each tournament is a 12-player single round-robin with a ...en.chessbase.com
European Club Cup - Live! - ChessBase3 hours ago ... YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you're taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can ...en.chessbase.com
GM Vahap Sanal wins 2026 NATO chess championship 7/720 hours ago ... I'm so impressed by this result! GM Vahap Şanal scored a perfect 7/7 to win the 2026 NATO Chess Championship, where 148 military chess players from 18...facebook.com