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6 stories · latest 11 Nov 2026 · View the sport page

Key points from the latest coverage

Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi and Vaishali Face Elite Field at Total Chess Tour Pilot

R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and R Vaishali are the three Indian players in the 24-player Budapest pilot event.
The tournament begins in Budapest on November 10, 2026, and is designed to test a combined championship format before a full tour season in 2027.
World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen leads a field that also includes Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja and Ian Nepomniachtchi.
The competition combines Fast Classic, rapid and blitz chess to identify the most complete player across the three formats.
The opening stage is a nine-round Blitz Swiss, followed by four groups of six playing a double round-robin in Fast Classic.

Bodhana Sivanandan Becomes Youngest Female International Master at 11

Bodhana Sivanandan achieved the International Master title requirements at 11 years, seven months and 16 days.
She secured her third and final IM norm by defeating Sweden’s Woman International Master Viktoria Johansson in the final round of the European Women’s Club Cup.
The result surpassed Judit Polgar’s record, set in 1988 when Polgar earned the IM title at age 12.
Sivanandan reached the required 2400 rating threshold and completed her third IM norm.
She is reported as the seventh-youngest International Master overall, ahead of D Gukesh on the youngest-IM list.

Did you know? Facts about Chess

Praggnanandhaa became the first Indian to win both Norway Chess and a Grand Chess Tour title earlier in 2026, according to the PTI report. Read the story →
In the Grand Chess Tour final in St Louis, Praggnanandhaa beat Fabiano Caruana 15-13 after overturning a six-point deficit on the final day. Read the story →
Arjun Erigaisi scored five points from seven games for Alkaloid at the European Club Cup, recording three wins and four draws. Read the story →
Each player in the six-player group will face every other group member twice during the five-day double round-robin stage. Read the story →
Sivanandan scored 5.5/7 on board one for She Plays To Win Lionesses A at the European Women’s Club Cup. Read the story →
She became the youngest Woman Grandmaster in history less than a month before this latest milestone. Read the story →
She began playing chess at five after coming across a chessboard at home. Read the story →

All stories on Chess

Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi and Vaishali Face Elite Field at Total Chess Tour Pilot

R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and R Vaishali headline India's challenge at the Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot in Budapest, where Magnus Carlsen leads a 24-player field competing across fast classical, rapid and blitz formats.

Javokhir Sindarov Wins Clutch Chess Showdown Before Gukesh World Championship Match

Javokhir Sindarov overturned a 2.5-point deficit on the final day to win the Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown in Saint Louis with 20.5 points, earning $168,000 ahead of his November 24 World Championship match against D Gukesh.

Chennai to Host Chola Chess Open With 80 Players and Grandmaster Norm Opportunities

The inaugural Chola Chess Open International Grandmasters Tournament will run in Chennai from October 30 to November 7, bringing together 80 players rated 2250 or above and offering opportunities to earn international title norms.

Bodhana Sivanandan Becomes Youngest Female International Master at 11

Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, completed her third International Master norm after defeating WIM Viktoria Johansson at the European Women’s Club Cup, breaking Judit Polgar’s 1988 age record. The Indian-origin English player is now the seventh-youngest International Master overall.

Nihal Sarin and Koneru Humpy Win Individual Gold at 2026 European Chess Club Cup

Indian grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Koneru Humpy claimed individual gold medals at the European Chess Club Cup in Budva, Montenegro. Sarin scored five points from six games on Board 2 for Novy Bor, while Humpy’s 4.5-point tally helped Monte-Carlo win the women’s team title.

🟡 Report · The Hindu

Savitha Shri’s Rise: From Chess Prodigy to India’s Olympiad Medal-Winner

Chennai Grandmaster B. Savitha Shri emerged as a standout performer at the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, winning individual gold on the reserve board and helping India’s women secure team bronze. Her journey reflects years of family sacrifice, steady coaching and a breakthrough international per