World Chess

World champion Gukesh is 72 rating points behind his challenger. Sindarov is world number 4. Gukesh is number 26. The Uzbek leads their classical head-to-head 2–0. The numbers say underdog. But can it turn? buff.ly/OGQwRPf Credit: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE

New FIDE president New leadership structure Familiar power players Turlov has kept Sutovsky, Bologan and Reizniece-Ozola close to the centre of FIDE while installing trusted Kazakh associates in key roles. New era, or old guard with new titles? buff.ly/ViBDgwd Photo:FIDE

FIDE President is sponsoring FIDE's Rapid and Blitz Championships. Timur Turlov's Freedom Holding is funding the December event in Istanbul. Chess needs money. But should the man running the federation also be the man paying? buff.ly/x72w2k9 Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Carlsen walked away from the traditional World Championship. Now he's headlining a tournament designed for a different kind of world champion. Classical. Rapid. Blitz. Is Total Chess the future, or do we need another world title? buff.ly/DtyDs98 Credit:MichalWalusza /FIDE

The world champion is ranked 26th. His challenger is 4th Sindarov takes a 72-point rating advantage into his World Championship match against Gukesh. The biggest ranking gap since 2006 Can the champion prove the numbers wrong? buff.ly/M9RBqfU Credit:MichalWalusza / FIDE

Javokhir Sindarov just came back from 2.5 points behind to win in Saint Louis. Beating Nakamura Now comes Gukesh in less than a month, with the world title on the line. The challenger is warming up. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Saint Louis Chess Club. buff.ly/uSG7yni

Wesley So needed just a draw to win the U.S. Championship. He lost. His 48-game unbeaten run ended. He barely slept. Then he beat Fabiano Caruana in the playoff to claim his 4th national title. buff.ly/bA8wX5X Photo: Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

At 11, Bodhana Sivanandan has broken a 38-year-old record held by Judit Polgar. 1 final-round win secured her 3rd IM norm and the requirements for the IM title. Youngest female IM in history. She’s only getting started. buff.ly/O8IgX70 Credit: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE

Bodhana Sivanandan, only 11 & holding her own against grandmasters After a tough loss, she has scored 2.5/3 at the European Club Cup & a draw against a 2459-rated GM She already has 2 IM norms Could norm 3 be next? buff.ly/a8fjUI7 Photo:MarkLivshitz/European Chess Union

At 16, Rachael Li won the US Women’s Chess Championship on debut, beat some of America’s biggest names and took home $35,000. Her reaction? “I’m kind of just chill.” buff.ly/DzxK4iK Photo: Crystal Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.

Russia sought to seize hundreds of millions in assets linked to new FIDE president Turlov Now prosecutors have withdrawn the case, and the restrictions are lifted. No clear explanation Why bring the case and why drop it now buff.ly/29HqVhs Photo: Michal Walusza/FIDE

Is Magnus Carlsen is losing interest in chess? He’s heading to Barcelona for a new rapid tournament with €300k in prize money matched by another €300k for charity Maybe he’s not leaving chess. Maybe he’s reinventing his place in it. buff.ly/B4DIily Photo: MOVECup

Chess has a new “one rating to rule them all.” Carlsen leads it. But the Grand Chess Tour tried a similar idea in 2017 and it never replaced FIDE’s lists. Can Total Chess succeed where the earlier system didn’t? buff.ly/fijHwTj Photo: Michal Walusza/Norway Chess.

In 2009, Carlsen was the face of the London Chess Classic In 2026, Abdusattorov returns as champion The new generation is rising but veterans like Michael Adams are still in the fight Who will define the next chapter? buff.ly/5CfY8No Photo: Chess in Schools & Communities

FIDE has backed shorter classical chess games But 3 games a day is a different battle Lower costs and shorter tournaments or less time for the deep calculation that defines classical chess? Where should FIDE draw the line? buff.ly/OLnGHf1 Photo: Michal Walusza/FIDE.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov could be chasing the world title himself. Instead, he’s helping Javokhir Sindarov prepare to win it Giving his friend an 80–20 chance against Gukesh. Can friendship help make chess history? buff.ly/yDFkJFQ Credit: Rafal Oleksiewicz/FIDE