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IIEE Singapore Wins 7th level championships in IIEE Olympiad

The IIEE Singapore team won another level championship in the penultimate 9th round of the IIEE National Chess Olympiad. They lead the remaining 16-teams going into the last round scheduled October 3, 2025 via Lichess.
Mark Gerald Reyes led all scorers with 16 points and other Singaporean players with more than 10 points each include his brothers FM Narquingden, Chester Neil and Narquingel along with FM Alekhine Nouri, CM Jayson Visca, Adrian Esteva and Andres Bautista.
Singapore was tied with FCPL-Qatar at 114 each and Mapua at 111 but the Singapore team was able to score 14 points more and left both Mapua and FCPL-Qatar with 120 points apiece to both remain with 6 level championship.
These top 3 teams are already assured qualification intp the 10-team play-off battle Royale together with IIEE Saudi, Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineer (PSME) and International Chess Friends Federation (ICFF) who all have 3 level championships.
IIEE Metro Manila and IIEE Iloilo have 2 level championships. IIEE Mindanao has also 2 level championship but may drop out due to tie break in total points.
Teams with single level championship GMG Laguna, Faeldonia, Metro Central, Northern Luzon or Bicol need to notch it’s 2nd level championship on the 10th round.
Eastern Central Visayas and Bayanihan Chess Club could get the last slot if they could win the last round with total score of 59 points provided that those teams with single championship lose in their respective group level.

Yunus Khan of India Wins Dasman Classic Chess Championship in Kuwait

Yunus Khan of India finished alone with 7.5 points to win the Dasman Classic Chess Championship organized 10-18 September 2025 by the Kuwait Mind Sports Association in Kuwait.

Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and final standings and to download games.

Champion Yunus Khan of India (left)

Runner-up Amani Alazmi of Kuwait (left)

 

Third place Lodhi Khalid of Pakistan.

12th Beirut International Open Slated 17 to 27 October 2025

The Amicale Notre Dame – Chess Club is glad to invite you to participate in the “12th Beirut International Open – Chess Championship” from 17 to 27 October 2025

The “12th Beirut International Championship” is open to all players regardless of their title or rating.

The application should be returned not later than 12 October 2025 to Mr. Jacques Bedrossian. By mail: jack.bedrossian60@hotmail.com

Download New 12th Beirut Open Regulations

Giri and Vaishali Win FIDE Open and Women’s Grand Swiss in Uzbekistan

With 8/11, Anish Giri won the Open tournament outright, defeating Hans Niemann in the final round. Just half a point back, Matthias Bluebaum, Alireza Firouzja and Vincent Keymer shared second place. Thanks to a better tiebreak, it was Bluebaum who secured the second qualifying spot for the 2026 Candidates. In the Women’s event, on 8/11, Vaishali Rameshbabu and Kateryna Lagno tied for first and both qualified for the Candidates, but Vaishali took top spot on tiebreak. It was her second consecutive Grand Swiss victory – something never achieved before in either section.

Apart from qualifying for the Candidates for the third time in his career, being the sole winner meant Giri also pocketed $90,000.

In his first reaction to the victory, speaking in FIDE’s live broadcast, Giri said that the previous night he “visualised” a victory against Niemann: “There is this technique and… I saw myself win. Then I went a bit too far and started to think who will be in my team for the Candidates and I said I needed to stop at that point, as it was too far”.

The second place went to European Champion Matthias Bluebaum, who drew a tense game with Alireza Firouzja today. Firouzja finished third. The most unfortunate of the frontrunners was Vincent Keymer, who ended up fourth. He missed a chance to beat Bluebaum in round ten and went into the final day as sole leader only to fail to convert a better position against Erigaisi.

In the Women’s event, leaders Vaishali Rameshbabu and Kateryna Lagno both drew, sharing first place. The bronze went to Bibisara Assaubayeva, who missed a chance to tie for first after spoiling a winning position against Anna Muzychuk. She finished on 7.5/11, alongside Tan Zhongyi and Yuxin Song.

How the last day in Samarkand unfolded

Tension was palpable in the playing hall of the EXPO Centre in Samarkand, as players gathered for the final round of the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss. On previous days, players often paused for photos with waiting fans. On the final day, the favourites rushed straight inside, razor-focused on their games.

The games started at 2 PM, an hour earlier than in the previous 10 rounds, to accommodate the closing ceremony and prize giving scheduled for 9 PM local time in Samarkand.

At stake were two places leading to the 2026 Candidates as well as a hefty prize fund of $855,000. In the Open section, with 7/10, five players were in the race for the top two places – Bluebaum, Firouzja, Giri, Niemann and Keymer. In theory, tiebreaks kept three more players in contention on 6.5/10 – Mishra, Erigaisi and Woodward. In the Women’s Grand Swiss – Vaishali and Lagno as the two leaders, as well as Assaubayeva, Tan and Song were in the race to be the winner. Out of the five, Tan – a former Women’s World Champion – has already qualified for the 2026 Candidates, thanks to finishing third in the Grand Prix.

Continuing the tournament’s departure from the tradition of making ceremonial moves only on the top board, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich made the first move on board 57 in the Open, in the game between Divya Deshmukh and Ivan Cheparinov.

The full results and standings after the final, 11th Round, can be found here:

Women: grandswiss2025.fide.com/grand-swiss-women/ 

Open: grandswiss2025.fide.com/open/ 

Closing ceremony draws curtain on memorable Grand Swiss

The closing ceremony at the Silk Road by Minyoun Hotel conference hall provided a fitting end to what FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich called “a truly magnificent event”.

After the national anthems of Uzbekistan and FIDE were performed, distinguished guests – including the Director of the Youth Affairs Agency of Uzbekistan Alisher Saʼdullayev and Samarkand Region Governor Adiz Boboev – delivered congratulatory speeches, followed by the official prize-giving ceremony conducted by Chief Arbiter Laurent Freyd.

Arkady Dvorkovich, who awarded Anish Giri the victory cup, praised the tournament’s strength and drama. “Not only was this the strongest lineup of all the Grand Swiss tournaments so far, but it brought the most drama – with leadership ties and uncertainty well into the last round,” he said, congratulating the four qualifiers Giri, Bluebaum, Vaishali and Lagno before thanking all the participants for “putting on a great chess show which will be remembered in history.”

The FIDE President emphasised chess’s global reach and the symbolic importance of hosting the event in Samarkand, noting the ancient Silk Road city as having “strong roots” in chess history while also representing the game’s future.

With the 2026 Chess Olympiad also scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Dvorkovich expressed optimism about the continued partnership with Uzbekistan.

Written by Milan Dinic

Photos: Michal Walusza

From Final round drama at Grand Swiss in Samarkand: Giri triumphs, Vaishali makes history – International Chess Federation

Commonwealth Chess Championship Scheduled 8-17 Nov 2025 in Malaysia

by Ellie Emira

The Malaysian Chess Federation (MCF), under the auspices of the Commonwealth Chess Association and FIDE, is pleased to invite National Chess Federations from all Commonwealth countries to participate in the Commonwealth Chess Championship 2025, scheduled from 8 November (Arrival) to 17 November 2025 (Departure) at the Corus KLCC Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
The Championship returns to Malaysia once again — this time at the historic venue where Yeoh Li Tian completed his final norm to become Malaysia’s first-ever Grandmaster!
The 2025 edition will feature both the Open Championship and age-group events from Under-8 up to Under-18. The Open event includes category prizes for Women, Veterans, Disabled players, and Under-20 competitors, while the age-group championships will be held separately for boys and girls in the Under-8, Under-10, Under-12, Under-14, Under-16, and Under-18 categories. All rounds will be played at the Corus KLCC Hotel Grand Ballroom, located on the 1st floor of the hotel.
For the Open Championship, each Commonwealth country may field one man, one woman, one senior (above 60), one junior girl (U20), and one junior boy (U20) as its official players. For the Age-Group Championships, each country may nominate one boy and one girl in each of the U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, and U18 categories, all recognised as official players.
The Standard Championship will be played over nine rounds with a time control of 90 minutes plus 30 seconds increment, while a Blitz Championship will also be held using a 3+2 time control across 7–9 rounds for the Open and Youth U18 categories.
A total prize fund of RM95,000 (approx. USD 22,900) has been allocated, with RM85,000 (approx. USD 20,000) for the Standard Championship and RM10,000 (approx. USD 2,900) for the Blitz event.
Entry fees are USD 75 for official players and USD 150 for additional players. Grandmasters (GMs) and International Masters (IMs) rated 2400+, as well as Women Grandmasters (WGMs) and Women International Masters (WIMs) rated 2250+, will enjoy free entry. A registration fee of USD 110 applies to all players, covering accreditation, airport transfers, and the Closing Dinner.

 

All participants are required to stay at the official hotels on a full-board basis. This includes breakfast at the respective hotels, with lunch and dinner provided via food coupons at the Corus KLCC Hotel.

 

The Corus KLCC Hotel will serve as both the main accommodation and tournament venue, while the De King Hotel will serve as the secondary option. Both hotels offer a scenic view of modern Kuala Lumpur, surrounded by skyscrapers and a vibrant nightlife. The organizer will provide free accommodation to all Official Representatives.

 

The registration deadline is 8 October 2025, with a 50% deposit required by this date. Late entries will be accepted until 30 October with a late fee of USD 50, and the deadline for full payment is 31 October 2025. Registration must be completed through the official registration form.

Registration – CCC2025Download
We look forward to welcoming players, officials, and guests from across the Commonwealth to Malaysia for an exciting and memorable championship in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

21-year-old Filipino David Sarmiento wins Rapid Chess Championship in Emden, Germany

By Marlon Bernardino
David Ray Sarmiento, 21-year-old chess prodigy from Nueva Ecija, Philippines, won the 50th Anniversary Emden Chess Club Rapid Chess Championships held September 14, 2025 at the Culture Center in Emden, Germany.
Sarmiento was undefeated with an impressive score of 6.0 points from 5 wins and 2 draws.
David Ray Sarmiento’s triumph is a proud moment for the Philippines. It shall be recalled that Sarmiento finished second place at the B division of the Grenke Chess Open held from April 17-21, 2025 at the Kongresszentrum Karlsruhe, Germany. Sarmiento had 8.0 points on account of 7 wins and 2 draws, in a tie with Tim Lehmann of Germany, Daniel Aziz of the Netherlands, Elman Tariverdiyev of Germany and David Tulchnysky of Germany. The Filipino won runner-up honors after the tie break points were applied to bring home the 1,500 euros for his efforts.

Asians Lead FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss, Qualification Chances in Men’s

GM Rameshbabu Vaishali of India (left) beat GM Mariya Muzychuk (right) of Ukraine to tie Kateryna Lagno of Russia for the lead after the penultimate round of the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The top two qualify into the Women’s Candidates Tournament.

Visit chess-results.com for round by round results and standings.

In the FIDE Open Grand Swiss, Asian men are within striking distance to finish in the top two who will qualify into the FIDE Candidates Tournament.

The exciting last round matches are:

 

IIEE North Cotabato and Metro Central Win 3×3 Chess Tournament

By Marlon Bernardino
The IIEE Northern Cotabato, composed of team captain Aneano Bejec Jr., Richard James Mendoza, Reinheart Pillo, Randy Belarmino and Irenio Butigan, captured the crown last September 13 at Koten, Pasay City, Philippines.
This team from Kidapawan were the first team who qualified in the Visayas-Mindanao leg as they won the Southern Mindanao regional elmination last October 2024.
In 3×3 chess, the troika of Randy Turreda, Ronald Donasco and Evaristo Tizon captured the overall championship sweeping the IIEE National Championship. The team represented the IIEE Metro National Region as regional champion last November 2024.
It was a gruelling 30 games each interspersed with exhibition games. Kenji Ting beat influencer vlogger Hamtime in a one-on-one with score of 10-9.
The tournament was organized by IIEE Golden Sports chairman Andy Lim, vice chairman Ervin Fernandez and Adviser FPres Allan Alvarez with chess arbiters NM Marlon Bernardino and Ferdie Reyes Sr.
In photo doing the chess ceremonial moves (from Right to left pairing) are PCAP President Paul Elauria vs IIEE Golden Sports Chairmam Andy Lim, Malou Doles of Koten vs NM Dennis Guitierrez, IIEE Former President Jojo Padua vs Bulacan Chapter President Michael Angelo Licuanan with IIEE FPres Allan Alvarez (standing)

Registration for Asian Schools Chess Championship in Full Swing

Registration for the Asian Schools Chess Championship scheduled 24th October to 2nd November 2025 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia is now in full swing. Usernames and passwords have been sent to the official emails of national federations in Asia for the registration link https://ascc2025.chesstournament.org/

Download 19th Asian Schools Chess Championship 2025

Visit Join Asian Schools Chess Championship in Mongolia

Kazakhstan Children Joining Asian Schools in Mongolia

The Kazakhstan Chess Federation has registered 24 children to the event together with parents and other accompanying persons. Above is photo of a children’s tournament in Kazakhstan. Their boys and girls participating in Ulaanbaatar are

Moldagali Akerke G13
Zhubatkhan Assylym G7
Nurmukhamet Sara G7
Yerzhan Bibisara G13
Zhakisheva Venera G7
Issatay Aiziya G9
Mamakova Aknur G13
Japparbekova Malika G15
Abdullayeva Rusalina G17
Zhetpis Symbat G11
Zharas Aldiyar B13
Kaliakhmet Elsultan B13
Zhubatkhan Nuraly B9
Adilbekuly Altair B17
Makhsatuly Rakhim B11
Tulegen Ramazan B11
Abdikayim Muhammedgali B9
Omurzakov Altair B9
Mubarak Yerassyl B15
Daulet Alikhan B17
Chernyshov Makar B7
Nurshin Nurali B9
Akhmet Suleyman B13
Kabinazar Nurmukhammed B15

IM Oliver Dimakiling Wins the Chess Hub Rapid tournament at Sahara Centre

The newly formed Chess Hub concluded its first series of events with tournaments for up-and-coming juniors and veteran players alike over the weekend of 6th and 7th September 2025 at the Sahara Center in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

IM Oliver Dimakiling (third from right), one of the coaches at the Dubai Chess and Culture Club, CM Allayar Shirliyev of Turkmenistan, and Meghan Gabrielle Olandag led the winners of the two-day competitions.

Dimakiling topped the five-round rapid tournament with 4.5 points, while Shirliyev had 6.5 points to rule the blitz event. Olandag also had 4.5 points to win the U16 junior tournament. AIM Reggie Mel Santiago and Marvin Marcos completed the top 3 in the rapid tournament, while Santiago and Dimakiling took the second and third spots in the blitz event. Olandag also received the top lady special awards in both rapid and blitz events.

India’s Udiavar Pragun Pai and Prashant S placed second and third in the junior tournament, respectively. Iran’s Nicky Ebrahimian, on vacation in the UAE with her family, and Sarangi Rakesh of India took the top girl participant and top U12 special awards respectively.

The tournaments were held at The Chess Hub, a new chess centre located at Sahara Centre on the Dubai-Sharjah border. The Chess Hub plans to hold weekly events, including a rapid chess tournament on Saturday (Sept 13) for U1900 player