2026 chess season tracker

[velu]

On 8/5/2025 at 8:27 PM, New guy said:

Not necessarily, it also looks at historical discrimination or circumstances, for example if a particular demography was excluded for long time, they will be way behind in terms of evolution in terms of sports, so nothing wrong with giving extra incentive to encourage more people from that demography to join a sports. 

 

On 8/5/2025 at 8:36 PM, Lord said:

Which other sports does that? 

knowing MTCs past fondness , he may want to encourage men’s beach volleyball

[BacktoCricaddict]

I know nothing about chess, but came across this article about Bodhana Sivanandan, 10-yr old prodigy who became the youngest female to beat a GM.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/chess/10-year-old-prodigy-becomes-youngest-female-defeat-chess-grandmaster-rcna225009

 

 

Quote

 

A 10-year-old British girl is full of shocking moves, and they have landed her a spot at the top of the chess world.

In a historic turn of events, Bodhana Sivanandan became on Sunday the youngest female player to ever defeat a chess grandmaster, at the 2025 British Chess Championships in Liverpool. Bodhana beat Peter Wells, 60, at the competition's final.

She's about six months younger than the American who previously held the record in 2019, according to the International Chess Federation.

Bodhana is now considered an international master of the game, just one rung below grandmaster.

 

@Gollum @Mariyam 

Edited August 14, 2025 by BacktoCricaddict

[Tillu]

Pragg beats Gukesh in Round 1 of the Sinquefield Cup and is currently the World #3 and India #1 in the live ratings.

[Gollum]

Hearing that there will be an Anand vs Kasparov 12 games, 960 match in October. Also Gukesh vs Carlsen, Nakamura vs Caruana. In St. Louis Chess Club, Sinquefield sponsored. Rapid/blitz time control, with some weird point scoring system, like weightage of points will increase every passing day. 

Haven't seen Anand play 960, Kasparov plays it every year in St. Louis, even earning wins against Naka, Caruana. Will be a tight contest. Anand would have been favorite in normal chess but unsure because of lack of experience in 960. 

 

Carlsen favorite against Gukesh.

 

 

[Gollum]

22 hours ago, Tillu said:

Pragg beats Gukesh in Round 1 of the Sinquefield Cup and is currently the World #3 and India #1 in the live ratings.

Gukesh beat Nodirbek today. 

 

Anyway Pragg #3 now, ahead of Caruana, live rating 2784. Carlsen, Naka rarely play classical these days, so their ratings are frozen. Pragg to me has been the best player of 2025. 

[vvvslaxman]

I may meet these guys today or tomorrow. only half amile from my work place. Last time that was elite super star team. It was a riot with a lot of fun. Sharing jokes.  Anand, Kasparov, Carlsen etc. Anish Giri was the talker. He was pulling every one's leg. Guys like Ding, Fabio were quiet. Carlsen looked like he just got up from the bed. He was in his shorts.

Edited August 21, 2025 by vvvslaxman

[vvvslaxman]

On 8/19/2025 at 11:41 PM, Gollum said:

Hearing that there will be an Anand vs Kasparov 12 games, 960 match in October. Also Gukesh vs Carlsen, Nakamura vs Caruana. In St. Louis Chess Club, Sinquefield sponsored. Rapid/blitz time control, with some weird point scoring system, like weightage of points will increase every passing day. 

Haven't seen Anand play 960, Kasparov plays it every year in St. Louis, even earning wins against Naka, Caruana. Will be a tight contest. Anand would have been favorite in normal chess but unsure because of lack of experience in 960. 

 

Carlsen favorite against Gukesh.

 

 

Many have settled in St Louis. Fabio, Susan Polgar.

[vvvslaxman]

The funniest thing was while i was talking to Gukesh at the Airport last year, my wife did not know who he was. She thought he was my colleague lol So she hurried me. On the way home I was telling her "you know who i was talking to. That is future world champion".  It so happened he won it. Ever since that happened my wife has been nagging me to take her to Sinquefield event.

[Lord]

5 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

The funniest thing was while i was talking to Gukesh at the Airport last year, my wife did not know who he was. She thought he was my colleague lol So she hurried me. On the way home I was telling her "you know who i was talking to. That is future world champion".  It so happened he won it. Ever since that happened my wife has been nagging me to take her to Sinquefield event.

 

How did you manage to talk to him? He was still pretty famous.

[vvvslaxman]

3 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

How did you manage to talk to him? He was still pretty famous.

 

He is not Ravindra Jadeja playing for CSK lol No Indian recognized him. Only i could recognize him.

[Lord]

1 minute ago, vvvslaxman said:

 

He is not Ravindra Jadeja playing for CSK lol No Indian recognized him. Only i could recognize him.

 

That is sad tbh. Expected more people to recognise him

[vvvslaxman]

2 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

That is sad tbh. Expected more people to recognise him

It is still a niche sports. Sadly some of the Indians at the airport were Tamils who are supposed to recognize him given the local coverage of these guys. I think Pragg was a bit more recognizable compared to Gukesh as he made headlines very early. Gukesh silently rose to the top.

[Gollum]

16 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

Many have settled in St Louis. Fabio, Susan Polgar.

USA has imported lots of top talent from other countries. Caruana from Italy, So from Philippines, Aronian from Armenia, Domingiuez from Cuba. Even their top female players are from Ukraine, China, Armenia, Georgia etc. Others as well in the form of coaches/trainers/commentators. The billionaire Rex Sinquefield has poured a lot of money in US chess. St Louis. is almost like the western world's chess capital today, only thing they lack in their CV is hosting world championships and Olympiads. 

Edited August 22, 2025 by Gollum

[vvvslaxman]

5 hours ago, Gollum said:

USA has imported lots of top talent from other countries. Caruana from Italy, So from Philippines, Aronian from Armenia, Domingiuez from Cuba. Even their top female players are from Ukraine, China, Armenia, Georgia etc. Others as well in the form of coaches/trainers/commentators. The billionaire Rex Sinquefield has poured a lot of money in US chess. St Louis. is almost like the western world's chess capital today, only thing they lack in their CV is hosting world championships and Olympiads. 

The place where it happens is more like large size two storye house. Not a big place. Not sure they will host there. It won't take too many people. 

[Gollum]

1 hour ago, vvvslaxman said:

The place where it happens is more like large size two storye house. Not a big place. Not sure they will host there. It won't take too many people. 

It seems it has expanded into a 30,000 sq ft facility. That is why these big matches.

[velu]

23 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

The funniest thing was while i was talking to Gukesh at the Airport last year, my wife did not know who he was. She thought he was my colleague lol So she hurried me. On the way home I was telling her "you know who i was talking to. That is future world champion".  It so happened he won it. Ever since that happened my wife has been nagging me to take her to Sinquefield event.

 

 

At best gukesh looks like an intern in a software company

[vvvslaxman]

26 minutes ago, Gollum said:

It seems it has expanded into a 30,000 sq ft facility. That is why these big matches.

It is the same. In the ground floor they have some psace. But events usually happen on first floor which is somewhat small. May be slightly bigger. But for these events number of people that attend is very minimal. May be about 30 to 40 people at any given time.

https://www.google.com/local/place/fid/0x87d8b4d5dd04adcd:0xc0ac0f0d5b1d0bf0/photosphere?iu=https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gps-cs-s/AC9h4nq3jDCPmCE8YmZnq5jW66KlGLK1A9xS6p0Ve0TKtafUgtus5GWOMVm4NY6aNbrXz6jh3n7rjUJ-5NCoNonu2HHoRVBJBAcNYqeQFNSDVyBReDzGYSnkVox7n9f_E3R0cp9pG64A%3Dw160-h106-k-no-pi-0-ya58.125668-ro-0-fo100&ik=CAoSFkNJSE0wb2dLRUlDQWdJQ0V2OHZwZlE%3D

 

This is the photo i took last time when i went. Vishy facing Kasparaov. This area is a bit cramped. But they actual competition happns outside. But this is the best part as it is laugh riot. 

 

 

Edited August 22, 2025 by vvvslaxman

[vvvslaxman]

2 minutes ago, velu said:

 

 

At best gukesh looks like an intern in a software company

 

For someone who is so young looks mature due to that overgrown beard. Also his mousche is thick.  Washi was also like that at the beginning. lol Now he is following kohli's path.

 

 

 

[Gollum]

48 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

It is the same. In the ground floor they have some psace. But events usually happen on first floor which is somewhat small. May be slightly bigger. But for these events number of people that attend is very minimal. May be about 30 to 40 people at any given time.

https://www.google.com/local/place/fid/0x87d8b4d5dd04adcd:0xc0ac0f0d5b1d0bf0/photosphere?iu=https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gps-cs-s/AC9h4nq3jDCPmCE8YmZnq5jW66KlGLK1A9xS6p0Ve0TKtafUgtus5GWOMVm4NY6aNbrXz6jh3n7rjUJ-5NCoNonu2HHoRVBJBAcNYqeQFNSDVyBReDzGYSnkVox7n9f_E3R0cp9pG64A%3Dw160-h106-k-no-pi-0-ya58.125668-ro-0-fo100&ik=CAoSFkNJSE0wb2dLRUlDQWdJQ0V2OHZwZlE%3D

 

This is the photo i took last time when i went. Vishy facing Kasparaov. This area is a bit cramped. But they actual competition happns outside. But this is the best part as it is laugh riot. 

 

 

Press release said they will play in an expanded facility this year 

[vvvslaxman]

15 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Press release said they will play in an expanded facility this year 

 

All said and done St.Louis has some great sporting venues they can use for world championship.  Hollywood casino amphitheater,  enterprise center. So many nice locations are there. Heck they can even host in one of the biggest Botanical garden which host a lot of events.