Last updated: Monday 11th May 2026 10:28 am

The Week in Chess 1643 of 4th May 2026 by Mark Crowther. 21 stories and 5544 games. Links down the right hand margin for games in PGN or Chessbase format or on the The Week in Chess Download page.

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A compilation of the games can be had for a donation of £30. There have been over 4 million games in TWIC since the first edition on 17th September 1994.

TWIC News Feed

Faustino Oro earns his final GM norm in Sardinia

Sardinia World Chess Festival 2026 9

Mark Crowther (Mon May 11 03:28:53 2026)

Faustino Oro is now the second youngest player in history to become a GM after a 6/9 result in Sardinia. I suspect he will be more relieved than anything else after chasing this final norm for five months. He is already among only a select few who have earned the Grandmaster title at such a young age.

Magnus Carlsen wins the 31st Sigeman & Co tournament after tie-break win over Erigaisi

31st Tepe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2026 7

Mark Crowther (Thu May 07 15:41:44 2026)

Magnus Carlsen won the tournament after beating Erdogmus in the final round and then beating Erigaisi in a blitz tie-break. Erigaisi had survived a lost position against Woodward to catch Carlsen.

Erigaisi leads the Sigeman tournament alone with one round to go

31st Tepe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2026 6

Mark Crowther (Wed May 06 16:25:20 2026)

Erigaisi beat Zhu Jiner after grinding out a win in the endgame. Carlsen managed to defeat Woodward after an choosing the King's Indian as black. Erdogmus drew with Abdusattorov and Van Foreest missed a win against Grandelius. Carlsen meets Erdogmus for the first time in the final round.

Gukesh beats Sindarov in the GCT Poland Super Rapid

GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Poland 2026 5

Mark Crowther (Wed May 06 11:24:53 2026)

Gukesh beat Sindarov in their first meeting since it was known they would play for the World Championship. Sindarov unsoundly sacrificed a piece. Niemann and Wesley So lead on 4.5/6.

Erigaisi and Erdogmus lead the Sigeman & Co tournament after five rounds

31st Tepe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2026 5

Mark Crowther (Wed May 06 07:20:07 2026)

Erigaisi beat Jorden van Foreest whilst Erdogmus survived a lost position against Woodward, they're now tied in the lead on 3.5/5. Carlsen beat Zhu Jiner in an unsteady performance. Grandelius drew quickly against Abdusattorov.

Dossiers and Main Stories

Sardinia World Chess Festival 2026

Mark Crowther (Mon May 11 09:10:00 2026)

The Sardinia World Chess Festival took place Sun 3rd May 2026 to Sun 10th May 2026 in Orosei, Italy. Frederik Svane took clear first place with 7.5/9 half a point clear of Haik M. Martirosyan, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Mamikon Gharibyan. Tied for 25th place on 6/9 was Faustino Oro who in spite of a loss to Nepomniachtchi in the final round earned his final GM norm at 12 years, 6 months, 26 days, the second youngest in history, a couple of months behind Abhimanyu Mishra. Read more ....

Sardinia World Chess Festival 2026 (Orosei ITA)
Sun 3rd May 2026 - Sun 10th May 2026 - Official Site - Results - Live

Sardinia World Open A (9 Rds Swiss Indiv TC:90m:30m+30spm(1)) - Games in PGN: Games

GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Poland 2026

GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Poland 2026 Games and Results

Mark Crowther (Sat May 9 16:46:00 2026)

The GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Poland took place Tue 5th May to Thu 7th May 2026. 9 rounds of rapid and 18 rounds of blitz. Players: Wesley So, Radoslaw Wojtaszek, D Gukesh, Hans Moke Niemann, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Alireza Firouzja, Vladimir Fedoseev, Fabiano Caruana, Javokhir Sindarov and Jan Krzysztof Duda.

Hans Moke Niemann held off a fabulous Caruana challenge on the final day to win by half a point. Wesley So was a point further back. World Championship rivals Gukesh and Sindarov met and Gukesh won the rapid game and Sindarov both blitz. The rapid games scored double the blitz game in the combined standing. Read more ....

GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Poland 2026 (Warsaw POL)
Tue 5th May 2026 - Sat 9th May 2026 - Official Site

GCT Super Rapid Poland (10 players 9 Rds SRR Indiv TC:25m+10spm) - Games in PGN: Games Rapid

GCT Super Blitz Poland (10 players 18 Rds DRR Indiv TC:5m+2spm) - Games in PGN: Games Blitz | Live Blitz

31st Tepe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2026

31st Tepe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2026 Games and Results

Mark Crowther (Fri May 1 11:20:00 2026)

The 31st Tepe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament takes place Fri 1st May to Thu 7th May 2026. Players: Magnus, Carlsen, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Arjun Erigaisi, van Foreest Jorden, Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, Nils Grandelius, Andy Woodward and Jiner Zhu. Read more ....

Tepe Sigeman & Co Chess Tournament 2026 (Malmo SWE)
Fri 1st May 2026 - Thu 7th May 2026 - Official Site

31st Sigeman & Co 2026 (8 players 7 Rds SRR Indiv TC:90m:30m+30spm(1)) - Games in PGN: Games | Live

31st Sigeman & Co TB (2 players 3 Rds Match Indiv TC:3m+2spm) - Games in PGN: Games TB | Live TB

Chess.com Open Playoffs 2026

Chess.com Open Playoffs 2026 Games and Results

Mark Crowther (Sun Apr 26 18:30:00 2026)

The Chess.com Open Playoffs took Thu 23rd to Sun 26th Apr 2026. This offered two places in the Esports World Cup. Players: Magnus Carlsen, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Denis Lazavik, Sam Sevian, Javokhir Sindarov, Arjun Erigaisi, Vincent Keymer, Qualified through Play-Ins, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Pranesh M, Yu Yangyi, Sina Movahed, Daniil Dubov, Nihal Sarin and Shant Sargsyan. The event is a Double Elimination KO. Magnus Carlsen beat Jan-Krzysztof Duda in the Final, lost the Grand Final and then finally won again in the reset final. Both players qualified for the Esports World Cup. Read more ....

Chess.com Open Playoffs 2026 (chess.com INT)
Thu 23rd Apr 2026 - Sun 26th Apr 2026 - Official Site - Live

Chess.com Open Playoffs (16 players 6 Rds DEKO Indiv TC:10m) - Games in PGN: Chess.com Playoffs

Watch live games

Tournaments for Monday 11th May 2026 combined with links to official website, live coverage and PGN file
Event	Site	FED	UK Time	Rd
Web	Live	PGN
Other events today
ch-CHN Women 2026	Xinghua	CHN	07:00	4
ch-CHN 2026	Xinghua	CHN	07:00	4
Fuad Jafarov Mem IM 2026	Baku	AZE	07:00	7
Fuad Jafarov Mem GM 2026	Baku	AZE	07:00	7
Caissa Hotel Clarinet	Ayvalik	TUR	08:00	6
ch-KAZ 2026	Astana	KAZ	11:00	12
ch-KAZ Women 2026	Astana	KAZ	11:00	12
ch-CZE Women 2026	Brno	CZE	13:00	2.1
ch-CZE 2026	Brno	CZE	13:00	4
Fuad Jafarov Mem IM 2026	Baku	AZE	13:00	8
Fuad Jafarov Mem GM 2026	Baku	AZE	13:00	8
Caissa Hotel Clarinet	Ayvalik	TUR	14:00	7
ch-CAT 2026	Salou	ESP	15:00	2.1
40th Voivoda Cup GM 2026	Legnica	POL	15:00	4
40th Voivoda Cup IM 2026	Legnica	POL	15:00	4