One of the most intriguing young players in modern chess is heading to Skalica. Ukrainian grandmaster Ihor Samunenkov earned his title at just fourteen — and in the elite field of the closed Chess Slovak Masters 2026 he will face an opponent he has already beaten once in a World Championship final.
A grandmaster at fourteen
Samunenkov (born 2009) became a grandmaster in 2023, aged fourteen — at the time one of the youngest active title holders in the world. The war in his homeland cost him countless tournament opportunities, which makes the pace of his climb up the world rankings all the more remarkable. On the August FIDE list he holds an ELO of 2616, making him the fifth seed of the Skalica field.
The World Champion who beat Mishra
The chess world first took note of his name in 2021: in the final of the World U12 Championship he defeated his exact contemporary Abhimanyu Mishra — today the youngest grandmaster in chess history. Both were born in 2009, both rank among the greatest talents of their generation, and after five years they meet over the board again in Skalica. A little rematch, broadcast live — one of the most tantalising storylines of the whole tournament.
A complete field of ten, a Slovak record
In the closed Chess Slovak Masters 2026, Samunenkov lines up alongside grandmasters Alexander Donchenko (Germany), Leon Luke Mendonca (India), David Navara (Czechia), Anton Korobov (Ukraine), Daniel Dardha (Belgium), Aditya Mittal (India), Brazilian champion Alexandr Fier and local hero Jerguš Pecháč. With an average rating of 2603, it will be the strongest chess tournament ever held on Slovak soil.
Timeline of achievements
- 2021 — World U12 Champion (beating Abhimanyu Mishra in the final)
- 2023 — Grandmaster title at 14 — then among the youngest GMs in the world
- 2026 — ELO 2616 on the August FIDE list • playing the Chess Slovak Masters in Skalica
Chess Slovak Open® 2026 — information and registration
The international chess festival Chess Slovak Open® 2026 takes place 22–30 August 2026 at the House of Culture in Skalica. The festival’s total prize fund is €15,000. Alongside the closed Chess Slovak Masters, the programme includes the open Open A and Open B tournaments, the women’s Queen Masters and accompanying events.
The tournament commentator will be GM Sergej Movsesian, festival ambassador.
Registration for Chess Slovak Open® 2026 is open at chessslovakopen.sk/registration-2026.