Greece’s Haritomeni Markantonaki arrived at Chess Slovak Open® 2026 as the ninth seed of the ten-player Queen Masters. After an opening loss to the eventual champion she never faltered again: she beat both grandmasters in the field and took silver, a WIM norm and 36 rating points.
The nine-day Chess Slovak Open® 2026 festival in Skalica is over. The strongest Masters in Slovak history has two champions: unbeaten Aditya Mittal and Abhimanyu Mishra finished with identical points and tie-breaks, with Daniel Dardha third. Anastasiya Rakhmangulova dominated the Queen Masters with 7/9, Nikola Sedlák won Open A with 7.5 points and a place in the 2027 Masters, and the Kvarteto Cup went to Gustavs Rupais.
Ahead of the final round of the Chess Slovak Open® 2026 open tournaments, Serbian grandmaster Nikola Sedlák leads Open A by a full point and needs only a draw to win. In Open B, played for the Kvarteto Cup, Latvia’s Gustavs Rupais leads by half a point over Lakota, Macošek and Bjolek. Round nine starts on Sunday at 9:30.
Aditya Mittal beat compatriot Leon Luke Mendonca with the black pieces in round eight and goes into Sunday’s final round as the sole leader on five points. Daniel Dardha, Abhimanyu Mishra and Anton Korobov are half a point behind. David Navara beat Donchenko, Pecháč drew with Samunenkov. The final round is played on Sunday from 9:30.
Ukrainian grandmaster Anastasiya Rakhmangulova is the winner of the women’s closed Queen Masters tournament at Chess Slovak Open® 2026. Her round-eight win over Oľga Sikorová took her to 6.5 points and a 1.5-point lead that can no longer be caught. Haritomeni Markantonaki and Evgeniya Doluhanova are fighting for second place, with a WIM norm also at stake.
Saturday’s Rapid tournament at Chess Slovak Open® 2026 was dominated by festival ambassador GM Sergei Movsesian with 6.5 points from seven games. The surprise was second place for Czech player Ondřej Šigut (rated 2019), who beat grandmaster Pecháč and IM Bochnička. Jerguš Pecháč finished third. Movsesian added the title to his Wednesday win in the Chess 960 event.
Round seven of Chess Slovak Open® 2026 produced a shock in the Masters: bottom-placed Ihor Samunenkov beat leader Leon Luke Mendonca, and with two rounds to go five players share the lead on four points — Dardha, Mendonca, Mittal, Mishra and Korobov. Fier defeated Pecháč. Rakhmangulova leads the Queen Masters by a full point after Iveković’s second straight loss. Sedlák leads Open A alone, while Lakota and Macošek are level in Open B.
Round six of Chess Slovak Open® 2026 produced four decisive games out of five in the Masters. Leon Luke Mendonca beat Fier to lead alone on 4 points, Abhimanyu Mishra defeated Navara and Donchenko scored his first win. In the Queen Masters, Anastasiya Rakhmangulova won the head-to-head clash with Iveković and took over the lead. Sedlák and Neuhoff top Open A, while Lakota dropped his first half point in Open B.
After five of nine rounds the closed Masters tournament could hardly be tighter — Dardha, Mendonca, Mittal and Korobov share the lead and eight players sit within half a point. Tihana Iveković tops the Queen Masters on 4.5 points ahead of today’s direct clash with Rakhmangulova. Vladimír Bochnička leads Open A, Ján Lakota is perfect in Open B.
Round three of the Chess Slovak Open® 2026 produced the most decisive games so far. Jerguš Pecháč beat top seed Alexander Donchenko to join the Masters lead, while Tihana Iveković tops the Queen Masters on a perfect score — and has fulfilled the final requirement for the WIM title.
On Saturday 22 August, the Chess Slovak Open® 2026 festival was ceremonially opened at the House of Culture in Skalica. The closed Masters tournament, with an average ELO of 2603, is the strongest-ever event held on Slovak soil. Donchenko, Mendonca, Mishra and Navara lead the field, with home hero Jerguš Pecháč flying the Slovak flag. This edition honours the memory of GM Ján Plachetka.
The closed women’s Queen Masters 2026 has a complete field. Ten players from six countries — three WGMs, two WIMs and five WFMs — with an average ELO of 2173 meet at the House of Culture in Skalica from 22 August. Top seed is WGM Anastasiya Rakhmangulova (2321); Alena Mrvová and Ema Walter fly the Slovak flag.
The youngest grandmaster in Slovak history, two-time winner of the Skalica festival, and the man who drew with Magnus Carlsen. GM Jerguš Pecháč (ELO 2536) will fly the Slovak flag at the Chess Slovak Masters 2026 as the only home player in the elite field of ten.
He became a grandmaster at 14 and beat Abhimanyu Mishra — today the youngest grandmaster in history — in the final of the World U12 Championship. Ukrainian super-talent GM Ihor Samunenkov (ELO 2616) meets him over the board again after five years, at the Chess Slovak Masters 2026 in Skalica.
The last open seat in the closed Chess Slovak Masters 2026 goes to four-time Brazilian champion GM Alexandr Fier (ELO 2566). The elite field of ten is complete — players from four continents will meet in Skalica for the strongest chess tournament ever held in Slovakia.
An overview of hotels, guesthouses and apartments in Skalica and nearby for participants of the festival, 22–30 August 2026.
From 22 to 30 August 2026, the Art Nouveau House of Culture in Skalica comes alive with the eighth edition of the international chess festival Chess Slovak Open®. The 2026 edition is a jubilee one — it marks 70 years of organised chess in Skalica — and it brings the strongest starting field ever assembled…
He became a grandmaster at 12, breaking Sergey Karjakin’s record that had stood for almost two decades. GM Abhimanyu Mishra (USA, ELO 2638) — the youngest grandmaster in chess history — joins the elite field of the closed Chess Slovak Masters 2026 in Skalica.
A six-time Czech champion, Woman Grandmaster and freshly crowned 50+ team World Champion. WGM Olga Sikorová (rated 2205) is the top seed of the Queen Masters 2026 in Skalica.
A four-time Olympian and a fixture of Croatia’s top women. WFM Tihana Ivekovič (rated 2126) plays the closed women’s Queen Masters 2026 in Skalica.
A multiple Slovak champion and long-time international for the Skalica chess club. WIM Alena Mrvová (rated 2136) plays the closed women’s Queen Masters 2026 on home soil in Skalica.
In 2020 he won the Skalica Chess Festival as a 13-year-old boy. Today he is a grandmaster and a Tata Steel Challengers winner. At Chess Slovak Open® 2026, GM Leon Luke Mendonca returns home as a star of the closed Masters.
Nemecký veľmajster Alexander Donchenko, víťaz Tata Steel Challengers 2023, sa predstaví na turnaji Masters festivalu Chess Slovak Open v Skalici (22.–30. augusta 2026). Nenechajte si ujsť šach na svetovej úrovni.
A four-time Ukrainian Champion, European Blitz Champion and winner of last year’s Freestyle event in Skalica. GM Anton Korobov (rated 2608) returns for the Chess Slovak Masters 2026.
A grandmaster at sixteen and one of the brightest talents of India’s young chess wave. GM Aditya Mittal (rated 2599) will play in the closed Chess Slovak Masters 2026 in Skalica.
Czech No. 1 for nearly two decades, a 14-time Czech Champion and a grandmaster at sixteen. GM David Navara (rated 2639) will play in the closed Chess Slovak Masters 2026 in Skalica.
Germany’s number one GM Alexander Donchenko is coming to Skalica – a 2025 FIDE World Cup quarter-finalist rated 2640. He will play in the closed Chess Slovak Masters 2026.
Chess Slovak Open® 2026 unveils another star of the closed Chess Slovak Masters tournament. Belgium’s number one, GM Daniel Dardha, is heading to Skalica – one of Europe’s most talented young grandmasters. The youngest grandmaster in Belgian history Daniel Dardha (born 1 October 2005 in Mortsel) earned the grandmaster title at just 15 – the…
The international chess festival in Skalica is among the open tournaments backed in 2026 by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) through its Open Aid Project. The support reinforces a record prize fund and guarantees higher rewards for women and veterans alike.
Registration for Slovakia’s most prestigious chess event has begun. The Skalica Chess Festival 2026, including the Chess Slovak Open® tournament under FIDE auspices, will take place from 22 to 30 August with a record prize fund of € 15,000.
CAISSA Čadca won the Slovak TIPOS Chess Extraliga 2025/2026. Undefeated throughout the season in Šamorín, with team leader Jerguš Pecháč scoring 7.5 points. After 15 years, the Kysuce club reclaimed the title they first won in 2010/11.
Katowice, April 20, 2026 — The 2026 European Individual Chess Championship, held in Katowice, Poland from April 6–20, concluded with a dramatic finish and a surprising winner. The tournament also brought important news for Chess Slovak Open® fans — three confirmed players of the August festival in Skalica delivered outstanding performances in the Polish city.…
Complete travel guide for Chess Slovak Open® 2026 in Skalica, Slovakia. Flights, trains, accommodation, and local tips for chess players travelling to the festival 22–30 August 2026.
Seeking a GM or IM norm in 2026? Chess Slovak Open® Masters Tournament in Skalica, Slovakia. FIDE-rated classical chess, strong international field, €15,000 prize fund. 22–30 Aug 2026.
Medzinárodný šachový festival v Skalici. 22.–30. augusta 2026. Prize fund 15 000 €, normy GM/IM, 5 turnajov. Hráči z 19+ krajín. Registrácia otvorená.
International chess festival in Skalica, Slovakia. 22–30 August 2026. €15,000 prize fund, GM/IM norms, 5 tournaments. Players from 19+ countries. Registration open.
Are you ready for a chess warm-up right at the beginning of the year? The Skalica Chess Club is pleased to announce that the traditional winter event, the Three Kings Winter Skalica Open 2026, is expanding to four days (January 3 – 6) and bringing generous prizes! The tournament will take place in the former…
Skalica has been alive with chess since 23. until 31. August 2025. The CHESS Slovak OPEN festival took place in the Culture House, which brought nine days of intense duels, accompanying tournaments and meetings with chess personalities. In total, approximately 150 players from 19 countries participated in all tournaments. The director of the event…
The main OPEN tournament of the Skalica Chess Festival brought quality nine-round duels with the standard pace of 90 min/40 moves + 30 s, then 30 min + 30 s. In the House of Culture in Skalica was played 23.-31. August 2025, the director was IO Milan Roman, the chief judge was IA Rastislav…
Mykola Bohatyrov (UKR) triumphed in the accompanying CHESS Slovak OPEN tournament for players with maximum rating up to 1999 with 7,5/9. Second place went to Jan Bjolek (CZE) also with 7,5/9 (decided by the auxiliary evaluations) and the bronze went to Richard Hasala (SVK) with 7/9. The event was played in the House of Culture…
On Saturday 30. On August 2025, the traditional CHESS Slovak OPEN tournament took place in the House of Culture in Skalica. It was played in 7 rounds with a pace of 10 min + 5 s/move, under the guidance of the event director IO Milan Roman and the main IA referee Rastislav Diviak. The average…
The evening freestyle (Chess960) tournament within the CHESS Slovak OPEN festival brought attractive chess without theory of openings – imagination, pace and precise hand were the decisive factors. 7 rounds were played and for the first time in the local brewery Špicer, which gave the event a unique atmosphere. Results – TOP 10 Congratulations to…
GM Jerguš Pecháč (SVK) won the blitz tournament within the Skalicky Chess Festival with 9.5 points from 11 rounds. FM Martin Fargač (CZE) came second and FM Adharsh K (IND) was third – both with 8 points, the standings were decided by auxiliary ratings. There were 24 players from several countries at the start,…
It is a special championship of Slovakia. They take place in the year when we celebrate the centenary of the Slovak Chess Union (SŠZ)
Chess Slovak Open tournament in Skalica confirmed its reputationé, with the bonus of the triumph of the houseof the host Martin Jablonickéhim The sixth edition of the Chess Slovak Open was the highlight of the weekséit Skalickéof chesséfestival organized byéorganized by the Skalica Chess Club. It confirmed its quickly acquired and growing reputation as a…
The open championship of Slovakia in blitz chess took place in Skalica. Juraj Druska from Žilina and Ema Walterová from Bratislava won not only domestic titles, but also a ticket to the 2024 European Championships. Druska dominated, Walter surprised Almost 30-year-old Juraj Druska from Liptov left no one in doubt about his qualities. With a…
The largest international chess tournament in Slovakia, which has already won the recognition of the international chess federation FIDE, is in its fifth year. The International Chess Federation ranked it among the 25 most important tournaments in Europe and among the TOP 50 in the world. In addition to the four chess tournaments, the participants…
The most important chess tournament in Slovakia took place in Skalica for the fourth time! The biggest and strongest international chess tournament in Slovakia, which has already gained recognition ofinternational chess federation, has finished its fourth year. The International Chess Federationhas ranked it among the 25 most important tournaments in Europe and among the TOP…
The current number one of the Slovak ranking GM Jerguš Pecháč will also present himself at almost two hundred players at the Skalický Chess Festival (August 20 – August 28, 2022 at the Svätá Ľudmila Hotel in Skalica). In addition to the main SLOVAK OPEN tournament, which will be under the auspices of FIDE, we…
The fourth year of the SLOVAK OPEN tournament, which will take place as part of the Skalica Chess Festival, will be under the auspices of the International Chess Federation. FIDE has supported 25 tournaments in Europe and from Slovakia it is FIDE SLOVAK OPEN. The Skalica Chess Club, in cooperation with FIDE, is organizing on…
