Ep-37: FIDE's TOTAL CHESS Tour 2026, Magnus Carlsen Wins Again, Kasparov Beats Anand

Young, American, Crisp, Female Voice (Conversational)

Hey chess fans, welcome back to Chess Times, your go-to for the must-know updates from the global chess scene. I’m glad you’re with us—there is so much going on this week. Alright, top of the list: FIDE’s at it again, mixing things up big time. They just greenlit the Total Chess World Championship Tour—this is huge. Basically, instead of one classic champ per year, now they want to crown someone who’s the best across classical, rapid, and blitz. Like, the ultimate all-rounder.

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan

Yeah, it’s really interesting. Norway Chess is set to organize this, and the pilot event is expected in 2026. The idea is to create a full season that identifies not just the best in classical or blitz, but a “Total Chess Player.” But I gotta say—while the concept’s exciting, I’ve already heard some people complaining. There’s no women’s edition yet, and freestyle chess isn’t included at all, which is, well, a bit surprising given the format experiments we’ve been seeing lately. And with so many big tourneys squeezed into the calendar, you have to wonder where this is all going to fit in.

Young, American, Crisp, Female Voice (Conversational)

Right, and let’s not forget that tension with Norway Chess—like, what happens to their current format? Anyway, it kinda fits with what we’ve been talking about in earlier episodes, that trend toward hybrid events and chess as major entertainment. But this move from FIDE feels both ambitious and a little bit chaotic. Oh, and on the controversy—no separate women’s event? That’s not sitting well with a lot of fans either.

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan

Exactly. It reminds me of the times FIDE rolled out new rules in the past, sometimes without consulting the wider chess community. But let’s shift gears for a second to another rule update: FIDE’s scrapped the ‘400-point rule’ for super-elite players, those rated above 2650. This had limited the amount their rating could change if they beat or lost to much lower-rated players. With that gone, ratings at the very top may jump around more, and it’s going to force grandmasters—like me, honestly—to rethink which tournaments we enter. There were times in my own career where I had to calculate “Is this worth the potential rating swing?” Now that might be even trickier at the highest level.

Young, American, Crisp, Female Voice (Conversational)

Yeah, you can almost see the ripple effect—more volatility, more risks, maybe even more upsets. And if you missed our last couple episodes, we talked a lot about young phenoms and how these rating changes could impact their climb up the ranks. So, with all these format and rule shakeups, I feel like the next couple years are just gonna be wild.

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan

Speaking of wild, did you catch the European Team Championships? Ukraine’s open team took gold, and their women’s team grabbed silver. The competition itself was intense, but what really stood out for me—honestly, what gave me chills—was Igor Kovalenko’s story. He left chess to serve as a soldier, right in the warzone, and then comes back… and wins individual gold on board four. Highest percentage of anyone in his spot. I mean, talk about real-life heroics.

Young, American, Crisp, Female Voice (Conversational)

It’s amazing. Grit, resilience—you can’t make this stuff up. Kovalenko’s been honored for bravery, then he’s out there smashing it at a top tournament, almost like a chess superhero. And over in the women’s event, Poland got the gold, Ukraine the silver, and Germany bronze. But, maybe the coolest new face? Ten-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan stepping onto the stage. I mean, imagine making such a splash at that age—definitely echoes some of what we witnessed with Faustino Oro last week, right?

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan

For sure. The new generation is pushing boundaries everywhere. And there’s more: The St. Louis Chess Club just reopened with a bang—hosting a Fischer Random rematch between legends Kasparov and Anand. Kasparov’s 62 now but, still, he took the match—though Anand did make it interesting in the blitz rounds. It was almost like the nineties never ended, but with a twist. And then, the U.S. Championship kicked off with all the heavyweights: Caruana, So, Aronian, plus Hans Niemann and Abhimanyu Mishra. That’s a stacked field, and—oh—there’s an elite quad coming up with Carlsen, Nakamura, Caruana, and Gukesh. This is, I mean, seriously top-level stuff.

Young, American, Crisp, Female Voice (Conversational)

We keep mentioning this, but St. Louis is really like the beating heart of U.S. chess right now. Those events are just packed. And bringing it back to youth for a second, there’s more good news out of India—Cera Dagariya just snagged her Woman FIDE Master title in Albania. Earlier she won her Woman Candidate Master title at some European opens. Now she’s one to watch and, honestly, it feels like every week a new Indian name pops up. Priyadharsan, quick plug, you’ve always said Chess Gaja was all about highlighting the next gen. Kinda feels like it’s happening right in front of us?

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan

Absolutely. Stories like Cera’s are exactly why we started Chess Gaja—to give visibility to fast-rising stars, and help nurture their journeys from promising juniors to titled players. The youth wave, from India to Europe and beyond—it’s redefining the entire chess landscape.

Young, American, Crisp, Female Voice (Conversational)

Okay, next up—let’s talk drama in the faster formats. The Speed Chess Championship has just been electric. Hikaru Nakamura pulled off a classic Hikaru comeback versus Liem Le—he was behind, then stormed back and just barely edged it out 13.5 to 11.5. That final bullet segment? Absolute chaos. I know Wesley So’s overtime win against Vincent Keymer was another close one—Keymer even won the last bullet game, but So still managed to get through. And Denis Lazavik handled Arjun Erigaisi with a solid 12–9. These matches—it’s almost like nothing is ever really decided until the very last second.

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan

Yeah, even small swings in bullet or blitz can flip these battles in dramatic ways. And it takes a special mindset—momentum, nerves, almost a bit of luck—it’s all in play. I want to mention, too: this volatility is kinda what we were hinting at with those rating changes, where now, every single point and every match carries more weight at the top.

Young, American, Crisp, Female Voice (Conversational)

It’s true. And speaking of heavyweights, Magnus Carlsen did what Magnus Carlsen does—he just won Titled Tuesday again, with 10 out of 11. And there’s something really human about all this: commentators kept calling him “Daddy Carlsen” because he’s balancing this with, you know, having just become a dad. That’s honestly wild. Balancing life milestones and chess dominance at the same time. Guess some people can do it all.

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan

It’s impressive, and it shows the kind of stamina and focus Magnus brings—whether he’s at home, or in St. Louis for that upcoming elite quadrangular. By the way, I met Magnus at a Titled Tuesday event once—he was deep in focus, just radiating that intensity, headphones on, totally locked in. I think that’s a big part of his sustained success.

Young, American, Crisp, Female Voice (Conversational)

Oh, I would have totally frozen up if I ran into him like that! But yeah, the narrative here is, whether it’s OTB tournaments or online speed matches, the action just never lets up. And that’s even before mentioning the Clutch Chess: Champions Showdown coming up in St. Louis with Carlsen, Nakamura, Caruana, and Gukesh—all in one event. When you add in the upcoming FIDE World Cup, it’s just non-stop chess at the highest possible level.

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan

Couldn’t agree more. There’s a real sense that we’re right in the middle of a new era for chess—more events, more drama, rising talent and veterans stepping up. The pace is relentless, and for anyone following the scene, it’s endlessly exciting.

Young, American, Crisp, Female Voice (Conversational)

Alright, that’s going to do it for us this week. If you want more on any of these stories, check the show notes for links—trust me, some of these are deep dives worth reading. We’ll be back soon with breakdowns, controversies, and more chess goodness. Take care, everyone!

GM Priyadharshan Kannappan

Thanks for joining us. See you next week, and—yeah—keep playing, keep watching, there’s always something to learn in chess. Bye!