The 2026 Prague Chess Festival Masters started with fireworks. There were decisive games, bold sacrifices, and major rating changes.

The biggest story? Nodirbek Abdusattorov climbed to World No. 4 after winning in round one.

Abdusattorov Defeats Aravindh

Abdusattorov defeated defending champion Aravindh Chithambaram with the white pieces. At first, Aravindh looked strong. He had control in the center and was better on the clock. But Abdusattorov stayed calm. He created pressure. After the time control, Aravindh made a mistake.

Abdusattorov took over and converted the advantage beautifully. With this win, he moved ahead of Vincent Keymer in the live ratings to become World No. 4.

Gukesh Survives Niemann’s Brilliant Attack

One of the most awaited games was Gukesh Dommaraju vs Hans Niemann. Niemann played fearlessly. He sacrificed a knight with 13…Nxd3!! It was a stunning move.

Gukesh was under heavy pressure. The position looked dangerous. But the reigning World Champion defended with incredible accuracy. He accepted a difficult position. He did not panic.

After a long fight, the game ended in a draw. Both players showed fighting spirit from start to finish.

Van Foreest Beats Keymer Again

Jorden van Foreest defeated Keymer for the second major event in a row. The Dutch grandmaster played aggressively. He used his time advantage wisely. His attack on the king was powerful.

Keymer fought hard but could not escape. Van Foreest has now gained over 30 rating points this year. He continues his impressive 2026 form.

📷 On day one of the Masters category we have four winners already. The biggest upset was made by Jorden van Foreest, who took down world number four Vincent Keymer. Listen to the Dutch grandmaster’s immediate reactions. 📷 pic.twitter.com/Qp31nhhbd0

— Prague International Chess Festival (@PragueChess) February 25, 2026

Yakubboev and Navara Score Important Wins

Nodirbek Yakubboev defeated David Anton Guijarro. The game was almost decided in the opening. Anton fell into a trap. Yakubboev handled the complications confidently and finished the game in style.

Meanwhile, Czech legend David Navara defeated Parham Maghsoodloo. Navara slowly outplayed his opponent. In the end, a beautiful zugzwang decided the game. This win helped Navara regain the Czech No. 1 spot.

Challengers Section: Action Everywhere

The Challengers group was just as exciting. Indian GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly sacrificed a rook in wild style against Thomas Beerdsen. It was brave. It was creative. But it was not enough.

Beerdsen handled the chaos better and won the game. Teenage Czech star Jachym Nemec stunned women’s world No. 2 Zhu Jiner.

Zhu was winning at one point. But Nemec counterattacked with a bishop sacrifice and later a rook sacrifice. He turned the game around and won in 56 moves.

Indian star Divya Deshmukh drew against top seed Benjamin Gledura. Interestingly, Divya was actually winning before the game ended in a time scramble and repetition.

About the Prague Chess Festival 2026

The Prague Chess Festival is being held at the Don Giovanni Hotel in Prague.

The event features:

• Masters (10 players)

• Challengers (10 players)

• Futures

• Open tournament

Time control:

• 90 minutes for 40 moves

• 30 extra minutes after move 40

• 30-second increment from move one

The tournament runs from February 25 to March 6, 2026.

What’s Next?

Round 2 promises more exciting clashes. There are still eight rounds to go. Can Abdusattorov maintain his top-4 ranking? Will Gukesh strike back with a win? Can Keymer recover? Stay tuned for more updates from Prague.

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Photos: Petr Vrabec
Source: Chess.com

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