Lichess's Blog

Titled Arenas Announcement — April to June 2026

2026-04-16T04:00:56.541Z

Announcing our schedule for upcoming Titled Arenas!

Lichess and Take Take Take Sign Cooperation Agreement

2026-04-06T10:26:43.501Z

Take Take Take will use Lichess as the infrastructure of their new play zone, in a win for open source

Lichess Mobile App Update

2026-03-24T16:09:50.475Z

Variants, local play vs computer and more added!

Announcing the ChessMood 20/20 Grand Prix 2026

2026-02-18T10:57:12.683Z

A $20,000 prize event open to all Lichess streamers’ teams

Streamer Arenas Announcement — February to July 2026

2026-02-14T23:29:08.199Z

Announcing our schedule for upcoming Streamer Arenas!

Candidates Round 14: Sindarov and Vaishali Are Officially the WCC Challengers

2026-04-15T19:17:28.786Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov, who finished the Open Candidates on 10/14, will face reignnig world champion GM Gukesh D in a match later this year, while GM Vaishali Rameshbabu, who finished the Women's Candidates on 8.5/14, will similary face reigning women's world champion GM Ju Wenjun.

Candidates Round 13: Sindarov is the 2026 World Championship Challenger

2026-04-14T16:34:11.362Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov is the 2026 World Championship Challenger after drawing GM Anish Giri, while the Women's remains wide open, with GM Bibisara Assaubayeva and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu in the joint lead and GM Zhu Jiner half a point behind.

Candidates Round 12: Sindarov One Draw Away, Vaishali and Zhu in Joint First

2026-04-13T02:41:21.406Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov needs just one draw in the next two games to win the 2026 FIDE Candidates, while the Women's Candidates remains wide open as GM Vaishali Rameshbabu is now in shared first with GM Zhu Jiner following Zhu's win against Vaishali in today's round.

Candidates Round 11: Quadruple Draws in Open, Vaishali Extends Lead in Women’s

2026-04-11T19:48:09.332Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov remains two points ahead of GM Anish Giri after he held a tough game against GM Fabiano Caruana, while GM Vaishali Rameshbabu is now one point ahead of GM Anna Muzychuk and GM Zhu Jiner following her win against GM Aleksandra Goryachkina.

Candidates Round 10: Sindarov Widens Gap Once Again, Vaishali in Sole Lead

2026-04-10T12:54:05.337Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov has extended his lead to two points after defeating GM R Praggnanandhaa, while in the Women's Candidates, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu is in the sole lead after both GM Zhu Jiner and GM Divya Deshmukh lost their games to GM Bibisara Assaubayeva and GM Aleksandra Goryachkina, respectively.

Candidates Round 9: Giri 1.5 Points Behind Sindarov, Zhu and Vaishali Lead

2026-04-08T18:32:30.342Z

GM Anish Giri defeated GM Fabiano Caruana, inching closer to GM Javokhir Sindarov, who remains 1.5 points ahead of Giri after Sindarov's draw against Blübaum; meanwhile, in the Women's Candidates, GM Zhu Jiner and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu are in the shared lead after winning against GM Kateryna Lagno and GM Divya Deshmukh, respectively.

Candidates Round 8: Sindarov Extends Lead, Five-Way Tie in Women’s

2026-04-07T18:35:56.945Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov extended his lead to two full points after he drew his game against GM Andrey Esipenko and GM Fabiano Caruana lost against GM Hikaru Nakamura; meanwhile, in the Women's Candidates, following GM Anna Muzychuk's loss to GM Divya Deshmukh, the tournament is wide-open with five players on 4.5/8.

Candidates Round 7: Sindarov Maintains Lead, Vaishali 1/2 Point Behind Muzychuk

2026-04-06T07:29:55.281Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov retains his 1.5-point lead ahead of GM Fabiano Caruana, while GM Vaishali Rameshbabu, after defeating GM Tan Zhongyi, is only 0.5 points behind Women's Candidates tournament leader GM Anna Muzychuk.

Candidates Round 6: Sindarov Wins Again, Muzychuk in Sole Lead

2026-04-04T23:14:43.49Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov is 1.5 points ahead of GM Fabiano Caruana, who drew GM Andrey Esipenko today as Sindarov defeated GM Wei Yi; in the Women's, GM Anna Muzychuk won a strong game against GM Zhu Jiner, propelling her to sole first on 4/6, a full point ahead of the field.

Lichess Game of the Month: February '26

2026-04-03T21:58:30.846Z

English pawn rollers & a beautiful checkmate

Candidates Round 5: Sindarov Retains Lead; Lagno, Muzychuk, & Zhu Share 1st

2026-04-03T20:38:58.025Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov is on 4.5/5, with GM Fabiano Caruana close behind on 3.5/5, while three players lead the Women's Candidates: GM Kateryna Lagno, GM Anna Muzychuk, and GM Zhu Jiner, all on 3/5.

Candidates Round 4: Sindarov in Sole Lead, Assaubayeva & Muzychuk in Joint 1st

2026-04-02T02:52:48.689Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov is in the sole lead on 3.5/4 after beating the ex-co-leader, GM Fabiano Caruana, while in the Women's, GM Bibisara Assaubayeva and GM Anna Muzychuk are in the joint lead on 2.5/4.

Candidates Round 3: Caruana & Sindarov Lead, Assaubayeva & Lagno in 1st

2026-03-31T22:48:50.574Z

GM Javokhir Sindarov and GM Fabiano Caruana lead the Open after their respective wins against GM R Praggnanandhaa and GM Wei Yi, while GM Bibisara Assaubayeva and GM Kateryna Lagno are also in the shared lead in the Women's after winning against GM Zhu Jiner and GM Tan Zhongyi, respectively.

Knights of Lichess (not really)

2026-03-31T20:33:03.178Z

Keeping a watchful eye...

Candidates Round 2: Calm Round Sees Octuple Draws

2026-03-30T21:35:14.993Z

The Open saw four relatively quiet draws, but in the Women's, only two games were calm draws as GM Kateryna Lagno and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu narrowly escaped against their respective opponents, GM Zhu Jiner and GM Divya Deshmukh.

Candidates Round 1: Caruana, Sindarov, & Praggnanandhaa Win as Women All Draw

2026-03-29T21:11:43.867Z

GM Fabiano Caruana defeated GM Hikaru Nakamura, GM Javokhir Sindarov won against GM Andrey Esipenko, and GM R Praggnanandhaa bested GM Anish Giri as the Women's tournament saw draws on all four boards.

FIDE Candidates 2026: Preview

2026-03-28T12:52:49.21Z

Sixteen players, two potential world champions

Lichess Game of the Month: January '26

2026-03-03T04:00:26.29Z

A very rapid, positional attack

Queens' Online Chess Festival

2026-02-22T14:56:30.303Z

The Queens' Online Chess Festival, a chess festival open to all women and girls and with multiple prizes and awards, is taking place from March 1-29, with registration currently open.