Chess Base

• Vaclav Finek scores final-round win to clinch Prague Challengers

  A final round with all gamed ending decisively concluded an exciting edition of the Challengers at the Prague International Chess Festival. Sixteen-year-old Vaclav Finek secured first place by defeating Thomas Beerdsen with black, finishing the tournament undefeated on 6½/9 and earning a place in the 2027 Masters. Daniil Yuffa kept the pressure on until the end, while Divya Deshmukh completed the podium after winning her final-round game. | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

• The American Cup - Live!

  The American Cup, one of the United States' premier chess tournaments, returns to Saint Louis. Now in its fifth year, the event runs on March 3-12 at the Saint Louis Chess Club, featuring sixteen of America's top chess talents. With $400,000 in prize money up for grabs, the competitors will prove their mettle under mounting pressure in the double-elimination knockout format. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 19.00 CET (14.00 ET, 23.30 IST) | Pictured: Sam Sevian | Photo: Lennart Ootes

• American Cup: Aronian, Dominguez, Li and Sargsyan prevail in Elimination Brackets

  Day three of the American Cup in Saint Louis featured the first classical games of the Championship Bracket semifinals and rapid elimination matches in the lower bracket. In the open section, both semifinal games ended drawn, while Leinier Dominguez and Levon Aronian eliminated their younger opponents. In the women's event, Carissa Yip and Alice Lee won their semifinal games in the Championship Bracket, while Rachel Li and Anna Sargsyan (pictured) survived tense elimination matches. | Photo: Saint Louis Chess Club / Lennart Ootes