Chess Base

• Chess stars set for Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot in Budapest

  The Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot will take place in Budapest from 10 to 21 November, bringing together an elite field led by Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Vincent Keymer and Wesley So. Created by Norway Chess and approved by FIDE, the event will test players across Fast Classic, Rapid and Blitz formats. The Budapest pilot will serve as the first step towards a multi-city tour launching in 2027. | Photo: FIDE

• Hassabis on chess and AI

  In a 15-minute video, Demis Hassabis, one of the central scientists working on artificial intelligence, tells us why he worries about AI going rogue. Hassabis, head of Google AI research, is a very strong chess player who created Alpha zero, the first neural network program on which all modern chess engines are based. It is his vivid description of how AI handled chess that will be of particular interest to the readers of our news page.

• Praggnanandhaa comes from behind, wins Grand Chess Tour 2026

  Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu overturned a six-point deficit on the final day to defeat Fabiano Caruana 15-13 and win the 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals. The Indian GM won both rapid games before holding his advantage through the blitz section. In the third-place match, Wesley So recovered from an early deficit against Vincent Keymer and swept all four blitz games to secure an 18-12 victory. | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour