Rounds 1 & 2
Twelve teams are divided into two pools of approximately the same strength. Each pool plays a five-round single round-robin tournament. The top four teams of each pool qualifies for a knockout deciding stage.
The time control is 45 minutes for the whole game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 1.
Data, plans, practice – the new Opening Report In ChessBase there are always attempts to show the typical plans of an opening variation. In the age of engines, chess is much more concrete than previously thought. But amateurs in particular love openings with clear plans, see the London System. In ChessBase ’26, three functions deal with the display of plans. The new opening report examines which piece moves or pawn advances are significant for each important variation. In the reference search you can now see on the board where the pieces usually go. If you start the new Monte Carlo analysis, the board also shows the most common figure paths.
Each duel in the knockout consists of two matches, with colours reversed in the second match. In case of a tie, the following procedure will take place to break the tie:
- After draw of colours, a blitz match shall be played with the time control 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move.
- If the blitz match is drawn, another blitz match shall be played with the time control 3 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move, with colours reversed.
- If the second blitz match is drawn, one sudden death game shall be played between a pair of players who played against each other in the blitz matches above. This pair shall be determined by drawing of lots. The sudden death game shall be the following:
- White shall have 4 minutes + 2 seconds increment per move.
- Once the pair of players is determined, both players shall submit a time bid – specifying how much starting time they are willing to play with as Black, also with a 2-second increment. The player who submits the lowest time wins the bid and plays with Black. If the players make exactly the same bid, Black starts with that amount of time; a drawing of lots shall determine the colours.
Pool A: FIDE (2496) USA (2406) Kazakhstan (2381) Azerbaijan (2366) Spain (2339) Peru (2207)
Pool B: China (2473) Georgia (2430) Ukraine (2399) France (2353) Uzbekistan (2336) India (2334)
Live games and commentary
The full rosters of each team can be consulted here.
EXPAND YOUR CHESS HORIZONS
Data, plans, practice – the new Opening Report In ChessBase there are always attempts to show the typical plans of an opening variation. In the age of engines, chess is much more concrete than previously thought. But amateurs in particular love openings with clear plans, see the London System. In ChessBase ’26, three functions deal with the display of plans. The new opening report examines which piece moves or pawn advances are significant for each important variation. In the reference search you can now see on the board where the pieces usually go. If you start the new Monte Carlo analysis, the board also shows the most common figure paths.
