Semifinals
The concluding stages of the Speed Chess Championship are being held in front of a live audience in London on 7–8 February 2026, with the semifinals, consolation match and final taking place at 180 Studios, a noted brutalist-style venue located in the heart of the city.
The semifinal pairings were decided by quarterfinal matches completed in November. Magnus Carlsen will meet Denis Lazavik, while Hikaru Nakamura faces Alireza Firouzja.
The King’s Indian Defence has been one of the most dynamic and popular responses to 1.d4 for decades. Legends such as Garry Kasparov, Bobby Fischer, and Hikaru Nakamura have employed it at the highest level – and it continues to fascinate today, as it offers Black not only solidity but also rich attacking and counterattacking opportunities. Its special advantage: the King’s Indian is a universal system, equally effective against 1.d4, 1.c4, and 1.Nf3. Grandmaster Felix Blohberger, multiple Austrian Champion and experienced second, presents a complete two-part repertoire for Black. His approach: practical, clear, and flexible – instead of endless theory, you’ll get straightforward concepts and strategies that are easy to learn and apply.
Free video sample: Introduction
Free video sample: London System
Each match in the live finals follows the championship’s standard three-segment structure of continuous games:
- Segment 1: 90 minutes of games at a 5+1 time control
- Segment 2: 60 minutes of games at a 3+1 time control
- Segment 3: 30 minutes of games at a 1+1 time control
Colours alternate from game to game, with the higher-seeded player starting with white in the first game of each segment. A win scores one point and a draw half a point, and only games that have already begun before a segment timer expires count towards the score. Players may not forfeit a match except during the final ten minutes of the 1+1 segment.
Live commentary
Format
Each match in the live finals follows the championship’s standard three-segment structure of continuous games:
- Segment 1: 90 minutes of games at a 5+1 time control
- Segment 2: 60 minutes of games at a 3+1 time control
- Segment 3: 30 minutes of games at a 1+1 time control
Colours alternate from game to game, with the higher-seeded player starting with white in the first game of each segment. A win scores one point and a draw half a point, and only games that have already begun before a segment timer expires count towards the score. Players may not forfeit a match except during the final ten minutes of the 1+1 segment.
If the score is level after all three segments, the tiebreak procedure is as follows:
- Up to four additional 1+1 games are played, with colours continuing to alternate
- The match ends as soon as one player reaches 2½ points in this mini-match
- If still tied, a single Armageddon game is played
For Armageddon, both players secretly submit a bid indicating how much time (up to five minutes) they are willing to have with the black pieces. The lower bid receives Black with that time, while White gets the full five minutes and must win the game, as a draw counts as a win for Black.
Prize money
| Match | Total | Winner gets | Rest split |
| Final | $50,000.00 | $25,000.00 | By win percentage |
| Consolation | $15,000.00 | $7,500.00 | By win percentage |
| Semifinals | $30,000.00 | $15,000.00 | By win percentage |
| Quarterfinals | $15,000.00 | $7,500.00 | By win percentage |
| Round-of-16 | $8,125.00 | $4,062.50 | By win percentage |
Let our authors show you how Carlsen tailored his openings to be able to outplay his opponents strategically in the middlegame or to obtain an enduring advantage into the endgame.
