TEN EXCEPTIONAL GIRLS, A LEGEND OF WORLD CHESS, AND AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF WOMEN’S CHESS
The Prague International Chess Festival 2026 continues its long-term project, the Futures tournament, which has been held since 2020 with the aim of systematically supporting young chess talents. As in the previous year, the 2026 edition is reserved exclusively for girls—ten exceptionally talented young players from across Europe who rank among the very best in their respective age categories.
The Futures tournament is held under the patronage of the First Lady of the Czech Republic, Eva Pavlová. The ambassador of the Futures tournament is WGM Pia Cramling, a legend of world chess, former Women’s World No. 1, and a newly inducted member of the World Chess Hall of Fame.
THE CHESS ELITE OF THE FUTURE IN ONE PLACE
The Futures tournament will welcome ten exceptional young chess players from six European countries, who are already decorated with medals from World and European Championships and rank among the very best in their respective age categories. For many of them, the tournament in Prague represents another step on their path toward a professional chess career.
Czech colours will be represented primarily by Anna Hrčková (ELO 2041), currently the highest-rated player in the tournament, and Zuzana Stará, who claimed a sensational silver medal at the 2025 Czech U14 Boys Championship and is a regular and successful participant in international tournaments. The Czech trio is completed by Sofiia Markina, the Czech Girls U14 Rapid Chess Champion.
The tournament’s international dimension is further strengthened by, among others, Germany’s Lilian Schirmbeck, a silver medallist at the 2023 European Youth Chess Championship. Prague will also welcome Latvia’s Alona Tolmaceva, the 2025 European U12 Champion and one of the greatest talents in Baltic chess.
Considerable attention will also be focused on Italy’s Clio Alessi, a multiple Italian champion, former World No. 1 in the U8 category, and a regular Top 10 finisher at both European and World Championships. Switzerland will be represented by Christina Jordan, a two-time Swiss champion and German U14 champion, which is an exceptional combination in youth chess.
Poland also boasts strong representation, led by Polish champion and a medallist at both the World and European Championships Lila Rządkowska, alongside Kaja Rządkowska and the tournament’s youngest participant, Angelina Nguyen Doan. Despite her young age, Angelina has already collected numerous national and international titles and is considered one of the greatest talents of her generation.
VISIT CHESS WOMEN’S DAY
The Futures tournament is not just an isolated event. It is fully integrated into the main programme of the Prague International Chess Festival. Its players will claim their spots on the same stage as the world’s grandmasters from the Masters and Challengers tournaments and take part in the drawing of lots and official ceremonies.
One part of the project is also an educational and inspirational programme, presented this year under the title Chess Women’s Day. The event will take place on Monday, March 2, starting at 14:30, at the Grand Hotel Prague Towers.
The programme includes:
14:30 / Autograph session with WGM Pia Cramling
15:00 / Simultaneous exhibition of WGM Pia Cramling against Futures players
15:15 / Simultaneous exhibition against Czech women players
15:30 / Parents’ assembly with open discussion
16:00 / Women players in the Tata Steel Chess tournament (lecture by Tata Steel Chess director and Women in Chess Foundation member Jeroen Van den Berg)
18:00–19:00 / Screening of the awarded documentary Sofonisba’s Chess Game
This event will connect young talents with the elite of both current and past women’s chess. The main guest will be the tournament ambassador, GM Pia Cramling, who will play a simultaneous exhibition against the Futures players. The programme will also include simultaneous exhibitions and open games with members of the Czech women’s national team. These activities are open to all girls interested in chess, regardless of their performance rating or experience.
Admission to the event is free and open to the general public, especially to girls and young chess players who seek inspiration and motivation for further development.
PIA CRAMLING: INSPIRATION ACROSS GENERATIONS
Supporting young talents is a key pillar of the future of women’s chess. The Futures project creates an environment in which girls can develop not only as players, but also as confident individuals. A major source of inspiration for the young participants is Pia Cramling, one of the most respected figures in world chess for more than four decades. She reached the first spot of the women’s world rankings in 1984, earned the WGM title in 1992, and in 2025 became the first Swedish player to be inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame.
Pia Cramling | Photo: Prague Chess Festival
INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE
The winner of the Futures tournament will gain not only sporting experience and valuable rating points for her future career, but also the official Futures trophy and a place in the Open tournament of the next edition of the Prague International Chess Festival, including accommodation.
The Futures project is above all about long-term support for young talents. Parents of players also play a crucial role, dedicating an immense amount of time, energy, and financial resources to their children’s development. Without their daily support, regular travel to tournaments, and systematic guidance, the young players’ success would be nearly impossible to achieve.
“I see the Futures tournament as an investment in the future of women’s chess. We aim to create a stable project that will help the young female players during a key phase of their sport and personal development. At the same time, we believe we will attract a strong partner for this project, who shares our vision of talent support, education and equal opportunities in sport,” says Festival Director Petr Boleslav.
The eighth edition of the Prague International Chess Festival will take place from 24 February to 6 March 2026 at the Don Giovanni Hotel Prague. The festival features elite tournaments, everyday morning tournaments, and attractive side events. The closing ceremony will take place on Friday, 6 March 2026 at 18:00.
Registration is still open. Binding applications for the open tournaments D and E must be submitted no later than February 10, 2026.
