Shatranj Live Editorial is the analysis team behind shatranj.live — a free real-time chess tournament tracker launched in 2021. We cover FIDE super-tournaments, the World Chess Championship cycle, elite grandmaster profiles, and the rating system that governs competitive chess.
Background
We started in 2021, building a live tracker specifically for the Chess Super League — a high-intensity team rapid tournament featuring Ding Liren, Hikaru Nakamura, Anish Giri, a teenage Gukesh Dommaraju, and dozens of other top grandmasters. The tracker drew close to 100,000 views during the league and was featured on Hikaru Nakamura's stream. That response built the foundation for everything since.
Since 2021, we have tracked every major FIDE classical event: Tata Steel, Norway Chess, the Grand Chess Tour, Prague Festival, Women's Candidates, Grand Swiss, and the World Chess Championship match. In 2024, we covered Gukesh Dommaraju's historic title win — at 18, the youngest World Chess Champion ever.
Editorial standards
All player ratings come from the official FIDE rating list at ratings.fide.com. Tournament results are cross-checked against official tournament websites, chess.com, and lichess.org before publication. Errors are corrected promptly and noted at the bottom of updated articles.
We don't speculate about player psychology or manufacture drama from draws. Coverage is factual and direct: standings, results, context, and what they mean for the broader competitive landscape.
Coverage expertise
- FIDE super-tournaments — Tata Steel, Norway Chess, Grand Chess Tour, Prague Festival
- Candidates Tournament and World Championship cycle — format, history, qualification paths, every edition since 2021
- Indian chess — the most significant national program in elite chess since the Soviet era; Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, and the Women's contingent
- Women's chess — Women's Candidates, Women's Grand Swiss, Women's World Championship; full coverage as a distinct beat
- FIDE rating system — Elo calculations, K-factors, GM title requirements, monthly list mechanics
- Player profiles — career context, opening repertoire, and current form for 50+ grandmasters
All articles (103)
Koneru Humpy Withdraws From Women's Candidates 2026, Anna Muzychuk Steps In
Koneru Humpy has officially withdrawn from the Women's Candidates 2026 in Cyprus over safety concerns. Anna Muzychuk replaces her.
Alice Lee First Woman to Break 3000 Rating on Chess.com
IM Alice Lee reached a 3002 bullet rating on Chess.com on March 17, becoming the first woman to cross 3000 in any time control.
Candidates Tournament 2026: One Week to Go — Everything You Need to Know
The FIDE Candidates 2026 starts March 29 in Cyprus. Players, format, favorites, India's representation, and key storylines before Round 1.
Chess Week in Review: March 16-22, 2026
Candidates countdown begins, Pranesh qualifies for Chess.com Open, Alice Lee breaks 3000. All the chess news from this week.
Koneru Humpy May Skip Women's Candidates 2026 Over Cyprus Safety Concerns
Koneru Humpy considers withdrawing from the Women's Candidates in Cyprus citing safety concerns. FIDE says the event proceeds as planned.
Pranesh M Qualifies for Chess.com Open 2026 Playoffs
GM Pranesh M advances to the Chess.com Open 2026 Playoffs after finishing on 7.5/9 with better tiebreaks than Wesley So in Play-In 2.
Anatoly Karpov: World Titles, Peak Rating and Career
Anatoly Karpov's world titles, peak rating, rivalry with Kasparov, major achievements, and long-term chess legacy.
Youngest Chess Grandmaster: Faustino Oro's Record
Faustino Oro became the youngest chess grandmaster in history. Here are his age, record, rating, and career details.
How Many Grandmasters Are There in Chess in 2026?
How many grandmasters are there in chess in 2026? About 1,900+ active FIDE GMs, with country breakdown and growth history.
Lichess vs Chess.com: Which Chess Site Is Better?
Lichess vs Chess.com compared on price, lessons, puzzles, features, interface, and which platform is better for you.
Pia Cramling: Career, Peak Rating and Chess Profile
Pia Cramling's career, peak rating, major achievements, family chess legacy, and 2026 profile.
Vladimir Kramnik: World Titles, Career and Chess Legacy
Vladimir Kramnik's world titles, Berlin Defense legacy, Kasparov match, and overall chess career profile.
Caruana vs Nakamura: Head-to-Head Record and Rivalry
Caruana vs Nakamura head-to-head record, styles, major meetings, and why their rivalry matters in elite American chess.
Hans Niemann: FIDE Rating, Career and Controversy
Hans Niemann's FIDE rating, tournament record, career path, and the cheating controversy around his name.
Top American Chess Players in 2026: Rankings and Ratings
Top American chess players in 2026 ranked by FIDE rating, with profiles of Nakamura, Caruana, So, Aronian, and more.
Alireza Firouzja: FIDE Rating, Ranking, Age and Career
Alireza Firouzja's FIDE rating, world ranking, age, peak Elo, major titles, and career profile through 2026.
Candidates 2026 Cyprus: Paphos Venue, Travel and Schedule
Venue guide to Candidates 2026 in Paphos, Cyprus, with hall details, travel basics, dates, and how to follow the event live.
Chess.com Open 2026: Format, Schedule, Players and Prize
Chess.com Open 2026 guide with format, schedule, prize fund, qualifiers, and Arjun Erigaisi's route into the event.
Chess Rating Categories: Beginner to Grandmaster Explained
Chess rating categories explained from beginner to grandmaster, with FIDE ranges, titles, and what each level means.
Chess960 Explained: Rules, Starting Positions and Strategy
Chess960 explained with rules, starting positions, castling, history, and why Fischer Random changes opening preparation.
Divya Deshmukh: FIDE Rating, Career and Chess Profile
Divya Deshmukh's FIDE rating, age, title record, major results, and 2026 chess career profile.
How Many Female Grandmasters Are There in Chess in 2026?
How many female grandmasters are there in chess in 2026? Full GM vs WGM breakdown, history, and notable players.
How to Get a FIDE Rating: Step-by-Step for Beginners
How to get a FIDE rating step by step, from federation registration to your first rated tournament and published Elo.
Koneru Humpy: FIDE Rating, Career and Chess Profile
Koneru Humpy's FIDE rating, major titles, world rapid success, and 2026 chess career profile.
Levon Aronian: FIDE Rating, Career and Chess Legacy
Levon Aronian's FIDE rating, world cup wins, federation switch, major achievements, and career profile.
Mikhail Tal: World Title, Style and Chess Legacy
Mikhail Tal's world title run, sacrificial style, famous games, and enduring legacy in chess history.
Praggnanandhaa at the 2024 Candidates: Results and Impact
How Praggnanandhaa performed at the 2024 Candidates, his final score, key games, and why the event mattered.
Samay Raina Chess: Rating, Tournaments & Career
Samay Raina's chess rating is ~1,700 rapid on Chess.com. FIDE ID 33415897. He won SuperPogChamps 2025 and organized Chess Super League. Full chess profile.
Vaishali Rameshbabu: FIDE Rating, Career and Chess Profile
Vaishali Rameshbabu's FIDE rating, major results, title milestones, and 2026 chess career profile.
Wesley So: FIDE Rating, Career and Chess960 Titles
Wesley So's FIDE rating, major titles, Chess960 success, and 2026 chess career profile.
What Is Castling in Chess? Rules and Strategy
What castling is in chess, when it is legal, how kingside and queenside castling work, and why it matters.
What Is En Passant? The Chess Rule Explained Simply
En passant is chess's most misunderstood rule. Learn what it means, exactly when it applies, how to execute it, and how grandmasters use it strategically.
Ju Wenjun: Five-Time Women's World Champion | 2026 Profile
Ju Wenjun (FIDE 2559) is the five-time Women's World Chess Champion. She defended her title in 2025 vs Tan Zhongyi 6.5–2.5. Full profile and career on Shatranj Live.
Magnus Carlsen Net Worth 2026: How He Built $50M
Magnus Carlsen's net worth is ~$50 million in 2026, built through prize money, the $82.5M Chess.com sale of Play Magnus, and endorsements. Full breakdown.
Bobby Fischer: World Title, Peak Rating and Chess Legacy
Bobby Fischer's world title run, peak rating, Candidates dominance, famous games, and complicated chess legacy.
Chess March 2026 Review: Prague, Ratings and Candidates Build-Up
Chess March 2026 review with Prague results, India ratings, domestic events, and the road to Candidates 2026.
Ding Liren: FIDE Rating, Career and World Title Profile
Ding Liren's FIDE rating, world title run, ranking, peak Elo, and 2026 chess career profile.
Garry Kasparov: Peak Rating, World Titles and Legacy
Garry Kasparov's peak rating, world titles, rivalry years, Deep Blue match, and long-term chess legacy.
How the Candidates Tournament Decides the World Title Challenger
How the Candidates Tournament works as the final qualifier for the World Chess Championship and how the FIDE cycle feeds into it.
How Chess Elo Ratings Work: FIDE Formula and Examples
How FIDE calculates chess Elo ratings using expected score, K-factor, rating difference, and real examples.
How to Play Chess: Rules, Pieces and Beginner Basics
How to play chess for beginners, including piece movement, special rules, checkmate, opening basics, and first-step strategy.
Ian Nepomniachtchi: FIDE Rating, Career and World Title Record
Ian Nepomniachtchi's FIDE rating, Candidates wins, world title matches, and overall chess career profile.
Indian Junior Chess Players to Watch in 2026
The Indian junior chess players to watch in 2026, from rising grandmasters to the country's next elite prospects.
Top 10 Chess Players in the World in 2026
Top 10 chess players in the world in 2026, ranked by FIDE rating with profiles, achievements, and current form.
What Is a Chess Grandmaster? GM Title and Requirements
What a chess grandmaster is, how the GM title is earned, what norms mean, and why the title matters.
Andrey Esipenko: FIDE Rating, Career and Candidates Profile
Andrey Esipenko's FIDE rating, age, career highlights, Magnus Carlsen win, and 2026 Candidates profile.
Bibisara Assaubayeva: Rating, Career and Women's Chess Profile
Bibisara Assaubayeva's FIDE rating, world rapid titles, Candidates status, and women's chess career profile.
Kateryna Lagno: Rating, Career and Candidates Profile
Kateryna Lagno's FIDE rating, world rapid titles, Candidates experience, and women's chess career profile.
Matthias Bluebaum: FIDE Rating, Career and Candidates Profile
Matthias Bluebaum's FIDE rating, career highlights, Germany status, and 2026 Candidates profile.
Tan Zhongyi: Rating, Career and Women's Chess Profile
Tan Zhongyi's FIDE rating, world title history, Candidates appearances, and career profile.
Viswanathan Anand: World Titles, Peak Rating and Legacy
Viswanathan Anand's world titles, peak rating, major achievements, and lasting legacy in Indian and world chess.
Who Will Win Candidates 2026? Predictions and Favorites
Candidates 2026 predictions with favorites, rating context, form lines, and the biggest threats in the field.
Aleksandra Goryachkina: Rating, Career and Women's Chess Profile
Aleksandra Goryachkina's FIDE rating, world ranking, Women's World Championship record, Candidates history, and career profile.
Why Arjun Erigaisi Missed Candidates 2026
Why Arjun Erigaisi missed Candidates 2026, how the FIDE qualification cycle worked, and what comes next for India's star.
Candidates 2026 Round Results
Template file only. Do not index until a real round page is created with actual results and standings.
China at Candidates 2026: Zhu Jiner and Tan Zhongyi Schedule
China at Candidates 2026 with Zhu Jiner and Tan Zhongyi pairings, schedule, and key storylines in the Women's event.
How Gukesh Won the 2024 World Chess Championship
How Gukesh beat Ding Liren in the 2024 World Chess Championship, with match score, key moment, and historical impact.
India at Candidates 2026: Players, Stakes and Storylines
India at Candidates 2026 with Praggnanandhaa, Humpy, Vaishali, and Divya, plus schedules, stakes, and key storylines.
India's Chess Golden Generation: Gukesh, Pragg and the Rise
How India's chess golden generation rose through Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun, Olympiad success, and world-title breakthroughs.
Why Magnus Carlsen Is Not Playing Candidates 2026
Why Magnus Carlsen is not playing Candidates 2026, why he left the world title cycle, and what that means for the field.
USA at Candidates 2026: Caruana and Nakamura Schedule
USA at Candidates 2026 with Caruana and Nakamura pairings, schedules, and world-title stakes.
Wei Yi: FIDE Rating, Career and Chess Profile
Wei Yi's FIDE rating, world ranking, major results, Candidates status, and career profile through 2026.
Anish Giri: FIDE Rating, Ranking and Career Profile
Anish Giri's FIDE rating, world ranking, peak Elo, major tournament results, and 2026 chess profile.
Candidates Tournament 2026: Players, Schedule, Standings and Format
Candidates Tournament 2026 guide with players, schedule, standings, format, prize fund, and live coverage links.
Candidates Tournament 2026 Pairings: All Rounds and Schedule
Complete Candidates Tournament 2026 pairings with all rounds, schedule, and key matchups in the Open and Women's events.
FIDE Rating System: Elo, K-Factors and Title Norms
How the FIDE rating system works, including Elo, K-factors, rating updates, title norms, and official thresholds.
How to Follow Live Chess Tournaments: Best Platforms and Tools
How to follow live chess tournaments with the best platforms, standings pages, broadcasts, and results tools.
India at Candidates 2026: Full Schedule and Pairings
India at Candidates 2026 schedule with full pairings for Praggnanandhaa, Humpy, Vaishali, and Divya.
India National Rapid Chess Championship 2026: Results and Standings
India National Rapid Chess Championship 2026 results, standings, leaders, and key storylines from Ranchi.
Zhu Jiner: Rating, Career and Women's Chess Profile
Zhu Jiner's FIDE rating, ranking, major results, and women's chess career profile through 2026.
Candidates Tournament History: Every Winner Since 1950
Every Candidates Tournament winner since 1950, with format changes, famous runs, and how the event shaped world title cycles.
Chess Tournament Formats: Swiss, Round Robin and Knockout
Chess tournament formats explained, including Swiss, round robin, knockout, double round robin, and Armageddon tiebreaks.
Chess Week March 2-8, 2026: Results and Key Storylines
Chess week March 2-8, 2026 recap with Prague results, Gukesh's form, American Cup updates, and rating movement.
Fabiano Caruana: Rating, Ranking, Peak Elo and Career
Fabiano Caruana's FIDE rating, world ranking, peak Elo, Candidates record, and 2026 career profile.
Hikaru Nakamura: Rating, Ranking, Age and Career (2026)
Hikaru Nakamura's FIDE rating, world ranking, age, peak Elo, titles, and 2026 chess career profile.
Magnus Carlsen: FIDE Rating, Peak Elo and Career
Magnus Carlsen's FIDE rating, peak 2882 Elo, world title record, major wins, and 2026 chess profile.
Shatranj History: The Ancient Origins of Modern Chess
Shatranj history explained, from Persian terminology and Indian roots to the evolution of modern chess.
Shatranj Meaning: Why India Calls Chess Shatranj
Shatranj (शतरंज) is the Hindi and Urdu word for chess, tracing back to Sanskrit chaturanga. How the word survived 1,400 years while English forgot its roots.
American Cup 2026 Finals: Caruana vs So and Yip vs Lee
American Cup 2026 finals guide with Caruana vs So, Yip vs Lee, schedule, format, scores, and Saint Louis storylines.
Best Platforms for Live Chess Updates in 2026
Best platforms for live chess updates, standings, pairings, and broadcasts, including Lichess, Chess.com, 2700chess, and Shatranj Live.
Hou Yifan: FIDE Rating, Peak Elo and Career Profile
Hou Yifan's FIDE rating, peak Elo, world titles, academic career, and place in women's chess history.
India Women Chess 2026: Three in the Candidates
India has 3 of 8 Women's Candidates spots in 2026: Humpy, Vaishali, Divya. On International Women's Day, the story of how India built its women's chess generation.
Judit Polgar: Peak Rating, Career and Chess Legacy
Judit Polgar's peak rating, best results, style, and legacy as the strongest female player in chess history.
Top Women Chess Players in 2026: Rankings and Ratings
Top women chess players in 2026 ranked by FIDE rating, with profiles, current form, and the latest top 10 list.
Arjun Erigaisi: FIDE Rating, Ranking and Career (2026)
Arjun Erigaisi's FIDE rating, world ranking, peak Elo, major results, and 2026 chess career profile.
India FIDE March 2026 Ratings: Gukesh Leads, Arjun Drops
India FIDE March 2026 ratings with Gukesh, Arjun, Praggnanandhaa, and the biggest ranking moves on the list.
Javokhir Sindarov: FIDE Rating, Career and Chess Profile
Javokhir Sindarov's FIDE rating, age, major results, Uzbekistan rise, and 2026 chess career profile.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov: FIDE Rating, Ranking and Career
Nodirbek Abdusattorov's FIDE rating, world ranking, major wins, and 2026 chess career profile.
Praggnanandhaa: Rating, Ranking, Age and Career (2026)
Praggnanandhaa's FIDE rating, world ranking, age, major wins, and 2026 chess career profile.
Prague Challengers 2026: Final Standings and Winner
Prague Challengers 2026 final standings, winner, scores, and the main takeaways from the event.
Prague Masters 2026: Final Standings, Winner and Results
Prague Masters 2026 final standings, winner, Indian results, and the biggest takeaways from the tournament.
Aarav Dengla: India's 93rd Grandmaster and Chess Profile
Aarav Dengla became India's 93rd grandmaster in 2026. Here are his age, training background, career path, and rise in Indian chess.
Aravindh Chithambaram: FIDE Rating, Career and Rise
Aravindh Chithambaram's FIDE rating, major tournament wins, ranking rise, and career profile through 2026.
Candidates Tournament 2026 Preview: Players, Form and Favorites
Candidates Tournament 2026 preview with the field, current form, favorites, and storylines before the event begins.
Chess February 2026 Review: Tata Steel, Carlsen and Ratings
Chess February 2026 review with Tata Steel, Carlsen's title run, rating moves, and the month's biggest chess stories.
Gukesh Dommaraju: Rating, Ranking, Age and World Title
Gukesh Dommaraju's FIDE rating, world ranking, age, title record, and 2026 chess career profile.
Gukesh's Prague Slump: What It Means for 2026
What Gukesh's Prague 2026 slump says about his form, rating trend, and outlook before the next major events.
India at Tata Steel 2026: How All Four Players Finished
How India's four players performed at Tata Steel 2026, with scores, standings, and what the results mean.
Jorden van Foreest: FIDE Rating, Career and Chess Profile
Jorden van Foreest's FIDE rating, ranking, major tournament wins, and 2026 chess career profile.
Nihal Sarin: FIDE Rating, Career and Chess Profile
Nihal Sarin's FIDE rating, age, major results, rapid success, and 2026 chess career profile.
Prague Chess Festival History: Winners and Past Results
Prague Chess Festival history with every Masters winner, past results, and how the event has grown since 2019.
Prague Chess Festival 2026: Schedule, Players and Standings
Prague Chess Festival 2026 guide with players, schedule, standings, and key storylines from the Masters event.
What Is the Candidates Tournament? Format, History and Qualification
What the Candidates Tournament is, how the format works, how players qualify, and why it decides the world title challenger.