World Champion Candidates Jiner Zhu and Divya Deshmukh in Challengers
The Prague International Chess Festival 2026 presents the line-up for the closed Challengers tournament – an event that promises exceptional talent and remarkable diversity. Prague will welcome top WGMs, prominent figures of the global chess scene, and three most promising Czech talents of the current generation.
One of the standout personalities is undoubtedly the current world #2 among women, Jiner Zhu. The 23-year-old Chinese grandmaster is one of the best prepared players of our time – thanks to her impeccable technique, resilience in locked positions and consistently strong form she is considered one of the main favourites for the upcoming Women’s Candidates Tournament. The 2026 Festival will mark her very first appearance in Prague.
The Czech capital will once again welcome Indian national team player Divya Deshmukh, who captivated Festival in February with her warm personality and energetic chess style. Her bold play, precise calculation in dynamic positions, and ability to dictate the pace of the game have earned her a series of excellent results. The Indian chess academy will be also represented by experienced Surya Shekhar Ganguly, a long-time member of former World Champion Vishy Anand’s team. His analytical depth, refined sense for deep positional understanding, and extensive tournament experience make him one of the key players in the Challengers. The line-up will also include Thomas Beerdsen, winner of the 2025 Prague Open, who will now aim to recreate his peak form in the closed tournament.
Václav Finěk is one of the most promising Czech talents of the current generation. He made his Festival debut in 2020 in the Futures tournament and has been a regular member of the Challengers line-up since 2023. A year later, he triumphed at the Czech Open in Pardubice and has consistently demonstrated his high performance ever since. In Prague, this will be one of the most important tournaments for him. We also won’t be missing the current Czech standard chess champion and the newest addition to the 14-time Nový Bor extra league champions Štěpán Hrbek. He returns to the Challengers after a one-year break.
The tournament of rising chess stars – Futures – also introduced Jáchym Němec who finished third in 2020, right behind Václav Finěk and Ediz Gurel. After three appearances in the Open, he made his debut in the Challengers earlier this year. Jáchym is among the fastest-improving Czech players, and his next start in the Challengers may bring plenty of surprises.
The remaining three players of the Challengers tournament – the biggest favourites on paper – will be announced soon.
The eighth edition of the Prague International Chess Festival (PICF) 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. The registration is open now! Sign up to the Festival via an online form. Binding applications to open tournaments D and E must be sent before 10th February 2026.
About the program
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