The Grand Chess Tour 2026 was a series of chess tournaments, which was the eleventh edition of the Grand Chess Tour. It consisted of six tournaments with a total prize pool of US$2 million, including two tournaments with classical time control and three tournaments with faster time controls, as well as the GCT Finals in St. Louis.

Format The tour consisted of six tournaments. Rapid & Blitz tournaments consisted of two parts – rapid (2 points for win, 1 for draw) and blitz (1 point for win, 0.5 for draw). Combined result for both portions were counted in overall standings. Top four after 5 tournaments had qualified to the tour finals in St. Louis.

In the finals, players had played matches consisting of 2 classical games, 2 rapid games and 4 blitz games. 6 points were awarded for a win, 3 points for a draw and 0 points for a loss in classical play. In the rapid games, 4 points were awarded for a win, 2 points for a draw, and 0 points for a loss. In the blitz games, 2 points were awarded for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss.

The tour points were awarded as follows: {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! Place !! Tour Points !! style="background-color:#ddeeff"| Classicalprize money !! style="background-color:#ffdddd"| Rapid & Blitzprize money !! style="background-color:gold"|GCT Finalsprize money !! Decisive GamesBonuses |- | 1st || 12/13* || $100,000 || $50,000 || $200,000 || rowspan=10 | $125,000 |- | 2nd || 10 || $65,000 || $40,000 || $125,000 |- | 3rd || 8 || $50,000 || $30,000 || $75,000 |- | 4th || 7 || $35,000 || $20,000 || $50,000 |- | 5th || 6 || $25,000 || $15,000 |- | 6th || 5 || $20,000 || $11,000 |- | 7th || 4 || $18,000 || $10,000 |- | 8th || 3 || $15,000 || $9,000 |- | 9th || 2 || $12,000 || $8,000 |- | 10th || 1 || $10,000 || $7,000

If a player wins 1st place outright (without the need for a playoff), they are awarded 13 points instead of 12. Tour points and prize money are shared equally between tied players. Players receive a Decisive Games Bonus for each win scored in regular-season classical tournaments, calculated by multiplying the player's total number of wins by the total bonus prize pool divided by the total number of decisive games.

Lineup The lineup for the tour was announced on January 27, 2026. It consists of nine players, including the top-three finishers of the previous edition. The remaining six players were selected based on several factors, including URS rating, FIDE rating, "fighting spirit and sportsmanship".

On March 31, World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju withdrew from the full-tour lineup following a series of poor results, opting to reduce his playing schedule and compete as only a wildcard in Poland and Croatia. As a result, Javokhir Sindarov, who had previously been a wildcard, replaced him as a full-tour member.

On April 23, Levon Aronian withdrew from GCT Romania, as well as from the full-tour lineup due to health reasons, and opted to participate in the Saint Louis events as a wildcard. Jorden van Foreest replaced him in the full-tour lineup.

PlayerCountryFIDE rating(Jan 2026)Fabiano Caruana2795Vincent Keymer2776Anish Giri2760Alireza Firouzja2759R Praggnanandhaa2758Wesley So2743Maxime Vachier-Lagrave2734Javokhir Sindarov2726Jorden van Foreest2703

Scheduling conflict with the Esports World Cup On February 10, seven full tour members signed an open letter addressed to the Grand Chess Tour, requesting to adjust the dates of the Sinquefield Cup due to conflict with the chess tournament at the Esports World Cup. On the following day, the Grand Chess Tour declined to reschedule, stating that its schedule had been announced well before that of the Esports World Cup and they were not willing to break their longstanding scheduling commitments.

On July 27, Alireza Firouzja was announced to have withdrawn from the Sinquefield Cup (and thus the overall tour with accordance to the player agreement) due to the unresolved schedule conflict. Samuel Sevian replaced him as a wildcard.

Results Tournament results

DatesTournament NameFormatHost cityWinnerRunner-UpThird Place May 5–9, 2026Super Rapid & Blitz PolandRapid & blitz Warsaw Hans Niemann (WC) Fabiano Caruana Wesley So May 14–23, 2026Super Chess Classic RomaniaClassical Bucharest Vincent Keymer Fabiano Caruana Javokhir Sindarov Wesley So July 1–5, 2026Super Rapid & Blitz CroatiaRapid & blitz Zagreb Alireza Firouzja Nodirbek Abdusattorov (WC) Maxime Vachier-Lagrave R Praggnanandhaa August 2–6, 2026Saint Louis Rapid & BlitzRapid & blitz St. Louis R Praggnanandhaa Javokhir Sindarov Wesley So August 10–20, 2026Sinquefield CupClassical Wesley So R Praggnanandhaa Javokhir Sindarov Vincent Keymer August 22–27, 2026GCT FinalsClassical, Rapid & Blitz R Praggnanandhaa Fabiano Caruana Wesley So

Tour rankings The wildcards (in italics) are not counted in overall standings. Player POLROUCROSTLSINTotalpointsFinalsPrizemoney 1 4 7.5 13 11 35.5 1st $404,354 2 10 10 5 4.5 29.5 2nd $297,958 3 8 7.5 8 11 34.5 3rd $280,625 4 13 6 2 7.5 28.5 4th $270,187 5 3 7.5 10 7.5 28 $170,458 6 3 4 7.5 4.5 19 $89,729 7 4 4 3 2 13 $67,229 8 4 2 5 1 12 $58,416 – 6 1 11 – $72,500 13 13 $50,000 7 4.5 11.5 $47,312 11 11 $42,500 5 5 10 $22,000 7 7 $20,000 4 3 7 $37,416 5 5 $12,000 4.5 4.5 $27,312 3 3 $9,000 1 1 $7,000 1 1 $7,000 1 1 $7,000

Tournaments Super Rapid & Blitz Poland The first leg of the Grand Chess Tour was held in Warsaw, Poland from May 5–9. {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+2026 GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Poland, May 5–9 Warsaw, Poland ! !! Player !! Rapid !! Blitz !! Total !! !! Tour Points !! Prize money !Circuit |-bgcolor="#ccffcc" | 1 || align="left" ||| 13 || 9½ || 22½ || || WC (13) || $50,000 || 12.96 |- | 2 || align="left" ||| 9 || 13 || 22 || || 10 || $40,000 || 9.43 |- | 3 || align="left" ||| 12 || 9 || 21 || || 8 || $30,000 || 8.25 |- | 4 || align="left" ||| 11 || 7 || 18 || || WC (7) || $20,000 |- | 5 || align="left" ||| 6 || 11½ || 17½ || || 6 || $15,000 |- | 6 || align="left" ||| 9 || 8 || 17 || || WC (5) || $11,000 |- | T–7 || align="left" ||| 8 || 8½ || 16½ || || 3 || $9,000 |- | T–7 || align="left" ||| 8 || 8½ || 16½ || || 3 || $9,000 |- | T–7 || align="left" ||| 9 || 7½ || 16½ || || WC (3) || $9,000 |- | 10 || align="left" ||| 5 || 7½ || 12½|| || WC (1) || $7,000

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: center;" |+class=nowrap|2026 GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Poland – Rapid, May 5–7 Warsaw, Poland ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points |- | 1 || align="left" ||| 2646|| || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 13 |- | 2 || align="left" ||| 2705|| 1 || || 2 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 12 |- | 3 || align="left" ||| 2690|| 1 || 0 || || 2 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 11 |- | T–4 || align="left" ||| 2727|| 0 || 2 || 0 || || 1 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 9 |- | T–4 || align="left" ||| 2683|| 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || 0 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2 || 9 |- | T–4 || align="left" ||| 2682|| 0 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2 || || 0 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 9 |- | T–7 || align="left" ||| 2735|| 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 2 || || 2 || 0 || 1 || 8 |- | T–7 || align="left" ||| 2727|| 1 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || || 1 || 2 || 8 |- | 9 || align="left" |||2755|| 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 1 || || 1 || 6 |- | 10 || align="left" ||| 2612|| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 1 || || 5

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: center;" |+class=nowrap|2026 GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Poland – Blitz, May 8–9 Warsaw, Poland ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points |- | 1 || align="left" ||| 2749|| || 1 ½ || 0 1 || ½ 0 || 1 ½ || 1 1 || 1 1 || 0 1 || 1 1 || ½ 1 || 13 |- | 2 || align="left" ||| 2796|| 0 ½ || || 1 0 || 1 1 || ½ 0 || 1 1 || 1 1 || 1 0 || ½ 1 || ½ ½ || 11½ |- | 3 || align="left" ||| 2699|| 1 0 || 0 1 || || 0 ½ || ½ ½ || 1 1 || 0 0 || 0 1 || 0 1 || 1 1 || 9½ |- | 4 || align="left" |||2798|| ½ 1 || 0 0 || 1 ½ || || ½ 1 || ½ ½ || 0 0 || ½ 1 || 1 ½ || 0 ½ || 9 |- | T–5 || align="left" ||| 2662|| 0 ½ || ½ 1 || ½ ½ || ½ 0 || || 0 ½ || 1 1 || ½ 1 || ½ 0 || ½ 0 || 8½ |- | T–5 || align="left" ||| 2761|| 0 0 || 0 0 || 0 0 || ½ ½ || 1 ½ || || ½ ½ || 1 1 || ½ ½ || 1 1 || 8½ |- | 7 || align="left" ||| 2646|| 0 0 || 0 0 || 1 1 || 1 1 || 0 0 || ½ ½ || || 0 ½ || 1 1 || ½ 0 ||8 |- | T–8 || align="left" ||| 2558|| 1 0 || 0 1 || 1 0 || ½ 0 || ½ 0 || 0 0 || 1 ½ || || 0 0 || 1 1 || 7½ |- | T–8 || align="left" ||| 2743|| 0 0 || ½ 0 || 1 0 || 0 ½ || ½ 1 || ½ ½ || 0 0 || 1 1 || || 0 1 || 7½ |- | 10 || align="left" ||| 2756|| ½ 0 || ½ ½ || 0 0 || 1 ½ || ½ 1 || 0 0 || ½ 1 || 0 0 || 1 0 || || 7

Super Chess Classic Romania The second leg of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour was held in Bucharest, Romania from May 14–23. {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+2026 GCT Super Chess Classic, May 14–23 Bucharest, Romania, Category XX (2743.8) ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !Points!! Tour Points !Prize Money !Decisive Games Bonus !Circuit |-style="background:#ccffcc" | 1 || align="left" |||2759|| || ½|| 0|| ½|| ½|| 1|| 1|| ½|| 1 | + |6 |13 |$100,000 |$31,250 |26.82 |- | 2 || align="left" |||2788|| ½|| || ½|| ½|| ½|| ½|| ½|| 1|| ½ | 1 |5½ |10 |$65,000 |$20,833 |19.50 |- | T–3 || align="left" |||2776|| 1|| ½|| || ½|| ½|| ½|| 1|| 0|| ½ | ½ |5 |7.5 |$42,500 |$20,833 |8.53 |- | T–3 || align="left" |||2754|| ½|| ½|| ½|| || ½|| ½|| ½|| ½|| ½ | + |5 |7.5 |$42,500 |$0 |8.53 |- | T–5 || align="left" |||2767|| ½|| ½|| ½|| ½|| || ½|| ½|| ½|| 0 | 1 |4½ |4 |$18,000 |$10,416 |- | || align="left" |||2717|| 0|| ½|| ½|| ½|| ½|| || ½|| ½|| ½ | 1 |4½ |4 |$18,000 |$10,417 |- | T–5 || align="left" |||2735|| 0|| ½|| 0|| ½|| ½|| ½|| || ½|| 1|| + |4½||4 |$18,000 |$10,416 |- | T–5 || align="left" |||2733|| ½|| 0|| 1|| ½|| ½|| ½|| ½|| || ½|| ½ |4½||4 |$18,000 |$10,416 |- | T–5 || align="left" |||2650|| 0|| ½|| ½|| ½|| 1|| ½|| 0|| ½|| | + |4½ |WC (4) |$18,000 |$10,416 |- | 10 || align="left" |||2759|| - || 0|| ½|| - || 0|| 0|| - || ½|| - | |1 |1 |$10,000 |$0

Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia The third leg of the Grand Chess Tour was held in Zagreb, Croatia from July 1–5. {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+2026 GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia, July 1–5 Zagreb, Croatia ! !! Player !! Rapid !! Blitz !! Total !! !! Tour Points !! Prize money !Circuit |-style="background:#ccffcc | 1 || align="left" ||| 12 || 11½ || 23½ || 2 || 11 || $47,500 || 10.58 |- | 2 || align="left" ||| 11 || 12½ || 23½ || 1 || WC (11) || $42,500 || 9.47 |- | T–3 || align="left" ||| 11 || 10½ || 21½ || || 7.5 || $25,000 || 3.90 |- | T–3 || align="left" ||| 12 || 9½ || 21½ || || 7.5 || $25,000 || 3.90 |- | 5 || align="left" ||| 10 || 10 || 20 || || 6 || $15,000 |- | 6 || align="left" ||| 10 || 8½ || 18½ || || WC (5) || $11,000 |- | 7 || align="left" ||| 8 || 9 || 17 || || 4 || $10,000 |- | 8 || align="left" ||| 7 || 8 || 15 || || WC (3) || $9,000 |- | 9 || align="left" ||| 7 || 5½ || 12½ || || 2 || $8,000 |- | 10 || align="left" ||| 2 || 5 || 7 || || WC (1) || $7,000

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align: center;" |+ class="nowrap" |2026 GCT Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia – Rapid, July 1–3 Zagreb, Croatia ! !! Player !! Rating !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Points |- | 1 || align="left" |||2748|| || 2 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 12 |- | 2 || align="left" ||| 2690|| 0 || || 1 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 12 |- | 3 || align="left" ||| 2701|| 1 || 1 || || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 11 |- | 4 || align="left" ||| 2686|| 2 || 2 || 1 || || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 11 |- | 5 || align="left" ||| 2684|| 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || || 1 || 2 || 0 || 2 || 2 || 10 |- | 6 || align="left" ||| 2627|| 0 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 2 || 2 || 10 |- | 7 || align="left" ||| 2664|| 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || || 1 || 2 || 1 || 8 |-