The 30th Mind Sports Olympiad kicks off this Saturday, 22 August, with one of the strongest chess line-ups in MSO history and chess fans around the world will be able to follow the action live.
Nearly 160 players are registered across the FIDE Rapid tournaments, with more than 30 Grandmasters and International Masters already signed up. Almost 100 players are also registered for each of the weekend Blitz tournaments, making this an exceptional opening weekend of chess at MSO.
Leading the Rapid Open field is French Grandmaster Maxime Lagarde, the highest-rated player currently entered, alongside a deep international field of GMs and IMs.
The main FIDE action will be streamed on Chess.com and through several other channels, allowing viewers around the world to follow the games live throughout the weekend.
👉 Follow MSO 2026 on Chess.com:
https://www.chess.com/events/info/2026-mind-sports-olympiad-london
A full weekend of FIDE chess
The Rapid Open takes place across Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August, with ten rounds at a time control of 15 minutes plus a 10-second increment.
Alongside the Open are Under 1900 and Under 1600 Rapid sections, giving players across a wide range of ratings the chance to compete.
There are also two open Blitz tournaments over the weekend, with almost 100 players entered for each, adding another fast-paced element to an already packed chess programme.
Chess at MSO goes far beyond standard chess
The Mind Sports Olympiad has always celebrated the extraordinary variety of games that humans have created, and our chess programme is no exception.
Across the nine days, competitors can try their hand at different forms of chess and related games, including:
- Chess960
- Bughouse
- Chess Problem Solving
- Shogi – Japanese Chess
- Xiangqi – Chinese Chess
Whether you are a lifelong tournament player or curious to explore a completely different branch of the chess family, there is plenty to discover.
The Vera Menchik Memorial
MSO will also host the 11th Vera Menchik Memorial from 24–30 August, an international ten-player women’s chess invitational honouring Vera Menchik, the first Women’s World Chess Champion.
From Grandmasters battling in the Rapid and Blitz to Chess960, Shogi and Xiangqi, MSO 2026 will offer nine days celebrating chess in many of its forms.
📅 22–30 August 2026
📍 Mercure London Earls Court, 47 Lillie Road, London SW6 1UD
👀 Spectating is free
👉 View the full MSO schedule and register:
https://mindsportsolympiad.com/2026-schedule-and-registration/
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22nd–23rd
August 2026
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10 Rounds
Swiss System
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15+10
Rapid Chess
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£4,000
Rapid Prize Fund
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Round 2 — 12:15
Round 3 — 13:30
Round 4 — 14:45
Round 5 — 16:00
Round 7 — 11:45
Round 8 — 13:00
Round 9 — 14:15
Round 10 — 15:30
Prize giving — shortly after Round 10
| 1st | £1,200 |
| 2nd | £800 |
| 3rd | £500 |
| 4th | £300 |
| 5th | £200 |
| 1st Woman | £400 |
| 2nd Woman | £200 |
| 1st Over 50 | £200 |
| Rating Category 1 | £100 |
| Rating Category 2 | £100 |
| 1st | £500 |
| 2nd | £300 |
| 3rd / 4th / 5th | £200 / £150 / £100 |
| 1st Woman | £150 |
| 2 Rating Prizes | £100 each |
| 1st | £120 |
| 2nd | £80 |
| 3rd | £40 |
| 1st Woman | £30 |
| Rating Prize | £30 |
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