Dateline: Tarnowo Podgórne, Poland — 16–17 May 2026

Lithuanian Grandmaster Paulius Pultinevicius claimed his first World Diving Chess Championship title on Sunday at Aqua Park Tarnowskie Termy in Tarnowo Podgórne, near Poznań in western Poland, triumphing at the 2026 edition of the event — the largest in the sport’s history.

Pultinevicius, 24, entered the tournament as the highest-rated player in the field but struggled during Saturday’s qualifiers, only advancing to the 18-player final on tiebreaks after a difficult debut that may have been affected by a 14-hour bus journey and his lack of Diving Chess experience.

On Sunday, however, he dominated the finals, scoring 4 points from his first 4 games. His fourth-round clash against Indian Grandmaster Harshit Raja was one of the most dramatic games of the tournament, with both players holding winning chances before Pultinevicius ultimately prevailed. He then secured the world title with a draw in the final round.

The championship attracted 62 competitors from multiple countries. Three qualifying groups were held on Saturday, with the top six players from each section advancing to Sunday’s final. A separate Women’s Final featured the top four female competitors from the qualifiers. The field included seasoned veterans competing alongside several teenagers, highlighting the sport’s growing cross-generational appeal.

Polish International Master Kamil Dzida finished second overall, while Harshit Raja took bronze. The Women’s World Championship title was won by Anna Andrzejewska.

Special congratulations also go to three-time world champion Michał Mazurkiewicz, who brought the World Diving Chess Championships to Poland and organized the landmark event. 

Diving Chess is a hybrid sport combining traditional chess with underwater breath-hold diving. Players repeatedly dive to a submerged magnetic chessboard to make their moves before resurfacing for air. The result is a demanding contest of strategy, stamina, and nerve, often played in cold water with fogged goggles and mounting physical pressure.

The sport was invented by American chess master Etan Ilfeld and uses weighted, magnetised chess pieces designed to remain stable underwater. Each move is shaped not only by calculation, but by breath control — turning every game into a battle against both an opponent and oxygen.

The World Diving Chess Championships have been held consecutively every year since 2012, helping transform the sport from an experimental concept into a growing international competition.

The World Diving Chess Championships are part of the Mind Sports Olympiad 2026, which will continue in London from August 22–30 with more than 60 tournaments spanning games including Chess, Catan, Scrabble, Backgammon, Wingspan, Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, and many others. The event will also host both the World Team and Individual Backgammon Championships.

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