Warsaw, May 2023, 2024… and now 2026. Some events you visit once out of curiosity. Others quietly become part of your story. Grand Chess Tour in Warsaw has become exactly that — for me personally, and for ChessboArt. This year, we return for the third time.
By Michał Fudalej / ChessboArt · Grand Chess Tour 2026
2023 — A Simultaneous Game That Was Never Planned
It started by accident.
I was sitting with friends in the spectators' zone, drinking coffee, when an organiser walked over — clearly trying to solve a last-minute problem. One of the invited guests had not shown up. The simultaneous exhibition was starting in five minutes.
"Would you like to take his place?"
Five minutes later, I was at the board. One by one, across from me: Magnus Carlsen, Levon Aronian, Wesley So, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Richard Rapport, Anish Giri, Bogdan-Daniel Deac, Radosław Wojtaszek and Kirill Shevchenko.
One game. One result. I won — and became the only Polish player to win a game in that simultaneous exhibition. I still have the handwritten badge with my name from that afternoon. That is how it began.
It is a strange feeling when a grown man suddenly feels like a kid in a toy store. That is exactly what Grand Chess Tour in Warsaw does to you.
2024 — From a Personal Story to a ChessboArt Object
The following year I returned with a different role.
ChessboArt wall chess boards appeared across the venue — in the players' area, media zones, and public spectator spaces. Not as exhibition pieces. As part of the environment. The task was simple: they had to look right, feel natural, and belong. Not an installation — a decoration.
The boards had to be part of the space — not something displayed inside it. That distinction mattered.
One board became something more. A ChessboArt800 placed in the players' zone was signed by the entire Grand Chess Tour lineup — every participant, every signature, on a single board.
That board already has its owner. You can still see it here.
The fact that we were invited back for a third year says enough about whether the mission was accomplished.
What You Never See in Tournament Coverage
You can read ten articles about Grand Chess Tour and still not understand what this event actually feels like.
It is 100% chess. There are no random visitors, no filler programme, no one there by accident. Players, coaches, collectors, journalists, chess YouTubers, families, kids playing blitz on side boards — everyone is there for one reason.
Conversations start at a chessboard — and continue over dinner. Sometimes longer. This is the kind of event where nobody looks at their watch.
Every year, the crowd around chess grows. This year, with Gukesh and Sindarov both in Warsaw, I expect the global chess media presence to be stronger than ever. YouTubers, streamers, journalists, photographers — the full ecosystem follows the story, and the story this year is in Warsaw.
There are not many events where the distance between elite sport, collectors' culture, media presence, and ordinary fans becomes this small. That is part of what makes Warsaw different.
The 2026 Lineup — Ten Names Worth Knowing
This year's field is one of the strongest of the spring chess calendar. In Warsaw we will see:
- Fabiano Caruana — top seed and one of the clearest contenders on paper
- Alireza Firouzja — still one of the most explosive players in any fast format
- Wesley So — calm, practical, and always dangerous in rapid and blitz
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave — a veteran of the format and a regular threat in tactical positions
- Javokhir Sindarov — the newly crowned World Championship challenger
- Jan-Krzysztof Duda — local favourite, and rarely quiet on home ground
- Vladimir Fedoseev — unpredictable, resourceful, and hard to prepare for
- Radosław Wojtaszek — deeply experienced and always a serious opponent
- Hans Niemann — one of the most talked-about names in modern chess
- Gukesh Dommaraju — the reigning World Champion
It is difficult to name a clear favourite. That is exactly what makes the event so compelling: there will be no quiet rounds and no safe predictions.
Gukesh vs Sindarov — The First Clash Before the Title Match
There is one reason why this edition will draw attention far beyond Poland.
Javokhir Sindarov has just won the 2026 Candidates Tournament and secured the right to challenge for the World Championship. Gukesh Dommaraju, the reigning champion, arrives in Warsaw as the man everyone wants to measure themselves against.
Before their official World Championship match later this year, both players will appear in Warsaw — and both will be tested in rapid and blitz.
That matters. Fast chess is not a side note. It compresses time, exaggerates pressure, and turns even small hesitations into decisive moments. Leads disappear quickly, mistakes are punished immediately, and momentum can change in a single game.
This is not the title match. But everyone in chess understands that first encounters carry meaning. Warsaw will not decide the crown — but it may shape the psychology around it.
Practical Guide for Visitors
Venue: POLIN Museum, Warsaw
Getting there: if you are arriving via Warszawa Centralna, it is roughly a 20–25 minute walk or around 10 minutes by Uber or Bolt depending on traffic.
- Arrive a little earlier than you think you need to — security checks can create queues at the entrance
- Phones should be silent during games
- There are usually side boards and casual blitz opportunities for visitors
- On-site stands often include chess books, boards, and accessories
- If you care about autographs, bring something worth signing
A signed board from a full Grand Chess Tour lineup is more than a souvenir. It becomes part of the story of the event itself.
That may sound obvious, but details like this are what separate a good visit from one you remember for years.
Tickets and Links
- 🎟️ Tickets: KupBilecik — Super Rapid & Blitz Poland 2026
- 🌐 Official event page: Grand Chess Tour — Super Rapid & Blitz Poland 2026
- 🛒 ChessboArt wall chess boards: Explore the collection
- 🛒 Bespoke commissions: Design your own board
Text: Michał Fudalej / ChessboArt · Photos: private archive, Rafał Oleksie, Życie szachowe na Mazowszu.
ChessboArt at Grand Chess Tour 2026
We are returning to Warsaw for the third year. If you are looking for a board that belongs not only on a table, but in a space — take a look at what we make.