Final Report :Asian Individual Chess Championships 2026 held at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia | 29 May – 6 June 2026

Asian Individual Chess Championship was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from May 29 to June 6,2026.  Players from 28 Federations took part making it a well contested event . India was represented by 11 players in the Open category and 8 players in the Women’s category.
In the Open  Section  GM  Yu Yangyi of China was the Top Seed   while  IM Song  Yuxin was top seed in Women’s Section.
Indian Grand Masters Pranav Anand and Aditya Mittal contested strongly  but missed the podium finish.GM Pranav Anand was the best-performing Indian, scoring 6.5/9 and finishing 7th, in line with his starting rank. He finished strongly with victories in the final two rounds.
Third seed GM Aditya Mittal was the other Indian to finish in the prize list, securing 12th place with 6 points. GMs Rohit Krishna S and Iniyan P also scored 6 points and finished 19th and 21st respectively.
Notably, Pranav Anand, Aditya Mittal, Rohit Krishna S, and Iniyan P all remained undefeated throughout the nine rounds, underlining the consistency of their performances in a highly competitive field.
The Women’s section proved to be an exciting affair, with the fight for gold remaining open until the final round. India produced an impressive collective performance, with four players finishing inside the top 10.
IM Savitha Shri B emerged as the Asian Women’s Champion after scoring 7.5/9, tying for first place with WGM Afruza Khamdamova of Uzbekistan but clinching the title on tie-breaks (Average Rating of Opponents).
A major turning point came in Round 8 when Savitha defeated Afruza, who had entered the round with a one-point lead. This result completely changed the dynamics of the tournament, creating a closely contested race heading into the final round. Going into the last round, Savitha shared the lead alongside Afruza and Chinese contender WIM Gao Muziyan.
In the decisive final round, Savitha produced a remarkable performance with the black pieces against second seed Anna Shukhman to secure the Gold Medal and the Asian title. This victory also earned Savitha a coveted place in the 2027 FIDE Women’s World Cup.

IM Vantika Agrawal and WGM Mary Ann Gomes both had realistic podium chances but unfortunately drew their final two games despite obtaining promising positions. Vantika finished in 6th place, Mary Ann Gomes finished 8th, while WGM Rakshitta Ravi rounded off India’s strong showing by finishing 10th.

Overall, the Indian players delivered a respectable performance, with multiple participants finishing in the upper half of the standings. The championship also provided valuable international exposure and experience against some of Asia’s strongest players.
Both the inauguration and closing ceremonies were grandly organized by the Mongolian Chess Federation.The closing ceremony was attended by several distinguished dignitaries, including Mr. Atul Malhari Gotsurve, Ambassador of India to Mongolia, and Mr. G. Zandanshatar, President of the Mongolian Chess Federation and former Prime Minister of Mongolia, adding prestige to the successful conclusion of the championship.