Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov claimed the title at the 2026 Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, the Netherlands, finishing as the sole leader with 9 points from 13 games at one of the world’s most prestigious chess events, which featured a $1.2mn prize fund.
Competing in the elite Masters group, Abdusattorov sealed the championship with a decisive final-round victory over India’s Arjun Erigaisi, edging the field by half a point and confirming his long-awaited triumph at the tournament.
Abdusattorov opened the event with a draw against Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus of Turkiye before defeating Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu in round two. He followed with a draw against Aravindh Chithambaram and a win over Thai Dai Van Nguyen in the fourth round.
In round five, the Uzbek grandmaster shared points with American player Hans Niemann, before producing two standout victories—defeating reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju in round six and Germany’s Vincent Keymer in round seven. His only loss of the tournament came in round eight against Dutch grandmaster Jorden van Foreest.
The next three rounds ended in draws against Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan, Vladimir Fedoseev, and Jorden van Foreest, before Abdusattorov regained momentum with a crucial win over Matthias Bluebaum in round twelve. He then clinched the title by defeating Erigaisi in the final round.
Earlier reports highlighted Abdusattorov’s growing global stature, noting that he ranked among the world’s top ten chess players by prize money in 2025. The Uzbek grandmaster also held sixth place in the FIDE world rankings at the end of 2024, but moved out of the top six in 2025 after leaving the youth category. With several Uzbek players now represented in the world’s top 100, Uzbekistan’s presence among the global chess elite continues to expand.
