Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov won the grand prize at one of the most prestigious and ancient chess tournaments in the world - the Tata Steel Chess 2026 tournament held in the Dutch city of Waik aan Zee. After four years of tireless efforts, the flag of Uzbekistan was raised high at this tournament, which is called the "Wimbledon" of the chess world.
The Fourth Step to the Dream
For Nodirbek, this victory became not only another trophy, but also the fulfillment of a big childhood dream. In previous years, he was also very close to the championship:
- 2023: 2nd place;
- 2024: 3rd place;
- 2025: 3rd place;
- 2026: Finally, a gold medal!
Final round decisive blow
Abdusattorov, who maintained the lead in the tournament table, defeated his strong Indian opponent Arjun Erigaisi in the last match held on February 1. According to the results table presented below, Nodirbek demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout the tournament:
- Total result: 9 points out of 13 opportunities;
- Indicators: 6 wins, 6 draws and only 1 loss;
Ranking: After this victory, Nodirbek returned to the top five strongest chess players in the world in the online ranking.
Final standings
Strong competition was observed in the competition. Meet the Ahmat players who made it to the top three and then to the bottom:
Note: In the table, you can see that Javokhir Sindarov also finished the tournament with a high result (2nd place).
Next destination - Germany
The victory in Weik aan Zee is only the beginning of a big season for Nodirbek. Now our chess player is waiting for the FIDE Freestyle Chess World Championship 2026, which will be held from February 13 to 15 in Vanjel, Germany.
- Competition type: Rapid;
- Participants: 8 top chess players;
- Prize fund: 300,000 US dollars.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov's historic victory once again proved that the Uzbek chess school is unparalleled in the world.
In your opinion, will Nodirbek win the main prize at the World Championship in February?
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