Alba Iulia hosts record‑breaking Alba Grand Prix 2026 rapid chess open

The Alba Grand Prix 2026 rapid chess open began Saturday in Alba Iulia, Romania, featuring a record 400 registered players, the highest ever for the city’s tournament. The event is the third stop of the Romania Grand Prix circuit, following stages in Bucharest, Brașov, Arad and Craiova, and marks the tenth year the city has hosted an international chess competition.

Participants represent 27 countries, including grandmasters such as Bu Xiangzhi, Jaime Santos Latasa, Alexander Motylev and young talent Xiao Tong, the 2025 Chinese senior champion. The special guest is former world champion Viswanathan Anand, now interim president of FIDE, who will attend meetings, exhibition games and promotional activities. The tournament is organized by the Romanian Chess Federation, the Alba County Council and local venues including the Casa de Cultură a Sindicatelor and Hotel Cetate.