The 2026 Czech National Chess Championship, held from May 7โ16 at the Bowling Brno complex, concluded with thrilling final-day drama across both divisions. Competing against the country’s top chess elite, Grandmaster David Navara captured an incredible 14th national title, while Joanna Worek claimed her second crown as the queen of Czech chess.
Navara Defends His Throne Against the New Generation
The open section, featuring ten of the nation’s premier players, including seven from the top ten of the Czech national rating list, turned into an intense generational battle. David Navaraโs primary challenger was 16-year-old Vรกclav Finฤk, widely considered the brightest rising star in Czech chess.
Navara took an early lead in the tournament, but a surging Finฤk caught up to him by the end of Round 5. Their direct encounter in Round 7 ended in a draw, leaving them neck-and-neck heading into the final stretch. Neither player faltered in the concluding rounds, as both won their last two games to finish tied at the top with an undefeated 7.5/9 points. Ultimately, the superior SonnebornโBerger tiebreaker awarded the gold medal and the national title to Navara.
The bronze medal went to the experienced grandmaster ล tฤpรกn ลฝilka, who secured a crucial draw against Richard Stalmach in the final round. The entire tournament was defined by uncompromising fighting chess, with a mere 16 out of 45 total games ending in a draw.
Historical Drama in the Womenโs Championship
The womenโs division followed an exciting knockout format consisting of a preliminary round, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the finals. Each round saw paired competitors play two classical games, with a 1โ1 tie forcing a series of rapid and blitz tiebreaks, and if necessary, a sudden-death Armageddon game.
The tournament culminated in a level of drama never before seen in the championship’s history, as every single medal match was decided in a heart-stopping Armageddon tiebreak. Ultimately, Joanna Worek claimed the gold medal by defeating WGM Kristรฝna Petrova in the final seconds of their Armageddon showdown.
In the match for third place, WGM Tereza Rodshtein defeated WGM Olga Sikorovรก to walk away with the bronze medal. The experienced national team players successfully held off a pair of ambitious juniors who were unable to break onto the podium this year.
Full standings and tournament details can be found on the official website at www.chess.cz.
