German Grandmaster Vincent Keymer clinched first place at the Super Chess Classic Romania, winning the title in the ninth and final round without needing a playoff. Keymer secured the tournament victory by defeating Jorden van Foreest in the final round’s only decisive match.
The win marks a milestone for the German GM, serving as his first classical tournament victory on the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) during his debut season as a full tour cardholder.
Keymer’s first-place finish earned him a total payout of $131,250. This amount consists of a $100,000 base prize for first place combined with a $31,250 share of the tournament’s Classical Wins Bonus pool. Under the event’s format, the $125,000 bonus pool is split mathematically by the total number of wins achieved across all rounds to calculate a precise value for each win, with players compensated based on their individual victory counts.
Behind Keymer, American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana finished in solo second place after chasing the lead until the final round. World Championship Challenger Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan took clear third place following a strong showing against the elite field.
The competitive landscape of the tournament was also impacted by the mid-event withdrawal of Alireza Firouzja, who was forced to step down from the competition due to a lingering ankle injury.
“I still haven’t fully taken in what happened — it’s been an amazing event for me,” said Keymer. “I’m very happy with my performance, especially despite a setback in the middle. This is the biggest tournament victory of my career so far. I prepared less and focused more on having enough mental energy to be successful. I want to thank the organizers of the Grand Chess Tour, my coach Peter, my father and all the fans who supported and cheered for me.”
Representatives from the organizing committee highlighted the standard of play exhibited during the stop in Bucharest.
“Congratulations to Vincent Keymer for an extraordinary performance and a well-deserved title,” said Augusta Dragic, President of the Super Foundation. “We also extend our appreciation to all participants for the exceptional quality of play, sportsmanship, and dedication they demonstrated throughout the Super Chess Classic Romania, making it a true celebration of elite chess at its highest level.”
2026 Super Chess Classic Romania Final Standings
POSITION PLAYER COUNTRY PLACE PRIZE CLASSICAL BONUS TOTAL PRIZE
1 GM Vincent Keymer GER $100,000 $31,250 $131,250
2 GM Fabiano Caruana USA $65,000 $20,833 $85,833
T-3 GM Javokhir Sindarov UZB $42,500 $20,833 $63,333
T-3 GM Wesley So USA $42,500 $0 $50,000
T-5 GM Jorden van Foreest NED $18,000 $10,416 $28,416
T-5 GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac ROM $18,000 $10,416 $28,416
T-5 GM Anish Giri NED $18,000 $10,416 $28,416
T-5 GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu IND $18,000 $10,416 $28,416
T-5 GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave FRA $18,000 $10,416 $28,416
10 GM Alireza Firouzja FRA $10,000 $0 $10,000
The 2026 Grand Chess Tour season features an overall prize fund of $2 million, funded through a partnership between the Super Foundation and the Saint Louis Chess Club. Following the conclusion of the regular season events, the top four players in the overall standings will head to the expanded Saint Louis Chess Club to compete in a knockout format at the GCT Finals.
The tour now shifts from classical time controls to shorter formats, heading to Zagreb for the Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia from June 29 to July 6, 2026. The event features a $200,000 prize fund and will bring together six full-tour regulars alongside four designated wildcards: Gukesh Dommaraju (India), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan), Bogdan-Daniel Deac (Romania), and Ivan Saric (Croatia).
The remaining 2026 GCT stops include:
Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia: Jun. 29-Jul. 6, 2026 Zagreb, Croatia
Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz: Jul. 31-Aug. 7, 2026 Saint Louis, USA
Sinquefield Cup: Aug. 8-21, 2026 Saint Louis, USA
GCT Finals: Aug. 21-28, 2026 Saint Louis, USA
For more information, visit grandchesstour.org.
Vincent Keymer Triumphs at the 2026 GRENKE Freestyle Chess Open
