Wood Green Invitational 2026

[LawrenceCooper]

Thank you to The John Robinson Youth Chess Trust, The Chess Trust & DCMS/English Chess Federation for their financial support of the event.

Dates: Thursday 16th July - Monday 20th July 2026

Venue: Links Suite, Oddfellows Hall, 17, Greengate Street, Stafford, ST16 2HP

Format: Ten player round robin with GM, IM, WGM, WIM opportunities.

Rate of play: 90 minutes plus 30 second increment from move 1.

Norm requirements: GM norm 7/9, IM norm 5.

Round by round schedule:

Round 1: Thursday 16th July 10:00
Round 2: Thursday 16th July 15:00
Round 3: Friday 17th July 10:00
Round 4: Friday 17th July 15:00
Round 5: Saturday 18th July 11:00
Blitz: Saturday 18th July 16:00
Round 6: Sunday 19th July 10:00
Round 7: Sunday 19th July 15:00
Round 8: Monday 20th July 10:00
Round 9: Monday 20th July 15:00

Pairings: https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1423195 ... 0&SNode=S0

[Roger de Coverly]

Format: Ten player round robin with GM, IM, WGM, WIM opportunities.

It's unusual to see Adams playing in an event of this nature.

[LawrenceCooper]

Pairings/Results
Round 1 on 2026/07/16 at 1000
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2334 FM Vijayakumar, Rishi FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2321
2 2313 FM Banerjee, Supratit FM Shearsby, Jude 2254
3 2442 IM Willow, Jonah B IM Mahadevan, Siva 2454
4 2505 GM Royal, Shreyas FM Fava, Lorenzo 2368
5 2629 GM Adams, Michael GM Kovchan, Alexander 2442

Round 2 on 2026/07/16 at 1500
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2321 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley GM Kovchan, Alexander 2442
2 2368 FM Fava, Lorenzo GM Adams, Michael 2629
3 2454 IM Mahadevan, Siva GM Royal, Shreyas 2505
4 2254 FM Shearsby, Jude IM Willow, Jonah B 2442
5 2334 FM Vijayakumar, Rishi FM Banerjee, Supratit 2313

Round 3 on 2026/07/17 at 1000
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2313 FM Banerjee, Supratit FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2321
2 2442 IM Willow, Jonah B FM Vijayakumar, Rishi 2334
3 2505 GM Royal, Shreyas FM Shearsby, Jude 2254
4 2629 GM Adams, Michael IM Mahadevan, Siva 2454
5 2442 GM Kovchan, Alexander FM Fava, Lorenzo 2368

Round 4 on 2026/07/17 at 1500
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2321 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley FM Fava, Lorenzo 2368
2 2454 IM Mahadevan, Siva GM Kovchan, Alexander 2442
3 2254 FM Shearsby, Jude GM Adams, Michael 2629
4 2334 FM Vijayakumar, Rishi GM Royal, Shreyas 2505
5 2313 FM Banerjee, Supratit IM Willow, Jonah B 2442

Round 5 on 2026/07/18 at 1100
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2442 IM Willow, Jonah B FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2321
2 2505 GM Royal, Shreyas FM Banerjee, Supratit 2313
3 2629 GM Adams, Michael FM Vijayakumar, Rishi 2334
4 2442 GM Kovchan, Alexander FM Shearsby, Jude 2254
5 2368 FM Fava, Lorenzo IM Mahadevan, Siva 2454

Round 6 on 2026/07/19 at 1000
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2321 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley IM Mahadevan, Siva 2454
2 2254 FM Shearsby, Jude FM Fava, Lorenzo 2368
3 2334 FM Vijayakumar, Rishi GM Kovchan, Alexander 2442
4 2313 FM Banerjee, Supratit GM Adams, Michael 2629
5 2442 IM Willow, Jonah B GM Royal, Shreyas 2505

Round 7 on 2026/07/19 at 1500
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2505 GM Royal, Shreyas FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2321
2 2629 GM Adams, Michael IM Willow, Jonah B 2442
3 2442 GM Kovchan, Alexander FM Banerjee, Supratit 2313
4 2368 FM Fava, Lorenzo FM Vijayakumar, Rishi 2334
5 2454 IM Mahadevan, Siva FM Shearsby, Jude 2254

Round 8 on 2026/07/20 at 1000
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2321 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley FM Shearsby, Jude 2254
2 2334 FM Vijayakumar, Rishi IM Mahadevan, Siva 2454
3 2313 FM Banerjee, Supratit FM Fava, Lorenzo 2368
4 2442 IM Willow, Jonah B GM Kovchan, Alexander 2442
5 2505 GM Royal, Shreyas GM Adams, Michael 2629

Round 9 on 2026/07/20 at 1500
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2629 GM Adams, Michael FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2321
2 2442 GM Kovchan, Alexander GM Royal, Shreyas 2505
3 2368 FM Fava, Lorenzo IM Willow, Jonah B 2442
4 2454 IM Mahadevan, Siva FM Banerjee, Supratit 2313
5 2254 FM Shearsby, Jude FM Vijayakumar, Rishi 2334

[LawrenceCooper]

Live games: https://lichess.org/broadcast/wood-gree ... dm#players & https://www.chess.com/events/6th-wood-g ... obin/games

Chess-results: https://s3.chess-results.com/tnr1423195 ... 0&SNode=S0

Commentary: https://www.twitch.tv/elynelee (mornings) & https://www.twitch.tv/wim_natasharegan (rounds 4, 7 & 9)

[LawrenceCooper]

Round 1 on 2026/07/16 at 1000
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2307 FM Vijayakumar, Rishi ½ - ½ FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2312
2 2347 FM Banerjee, Supratit 1 - 0 FM Shearsby, Jude 2243
3 2450 IM Willow, Jonah B 0 - 1 IM Mahadevan, Siva 2448
4 2502 GM Royal, Shreyas 1 - 0 FM Fava, Lorenzo 2343
5 2622 GM Adams, Michael ½ - ½ GM Kovchan, Alexander 2445

We were close to five decisive games as it looked like white might win on boards 1 & 5.

[LawrenceCooper]

Round 2 on 2026/07/16 at 1500
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg
1 2312 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley ½ - ½ GM Kovchan, Alexander 2445
2 2343 FM Fava, Lorenzo 1 - 0 GM Adams, Michael 2622 P
3 2448 IM Mahadevan, Siva 0 - 1 GM Royal, Shreyas 2502
4 2243 FM Shearsby, Jude 0 - 1 IM Willow, Jonah B 2450
5 2307 FM Vijayakumar, Rishi 1 - 0 FM Banerjee, Supratit 2347

[LawrenceCooper]

Round 3 on 2026/07/17 at 1000
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg PGN
1 2347 FM Banerjee, Supratit ½ - ½ FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2312
2 2450 IM Willow, Jonah B 1 - 0 FM Vijayakumar, Rishi 2307
3 2502 GM Royal, Shreyas 1 - 0 FM Shearsby, Jude 2243
4 2622 GM Adams, Michael ½ - ½ IM Mahadevan, Siva 2448
5 2445 GM Kovchan, Alexander 1 - 0 FM Fava, Lorenzo 2343

[LawrenceCooper]

Round 4 on 2026/07/17 at 1500
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg PGN
1 2312 FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 0 - 1 FM Fava, Lorenzo 2343 PGN
2 2448 IM Mahadevan, Siva 0 - 1 GM Kovchan, Alexander 2445 PGN
3 2243 FM Shearsby, Jude 0 - 1 GM Adams, Michael 2622 PGN
4 2307 FM Vijayakumar, Rishi 0 - 1 GM Royal, Shreyas 2502 PGN
5 2347 FM Banerjee, Supratit 0 - 1 IM Willow, Jonah B 2450 PGN

[Matt Mackenzie]

Clean sweep for Black can't be all that common an occurrence with a 10 player round robin.

[Jonathan Rogers]

Clean sweep for Black can't be all that common an occurrence with a 10 player round robin.

Quite, although in the case of yesterday evening, a look at the ratings and current form might have suggested a good 4/5 for Black.

Today - Royal moves to 5/5! Presumably there is some story about his not playing for England in the Olympiad, which in the usual way of things will not be revealed to the English chess public at large (though sometimes there is a good reason for that, of course).

It is great to see Adams play events like this, although his present showing explains precisely why former elite players only do play these events when they are "formerly" elite. I wouldn't like to see him drop below 2600 though.

I suppose Willow has outside chances of a GM norm but as we say every year, these events are not realistic norm hunting ground. I mean! Adams would not even be certain of an IM norm as things stand.

[Thomas Rendle]

Clean sweep for Black can't be all that common an occurrence with a 10 player round robin.

Today - Royal moves to 5/5! Presumably there is some story about his not playing for England in the Olympiad, which in the usual way of things will not be revealed to the English chess public at large (though sometimes there is a good reason for that, of course).

Daniel Fernandez has had a great year, and is up to 2529. Matthew Wadsworth has also looked in decent form. It's great to see Shreyas is having a impressive event though, although too late to count towards the selections this time around.

[LawrenceCooper]

It is great to see Adams play events like this, although his present showing explains precisely why former elite players only do play these events when they are "formerly" elite. I wouldn't like to see him drop below 2600 though.

I'm not quite sure what to say about Mickey's results. He could/should have won all three white games, in fact his round 1 game looked a very impressive game (to my uneducated eyes) until a slip at the end. He is still a class act, his performance in the last weekend of this season's 4NCL (wins against Alan Merry & Dan Fernandez and a draw with black v Gawain) showed that but 2-3 hours in something hasn't been quite right in his games this event.

[LawrenceCooper]

I suppose Willow has outside chances of a GM norm but as we say every year, these events are not realistic norm hunting ground. I mean! Adams would not even be certain of an IM norm as things stand.

I certainly don't cherry pick opponents that will be easily rolled over by norm seekers but there's been 3 GM norms and 1 IM norm in the previous five (albeit in the 1st, 3rd and 5th so not a good omen for this year). At the start of this year's event I felt the GM norm was very difficult (the IMs probably needed to beat the 5 FMs and get 50% v GMs and IM) whilst the IM norm score of 5 probably needed one of the five FMs to score heavily against his fellow titled holders whilst getting what he can against the top 5.

[LawrenceCooper]

Round 5 on 2026/07/18 at 1100
Bo. Rtg White Result Black Rtg PGN
1 2450 IM Willow, Jonah B ½ - ½ FM Badacsonyi, Stanley 2312
2 2502 GM Royal, Shreyas 1 - 0 FM Banerjee, Supratit 2347
3 2622 GM Adams, Michael ½ - ½ FM Vijayakumar, Rishi 2307
4 2445 GM Kovchan, Alexander 1 - 0 FM Shearsby, Jude 2243
5 2343 FM Fava, Lorenzo 0 - 1 IM Mahadevan, Siva 2448

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Shreyas very impressive so far. Last four rounds he is facing Jonah, Stanley and then his two fellow GMs, Mickey first and then Alexander Kovchan (currently on 4/5).

Jonah Willow needs 3.5/4 for the GM norm. Looks difficult.

3/4 for three of the FMs looks difficult but enough of them are playing each other that it might be possible (e.g. Fava Lorenzo is playing three fellow FMs and then Jonah Willow).