The second day of the 2026 Chess.com Open Playoffs has concluded. Magnus Carlsen advanced to the Grand Final, which will take place on April 26. Jan-Krzysztof Duda, Denis Lazavik, Sina Movahed, Nihal Sarin, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov will play in the lower bracket on April 25.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov mouse slipped and lost the decisive game against Denis Lazavik in the upper bracket quarterfinal. In the game, Abdusattorov blundered twice and played with 80.2 accuracy, while Lazavik’s was 88.7.

The Chess.com Open 2026 is a major qualifying pathway for the Esports World Cup 2026, running from March 14 to April 26. The top three finishers in the playoffs qualify for the EWC, and the total tournament prize pool is $250,000.

Credit: Esports World Cup