The 2026 Diving Chess World Championship concluded in Tarnowo Podgorne, Poland. Lithuanian GM Paulius Pultinevicius and Polish WCM Anna Andrzejewska became World Diving Chess Champions in the open and women’s categories, respectively.

Paulius had the highest rating of 2554 points at the tournament. He entered the 18-player final through tiebreaks and won four matches in a row on the final day of the event. Paulius earned 10,000 zlotys (~€2,350) for winning the tournament.

The Diving Chess World Championship is an annual event, held since 2012, where players play chess at the bottom of a pool. Matches take place on specially designed weighted magnetic chessboards. Players must make each move on a single breath hold, then surface before the next move.

American GM Hans Moke Niemann won the Underwater Freestyle Chess exhibition in Cape Town in December 2025. He became the first-ever Underwater Freestyle Chess Champion.

Credit: Nexus International YouTube