I am a big supporter of open source and I've always favoured LiChess of Chess.com

Here are the latest changes andd improvements to LiChess.

At a glance

• New theme options on the website - select your name/the ⚙️ icon on the top bar and then Theme to try them:
  • An all-new special light theme with a custom background image. In the Theme menu, set it to Light and toggle on Background image to try it.
  • Adjustable background image opacity for background image themes, making many parts more readable in both light and dark styles.
  • Customise how round the website is, from straight to very round edges on nearly every part of the user interface.
    
• Major mobile app improvements:
  • Get notifications for broadcasts for tournaments and FIDE players you follow.
  • Sign in by email, which resolved common sign-in issues. If you or your friends had issues signing into the app in the past, now is the time to try it again.
  • Play against Maia offline, an engine designed to mimic human play.
  • Go even darker with the AMOLED black theme. Being pure black, it complete turns off the pixels, saving you battery life on AMOLED screens.
    
• Analysing correspondence games on web is more convenient: copy sub-variations, prune to the main line, both accessible from the right-click menu on moves.
• We now include computer annotations in imported games you download from the website.

Full changes here: https://lichess.org/changelog

---

 

Southeast Asian Ascent or Descent at the 46th Chess Olympiad (Round 6)?

Crossing the halfway mark, the dust settles on Round 6, the 11-round Swiss-system "pressure cooker" has begun its ruthless sorting of the 2026 field. Also, apt is the rest day today which must be needed by all the 205 countries taking part. 

Malaysia’s ping pong  results ending with Seed #67 to the Top 60

Malaysia’s campaign is consistent as in past Olympiads, we go up, then we go down. That is why, I am only looking at starting rank vs the final round rank to see our performance.Entering as the 67th seed (SNo 67), the Malaysian squad found themselves languishing at Rank 82 after a bruising fifth round. However, the team successfully clawed back from that slump with a decisive surge in Round 6, catapulting up the standings to Rank 59. Now if we can only stop the ping pong effect and keep our  improved rank and/or improve on it!

Malaysia have now surpassed their initial seeding by 8 places. While their match record of 4 wins and 2 losses (8 match points) keeps them in the thick of the mid-table battle, an expert eye looks to their 14.5 game points (Tie Break 3). This figure suggests a team that is fighting for every half-point on the lower boards, a necessity for maintaining upward mobility as the pairings become increasingly difficult.

The Frontrunners: Philippines and Vietnam Break into the Elite

The most electrifying story of the tournament’s first half involves the Philippines and Vietnam, both of whom have effectively broken into the "Elite" tier. By the end of Round 6, these teams have positioned themselves in contention for prestigious Category Awards, which are often the true measure of success for rising chess nations.

• Philippines (Seed #57): In a staggering display of giant-killing, the Philippines has soared to Rank 29. This represents a +28 position gain, one of the most significant ascents in the top half of the table. Their 18.0 game points highlight a lethal efficiency across all four boards.
• Vietnam (Seed #47): Steady and clinical, Vietnam has navigated the Swiss-system minefield to reach Rank 31, a +16 gain over their starting seed.

Both nations boast identical match records that underscore their consistency:

• 4 wins
• 0 draws
• 2 losses

The Indonesian Rollercoaster: From Peak #13 to Round 6 Reality

Indonesia (Seed #52) has provided the most dramatic arc of the regional cohort. After Round 5, Indonesia occupied the dizzying heights of Rank 13, flirting with the tournament's absolute elite. However, Round 6 saw a correction, with the team shifting to Rank 34.

From an analytical perspective, this tumble is less a collapse and more a symptom of the Swiss-system’s ruthlessness. Having reached the top 15, Indonesia was inevitably paired against a top-10 powerhouse; their subsequent drop is the standard "tax" paid for facing elite opposition. Despite this, they remain 18 spots above their initial seeding with a healthy 16.5 game points, keeping them well within striking distance of a top-20 finish.

Recovery and Regional Consolidation: Singapore and Beyond

Singapore (Seed #50) is the picture of consistency , recovering from a Round 5 dip (Rank 56) to secure Rank 43. Beyond the primary seeds, the regional depth is further evidenced by:

• Chinese Taipei (Seed #83): Holding firm at Rank 70 (+13 Net).
• Hong Kong (Seed #108): Punched well above their weight to reach Rank 88 (+20 Net).
• Myanmar (Seed #128): In arguably the greatest overperformance of the region, Myanmar has ascended to Rank 79—a massive +49 net seed change that signals a historic run for the D-Group contenders.

The lone outlier in this regional success story is Thailand (Seed #104), which has struggled to find its rhythm. Sliding to Rank 125 (-21 Net), the Thai squad stands in sharp contrast to the otherwise "green" status of its neighbors.

Comparative Regional Performance Table

The following data reflects the standings of the eight specified regional teams at the conclusion of the sixth round:

Team	Starting Seed (SNo)	Rank after Round 5	Rank after Round 6	Net Seed Change (SNo vs R6)
Philippines	57	49	29	+28
Vietnam	47	46	31	+16
Indonesia	52	13	34	+18
Singapore	50	56	43	+7
Malaysia	67	82	59	+8
Chinese Taipei	83	65	70	+13
Hong Kong	108	76	88	+20
Thailand	104	97	125	-21

Conclusion: Looking Toward the Final Five Rounds

The "honeymoon phase" of the tournament is over. The final five rounds in Samarkand will test the psychological depth of these teams as the pairings tighten and every game carries the weight of history. Philippines and Vietnam are hoping to consolidate their top-30 positions.\

Malaysia hope is to continue its upward trajectory.

The purpose of this blog post is to compare Malaysia's performance for the Open team compared to our neighbours like Singapore, Indonesia, Phillippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Hong Kong. It's purely trivia and of interest to me only but I wanted to share this on the blog on the off chance anyone else may be interested. This is only after 3 rounds and I will post the stats again after a couple of rounds more..

The Big Picture

The Olympiad runs 11 rounds. Rounds 1-3 are the "opening phase," where seeding gaps are widest. Singapore and Vietnam went in as the region's top dogs (seeds #50 and #47), with Malaysia (#67) in the middle of the pack, and Thailand/Hong Kong starting from the back.

Malaysia's Rollercoaster

• Round 2: Got swept 0-4 by Croatia (a much higher seed) — a rough blow.
• Round 3: Bounced back hard, beating Honduras 3.5-0.5.
• Current standing: 4 match points, 7.5 board points.

The takeaway: Malaysia took a real hit but recovered well. If they'd lost again in Round 3, they'd have slid toward the bottom half of the field — instead they're holding steady in the middle.

Star of the Region: Singapore

Singapore is having a breakout tournament — perfect 6/6 match points:

• Beat Wales 3-1 in Round 2
• Upset Norway (a top-25 seed) 2.5-1.5 in Round 3

That Norway win is a genuine giant-killing result for a #50 seed, and it's likely to earn them a Round 4 clash against elite competition (India, USA, or hosts Uzbekistan).

How the Rest of the Neighborhood Did in Round 3

Standings Snapshot (After Round 3)

What's Next

Singapore's hot streak means much tougher pairings ahead as the Swiss system starts matching them against world powers. Malaysia, having steadied the ship, should also expect stiffer opposition in Round 4 — but their recovery from the Croatia loss is a good psychological sign heading into the tougher middle rounds.

4 joint leaders

Round 6 of the 5th Blue Chevaliers International Open 2026 saw the sole leader from Round 5 slowed down by GM David C. Smerdon   allowing three chasing masters to catch up and create a four-way tie at the summit.

---

Round 6 Recap: The Chasing Pack Strikes

• Board 1 Draw: Top seed GM Dmitriy Khegay (2504) played Black against Australian GM David C. Smerdon (2461) and negotiated a draw, bringing Khegay to 5.0 points.
• Grandmaster & IM Victories:
  • On Board 2, IM Nubairshah Shaikh Mohammad (2387) scored a decisive White win against FM Nicolas Grandadam (2226) to reach 5.0 points.
  • On Board 3, Vietnamese GM Van Huy Nguyen (2348) earned a black-piece victory over Arsens Batashevs (2201) to hit 5.0 points.
  • On Board 4, Indian GM M.R. Venkatesh (2335) defeated FM Nikolai Val. Makarov (2140) to join the lead group at 5.0 points.
• Crucial Draws & Moves in the Pursuit Group: GM Harmen Jonkman drew with IM Devaki V. Prasad on Board 5, while Neelabhro Bandyopadhyay drew with A Qil A Lauddin Abd Aziz on Board 6. Meanwhile, FM Jack Rodgers, FM Varun Gampa Aditya, and Tran Pham Quang Minh all won their games, joining 2nd seed GM Fabien Libiszewski (who took a half-point bye) at 4.5 points.

---

Current Standings After Round 6

Going into Round 7, four players share 1st place with 5.0 / 6.0 points:

1. GM Dmitriy Khegay (FID, 2504) – 5.0 pts
2. GM Van Huy Nguyen (VIE, 2348) – 5.0 pts
3. IM Nubairshah Shaikh Mohammad (IND, 2387) – 5.0 pts
4. GM
   
   IND, 2335) – 5.0 pts

Chasing closely behind is a nine-player group at 4.5 points:

• IM Devaki V. Prasad, FM Jack Rodgers, Neelabhro Bandyopadhyay, GM David C. Smerdon, A Qil A Lauddin Abd Aziz, FM Varun Gampa Aditya, GM Harmen Jonkman, Tran Pham Quang Minh, and GM Fabien Libiszewski.

---

Round 7 Scenario: How the Leadership Can Shift

With 3 rounds remaining in this 9-round Swiss event, Round 7 features direct head-to-head collisions among the leaders:

• Head-to-Head Battles for Sole Leadership:

  • Board 1: GM Dmitriy Khegay (5.0) vs. GM M.R. Venkatesh (5.0)
  • Board 2: GM Van Huy Nguyen (5.0) vs. IM Nubairshah Shaikh Mohammad (5.0)
  • What can change: A winner on either board reaches 6.0 / 7.0, seizing sole or shared control of first place. If both top boards end in draws, all four remain tied at 5.5 points.

• The 4.5-Point Pursuit Pack:

  • Board 3: A Qil A Lauddin Abd Aziz (4.5) vs. GM Fabien Libiszewski (4.5)
  • Board 4: IM Devaki V. Prasad (4.5) vs. GM David C. Smerdon (4.5)
  • Board 5: FM Varun Gampa Aditya (4.5) vs. Neelabhro Bandyopadhyay (4.5)
  • Board 6: Tran Pham Quang Minh (4.5) vs. GM Harmen Jonkman (4.5)
  • What can change: Any winner from Boards 3–6 moves up to 5.5 points. If the top two boards draw, winners from this pack will instantly leap into a shared tournament lead going into Round 8!

---

♟️