Meli Laddpeter 
While often regarded as a minor sport, Fiji Chess continues to make its mark on the global stage.
The national team, led by captain Avinesh Nadan, finished an impressive 23rd in the 2025–2026 Global Chess League, an online tournament hosted this week by English veteran Peter Hornsby.
The competition featured 744 players from 65 chess clubs, representing countries including Fiji, England, Australia, India, Armenia, Pakistan, Libya, Hawaii, Italy, China, Brazil, Iran, Ukraine and Romania, among many others.
Fiji Chess general secretary Goru Arvind said that while progress may appear gradual, finishing 23rd is a significant achievement when competing against some of the world’s top players.
“The league uses a challenging five-minute plus two seconds per move format. We play matches back-to-back for 60 minutes straight, so players have to reset mentally very quickly.”
As Fiji prepares for its next round later this month, the World Chess Federation is also gearing up to host the next two Chess Olympiads — in Uzbekistan this September and in Dubai in 2028.
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