Chinese grandmaster Xiao Tong will be competing in the 2026 Sparkassen Chess Trophy. The up-and-coming 18-year-old further strengthens the line-up for this prestigious tournament and is aiming for the top.
Xiao Tong had already visited Dortmund in 2025. A defeat against the eventual tournament winner, GM Matthias Blübaum, cost him a top placing. Nevertheless, he remained in contention right until the end of the tournament and secured a top-10 finish, coming 9th with 6.5 points from 9 games.
With his dynamic playing style, he is one of the players spectators can particularly look forward to watching. His Elo rating stands at 2555, and he is well on course to improve on this by the summer. The A-Open promises chess of the highest standard once again. Ten grandmasters have already registered, more than four months before the tournament begins. Registration is open to all. Given the tournament’s appeal, a full house is expected, as the participant limit is 200 players per Open!