Diving Chess World Championships 2026 Tarnowskie Termy, Tarnowo Podgórne, Poznań County,
Underwater Chess
I’ve just returned from competing in a World Championships for underwater chess in Poland.
A 2,600 rated Grand Master won the tournament and £2,000 top prize. Some comfort, as he endured a 14-hour bus ride, each way, from Lithuania, to spend a weekend pushing magnetic chess pieces underwater for nine games over two days, writes John Tierney.
A multinational field competed for prizes, £6,000 in all, and it attracted a dozen master level players, including three GMs. Other competitors included a ‘Seven (continental) Summits’ conqueror Jakub Patecki, and this token 2017 English Channel solo swimmer, who fell in love with chess while viewing Beth Harmon’s fictional achievements in the Queen’s Gambit film.
Thank you Jonathan O’ Connor
Looking back, I’m grateful to Ireland FIDE representative Jonathan O’Connor, my ex-schoolmate from last century, who threw my name in the mix. A few weeks ago, Jonathan was with serious chess players at the Warsaw leg of the global Grand Chess Tour, and casual chat with the organiser led to my invite to the diving chess event.
It’s hard to imagine, that at 61 years old, I’ve become an Irish international. It’s a cap I’m happy to wear. More than that, alongside Tom O’Gorman, I’m one of only two Irish players to play in a non-age restricted world chess championship.
Drumroll, let the games commence
Officially called the ‘Diving Chess World Championships’, this was very much a hybrid wonderfully niche-geeky competition, and I felt quite at home. Several high quality ‘athletes’ and middle-aged me competed in this supremely well organised event.
How to play diving chess
How does diving chess work? You dive as soon as your opponent surfaces, and you must make a move on the magnetic board before surfacing, and vice versa. The only time control is your lung capacity. It’s that simple. We played four matches in the Saturday qualifying rounds, and needed to win three games to qualify for Sunday’s five match finals. For me, the pool felt shallow, with the board placed 1.4 metres deep.
What didn’t happen underwater
Forget sharpened fingernails or squeezed parts, there were no waterpolo tactics, and the arbiters looked down on us all from poolside to ensure fair play. Thankfully, it wasn’t chess boxing.
Clarity of vision
Some players stayed underwater for 60 seconds before making a move, whereas others stayed down for ten seconds or more. Paulius Pultinevicius, the winner, said that he didn’t need to stay down for long, as he could visualise and anticipate his opponent’s move before he had made it.
A swimmer’s new gambit strategy
Given that I took up chess after watching the Queen’s Gambit, I figured that my best tactic was to play fast, and force my opponent to spend more time underwater than me. My logic was that I had to play to their perceived underwater weakness, and away from their formidable chess strength. This, I called the English Channel Solo gambit. Thankfully, I won one match, but lost three. Nobody drowned.
What happens underwater, stays underwater
My moment of tension happened in the second match against Marcin Sieciehowicz, an International Master, rated 2343, compared with my 1534. I could see he was blowing hard in the pool, so I played faster to bust his lungs, and somehow managed to be up a minor piece. Then disaster for me, while moving his bishop, the magnet fell out of his soggy bottom and stuck to the steel pool floor, while simultaneously, his separated bishop’s cloak agonisingly spiralled upwards. I recognised that this moment was the start of my infernal end.
I tried gamesmanship to get him to descend and make a move, but he said “I’m not doing anything” which was true, he did nothing but breathe normally and recover his mojo. It took a few minutes for the installation of a new bishop. If ever I could have kicked a bishop, this was the moment. Game over not long after.
Women competitors
Three of us shared lunch with the ultimate winner of the women’s tournament Anna Andrzejewska (rated 1890). There were a significant number of women competitors, but hopefully more will join in future years.
Forging friendships
Daytime splashes, and nighttime ping pong easily broke the ice, where new friendships were easily forged in a place familiar with hosting obscure events on the world stage.
I was a long way from my ancient County Wicklow roots, here in County Poznan’s Tarnowo Podgórne, a suburb of easy and contemporary appeal that can now add the 2026 Diving Chess World Championships to the 2021 world 9-pin bowling championships.
Post championship camaraderie and brilliant Michal Mazurkiewicz
Sunday night at the hotel was fun, as a small group of us had a few beers, and played chess and ping pong at our hotel. Actually, it was only me who had one beer, and Harshit Raja (rated 2436) had a glass of wine. He’s an Indian chess commentator who once defeated current world champ Gukesh. He had a full scholarship to the US to play chess for Minnesota University.
Carriage at midnight
Paulius, the tournament winner joined in, and Cinderella-like, Mr Cinders left for his midnight 14-hour express back to Lithuania. I can proudly say that I have played doubles ping pong, and triples chess with at least one elite chess player.
Two diving chess world champs, Etan Ilfield (rated 2170),the founder of underwater chess, an American who plays under the Israeli flag joined in, as did Michal Mazurkiewicz, the Polish organiser and all-round brilliant individual. Welshman Alex Freeland (rated 1984), narrowly missed the final. Despite Michal’s best efforts, and as memory fades, I think he wouldn’t dispute that the hotly contested ping pong finished evens. Fair play Michal, and thanks again for your warm Polish greetings and for organising a brilliant event.
This format of chess was magnetic, and sticky, I’ll be back next year for sure, if invited. Michal, are you there?
Organiser's website: https://divingchesswc2026.com/en/home-english/
Results link: https://www.chessmanager.com/en-us/tournaments/5066743584260096/rounds/4
Footnote for tourists
Booming Poland
Poland has the sixth best economy in Europe, and is booming. As a swimmer, I can vouch for the venue’s modern design high-spec thermally heated pool with a stainless steel floor, which had world class quality and parallel hygiene. The architects, Piotr Dominiczak and Mariusz Szczuraszek, are pool specialists, and their brilliant logic of design for human movement was greatly appreciated.
Ahh, beautiful County Poznan
While the finals took place on Sunday, I took a tour of nearby historic Poznan on a hired e-scooter. I felt that I should have returned to watch the finals, but Poznan offers a lot to see and do. It has a square reminiscent of many an Italian Renaissance piazza, a cathedral with a chess board floor, modern art galleries, and vibrant locals enjoying the sunshine.