BSUPC student Denis Lazavik reached the final of the 2026 Esports World Cup
12 February 2026
The final of the World Speed Chess Championship 2025 online tournament series took place on February 7-8. It is comparable in importance to the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships.
Denis Lazavik, a student at the Faculty of Chess and Economics, won the bronze medal, defeating American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura 13.5 to 12.5. Nakamura is considered one of the world's best blitz players, a multiple-time US Champion, and ranks second in the world in both blitz and rapid chess.
Third place earns Denis the opportunity to compete in the Esports World Cup 2026 finals—the premier event in esports and online chess. It will take place from August 11th to 15th in Saudi Arabia as part of the world's largest esports festival.
