Day 2
Rest day… but not really.
For the ChessBase crew, a day starts the only way it possibly can – at the gym. Because if you want to keep up with the Candidates, you need power. A lot of it. The players may be preparing in silence … but we’re out there trying to find them.
And that turns out to be harder than expected.
The players are scattered, hidden between beaches, cafés, paddle ball, and quiet corners of this surreal five-star setting. So we go hunting.
Our search leads us along the rugged coastline, all the way to the famous Edro III shipwreck. Waves crashing, wind cutting through the rocks, and suddenly, a wild Anish Giri and Jan Smeets appear.
Mission partially accomplished.
But we’re not done yet.
Back at the venue, curiosity takes over. We sneak into the VIP area. Just for a quick look. And there they are. The trophies. One for the winner of the Candidates. One for the winner of the Women’s Candidates. In just a few days, they’ll have names attached to them. For now, they carry only tension.
The afternoon takes another turn.
We head out again, this time into something entirely different. A traditional Cypriot Easter celebration. Music fills the air, people dancing, laughter everywhere. It’s warm, chaotic, alive, and for a moment, the intensity of the tournament fades into the background.
As the afternoon comes to an end, we take one final walk, back to the player venue. The kind of walk a normal grandmaster might take. Quiet. Focused. Already thinking about the next round.
And here’s the deal:
Watch this video carefully… because by the end of it, you will gain at least 20 Elo.
Tomorrow: the second-to-last round.
Everything is on the line.
Links:
Inside the Candidates 2026 in Cyprus 🇨🇾 | Behind the Scenes – Day 1