The 2026 ACT Chess Championship heats up in round 7 with FM Fred Litchfield and FM Michael Kethro battling for control in Canberra. The seven-round Swiss format keeps the field tight, and both players need clean wins to separate themselves from CM Adam Kelly and Harry Press. At 90 minutes plus 30 seconds, the time control favors preparation and calculation over rapid intuition. Litchfield enters with the momentum, but Kethro rarely blinks under pressure.