Xu Xiangyu won the KCF Friendship Festival 2026 Open, finishing ahead of a strong international field in what organizers are calling one of the best open tournaments Slovenia has ever hosted.
The nine-round event delivered the kind of drama you want from a top-tier open. Xu navigated the competition with the precision you'd expect from a player of his caliber, holding off challengers across the full distance to claim the trophy.
What made this tournament stand out was the depth of opposition. The organizers assembled a field that produced genuinely competitive chess. Open tournaments at this level typically attract a mix of titled players and ambitious amateurs, but this one clearly brought serious strength throughout the pairings.
Xu's victory is worth noting for his consistency more than any single brilliant game. Over nine rounds against quality opposition, you don't win tournaments with heroics. You win them by playing solid chess, converting advantages, and avoiding catastrophe.
The Kasparov Chess Foundation continues its mission to grow the game through international competition, and this event shows they're doing it right. Building tournaments in emerging chess nations, bringing top players to smaller federations, and running a clean event that attracts serious competitors. That's how you expand chess globally.