ULAN BATOR, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Individual Chess Championships 2026 officially kicked off in Ulan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, on Friday.

More than 240 male and female chess players from around 30 countries and regions, including China, India, Japan, and Kazakhstan, are taking part in the 21st edition of the tournament.

The competition is being held as a nine-round Swiss-system event in the standard category under classical time-control regulations. Each player is given 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by an additional 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, with a 30-second increment added from move one onward.

The championships will determine the Asian chess champions and also serve as a qualification pathway for the 2026 FIDE World Cup.

The tournament will continue through June 7. ■