Robert Hovhannisyan wins 3rd Dole Trophy Masters 2026 via Playoffs, Leon Luke Mendonca third
GM Robert Hovhannisyan defeated compatriot GM Haik Martiroyan 2-0 in Playoffs to win Dole Trophy Pasino Grand Masters 2026.
14 players score 15 norms, four Indians in top ten
Armenian GMs Haik Martirosyan and Robert Hovhannisyan scored an unbeaten 7.5/9 each. Robert defeated Haik 2-0 in the Playoffs to become the champion. Haik had to settle for second place. Six players – GM Leon Luke Mendonca, GM Bharath Subramaniyam H, GM Gergely Kantor (HUN), GM M Amin Tabatabaei (IRI), GM Raunak Sadhwani and GM Aksel Bu Kvaloy (NOR) scored 7/9 each. They were placed third to eighth respectively according to tie-breaks. The defending champion, GM Iniyan Pa scored 6.5/9 to be placed ninth.
To get an idea about the strength of players, 113 out of 294 players were GMs and IMs. Former two-time World Championship Challenger, GM Ian Nepomniachtchi scored 6/9 and finished 25th. Last year this tournament witnessed 18 norms by 17 players (excluding the norms where a player already has the required norms for a title). This year, the tournament had 14 players have scored 15 norms (2 GM, 8 IM, 2 WGM and 3 WIM-norms). Among them, Aarav Sinha, Vedant Panesar and Advik Amit Agrawal scored IM-norms. Charvi A scored a WIM-norm.
The total participation was 434 players – 294 in Masters, 111 in Accession and 29 in Petits Zelos.
The total prize fund was more than €30000. The top three prizes were €8000, €5500 and €3500 along with a trophy each.
Champion – GM Robert Hovhannisyan (ARM) 7.5/9 | Photo: Echiquier du Roy René
Runner-up – GM Haik Martirosyan (ARM) 7.5/9 | Photo: Echiquier du Roy René
Second Runner-up – GM Leon Luke Mendonca 7/9 | Photo: Anu Bayar
4th GM Bharath Subramaniyam H 7/9 | Photo: Anu Bayar
7th GM Raunak Sadhwani 7/9 | Photo: ERR Aix-en-Provence
9th GM Iniyan Pa 7/9 | Photo: ERR Aix-en-Provence
Attractive and colorful trophies for the prize winners | Photo: Anu Bayar
The tournament hall at Pasino Grand in Aix-en-Provence, France | Photo: Anu Bayar
Replay all available Masters games
A total of 294 players including 46 GMs, 67 IMs, 9 WGMs and 9 WIMs took part from 48 countries across the world. The nine-day nine-round (>2100) Rating tournament was organized by Echiquier du Roy René at Pasino Grand in Aix-en-Provence, France from 18th to 26th July 2026. The time control of the tournament was 40 moves in 90 minutes + 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment.
Links
Echiquier du Roy Rene: Official site, facebook, instagram and youtube
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