Caruana, Erdogmus Join Spectacular Naroditsky Memorial Lineup

GMs Fabiano Caruana and Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus have added their names to the $50,000 Naroditsky Memorial Rapid & Blitz this July, joining an already spectacular lineup that includes GMs Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Javokhir Sindarov, Hans Niemann, and Leinier Dominguez.

Caruana's entry means that the inaugural event will now feature four of America's top grandmasters, alongside some of the strongest young talents in the world, with the field for the July event now largely set.

The other major addition is 14-year-old Erdogmus, who recently became the youngest player in history to cross the 2700 mark. The Turkish prodigy has not yet achieved the same results in over-the-board rapid and blitz, but his online performances already suggest he has the potential to fight for the top spots here as well.

Caruana and Erdogmus join a field packed with elite stars and rising talents. Among them is Sindarov, who won the Candidates this April to earn the right to challenge reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju later this year.

Chess.com's FM Mike Klein introduces the seven biggest names in the tournament in this video.

Other notable players include GMs Aravindh Chithambaram, Nodirbek Yakubboev, Aydin Suleymanli, as well as 16-year-old GM Andy Woodward. A total of 42 grandmasters are signed up, making the tournament one of the strongest speed chess events ever held in the United States.

2026 Naroditsky Memorial Rapid & Blitz | Masters

The field also includes some notable veterans, such as former FIDE World Champion GM Ruslan Ponomariov and legendary GM Boris Gelfand.

The Naroditsky Memorial Rapid & Blitz will take place July 3-5 at the Charlotte Marriott City Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event honors the late GM Daniel Naroditsky, one of the chess world’s most beloved personalities, celebrated equally for his world-class blitz strength and his enormous impact as an educator, streamer, and commentator.

“Danya was a world-class player and content creator, so having the world’s best under one roof in Charlotte is the ultimate tribute to his legacy," said FM Peter Giannatos, Founding Executive Director of the Charlotte Chess Center. "We’re proud to organize this event in his honor and to celebrate his life with the global community who loved him so deeply."

Danya was a world-class player and content creator, so having the world’s best under one roof in Charlotte is the ultimate tribute to his legacy.

—Peter Giannatos, Charlotte Chess Center Founder

The event will feature separate Rapid ($15,000 prize fund) and Blitz ($25,000 prize fund) championships in Masters and Challengers ($10,000 prize fund) sections, as well as a Creator Invitational featuring some of the chess world's leading streamers and content creators. The tournament is backed by the Naroditsky Memorial Fellowship Fund, which has raised more than $1 million to support chess initiatives and scholarships for talented young players.

If you wish to contribute, you can go to the direct giving link, or text to give with DANYA to 53555 if you are in the U.S..

Several popular chess personalities are also slated to compete in the Creator Invitational, including IM Levy Rozman, IM Daniel Rensch, IM Sagar Shah, IM Eric Rosen, WGM Dina Belenkaya, WFM Alexandra Botez, and IM Irene Sukandar.

The hotel deadline for discounted rates expires on June 1, with organizers expecting the remaining spots in the 300-player festival to fill quickly. The organizers are also offering a limited number of spectator passes for fans wanting to experience the event in person. VIP packages include exclusive viewing areas near the top boards, lounge access with food and beverages, and a commemorative 2026 tournament board.