GM Daniel Dardha has claimed his fourth Belgian Chess Championship title, and it went right down to the wire. The 2026 edition ran from 4–12 July at Xaverius College in Borgerhout, Antwerp, marking the local chess club's 75th anniversary. Dardha and IM Elias Ruzhansky, rated 164 points below him, arrived at the final round tied on 5.5/8 after Ruzhansky had beaten Dardha back in Round 3 and briefly led the field. With Ruzhansky only managing a draw in the last round, Dardha's win over FM Maxime Hauchamps in Round 9 sealed the title outright. Mher Hovhannisyan took third on tiebreak ahead of GM Alexandre Dgebuadze.
The women's section wasn't close at all. WIM Hanne Goossens went a perfect 9/9 to win her fifth Belgian title, finishing a full one and a half points clear of silver medallist Diana Musabayeva. All nine of her games are below alongside Dardha's.
A puzzle book covering the full tournament, every game, not just these two, is going live in the Training Centre at the same time as this article. It's built around the notebook method, write down your line before checking the answer, rather than just eyeballing it. Can you find the best move the way the masters did, or would you have repeated their mistakes? Download it here.
All 18 games from the two champions are below, grouped by section, each opens into its own embedded, fully annotated study.
Full Games — all 18 games from the 2026 Belgian champions
Open Champion · Daniel Dardha
Game 1 · Dardha, Daniel vs Maerevoet, SimDraw
Sicilian Defense: French Variation
Game 2 · Dardha, Daniel vs Dgebuadze, AlexandreDardha, Daniel won
Sicilian Defense: Moscow Variation, Main Line
Game 3 · Ruzhansky, Elias vs Dardha, DanielRuzhansky, Elias won
Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Bastrikov Variation
Game 4 · Dardha, Daniel vs Hovhannisyan, MherDardha, Daniel won
Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation, Symmetrical Variation, Metger Unpin
Game 5 · Pirard, Natan vs Dardha, DanielDraw
Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack
Game 6 · Dardha, Daniel vs Toledo, HillelDardha, Daniel won
Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack, Fianchetto Variation, Gufeld Gambit
Game 7 · Zouaghi, Amir vs Dardha, DanielDraw
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense
Game 8 · Dardha, Daniel vs Vandenhole, KobeDardha, Daniel won
French Defense: Steinitz Variation
Game 9 · Hauchamps, Maxime vs Dardha, DanielDardha, Daniel won
Sicilian Defense: Kupreichik Variation
Women's Champion · Hanne Goossens
Game 1 · Goossens, Hanne vs Caramalau, AdinaGoossens won
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo
Game 2 · Temmerman, Sara vs Goossens, HanneGoossens won
King's Knight Opening: Konstantinopolsky
Game 3 · Goossens, Hanne vs Roose, HoaraGoossens won
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Barmen Defense
Game 4 · Lascar, Radoslawa vs Goossens, HanneGoossens won
Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation
Game 5 · Goossens, Hanne vs Tellier, AurelieGoossens won
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation, Stoltz Attack
Game 6 · Pham Kieu, Khanh vs Goossens, HanneGoossens won
Four Knights Game: Glek System
Game 7 · Goossens, Hanne vs Stes, StellaGoossens won
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation
Game 8 · Goossens, Hanne vs Musabayeva, DianaGoossens won
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack
Game 9 · Dierckens, Sarah vs Goossens, HanneGoossens won
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening