International Master Reza Mahdavi, International Master Renato Terry, and Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi each won one of the three 3+0 Thursday blitz tournaments on February 26. These events featured titled players in 11-round Swiss formats with a 3+0 time control and a combined weekly prize fund of $3,000. On the women's side, Woman International Master Kalyani Sirin earned prizes in two tournaments, while International Master Karina Ambartsumova secured her record 11th victory.
The 3+0 Thursday series consists of three weekly online Swiss tournaments exclusively for verified titled chess players, each running 11 rounds at a brisk 3+0 time control. On February 26, repeat performers and newcomers alike shone in the competition.
In the first tournament, IM Reza Mahdavi secured back-to-back titles after winning the previous week's finale. He started with three victories but faced setbacks, losing in round four to GM Mahdi Orimi and in round six to CM Nika Volkov, which left him two points behind leader GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Mahdavi then rallied, winning his final five games, including a decisive victory over GM Hikaru Nakamura in the last round to reach nine points and claim first place on tiebreaks. IM Yoseph Taher finished second with nine points after winning his last seven games, while GM Arjun Erigaisi took third with 8.5 points following an early loss recovery.
The second event saw IM Renato Terry capture his seventh overall title, surpassing his previous tie with GM Jose Martinez. Terry won seven games and drew four, with a pivotal round-three endgame win against GM Cristobal Henriquez proving key. Henriquez later scored 7/8 to tie at nine points but settled for second on tiebreaks after beating Martinez in the final round. GM Sergey Drygalov placed third with 8.5 points, hindered by a last-round loss to GM Amin Tabatabaei.
GM Arjun Erigaisi then won his first 3+0 Thursday in the third tournament, starting with five straight victories, including a strong round-four win over IM Aaron Mendes. He clinched the lead in round ten against IM Vidyarthi Vyom and sealed sole first with nine points by beating IM Satria Cahaya in the finale. GM Oleksandr Bortnyk took second and GM Tuan Minh Le third, both with 8.5 points.
WIM Kalyani Sirin collected prizes in the first and third events, marking her fifth in three weeks. IM Karina Ambartsumova won the second event's women's prize, reaching a record 11 victories.
