The 24-year-old Lithuanian emerged victorious on Sunday after two days of play in the western Polish town of Tarnowo Podgórne to claim his first diving chess world title in what organizers called the largest World Diving Chess Championships ever staged. Though he went into the competition as the highest-ranked player, Pultinevicius only narrowly qualified for the 18-player final, making it through on tiebreaks. However, he was dominant on the final day, when he won four straight matches to walk away with the crown. Polish International Master Kamil Dzida finished second overall, with Indian Grandmaster Harshit Raja taking the bronze medal. Andrzejewska won the women’s world championship with an impressive performance in the final. The matches are played on custom-built, weighted and magnetic boards submerged at the bottom of a pool. One move, one breath Players must make each move on just one breath of air before emerging between moves. The 2026 edition of the world championships featured 62 players from around the world, including seasoned veterans and teenage newcomers, as the sport continues to grow.
