Klaudia Kulon Wins the 11th Menchik Memorial 2026 in London

Poland's IM Klaudia Kulon won the 11th Menchik Memorial women's chess tournament in London with 7.5/9, a full point ahead of Cecile Haussernot.

Polish IM Klaudia Kulon has won the 11th Menchik Memorial in London with an excellent 7.5 points from 9 games. She finished a full point ahead of France's WIM Cecile Haussernot, who took second place with 6.5.

The Menchik Memorial is a 10-player round-robin for women players, played at a classical time control. It is named after Vera Menchik, the first women's world chess champion, who held the title from 1927 until her death in 1944. Menchik lived in England for much of her life, so London is a fitting home for the tournament.

Kulon's key game came in round 8, when she beat Haussernot, her closest rival, with the white pieces. That gave her a lead she would not lose. In the final round she drew with Black against WGM Elmira Mirzoeva of England to finish the event in style.

Romanian WIM Andreea-Marioara Cosman took third place with 6 points after beating GM Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant in the final round. Several young English players also took part, gaining valuable experience against strong international opposition.

Vera Menchik's story is inspiring for girls who love chess. In the 1920s and 1930s she competed against the best male players of her time and beat several of them. She showed that chess skill has nothing to do with gender, a message that tournaments like this one continue to celebrate.

For young players, a round-robin offers a special kind of challenge. Because you meet every opponent, there are no easy pairings. Every game counts, and consistency over nine rounds is what wins the tournament.

Congratulations to Klaudia Kulon on a fine victory in London.