BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club Wins Turkish Chess Super League Title for the Third Time

BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club completed the 2026 Turkey Chess Super League undefeated, winning all 15 matches. With 30 points, the club topped the standings and claimed its third consecutive championship in the Turkey Chess Super League.

Organized by the Turkey Chess Federation between 2-15 August 2026 in Ankara, the Turkey Chess Super League saw 16 teams compete for the title.

BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club displayed consistent performance throughout the season, finishing with victories in all matches. After 15 rounds, the club reached 30 points, completed the season as leader and secured its third consecutive championship.

With this result, BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club demonstrated three consecutive years of championship success in the Turkey Chess Super League, one of Turkey's top-level team chess organizations.

Champion squad combines experience and youth
BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club's champion roster brought together experienced athletes with significant achievements in Turkish and world chess alongside young talents.

Notable names on the roster included Işık Can, Ediz Gürel, Mustafa Yılmaz and Hasan Hüseyin Çelik.

Işık Can completed the 2026 Liaocheng Dongchangfu Cup Rising Stars Tournament held in China undefeated as champion, while Ediz Gürel earned the right to participate in the World Cup through his performance at the 2026 European Individual Chess Championship. Gürel also drew attention with his victory against world champion Gukesh.

Grandmaster (GM) Mustafa Yılmaz, a three-time Turkey Chess Championship winner, and International Master (IM) Hasan Hüseyin Çelik, who finished second tied with the winner at the 2026 International Paleochora Open Chess Tournament, were also among the champion squad's key players.

"Three consecutive championships are no coincidence"
BAYEGAN Foundation Management Board Vice Chairman Erhan Arslanalp stated that the championship achieved three years in a row was the result of consistent work.

Arslanalp said that behind the success lay a balanced squad structure bringing together young athletes and experienced grandmasters, the work of the technical staff, and the consistency maintained by the team throughout the season.

Noting that BAYEGAN Foundation contributed to the continuity of the club's sports and educational activities, Arslanalp stated that they placed importance on continuing chess programs aimed at different age groups and supporting athletes' development.

BAYEGAN provides long-term support to chess
BAYEGAN considers strategic thinking, mental development and youth support among the important areas of its social investment activities.

The company pursues its chess activities through BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club and BAYEGAN Foundation. While chess training at different levels are organized within the club for children, youth and adults, efforts are underway to enable young athletes to gain experience in national and international competitions.

BAYEGAN Management Board Chairman Ercüment Bayegan, in his assessment following the championship, noted that winning all matches in the Turkey Chess Super League and achieving three consecutive championships was a significant success.

Bayegan stated that they view introducing the passion for chess inherited from his father M. Ali Bayegan to new generations as a long-term responsibility, saying that they aim to contribute to young people growing into individuals who can think strategically, evaluate different possibilities and take responsibility for their decisions.

European Club Championship and World Chess Olympiad ahead
BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club is preparing for international competitions following its Turkey Chess Super League championship.

The club will represent Turkey at the European Club Championship in October. Athletes Ediz Gürel and Işık Can from the club will compete in national team colors at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad.

BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club champion roster
Ediz Gürel
Işık Can
Mustafa Yılmaz
Dragan Solak
Hasan Hüseyin Çelik
Shahriyar Mamedyarov
Richard Rapport
Volodar Murzin
Lei Tingjie
Nino Batsiashvili