GM Bojan Maksimović has won the 2026 Serbian Championship, emerging victorious at the 20th Serbian Individual Chess Championship to claim his maiden national title. The 10-player round-robin was held in Senta from 13-21 June, and Maksimović wrapped up the championship with a round to spare on a final score of 6.5/9.
The win was built on an explosive opening stretch. Maksimović started the tournament with three consecutive victories to take early control of the standings, and he never gave up the lead from that point onward. By securing the title before the final round, he turned his fast start into a decisive advantage across the nine-round event.
How Maksimović secured the title in Senta
The 2026 edition of the Serbian Individual Chess Championship was staged as a compact, elite 10-player round-robin, meaning every game carried weight in the race for medals. Maksimović’s three straight wins at the beginning of the tournament set the tone, allowing him to play the remainder of the event from the front.
He ultimately finished on 6.5 points from nine games, enough to clinch the championship with one round still to play. In his post-tournament comments, Maksimović pointed to both his pre-event expectations and the demands of the schedule as key parts of the story.
“Before the start of the championship, I was hoping for one of the top three places, although I wasn’t sure about my form. However, it turned out that I was in good shape. Although the tournament was long and demanding, with many difficult games, I capitalized on my opponents’ mistakes, and in the end everything worked out as it should,” Maksimović said after his victory.
The championship also marked a historic first for the open section. For the first time in the history of the event’s open competition, the 2026 Serbian Championship featured a female participant: national team player Sofia Pogorelskikh. Her inclusion was highlighted as a milestone for the tournament as it reached its 20th edition.
Behind the champion, the fight for the remaining podium places was decided by narrow margins. An IM finished half a point behind Maksimović to take the silver medal, while a GM claimed bronze with 5.5/9. With the top of the table tightly contested, Maksimović’s ability to establish and maintain his lead from the earliest rounds proved critical in separating him from the field.
Podium finishers and what comes next
Alongside the national title, the championship carried an additional reward for the leading finishers. The top three players earned the right to participate in the next Individual Championship of Serbia, ensuring that the medalists will have a direct pathway into the next edition of the national event.
Trophies and medals were presented to the winners by a Vice President of the Chess Federation of Serbia, closing out the tournament’s official proceedings after nine rounds of round-robin play in Senta.
For Maksimović, the 2026 Serbian Championship stands as a breakthrough moment: a first national crown achieved through an early surge, sustained consistency, and a title sealed before the final round.