Competing in the Turkish Chess Super League, which brings together leading chess players from Turkiye and around the world, BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Club once again finished top of the league with its strong roster and consistent performance. Claiming the title for the third consecutive year, the club reaffirmed its prominent position in Turkish chess.
Organised by the Turkish Chess Federation in Ankara from 2 to 15 August 2026, the Turkish Chess Super League brought together strong clubs and internationally renowned players in a closely contested title race. BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Club won all 15 of its matches in the 16-team league, earning a total of 30 points to finish the season at the top of the standings once again.
Building on another outstanding season, the club lifted the Turkish Chess Super League trophy for the third consecutive year, marking a significant achievement.
Strong Roster, Consistent Performance
BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Club’s championship roster brought together experienced players and young talent.
Işık Can, who went unbeaten to win the 2026 Liaocheng Dongchangfu Cup Rising Stars Tournament in China, and Ediz Gürel, who qualified for the World Cup through his performance at the 2026 European Individual Chess Championship and attracted attention with his victory over World Champion Gukesh, were among the team’s standout players.
Grandmaster (GM) Mustafa Yılmaz, a three-time Turkish Chess Champion, and International Master (IM) Hasan Hüseyin Çelik, who finished second with the same score as the winner at the 2026 International Paleochora Open Chess Tournament, were also key members of the championship roster.
“We view supporting the development of chess and the future of young players as a long-term responsibility”
BAYEGAN Chairman Ercüment Bayegan commented on the championship:
“Going unbeaten throughout the Turkish Chess Super League and winning the title for the third consecutive year means a great deal to all of us. I wholeheartedly congratulate our players, coaching staff, the players’ families and everyone who contributed to our club for the tremendous effort behind this achievement.
Today, we are passing on to new generations the love of chess that we inherited from my father, M. Ali Bayegan, a Turkish and Istanbul chess champion. We view supporting the development of chess in our country and the future of young players as a long-term responsibility.
We want to help young people grow into individuals who can think strategically, assess different possibilities and take responsibility for their decisions, while creating opportunities for Turkiye’s talented players to develop.
Two important international events now lie ahead. As BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Club, we will represent our country at the European Chess Club Cup in October. Ediz Gürel and Işık Can, who play for our club, will also compete for the national team at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad. I wish every player who will represent our country at both events the very best of success.”
“Three consecutive titles are no coincidence”
BAYEGAN Foundation Vice Chair Erhan Arslanalp said following the championship:
“Winning one tournament takes a strong performance; sustaining that success for three consecutive years requires discipline, sound planning and team spirit. From a technical perspective, the decisive factors this season were our balanced roster, which brought young players together with experienced grandmasters, and the consistency we maintained throughout the league. The performance of our players and the hard work of our coaching staff laid the foundation for this championship.
Through the BAYEGAN Foundation, we support the continuity of our club’s sporting and educational activities. We attach importance to running chess programmes regularly for different age groups and enabling players to continue their development. We will continue supporting this structure in the period ahead,” he added.
2026 Turkish Chess Super League Champions: BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club
Our athletes of BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Sports Club, champions of the 2026 Turkish Chess Super League, reflected on their journey to the title and shared their thoughts on this remarkable achievement.
BAYEGAN’s Long-Term Commitment to Chess
Viewing strategic thinking, cognitive development and support for young people as an important part of its social investment work, BAYEGAN continues to support chess through BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Club and the BAYEGAN Foundation.
The club offers training programmes at different levels for children, young people and adults, while supporting young players in gaining experience at national and international tournaments and developing alongside top-level players.
BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Club’s Championship-Winning Roster
- Ediz GÜREL
- Işık CAN
- Mustafa YILMAZ
- Dragan SOLAK
- Hasan Hüseyin ÇELİK
- Shakhriyar MAMEDYAROV
- Richard RAPPORT
- Volodar MURZIN
- Tingjie LEI
- Nino BATSIASHVILI
About BAYEGAN
With more than 85 years of experience, BAYEGAN is a leading company operating globally in the supply, sales, distribution and marketing of petrochemical products. Reaching 120 countries across five continents, BAYEGAN is one of the sector’s leading players with more than 3,000 business partners and a strong global network.
Providing effective distribution worldwide while addressing local needs, BAYEGAN offers a broad product portfolio across chemicals, polymers and engineering plastics in the petrochemical industry.
As one of Turkiye’s leading suppliers of polymers and chemical raw materials, BAYEGAN connects the world’s major petrochemical manufacturers with business partners of all sizes globally.
Through strategic partnerships, a global distribution network, a fast and flexible supply chain and logistics infrastructure, a strong financial network and end-to-end integrated service capabilities, BAYEGAN holds a leading position in the markets in which it operates.
BAYEGAN has also extended its expertise in trade and distribution into manufacturing through its BYCHEM facility, continuing to create added value for the industry.
Through investments made under BYCHEM, the company is strengthening its regional leadership in DOTP plasticizers while developing high-value-added products through Turkiye’s first domestic Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) production and polyester polyol investments.
For more information, visit bayegan.net.
About BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Club
Operating in Pendik, Istanbul since 2017, BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Club is an education and development platform that aims to make chess accessible to people of all ages.
While pursuing a vision of developing qualified players for Turkish chess at national and international levels, the club adopts a multidimensional approach centred on strategic thinking, patience and mental discipline.
Through a training model structured for different age groups and needs, the club provides basic and advanced chess training for children and young people, as well as programmes that support lifelong learning for adults.
Through collaborations with schools, the club also aims to promote chess from an early age and strengthen the development pipeline.
BAYEGAN Pendik Chess Club continues its activities with the aim of helping individuals develop not only as chess players, but also as confident people capable of strategic and multidimensional thinking in life.