Michael Adams, the 54-year-old Taunton grandmaster, has experienced his first British Championship defeat since 1988. The loss occurred in round four of the 2026 championship when he resigned a rook endgame after 60 moves to 18-year-old Ukrainian talent Svyatoslav Bazakutsa, who resides in Liverpool.
This defeat brings an end to Adams' remarkable 87-game unbeaten streak in classical British Championship games. During this period, he secured nine British titles, just one short of Jonathan Penrose’s record. Adams had begun the current championship with three wins.
Elsewhere in the 108-player tournament, 11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan achieved her fourth career victory against a grandmaster. Her win against GM Ameet Ghasi in Tuesday's fourth round was noted for its 99% accuracy, according to one computer evaluation.
With three rounds remaining, Bazakutsa, Harry Grieve, Adams, Luke McShane, and Shreyas Royal are among the leaders with 5/6 points. The 2026 British Championship, featuring a £34,000 prize fund, concludes on Sunday at the University of Warwick in Coventry.