IM Renato Terry Dominates 3 0 Thursday Tournaments: A Recap of March 5th Victories
Highlights from the Week’s Events and Top Performers
IM Renato Terry Dominates 3 0 Thursday with Record-Eighth Title
March 5, 2026 – Chess.com – International Master Renato Terry has solidified his status as a force to be reckoned with in the chess world, extending his 3 0 Thursday win record to an impressive eight titles. Terry achieved this remarkable feat during the second tournament of the day, finishing with a commanding score of 9.5 out of 11.
Terry’s victory comes amidst a flurry of competitive play, with fellow IM Reza Mahdavi also making headlines by clinching his third consecutive title. Meanwhile, the renowned Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, the highest-rated blitzer on Chess.com, narrowly edged out IM Sina Movahed on tiebreaks to take the first tournament.
1st Tournament: Nakamura and Movahed Go the Distance
The first tournament saw Movahed take an early lead, dominating the board with a stellar 7.5 out of 8. His impressive run included victories over notable players such as GMs Mamikon Gharibyan and Emin Ohanyan, culminating in a pivotal round-seven clash against Nakamura.
In a thrilling encounter, Movahed capitalized on a time-pressure blunder from Nakamura, executing a brilliant 32.Nxf7 move that propelled him to the top of the leaderboard. However, a subsequent loss to Mahdavi in round nine shifted the dynamics, allowing both Mahdavi and Nakamura to vie for the lead.
The final round featured a tense showdown between Nakamura and Indonesian IM Yoseph Taher, which ended in a draw, allowing Nakamura to share first place with Movahed. Thanks to superior tiebreaks, Nakamura emerged victorious, avenging his earlier loss to Movahed.
2nd Tournament: Terry Terrorizes GM Title-Holders
Terry’s performance in the second tournament was nothing short of spectacular. After overcoming IM Levy Rozman and Spanish GM Jose Ibarra in the early rounds, he faced a formidable challenge from GM Arjun Erigaisi, managing to salvage a half-point in a tense fifth-round encounter.
From that point on, the tournament became a showcase of Terry’s prowess as he and Erigaisi dominated their opponents, each only conceding two draws. In the final round, Terry secured his record eighth victory by triumphing over GM Alexey Sarana in a masterful bishop versus knight endgame.
3rd Tournament: Mahdavi The Comeback King
The third tournament witnessed an incredible comeback from Mahdavi, who initially stumbled with two losses in his first four games. However, he rallied spectacularly, winning 6.5 out of his next 7 games to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against Arjun.
Arjun, who had started the tournament with a perfect 7/7, faltered in the final rounds, allowing Mahdavi to capitalize on his missteps. With this victory, Mahdavi joined the elite ranks of players who have won 3 0 Thursday tournaments three weeks in a row.
Women’s Highlights
The top female performers of the week included WGM Savitha Shri B, who scored 7.5/11, WFM Veronica Shubenkova with 5.5/11, and FM Rose Atwell, who finished with 6/11.
Looking Ahead
3 0 Thursday continues to be a premier event for titled players, featuring three tournaments every week at 11 a.m., 4 p.m., and 9 p.m. ET. With Terry’s record-breaking win and Mahdavi’s impressive streak, the competition is heating up, promising thrilling chess action in the weeks to come.