Reinventing Herself in the World of Chess - An Interview with Fiona Steil-Antoni

by Arne Kaehler
8/28/2025 – Fiona Steil-Antoni is a well-known and popular figure in the chess world. In an interview with ChessBase, she explains how she moved from being a competitive player to becoming an interviewer, commentator, and host — a transition that happened almost by accident. She talks about her love for events like Tata Steel, her recent involvement with St. Pauli, and the growing range of chess-related projects, from GothamChess and Freestyle Chess to chess boxing. While she admits she currently lacks the motivation to play competitively, she remains passionate about interviewing, hosting, and exploring new formats in chess, emphasizing both the importance of human connection and the representation of women in the game.
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Fiona Steil-Antoni: Reinventing Herself in the World of Chess

  • 0:00 – Introduction & Fiona’s Welcome
  • 0:32 – Why Fiona Is in Hamburg
  • 1:34 – Favourite Travel Destinations
  • 2:03 – From Player to Commentator & Host
  • 3:14 – Struggles with Competitive Chess
  • 4:32 – How Commentary Began (Reykjavík & Isle of Man)
  • 6:12 – Joining Chess24 & Moving to Hamburg
  • 8:20 – Current Motivation to Play & Olympiad Goals
  • 9:19 – First Encounters with ChessBase & Fritz
  • 12:11 – Toughest Tournament Loss & Taking a Break
  • 14:14 – New Role with St. Pauli & Media Work
  • 16:04 – Fondest Hosting Memory: Tata Steel
  • 17:49 – Funniest Moments in Commentary
  • 19:51 – Misconceptions About Hosting & Interviewing
  • 22:19 – Women in Chess & Representation
  • 25:08 – Fiona’s Hobbies & Love for Foosball
  • 28:21 – If Not Chess, Then What?
  • 30:00 – Who She’d Swap Lives With (Magnus!)
  • 30:43 – Looking Ahead to 2026 & Future Projects
  • 32:35 – Closing Thoughts

Arne Kaehler, a creative mind who is passionate about board games in general, was born in Hamburg and learned to play chess at a young age. By teaching chess to youth teams and creating chess-related videos on YouTube, Arne was able to expand this passion and has even created an online course for anyone who wants to learn how to play chess. Arne writes for the English and German news sites, but focuses mainly on content for the ChessBase media channels.