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[Note that Jon Speelman also looks at the content of the article in video format, here embedded at the end of the article.]
A very happy New Year to everybody at the start of a "square year" (45*45) - the only one almost all of us will ever see unless you're old enough to have been born in or before 1936 or young enough to live to 2116.
At this time of year, you're supposed to look both forwards and backwards, and I'm mainly doing the latter. But I will make just one prediction, which is that by the end of 2025 there will be at least one player whom we've hardly heard of now who will be spoken of in hushed terms as a possible future great. I'm only speaking in generalities and have nobody specific in mind, but if readers would like to suggest anybody in the comments, you're most welcome.
We begin 2025 with "two and a half" new world champions: Dommaraju Gukesh, Volodar Murzin and Ian Nepomniachtchi, together with defending blitz champion Magnus Carlsen.
Carlsen's denim powered imbroglio with FIDE and the subsequent resolution engendered strong emotions and a certain amount of wry amusement. I'm reliably informed that at least one grandmaster has written limericks on the subject - though I haven't actually asked to see them - while in my newspaper column I restricted myself to a pun involving shooting oneself in the foot and leg-alistic leg-islators. If readers would like to try their hand at either in the comments, then you're most welcome - please remain reasonably polite. (Incidentally, If the title of this column means nothing to you, then please read this article and go from there.)
The end of the Blitz final when Carlsen and Nepo agreed to share the title also led to a storm of controversy. I can certainly see why they didn't want the title decided by a blunder after a potentially endless stream of sudden-death games, but also why the organisers may not have been best pleased.
Initiating negotiations to split the title | Photo: FIDE / Lennart Ootes
The biggest chess moment of 2024 was undoubtedly when Gukesh became champion, marking a shift not only of the generations but also geographically as India became ever more (in chess terms) "the new Russia".
It's worth noting that the position where Ding blundered in the final game wasn't that drawn. Black would be winning if only he could get his king across the fourth rank to e3 while defending the f5-pawn with the bishop on d3. The problem is that the king can't safely cross the rank.
This is where Ding blundered with 55 Rf2??. It still defensible here, but if you put Black's king on e3 and the bishop on d3 with White to move then engines confirm that this is about -4, and so winning for Black.
I have to admit that during the match I was supporting Gukesh. Not because I have anything remotely against Ding - he's a great player, by all accounts a very pleasant man and, moreover, it's nice to see the older generation defending themselves: but because he clearly found being champion such a burden. Understandably, Gukesh hasn't yet played since becoming champion, but he's listed in Wijk aan Zee in a fortnight and let's hope that he finds being champion much more congenial.
New world champion Gukesh Dommaraju during the final stages of the deciding game 14 in Singapore | Photo: FIDE / Eng Chin An
The "best move" of 2024 was made when it was already 2025 in large parts of the globe: Ian Nepomniachtchi's beautiful combination to level the scores in the blitz final in New York.
After 29.Bf4? [29.Bf1] 29...Qxf4 30.Rxb7 Rxg2+ 31.Kxg2 Nepo hit Magnus with the superb Ne3+!! forcing immediate resignation.
I was at a New Year's Eve meal, surreptitiously glancing at the game and totally missed ...Ne3+. What a wonderful move!
Tactical wizard Ian Nepomniachtchi | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza
Rapidplay and especially blitz games are seldom tremendously accurate, but when played by top players they can flow beautifully, and I've added a couple more in the game file.
Returning to the biggest moments of 2024, many if not most of them involved Indians. Of course, the final game of the Candidates between Caruana and Nepo which propelled Gukesh to become Ding's challenger only involved him indirectly if utterly crucially. The Indians played marvellously in the Budapest Olympiad, especially Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi, and if one were to speculate now about Gukesh's challenger in 2026, then Erigaisi would be high up the list.
To finish off, a couple more games and moves from last year that I really enjoyed. I'll see you again on February 2nd.
Select an entry from the list to switch between games
