11/20/2024 – The 87th Tata Steel Chess Tournament returns to Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, from 17 January to 2 February 2025, promising an electrifying start to the chess calendar. With five players from the world's top ten, including past champions Fabiano Caruana, Anish Giri and Wei Yi, the field is stacked with talent. India's Dommaraju Gukesh, the youngest challenger for the World Championship in history, will also feature after his title clash in Singapore. Rising stars like junior world champions Kazybek Nogerbek and Divya Deshmukh, alongside prodigies Faustino Oro and Lu Miaoyi, will be playing in the Challengers. | Photo: Lennart Ootes
new: ChessBase Magazine 225
Chess Festival Prague 2025 with analyses by Aravindh, Giri, Gurel, Navara and others. ‘Special’: 27 highly entertaining miniatures. Opening videos by Werle, King and Ris. 10 opening articles with new repertoire ideas and much more. ChessBase Magazine offers first-class training material for club players and professionals! World-class players analyse their brilliant games and explain the ideas behind the moves. Opening specialists present the latest trends in opening theory and exciting ideas for your repertoire. Master trainers in tactics, strategy and endgames show you the tricks and techniques you need to be a successful tournament player! Available as a direct download (incl. booklet as pdf file) or booklet with download key by post. Included in delivery: ChessBase Magazine #225 as “ChessBase Book” for iPad, tablet, Mac etc.!
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before. FRITZ is more than just a chess engine – it’s a training revolution! Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
Instead of forcing you to memorise endless lines, Raja focuses on clear plans, typical ideas, and attacking motifs that you can apply in your own games without delay. A short, focused, and practical repertoire.
€39.90
Once again a top lineup
Press release by the organisers
Chess enthusiasts will be able to enjoy themselves again from 17 January to 2 February 2025 in Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands. The field of participants of the 87th Tata Steel Chess Tournament, with no less than five players from the world's top ten, is again extremely well filled this year. The event might also feature the newly crowned world champion. India's Dommaraju Gukesh will compete for the world title in Singapore from 23 November to 13 December and could become the youngest world champion in history.
Gukesh is a familiar face at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee: last year, he lost in the exciting final in the tiebreak to China's Wei Yi. Wei Yi will of course defend his title. Previous winners Fabiano Caruana from the United States and Dutchmen Anish Giri and Jorden van Foreest are also competing again for the title in the Masters tournament.
Tournament director Jeroen van den Berg is pleased with the field of participants:
I always strive for a balance between the well-known top players and promising talents. The Masters will feature Grandmasters who can still be regarded as talents in terms of age, but in terms of performance they have been outstanding for so long that they have actually already outgrown that status. I am referring especially to Praggnanandhaa, Abdusattorov and indeed Gukesh. I am proud of them when I see how, partly due to their previous participations in our tournament, they are now structurally among the world’s top players. In addition, my aim is to select as many players as possible with a strong mentality and willing to fight for the win. I think we can expect an interesting tournament on that front too.
Participants - Masters
Name
Country
World rank
Rating
Year of birth
Fabiano Caruana
USA
2
2805
1992
Arjun Erigaisi
India
4
2799
2003
Dommaraju Gukesh
India
5
2783
2006
Nodirbek Abdusattorov
Uzbekistan
6
2777
2004
Wei Yi
China
9
2753
1999
Vidit Gujrathi
India
15
2739
1994
R Praggnanandhaa
India
18
2737
2005
Vincent Keymer
Germany
21
2733
2004
Anish Giri
Netherlands
22
2733
1994
Vladimir Fedoseev
Slovenia
27
2712
1995
Jorden van Foreest
Netherlands
41
2687
1999
Alexey Sarana
Serbia
49
2679
2000
Max Warmerdam
Netherlands
78
2653
2000
Leon Luke Mendonca
India
114
2631
2006
Springboard to the world top
The currently more unknown talents play in the Challengers tournament. Among them are the two reigning junior world champions Kazybek Nogerbek (Kazakhstan) and Divya Deshmukh (India). Other notable invitees include the 11-year-old prodigy Faustino Oro (Argentina), 14-year-old Lu Miaoyi (China) and 16-year-old Ediz Gürel (Turkey).
Van den Berg:
I am very much looking forward to their arrival and I am curious to see if they can make the same great progress as the previously mentioned names at the Masters. Our tournament really turns out to be an exceptional springboard to the world top. We as an organisation are very proud of that.
YOUR PERSONAL CHESS COACH - Whether you’re taking your first steps into the world of club chess, or already playing at a tournament level: with FRITZ, you can train more efficiently, intelligently and with a more personalised approach than ever before.
Keep it simple. Stay objective. Watch the clock. Sometimes take the risk. GM Loek van Wely explains the ten principles that decide real games. They aren’t about theory. They’re about what you do at the board when it counts.
2026 Chess Olympiad with analyses by Abdusattorov, Donchenko, Duda, So and many more – ‘Rooks love open files’: Tactics training with Oliver Reeh – ‘Don’t underestimate it’: Caruana’s blitz weapon 1.e4 e5 2.d3 – Total Video playing time: over 6 hours!
Most players don’t lack the urge to attack, they just strike at the wrong moment, and GM Sipke Ernst shows you which signals tell you to go for the king and which tell you to choose another plan.
How grandmasters win without fireworks: GM Jan Markos shows you 11 very practical tips from "How to play in a lost position" to "Be patient like Carlsen" that will improve your tournament chess.
The Nimzo-Indian has stood the test of time for over a century: Still a top choice for elite players today, from Magnus Carlsen to Praggnanandhaa, it remains one of Black's most reliable ways to fight for real chances against 1.d4 2.c4 3.Nc3.
1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4!? is an opening idea well worth considering. Black immediately threatens to double the pawns on c3 in the style of the Trompowski or Sicilian Grand Prix attack.
In this 60-minute video course you’ll learn how to use the Austrian Defence as a practical weapon for Black!
€9.90
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.
Pop-up for detailed settings
We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies, analysis cookies and marketing cookies. You can decide which cookies to use by selecting the appropriate options below. Please note that your selection may affect the functionality of the service. Further information can be found in our privacy policy.
Technically required cookies
Technically required cookies: so that you can navigate and use the basic functions and store preferences.
Analysis Cookies
To help us determine how visitors interact with our website to improve the user experience.
Marketing-Cookies
To help us offer and evaluate relevant content and interesting and appropriate advertisement.
