 "Chess Calendar 2025: What's in store for the sport in 2025? Here's the full list of events")
The world of chess ushered in the new year on a rather unique but controversial note – with world No 1 Magnus Carlsen sharing the Blitz world title with Russian Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi at the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York City earlier this week. The tournament had never witnessed anything like this in the past, at least in FIDE-recognised events. Carlsen, meanwhile, was accused of match-fixing after a clip that has gone viral on social media showed the five-time world champion having a backstage chat with Nepomniachtchi during the final, in which Carlsen’s request for a split title was accepted after a series of stalemates.
The year that got off to an unusual start thanks to Carlsen’s drama in the ‘Big Apple’ will also the debut of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour – a private tournament launched by the Norwegian GM as well and German entrepreneur Jan Henric Buettner that gets underway in February and will be hosting events in five locations across the world, including New Delhi in September. The tournament, though, has been mired in controversy in recent weeks especially after Carlsen was accused of “blackmailing” FIDE into recognising the tournament and also allowing it to have its own World Championship.
The year will also be the first in a decade in which an Indian will be defending his world title, with Dommaraju Gukesh having defeated China's Ding Liren 7.5-6.5 just last month in Singapore. Gukesh had a terrific run in 2024 - becoming the youngest champion in the history of the Candidates Tournament as well as the World Championship and starring in India’s golden sweep at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest. Can he recreate that magic in 2025 as well, and perhaps achieve the 2800 ELO rating in the process?
Also Read | D Gukesh and other sportspersons to watch out for in 2025
Lest we forget, we have an entire generation of Indian chess stars, with Arjun Erigaisi currently ranked one spot ahead of him on FIDE ratings at fourth, and Gukesh can expect a fair bit of competition from him as well as from the likes of R Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi, among others.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHere’s a look at what international chess has in store for us in 2025:
January
Kuwait International Chess Festival Masters Open — January 5-14
Kuwait International Chess Festival Rapid Open — January 9-11
50th International Chess Open City of Seville — January 10-19
Seville International Women’s Tournament — January 11-13
Endorfy Chess Challenge Poland — January 16-27
Tata Steel Chess — January 17-February 3
Caissa Bordeux Rapid — January 26-27
New Zagreb Classic 2025 — January 31-February 2
February
First Saturday Norm Tournaments 2025 February — February 1-9
Erno Dede Memorial — February 6-9
Vietnam Rating Tournament — February 7-16
Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour Weissenhaus — February 7-14
International Chess Open Graz 2025 — February 15-21
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix Series 3rd leg — February 17-28
March
5th Wood Green Invitational — March 5-10
Africa Women’s Chess Championship — March 8
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix Series 4th Leg — March 14-25
SixDays March — March 24-29
April
Asian Youth Chess Championship — April 1-11
Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour Paris — April 8-15
FIDE World Cadet & Youth Rapid and Blitz Championships — April 12-18
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix Series 5th leg (India) — April 13-24
Chess Cruise — April 13-26
Rapid and Blitz Poland — April 24-May 1
May
Chess Classic Romania — May 5-17
FIDE Women’s Grand Prix 6th leg — May 6-17
Asian Individual Men’s and Women’s Chess Championships — May 6-15
9th International Bodonee Open — May 24-June 1
International Bodonsee Senioren Open — May 25-31
Norway Chess — May 26-June 6
June
Teplice Open — June 14-22
FIDE World Cup U8, U10, U12 — June 22-July 3
Rapid and Blitz Croatia — June 30-July 7
July
FIDE Women’s World Cup — July 5-29
Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour New York — July 17-24
58th Biel Chess Festival — July 12-25
IPCA World Individual Chess Championship (Jamshedpur, India)
August
Asian Amateur Chess Championship — August 1-9
Africa Amateur Chess Championships — August 17-23
Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz: August 9-16
Sinquefield Cup: August 16-29, 2025
September
Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour Delhi — September 17-24
FIDE World Youth U14, U16 and U18 Championships — September 30-October 13
October
FIDE World Senior Championships — October 20-November 2
Open Hvar — October 20-26
November
FIDE World Amateur Chess Championships — November 4-14
December
Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour Cape Town — December 5-12
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