Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025: D Gukesh to return to board with intriguing Round 1 clash against Anish Giri | Chess News – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: After an exhilarating 2024, a new dawn awaits Indian chess. As it prepares for its first major event of 2025, the world’s top Grandmasters have gathered in the Netherlands for the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Tournament. Hosted in the picturesque town of Wijk aan Zee, the event will run from January 17 to February 2.
Marking its 87th edition, the tournament promises an intriguing Masters category with a stellar lineup.

This year’s roster includes World no. 2 Fabiano Caruana, the newly crowned World Chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju, as well as four top-10 players and seven from the top-20.

Featuring five Indians for the first time in the tournament’s history, the Masters section includes India’s No. 1, Arjun Erigaisi, alongside R Praggnanandhaa and the talented Leon Luke Mendonca.

The Masters: Line-up

“For the first time in the tournament’s history, we have five Indian players competing in the Masters section: D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Pentala Harikrishna, and Leon Luke Mendonca. This is not just a testament to their individual brilliance but also a reflection of how far Indian chess has come as a collective force,” Sreekar Channapragada, an avid chess follower and co-founder of MGD1, a chess firm managing star Indian players such as Erigaisi, Mendonca, told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interaction.
The Challengers roster, meanwhile, features an impressive lineup, including youth world champions Kazybek Nogerbek and Divya Deshmukh, alongside 11-year-old prodigy Faustino Oro from Argentina.

The Challengers: Line-up

D Gukesh vs Anish Giri: A mouth-watering opener

With only amateurs taking the stage on Friday, January 17, the Masters and Challengers will begin their games on Saturday.
Also See: 2025 Champions Trophy
The draw for the Round 1 match pairings took place on Friday, setting up an exciting start. Gukesh will kick off his campaign with a highly anticipated clash against World no. 22 Anish Giri.
Meanwhile, India’s No. 1 Arjun will face Giri in the second round of the tournament.
“Arjun has shown he’s not afraid of big moments, and that’s crucial in a tournament like Tata Steel. With the support of a strong Indian contingent, this could very well be the tournament where he makes a definitive statement about his place in the elite,” Sreekar added.

Gukesh back to the board

D Gukesh, who was awarded Rs 1 crore by the All India Chess Federation (AICF) during a grand felicitation ceremony and was recognised with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna on Thursday and Friday, respectively, will make his return to the board after the historic victory in Singapore last month.

There, he defeated China’s Ding Liren and became the youngest-ever World Chess champion.
“Gukesh’s journey over the past few years has been nothing short of extraordinary. He’s shown that age is no barrier to taking on the giants of chess. While the break might raise questions, I believe it has only sharpened his hunger to succeed,” he added. “The Masters is a fiercely competitive field, but Gukesh thrives in such environments.”
Also See: ICC Champions Trophy Schedule 2025

Tata Steel Chess Tournament: Favourites and dark horses

When it comes to the tournament favourites, Sreekar believes Caruana and home favourite Giri could be the frontrunners in the classical format. The list of dark horses is dominated by the Indians.
“In the Masters, players like Fabiano Caruana remain favourites due to their track records. Anish Giri, with his consistency and home-ground advantage, is another strong name,” he explained. “When it comes to dark horses, Indian players truly steal the spotlight. Gukesh has already demonstrated his ability to take on the world’s elite, while Arjun’s innovative and unpredictable brilliance can unsettle even the most prepared opponents. Praggnanandhaa consistently stands out as a wildcard in high-stakes tournaments. Joining them is Leon, whose rapid ascent and dynamic style make him a formidable contender capable of delivering surprising results on any given day.”

“In the Challengers, Divya & Vaishali are the names to watch. They had a phenomenal run recently and had the determination to shine against strong opposition,” Sreekar concluded.

Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025: Full Schedule

Round 1 – Saturday, 18 January 2025

Round 2 – Sunday, 19 January 2025

Round 3 – Monday, 20 January 2025

Round 4 – Tuesday, 21 January 2025

Round 5 – Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Round 6 – Friday, 24 January 2025

Round 7 – Saturday, 25 January 2025

Round 8 – Sunday, 26 January 2025

Round 9 – Tuesday, 28 January 2025

Round 10 – Wednesday, 29 January 2025

Round 11 – Friday, 31 January 2025

Round 12 – Saturday, 1 February 2025

Round 13 – Sunday, 2 February 2025