History

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament is one of the most prestigious events in the international chess calendar. The “Wimbledon of Chess” attracts the worlds very best chess grandmasters and the emerging top talents, along with thousands of amateur players, live event visitors and online visitors from around the world. In 2025, the Tata Steel Chess Tournament celebrates already its 87th year.

During its 87 years of tradition and history, the Tata Steel Chess Tournament has attracted some of the biggest names in chess history. Visitors to the tournament have witnessed the rise and domination of players like Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, India’s Viswanathan Anand, and Russia’s Gary Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov.

The Masters group pits fourteen of the world’s best against each other in a round-robin tournament. Since 1938, there has been a long list of famous winners. Magnus Carlsen holds the record for most wins at the tournament, with eight titles to his name. Wei Yi was the winner of the 86th edition in 2024.

Visit the history archive for more information about the prestigious history of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament.

History archive