Registration for Amateur Tournaments at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2026 Opens on Saturday, 1 November

Registration for amateurs wishing to participate in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2026 will open on Saturday, 1 November. The 88th edition of the tournament will take place from 16 January to 1 February 2026 in Wijk aan Zee. As in previous years, all popular amateur tournaments will once again be part of the program.

Tournament Director Jeroen van den Berg: “Every year, many chess enthusiasts from the Netherlands and abroad look forward to the Tata Steel Chess Tournament. Some enjoy attending as spectators to see and meet their chess heroes in action, while others love participating in the well-attended amateur groups. Many amateur players turn it into an annual holiday and have formed friendships in Wijk aan Zee. That’s what makes our tournament so special — it’s not only a top event in the chess world but also an annual reunion for friends.”

Which World-Class Players Will Compete for the Title?

The lineup of top players competing for the Masters title will be announced soon. Van den Berg: “We’re almost finished finalizing the field for the Masters tournament. It’s going to be a strong lineup — and younger than ever! I can already reveal that tournament ambassador Anish Giri, defending champion Praggnanandhaa, and newcomer Thai Dai Van Nguyen will be participating. Nguyen won the Tata Steel Challengers tournament in 2025, earning his seat in the Masters. The Challengers group also promises an exciting lineup. I’m nearly done selecting the 14 players for that group as well.”

Strong Participation Expected Again in the Amateur Tournaments

Van den Berg has good news for amateur participants: “Of course, chess will once again be played in Dorpshuis De Moriaan, where the Masters and Challengers tournaments are held. Beach hotel Het Hoge Duin will also be available again. In addition to the weekend four-player groups, we will also host rounds of the ten-player groups there. This allows us to accommodate more amateur players than in the past. Hopefully, we can offer everyone a spot.”

Registration for Amateur Tournaments

Registration for the weekend tournaments (three rounds), weekday tournaments (three rounds), and nine-round tournaments will open on Saturday, 1 November at 10:00 AM via our amateur tournaments website. Be quick — registrations will be processed in order of receipt.

Amateur Tournaments Website

1 November 2025, register on www.amateurs.tatasteelchess.com starting 10:00 CET