Registration for amateurs who want to participate in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025 will start on Friday, November 1. The 87th edition of the tournament will take place from 17 January to 2 February 2025 in Wijk aan Zee, again this year including all popular amateur tournaments.
Tournament director Jeroen van den Berg: “Many chess fans from home and abroad are looking forward to the upcoming edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament. Some like to come as spectators to see and meet their chess heroes live at work, others like to participate in the well-attended amateur tournaments. It remains very special to be able to play your own tournament so close to the absolute world top players as an amateur chess player. That is really incomparable with other large-scale chess tournaments. We are counting on many fans and amateur chess players again this year at the ‘Wimbledon of chess’ in Wijk aan Zee.”
More participants in amateur tournaments
Van den Berg has good news for the participants in the amateur tournaments: “Of course, chess will be played in Dorpshuis De Moriaan, where the main tournament of the Masters and Challengers will take place. And just like in previous years, Beachclub Sunsea is also a beautiful chess location. But fortunately, Strandhotel Het Hoge Duin is also available again after a renovation. This gives us the opportunity to admit more amateur chess players than in previous years to the weekend three-round events. That is very nice, because in the last editions we had to work with a reserve list. Hopefully we can now place everyone.”
Which world-class players will be participating this year?
The field of participants for the world-class players (the Masters and the Challengers) will be announced in mid-November. Van den Berg: “We are almost finished with the field of participants. It will be a strong field of participants, with a nice mix of established names and young emerging talents. I can already reveal three names: our tournament ambassador and winner of 2023 Anish Giri will be there again. Winner of the last edition Wei Yi from China will of course defend his title and the winner of the Challengers of the last edition, Leon Luke Mendonca from India, will cash in his ‘promotion’ and will participate in the Masters. We will announce the other names in mid-November.”
Start registration for amateur tournaments
Registration for the weekend three-round events, the weekday three-round events and the nine-round events start is possible from Friday 1 November at 10:00 via our amateur tournaments website website. Registrations are processed in order of receipt.
Amateur tournaments website
