Gukesh and Vaishali among five Indians in Total Chess Tour pilot event

Magnus Carlsen will headline the pilot event of the Total Chess World Championship Tour, where five Indian players, including Gukesh Dommaraju and Vaishali R, have earned spots in a competitive 24-player field. The tournament is set to take place at the Anantara New York Palace Hotel in Budapest from November 10 to 21 this year.

A New Era for Chess

The Total Chess World Championship Tour aims to crown the most versatile chess player by combining blitz, rapid, and fast classic formats into a single championship. Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland is among the backers of this ambitious initiative. The Budapest event will serve as a pilot for a full-fledged global series starting in March 2027.

Kjell Madland, CEO of Total Chess, explained the vision behind the tour: “The world’s best chess player should be able to excel across every format of the game.” He added that the event aims to make elite chess more engaging and accessible for fans worldwide.

Indian Contingent Shines

Five Indian players have secured their places in the pilot event through various qualification pathways. Gukesh Dommaraju earned his spot as the reigning world champion, while Vaishali R qualified by winning the Women’s Candidates tournament in 2026. Arjun Erigaisi secured his berth with a bronze medal at the 2025 World Rapid Championship. Praggnanandhaa R and Viswanathan Anand made the cut by being ranked in the Top 9 of the January 2026 classical rating list.

It is important to note, however, that these players have not yet confirmed their participation in the event.

Star-Studded Lineup

In addition to Carlsen and the Indian contingent, the event will feature top players like Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Alireza Firouzja, and Wesley So, who qualified based on their high classical ratings. Other notable names include Ju Wenjun, the reigning women’s world champion, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, the 2025 World Blitz Champion.

Budapest to Set the Stage

The choice of Budapest as the venue for the pilot event is deliberate, given the city’s rich chess heritage. Arkady Dvorkovich, President of FIDE, expressed optimism about the Tour’s potential to attract new audiences and commercial partnerships, further expanding the global reach of chess.

The pilot tournament will set the tone for the Tour’s global expansion, which is expected to include multiple events across international cities starting in 2027.

Source: Indian Express