The chess world's attention turns to the Dutch coastal town of Wijk aan Zee this weekend as the prestigious Tata Steel Masters tournament, often dubbed the 'Wimbledon of Chess', gets underway. This year's edition boasts a particularly intriguing line-up, headlined by the reigning world champion, India's Gukesh Dommaraju.
A Field Packed with Title Contenders
The 14-player field is exceptionally strong, setting the stage for a fascinating preview of future world championship battles. Gukesh will face direct competition from four of the eight grandmasters who qualified for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. This elite group will meet in March to decide who earns the right to challenge him for the world crown.
Adding to the pressure on the young champion are his recent performances, which have opened the door for his compatriots, world number five Arjun Erigaisi and world number eight Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, to aim for a superior finish. The tournament also features Germany's in-form world number four Vincent Keymer and the Netherlands' own world number six Anish Giri, who has a strong record at this event.
Further spice is added by the presence of controversial American star Hans Niemann and a remarkable teenage talent. Turkey's 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, already famous for his 'Turkish Immortal' game, holds the record as the youngest player ever to reach a 2600 rating. Meanwhile, in the parallel Challengers event, 12-year-old Argentine prodigy Faustino Oro has a chance to secure his final grandmaster norm and potentially become the youngest GM in history.
UK's Blitz Prodigy Shines Again in Monaco
While the elite gather in Holland, a British chess sensation was making headlines in Monte Carlo. Bodhana Sivanandan, the 10-year-old from Harrow and reigning UK Women's Blitz Champion, delivered another stellar performance at the European Women's Blitz Championship.
Mimicking her stunning result from two years prior, Sivanandan scored 8.5 points from 13 games against highly-rated opponents. After a slow start of 3/6, she reeled off four consecutive victories and finished with three draws, showcasing remarkable resilience. In one dramatic game, she recovered from a poor opening to overwhelm her opponent with a powerful attack.
She followed this by going unbeaten in the Rapid event, scoring 7/11 and gaining a massive 133 Fide rating points to finish 20th in a 143-player field. Her final-round draw against the reigning European women's classical champion, Teodora Injac, from a pawn-down endgame, underlined her exceptional composure and skill.
Domestic and International Round-Up
In UK domestic chess, Wood Green strengthened their position at the top of the Four Nations Chess League (4NCL). Led by England's youngest grandmaster, 17-year-old Shreyas Royal, they secured convincing wins over Warwickshire and CSC/Kingston to maintain a perfect record.
Further afield, a rare grandmaster norm tournament is underway in Auckland, New Zealand, at the Bob Wade Memorial. Nine-time British champion Michael Adams is representing England alongside Dan Fernandez, competing against GMs from Hungary, Poland, and Malaysia.
Round one of the Tata Steel Masters begins on Saturday at 1pm GMT, with rest days on 22, 26, and 29 January. Games will be broadcast live and free on chess.com, lichess, and the tournament's official site, offering fans a captivating look at the present and future of world chess.
