Tournament History
The arenas where legends were made. From London 1851, the first international tournament, to the modern Grand Chess Tour circuit.
Recurring Tournament Series
Tata Steel Chess Tournament (Wijk aan Zee)
1938-presentThe Wimbledon of Chess. First held in 1938 as the Hoogovens tournament, it became Corus in 1999 and Tata Steel in 2011. Held annually in the small Dutch coastal town of Wijk aan Zee every January, it ...
Ciudad de Linares / Morelia-Linares
1978-2010The Wimbledon of the 1990s and 2000s. Linares was the strongest annual tournament of its era, held in a small Andalusian town that became synonymous with elite chess. Kasparov won it a record nine tim...
Sinquefield Cup (St. Louis)
2013-presentThe crown jewel of American chess. Founded by Rex Sinquefield and held at the St. Louis Chess Club, the Sinquefield Cup has become one of the strongest annual tournaments in the world. It was here tha...
Candidates Tournament / Matches
1950-presentThe tournament that determines who challenges for the World Championship. Since 1950, the Candidates has been the crucible where championship challengers are forged. Originally a series of matches, th...
Dortmund Sparkassen Chess Meeting
1928-presentGermany's premier chess tournament. One of the longest-running elite tournaments in the world, Dortmund has been a fixture of the international calendar for nearly a century. Known for its strong fiel...
London Chess Classic
2009-presentThe flagship of British chess. Held at the Olympia Conference Centre, the London Classic brought elite chess back to the city that hosted the first international tournament in 1851. Part of the Grand ...
Hastings International Chess Congress
1920-presentThe oldest recurring international chess tournament still running. First held in 1920, Hastings became the traditional post-Christmas gathering of the chess world. Nearly every World Champion from Cap...
Alekhine Memorial / Moscow Super-Tournaments
1925-present (various formats)Moscow has hosted some of the most important tournaments in chess history, from the 1925 tournament that inspired the film 'Chess Fever' to the Alekhine Memorial events. Soviet super-tournaments held ...
Biel International Chess Festival
1968-presentSwitzerland's premier chess event. Biel has been a consistent presence on the international calendar for over 50 years, known for its beautiful setting and strong fields. The tournament has helped lau...
Grand Chess Tour
2015-presentThe modern circuit. A series of elite tournaments (Sinquefield Cup, London Classic, Tata Steel, and others) that awards points across the year to determine a tour champion. Created to provide structur...