Indian chess progressing rapidly, needs more tournaments across categories: Jeroen van den Berg

While Carlsen’s performance at the Tata Steel Chess was near-flawless, a few Indian youngsters showcased how far the tournament — and Indian chess — has come since its inception.

Tata Steel Chess India tournament director Jeroen van den Berg believes Indian chess has been progressing at a rapid pace. | Photo Credit: Grand Chess Tour

A successfully organised sixth edition of Tata Steel Chess India in Kolkata concluded with Magnus Carlsen taking top honours in both rapid and blitz sections of the tournament in the open category. While Carlsen’s performance was near-flawless, a few Indian youngsters provided moments of resistance, showcasing how far the tournament — and Indian chess — has come since its inception.

In 2018, the inaugural edition saw wildcard entries for two promising teenagers, 13-year-old R. Praggnanandhaa and 14-year-old Nihal Sarin. Six years on, these very players have ascended to the global elite, and their evolution mirrors the tournament’s own journey, according to tournament director Jeroen van den Berg.

Reflecting on the tournament’s growth, van den Berg said: “I remember the first edition of Tata Steel Chess India, the concept was five foreigners and five players from India, and it wasn’t very easy to decide who would play from India. [Viswanathan] Anand was still playing then, and Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin received wild cards. Now, they are world-class players. Especially D. Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi have made huge jumps in the rankings. Today, we have a super tournament with five Indian players and five from abroad, making it a truly elite event.”

While Praggnanandhaa, Nihal held Carlsen to a draw, Arjun ended up handing the six-time World Blitz Champion a defeat — Carlsen’s only loss of the tournament — in the eighth round of the blitz event. 

Deemed as the “sister event” to the prestigious Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee, the Kolkata tournament thrives on its spectator-friendly blitz and rapid formats.

On whether other Indian cities, such as Chennai, could host similar tournaments, van den Berg pointed to logistical challenges but kept the door open for new ideas. “I can only tell you that from my perspective. I’m part of the organisation but I’m also for responsible inviting the players, finding them. But the Gameplan team, for a big part, organise this event and they are based in Kolkata and has the expertise to arrange this event seamlessly,” he said.

“They ( Gameplan) sometimes ask me for advice but I can tell you that there were already thoughts maybe to organise it once in another place. In Wijk aan Zee, we have this concept that we play one round outside the city. But Holland is a very small country, it’s easy with logistics. If we play five rounds in Kolkata and then decide to play one round in Chennai, this is not possible. Logistically it is very difficult,” he added. 

Chennai, which hosts the Chennai Grandmasters tournament — a classical time-control event with a Challengers section — offers a different avenue for nurturing talent.

“India doesn’t need our tournament for improvement; it’s already progressing rapidly. What India needs is more tournaments across categories. This golden generation is extraordinary, and new stars will follow. More traditional tournaments, including classical chess events, would be very helpful,” he said.

Van den Berg praised the chess culture in India, noting the increasing awareness of tournament etiquette. “The first time I came to India, it was a cultural shock. But now, everything feels very disciplined. While you occasionally hear a cell phone ring, it’s much better than in the early years. The audience and journalists understand the silence chess tournament demands.”

Van den Berg also announced 12th-16th November 2025 as the dates for the seventh edition of this tournament in the same city.