Budapest, Nov 10 (IANS) India’s World No.7 R Praggnanandhaa, No. 12-ranked Arjun Erigaisi and top woman player Vaishali Rameshbabu are among the chess world’s biggest stars descending on the Hungarian capital for the pilot event of Total Chess World Championship, an ambitious new tournament which tests an innovative format and explores a new direction for professional chess.
Among the biggest attractions is the arrival of Magnus Carlsen, widely regarded as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT), who arrived in Budapest late on Monday evening. Having held the world No. 1 position for 15 consecutive years, Carlsen’s participation adds enormous star power to an already exceptional field and puts the spotlight firmly on the Hungarian capital.
The 24-player world-class field also includes elite stars like Fabiano Caruana, Anish Giri, Levon Aronian, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and young talents like Abhimanyu Mishra of the United States.
This makes up an extraordinary gathering of international chess talent, featuring some of the biggest names in the game, multiple elite grandmasters and two of the world’s leading female players. From established champions and former world championship challengers to the next generation of chess superstars, the Budapest Pilot promises a fascinating contest across the board.
The confirmed participants include beside Carlsen, Caruana, Erigiasi, Pragg and Vaishali, Wesley So (USA), Vincent Keymer (GER), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB), Anish Giri (NED), Alireza Firouzja (FRA), Jan-Krzysztof Duda (POL), Liem Le (VIE) Richard Rapport (HUN), Levon Aronian (USA), Hans Moke Niemann (USA), Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE), Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA), Jorden van Foreest (NED), Haik M. Martirosyan (ARM), Vladislav Artemiev (FIDE), Abhimanyu Mishra (USA), and the world’s youngest Grandmaster Andrew Hong (USA) along with Women’s World No. 7 Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ).
With a total prize fund of $650,000, the stakes could hardly be higher for a pilot event. The tournament brings together an exceptional collection of talent, with every player competing for the inaugural crown and the opportunity to be part of a defining moment in the evolution of professional chess.
“But the Total Chess Pilot is about more than finding a champion. At its heart is the testing of a new competitive format designed to bring a fresh dimension to elite chess, creating a more dynamic, engaging and compelling experience for players, fans and audiences worldwide,” the organisers said.
Alongside the on-board competition, the event will introduce an enhanced broadcast experience featuring world-class production, an expert commentary panel, live insights and in-depth post-match studio analysis, bringing viewers closer to the players, their strategies and the drama behind every game.
The Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot introduces a ground-breaking competition format designed to identify the world’s most complete chess player by combining Fast Classic, Rapid and Blitz into a single championship.
For the pilot event, the 24 elite players will begin the tournament in a group stage comprising four groups of six players each. Every group follows a double round-robin format over five days, with players contesting ten Fast Classical games (45 minutes plus a 30-second increment).
Victories earn three points, while draws are worth one point. A nine-round Blitz Swiss tournament held before the competition determines tie-break rankings.
Following the group stage, players progress into knockout brackets based on their finishing positions. Each knockout match is played over two days and tests competitors across all three disciplines—four Blitz games (3+2), two Rapid games (15+10) and one Fast Classical game (45+30)—with weighted scoring rewarding success in longer formats.
–IANS
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