24 elite players, led by world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, assemble in Budapest for a landmark tournament testing a new vision for professional chess, with $650,000 in prize money at stake
Budapest, November 10, 2026
Magnus Carlsen
The chess world’s biggest stars have descended on Budapest as anticipation builds for the Total Chess World Championship Tour Pilot, an ambitious new tournament bringing together 24 of the world’s elite players to test an innovative format and explore a new direction for professional chess.
r.Praggnanadhaa
Among the biggest attractions is the arrival of Magnus Carlsen, widely regarded as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT), who arrived in Budapest late evening on Monday. 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 field represents 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.
A World-Class Field
The confirmed participants, ranked according to the recent FIDE standard ratings, include:
- Magnus Carlsen (Norway) – World No. 1
- Fabiano Caruana (United States) – World No. 3
- Wesley So (United States) – World No. 6
- Vincent Keymer (Germany) – World No. 9
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) – World No. 5
- R Praggnanandhaa (India) – World No. 7
- Arjun Erigaisi (India) – World No. 12
- Anish Giri (Netherlands) – World No. 11
- Alireza Firouzja (France) – World No. 10
- Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland) – World No. 13
- Liem Le (Vietnam) – World No. 16
- Richard Rapport (Hungary) – World No. 23
- Levon Aronian (USA) – World No. 20
- Hans Moke Niemann (United States) – World No. 32
- Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) – World No. 27
- Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE) – World No. 22
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France) – World No. 28
- Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands) – World No. 24
- Haik M. Martirosyan (Armenia) – World No. 48
- Vladislav Artemiev (FIDE) – World No. 66
- Abhimanyu Mishra (USA) – World No. 76 and the world’s youngest Grandmaster
- Andrew Hong (USA) – World No. 134
- Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan) – Women’s World No. 7
- Vaishali Rameshbabu (India) – Women’s World No. 24
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.
Testing a New Vision for 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 initiative aims to push the boundaries of how professional chess is played, presented and consumed. 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.
Taking Chess to the World
The Pilot will be distributed through an extensive network of international broadcast and digital partners, making the competition accessible to audiences across more than 200 countries and territories.
DAZN will serve as the worldwide broadcast partner, while India’s NDTV will bring the action to audiences through its television network and digital platforms, including YouTube. Fans will also be able to follow the competition through Chess.com, ChessBase India, Norway’s TV 2 and the Norway Chess YouTube channel.
This global distribution reflects the ambition to make elite chess more accessible and bring the game to new audiences through leading international sports broadcasters, digital platforms and chess media organisations.
As 24 of the world’s finest players prepare to battle it out in Budapest, the tournament represents an important milestone in the evolution of the sport — bringing together the very best of competitive chess with a bold vision for its future.
The question now is not just who will take the crown, but whether this new format can help redefine the way the world experiences chess.
24 elite players. One new format. $650,000 at stake. A new chapter for world chess begins in Budapest.
About the format
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. The pilot event will bring together 24 elite players, who 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.
The four highest-ranked players across the Tour qualify for the Grand Final, where semifinals and the championship match determine the inaugural FIDE World Combined Champion. Should a knockout match remain tied, an Armageddon game is used to decide the winner, ensuring every contest produces a definitive result. The format rewards consistency, versatility and excellence across every major discipline of elite chess.
Further tournament details, format, schedule, prize fund and broadcast information will be announced in the coming weeks.
Three disciplines. One champion. One global tour.
The journey begins in Budapest.
For more information, visit: www.totalchess.com
About Total Chess
Total Chess is a global championship platform established to redefine elite competitive chess for the modern era. Developed by Norway Chess and approved by FIDE, the Total Chess World Championship Tour introduces a unified format that crowns the world’s ultimate champion by testing excellence across three disciplines: Fast Classical, Rapid and Blitz. The Tour will bring together the world’s top 24 men and women players to compete across four premier international events hosted in leading global cities. Designed to elevate the sport’s commercial appeal and fan engagement, Total Chess combines world-class competition with innovation, technology and immersive spectator experiences to create a new benchmark for professional chess.
With a vision to make chess one of the world’s most engaging and commercially sustainable sports, Total Chess aims to expand the game’s global footprint, inspire the next generation of players, and connect millions of fans through a dynamic championship that celebrates intelligence, strategy and sporting excellence.