Carlsen Leads 24-Player Field in Budapest as Total Chess Pilot Gets Underway

Magnus Carlsen headlines a new experimental chess event in Budapest that mixes blitz, rapid and shortened classical games, with a $650,000 prize fund and a larger tour planned for 2027.

A new format takes the stage

A fresh chess competition, the Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot, has opened in Budapest, bringing together 24 elite players who will move through three time controls over the coming days. World number one Magnus Carlsen is the most prominent name in the draw, and the tournament carries a prize pool of $650,000.

The event is being held at the Anantara New York Palace Hotel and runs until November 20. It is being presented as a trial run ahead of a broader series of events, and it is scheduled close to the FIDE World Championship, adding to the crowded calendar that has already drawn comment from players.

How the competition is structured

The opening day consisted of nine rounds of blitz played in a Swiss system. Those results carry no prize money or points in the standings, but they are used to break ties in the group phase and to determine seeding for the knockout semi-finals.

From November 11 to 15, the field is divided into four groups of six. Each player meets every group opponent twice. The games use the Fast Classic time control, giving each side 45 minutes with a 30-second increment after every move. A victory is worth three points and a draw one.

Carlsen Leads 24-Player Field in Budapest as Total Chess Pilot Gets Underway — R. Praggnanandhaa — Photo: Frans Peeters / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Only the four group winners advance to contest the title. Remaining players compete for the lower placings. Knockout matches last two days and combine formats: four blitz games, two rapid games and one Fast Classic game each day. Because wins count for more at slower controls, a blitz advantage can evaporate by evening. Any match still level after that goes to an Armageddon decider.

Who is taking part

Carlsen leads the entrants, and he has been preparing at a training camp in Spain alongside his coach Peter Heine Nielsen, commentator David Howell and the world number five Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who is also competing. India is represented by R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and R. Vaishali. Vaishali’s place comes shortly after her win at the Women’s Candidates in April, ahead of her World title match against Ju Wenjun. Other competitors include Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Richard Rapport and Bibisara Assaubayeva, the second woman in the field.

Vaishali and Arjun were drawn into the same group, which also includes Assaubayeva. Carlsen opens against Anish Giri in a group that also features Ian Nepomniachtchi.

Debate over format

Caruana has argued that holding several world-title events in different formats could leave the classical championship looking less central, while noting that any result from this event would be read as a verdict on that question. Nepomniachtchi described the tour as engaging because of its mix of formats, though he insisted the classical World Championship would remain the most prestigious title in the sport.

What next

The full Total Chess World Championship Tour is planned to start in 2027. The top four players in its standings will qualify for a Grand Final competing for the FIDE World Combined Championship.