Hubbry Logo
Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022Main
Open search
Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022
Community hub
Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022
Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022
from Wikipedia

Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022
2022 Tata Steel Chess Masters winner Magnus Carlsen.
LocationWijk aan Zee, Netherlands
Dates14–30 January 2022
Competitors28 from 16 nations
Winning score9.5 points of 13 (Carlsen)
10.5 points of 13 (Erigaisi)
Champion
Norway Magnus Carlsen (Masters)
India Arjun Erigaisi (Challengers)
← 2021
2023 →

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022 was the 84th edition of the annual chess tournament held in Wijk aan Zee. It was held from 14 January to 30 January 2022.[1] No visitors were allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Netherlands.[2] Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen scored 9.5/13 in the Masters section with 6 wins and 7 draws, thereby winning the tournament for the eighth time in his career. Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi dominated the Challengers section, winning with a score of 10.5/13, with an impressive 8 wins and 5 draws. World No. 2 Alireza Firouzja failed to reach an agreement with the organizers for compensation for an incident in 2021, and as such didn't participate.[3]

Standings

[edit]
84th Tata Steel Masters, 14–30 January 2022, Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, Category XX (2736)[4][5]
Player Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Total SB TPR
1  Magnus Carlsen (Norway) 2865 Does not appear 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1[b] 60.25 2904
2  Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan) 2767 0 Does not appear ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 8 49 2819
3  Richárd Rapport (Hungary) 2763 0 ½ Does not appear ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1[b] 8 47.25 2820
4  Anish Giri (Netherlands) 2772 0 ½ ½ Does not appear ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1[a] 44.5 2791
5  Sergey Karjakin (Russia) 2743 ½ ½ ½ ½ Does not appear 1 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ ½ 7 45.25 2764
6  Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands) 2702 ½ 0 0 1 0 Does not appear 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 7 41.75 2767
7  Andrey Esipenko (Russia) 2714 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 Does not appear ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 42.75 2739
8  Fabiano Caruana (United States) 2792 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ Does not appear 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 37.75 2733
9  Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Poland) 2760 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 Does not appear ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 6 39.25 2708
10  Vidit Gujrathi (India) 2727 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ Does not appear 1 0 1 1 6 35.5 2709
11  Sam Shankland (United States) 2708 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 Does not appear ½ ½ ½ 36 2686
12  R Praggnanandhaa (India) 2612 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ Does not appear 1 1[b] 30 2691
13  Nils Grandelius (Sweden) 2672 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 Does not appear 1 28.5 2627
14  Daniil Dubov (Russia) 2720 0[b] ½ 0[b] 0[a] ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0[b] 0 Does not appear 23.25 2560
2022 Tata Steel Challengers, 14–30 January 2022, Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, Category XIII (2559)[6][7]
Player Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Total SB TPR
1  GM Arjun Erigaisi (India) 2632 Does not appear ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 10½ 63 2804
2  GM Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Czech Republic) 2613 ½ Does not appear 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 51.5 2667
3  GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre (Denmark) 2586 0 0 Does not appear 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 50 2669
4  GM Rinat Jumabayev (Kazakhstan) 2631 ½ ½ 0 Does not appear 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 45.25 2610
5  GM Erwin l'Ami (Netherlands) 2622 ½ ½ 0 1 Does not appear 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 44.75 2611
6  GM Lucas van Foreest (Netherlands) 2539 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 Does not appear ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ ½ 7 44.75 2589
7  IM Volodar Murzin (Russia) 2519 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ Does not appear ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 7 39.25 2591
8  GM Max Warmerdam (Netherlands) 2607 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ Does not appear ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 38.25 2558
9  GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly (India) 2627 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ Does not appear ½ 1 ½ 1 1 6 31.5 2530
10  GM Daniel Dardha (Belgium) 2532 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ Does not appear 0 1 ½ 1 31.75 2510
11  GM Marc'Andria Maurizzi (France) 2502 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 Does not appear 0 ½ 0 28.75 2456
12  IM Polina Shuvalova (Russia) 2516 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 Does not appear ½ 1 26.75 2455
13  IM Roven Vogel (Germany) 2452 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ Does not appear 0 4 25 2429
14  WGM Zhu Jiner (China) 2478 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 Does not appear 20 2395

Masters results by round

[edit]

Pairings and results:[8][9]

Numbers in parentheses indicate players' scores prior to the round.

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
The Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022 was the 84th edition of one of the world's most prestigious annual chess events, held from 14 to 30 January 2022 in Wijk aan Zee, , and consisting of a high-level Masters among 14 elite grandmasters alongside a Challengers section for emerging talents. The Masters tournament featured a single round-robin format over 13 rounds with a of 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 50 minutes for the next 20 moves and 15 minutes for the remainder, plus a 30-second increment per move. The participants included world number one (rated 2865), world number two (2792), and other top players such as (2772), (2767), Richard Rapport (2763), (2760), (2743), (2720), (2714), (2714), Sam Shankland (2708), (2702), Nils Grandelius (2672), and (2612). Norwegian grandmaster emerged as the winner with a score of 9.5 out of 13 points, securing his record-extending eighth Masters title and clinching the victory with one round remaining after defeating in round 12. The Challengers section followed the same format and time controls, with 14 players including Indian grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi (2632), Rinat Jumabayev (2631), Surya Shekhar Ganguly (2627), Erwin l'Ami (2622), Thai Dai Van Nguyen (2613), and others such as Max Warmerdam (2607), Jonas Buhl Bjerre (2586), Lucas van Foreest (2539), Daniel Dardha (2532), Volodar Murzin (2519), Polina Shuvalova (2516), Marc'Andria Maurizzi (2502), Jiner Zhu (2478), and Roven Vogel (2452). Erigaisi dominated the group, winning with 10.5/13 points and earning promotion to the following year's Masters tournament by two points ahead of the field. The event was broadcast live worldwide and highlighted the competitive depth of international chess, with no separate prize fund details publicly emphasized beyond the traditional prestige and qualification opportunities.

Overview

Dates and Location

The 84th edition of the was held from 14 to 30, 2022, in the coastal village of Wijk aan Zee, , continuing its longstanding tradition as a premier event in the international chess calendar. The tournament commenced with an on 14, followed by the first round of competitive games on 15, and concluded with the final round on 30. The event spanned two weeks and consisted of 13 rounds in a round-robin format for both the Masters and Challengers sections, with daily rounds typically starting at 14:00 CET except for the shorter final round at 12:00 CET. To accommodate player recovery, rest days were programmed on 19, 24, and 27. The games took place at the Dorpshuis De Moriaan community hall in Wijk aan Zee, a venue central to the village's cultural life. In response to ongoing regulations, the tournament operated without live spectators, prioritizing health and safety measures while maintaining its elite over-the-board competition.

Format and Rules

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022 featured two primary competitive sections: the Masters and the Challengers, both structured as 14-player single round-robin events. In the Masters, elite grandmasters competed against one another, each playing every opponent once over 13 rounds to determine the champion among the world's top players. The Challengers section followed the same format but focused on up-and-coming talents, with the winner earning qualification for the following year's . Games in both sections adhered to a classical of 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, 50 minutes for the subsequent 20 moves, and 15 minutes to complete the game thereafter, accompanied by a 30-second increment per move starting from move 1. This setup promoted prolonged strategic play, particularly in the opening and middlegame phases, while the increment ensured fairness in time management during endgames. Tiebreak criteria for final standings rankings prioritized the Sonnenborn–Berger score, which weights opponents' results to reflect the , followed by the total number of wins, and then direct head-to-head encounters among tied players. For ties specifically at the top of the Masters standings, a novel play-off system was introduced, involving all tied contenders in a series of blitz games under a 3-minute with a 2-second increment per move; if necessary, this escalated to games with asymmetric time (2.5 minutes for , 3 minutes for , and a 2-second increment). Prize money for tied first-place players was shared equally regardless of play-off outcome. The Challengers section used similar tiebreak procedures, though without a dedicated play-off for the winner. In response to the , organizers enforced health protocols including mandatory PCR testing for symptomatic players and close contacts, mask requirements during play when advised, and a complete ban on spectators to minimize transmission risks. Players testing positive, such as GM Daniil Dubov after round 11, were required to withdraw and forfeit remaining games, with no hybrid remote participation implemented despite the challenges posed by the virus.

Participants

Masters Section

The Masters section of the 2022 Tata Steel Chess Tournament featured 14 elite grandmasters competing in a round-robin format, selected through a combination of high ratings, prior tournament achievements, and organizer invitations to ensure a balanced field of top global talent and local representation. The average rating of the participants was approximately 2740, highlighting the section's status as one of the strongest annual invitations in classical chess. The players and their qualifications included the defending champion from 2021, top-ranked players from the January 2022 classical rating list, and wildcards emphasizing emerging talents and regional balance. Jorden van Foreest qualified as the previous year's winner, while represented the host nation as a perennial top Dutch player. The remainder were primarily chosen based on their world rankings and recent form, with invitations extended to ensure a mix of established stars and rising prospects.
PlayerFederationFIDE Rating (Jan 2022)World RankQualification Path
NOR28651World Champion and multiple prior winner
USA27924Top rating qualifier
NED27727Host nation representative and top rating
AZE27679Top rating qualifier
Richard RapportHUN276311Top rating qualifier
POL276013Top rating qualifier
RUS274318Top rating qualifier
IND272024Top rating qualifier and Indian representative
RUS271427Top rating qualifier
RUS271426Emerging talent wildcard
Sam ShanklandUSA270829Top rating qualifier
NED270235Defending champion (2021 winner)
Nils GrandeliusSWE267267Wildcard for European representation
IND2612195Young talent wildcard
This lineup showcased a diverse international contingent, with strong representation from (three players) and notable inclusions from and the (two each), reflecting the tournament's aim to blend experience with youth.

Challengers Section

The Challengers section of the 2022 Tata Steel Chess Tournament showcased 14 emerging grandmasters and masters, blending experienced players with rising young talents to provide a platform for those on the cusp of elite-level competition. The group emphasized diversity, including multiple Indian representatives, European juniors, and two of the world's top-ranked female players, and . Participants were selected through a mix of qualification paths, such as standout results in major events and invitational wild cards to promote global representation and youth development. Key emerging talents included 18-year-old Indian GM , a rapidly ascending player known for his aggressive style, and 14-year-old French GM Marc'Andria Maurizzi, one of the youngest grandmasters in history at the time. Danish prodigy Jonas Buhl Bjerre, aged 17, represented the next generation of Scandinavian chess, while Belgian GM , 19, brought fresh energy from recent European junior successes. More established figures like Indian GM Surya Ganguly, a former national champion, and Dutch GM added depth, mentoring the younger cohort through their positional expertise. The full list of participants, with FIDE standard ratings as of January 2022, is as follows:
PlayerCountryFIDE Rating
Rinat JumabayevKAZ2631
IND2632
Surya GangulyIND2627
NED2622
CZE2613
NED2607
Jonas Buhl BjerreDEN2586
BEL2532
Lucas van ForeestNED2539
RUS2519
RUS2516
Marc'Andria MaurizziFRA2502
CHN2478
Roven VogelGER2452
Ratings sourced from FIDE listings prior to the tournament start. Notable qualification highlights included Rinat Jumabayev's advancement via his upset victory over at the 2021 FIDE World Cup, underscoring the section's role in bridging qualifiers to top-tier opportunities. German IM Roven Vogel secured his place through the 2020 Tata Steel online qualifiers, exemplifying the tournament's commitment to accessible pathways for dedicated amateurs turning professional. The winner of this group earned promotion to the Masters section for the 2023 edition.

Tournament Progress

Early Rounds

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022 Masters section began with a mix of decisive results and solid defenses on January 15 in Wijk aan Zee, . In Round 1, world champion drew quickly against after 21 moves in a , maintaining his unbeaten record against the young Russian. secured a victory over Richard Rapport in a tense , capitalizing on a tactical error in the middlegame, while defeated Sam Shankland in a , grinding down a small advantage in a long endgame. also won against Nils Grandelius in a sharp Benoni, giving the early leaders a boost with white pieces. The opening rounds established a cautious tone in the Masters group, characterized by a slow start and a high incidence of draws among top players, reflecting the competitive balance and preparation depth. Esipenko emerged as an early surprise by defeating in Round 3, a significant upset in a Russian derby where Karjakin blundered a piece on move 31 in a seemingly equal endgame, boosting Esipenko's confidence after his draw with Carlsen. Carlsen continued his steady play, drawing with Duda in Round 3 after a theoretical that ended in a rook endgame with no winning chances. These results highlighted emerging trends, such as underdogs capitalizing on errors from favorites, while veterans like Carlsen prioritized solidity. In the first three rounds, the Masters section saw approximately 60% of games end in draws, underscoring the tournament's high-level equilibrium and aversion to risks early on. In the Challengers section, Indian grandmaster made a strong impression from the outset, gaining points steadily from the start with a draw against Lucas van Foreest in Round 1 and a win over in Round 2, which propelled him to an early lead with aggressive opening choices like the King's Indian Defense. By Round 6, Erigaisi's consistent scoring—reaching 5.5/6—demonstrated his dominance and set the stage for his eventual qualification to the Masters in future events. This early momentum in the Challengers contrasted with the Masters' draw-heavy start, injecting excitement into the tournament's undercard.

Late Rounds and Climax

As the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022 progressed into its late rounds (7 through 13), the competition intensified, with players vying for crucial points amid shifting standings. Following a rest day after round 6, which allowed for recovery and strategic preparation, the field exhibited more aggressive play starting in round 7, as evidenced by Magnus Carlsen's victory over to claim the sole lead. This renewed vigor contributed to a series of decisive results that shaped the tournament's outcome, avoiding the need for tiebreakers in both sections due to clear victors. Round 12 marked a pivotal turning point in the Masters section, where Carlsen, playing with the black pieces, defeated in a sharp encounter. Caruana's 26.f3 move permitted an exchange sacrifice by Carlsen, leading to a winning endgame and securing Carlsen's eighth tournament title with a round to spare, as he reached 8.5/12 points, a full point ahead of pursuers and Richard Rapport. This victory eliminated any realistic challenge to Carlsen's lead, highlighting his dominance in critical moments. In the final round 13, the Masters concluded without further drama for the leader, as Carlsen was paired against , who had withdrawn from the tournament after round 10 due to a positive test. Dubov's absence resulted in a forfeit win for Carlsen, bringing his total to 9.5/13 and confirming his outright victory. Meanwhile, in the Challengers section, , who had already clinched the title a round earlier with a draw against in round 12 (reaching 9.5/12), sealed his dominant performance with a win over Marc'Andria Maurizzi in round 13, finishing at 10.5/13—two points clear of the field and earning promotion to the 2023 Masters. The late rounds overall trended toward greater decisiveness, with multiple wins per round underscoring the high stakes and preventing playoff scenarios.

Results

Masters Standings

The Masters section of the 2022 Tata Steel Chess Tournament concluded with emerging as the clear winner, securing his record eighth title in the event with a score of 9.5 out of 13. Carlsen achieved this result through 6 wins and 7 draws, without a single loss in his games. The final standings, determined after 13 rounds of play, are presented below, with ties resolved using the Sonneborn-Berger tiebreak system.
RankPlayerCountryScore
1NOR9.5
2AZE8.0
3Richard RapportHUN8.0
4NED7.5
5RUS7.0
6NED7.0
7RUS6.5
8USA6.5
9POL6.0
10IND6.0
11Sam ShanklandUSA5.5
12IND5.5
13Nils GrandeliusSWE4.5
14RUS3.5
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Richard Rapport finished tied for second place on 8 points each, with Mamedyarov taking second overall due to a superior Sonneborn-Berger score of 49 compared to Rapport's 47.25. At the bottom of the table, Daniil Dubov scored just 3.5 points after forfeiting four games: one in round 7 for refusing to wear a mask as required by organizers amid COVID-19 protocols, and three more in rounds 11–13 following a positive COVID-19 test that forced his withdrawal from the tournament.

Challengers Standings

The Challengers section of the 2022 concluded with Indian Grandmaster emerging as the clear winner, securing promotion to the in 2023. The final standings, based on the 13-round single round-robin format among 14 players, are as follows:
RankPlayerCountryScore
1IND10.5
2CZE8.5
3Jonas Buhl BjerreDEN8.5
4NED7.5
5Rinat JumabayevKAZ7.5
6Lucas van ForeestNED7.0
7RUS7.0
8NED6.5
9Surya Shekhar GangulyIND6.0
10BEL5.5
11RUS4.5
12Marc'Andria MaurizziFRA4.5
13Roven VogelGER4.0
14Jiner ZhuCHN3.5
Erigaisi's performance was dominant, featuring 8 wins and 5 draws, which underscored his aggressive style and contributed to his two-point margin of victory over the tied second-place finishers and Bjerre.

Notable Aspects

Key Games

One of the standout encounters in the Masters section was Magnus Carlsen's victory over Richard Rapport in round 6, where Carlsen's strategic exploitation of a proved decisive. Playing White in an Open Catalan, Carlsen advanced his a-pawn on the queenside after Rapport overlooked central counterplay opportunities around move 25, transforming the pawn into a dominant force that restricted Black's pieces and secured a material advantage by move 40. This positional highlighted Carlsen's endgame precision, earning him a full point and propelling him into a tie for the lead. In round 12, faced Carlsen in a tense Sicilian Defense as White, but Carlsen's counterplay as Black turned the tide. Caruana's aggressive pawn push with 20.c4 opened lines, yet Carlsen responded with 25...Qe2, infiltrating and disrupting White's coordination before advancing his e-pawn to e4 on move 40, creating a dangerous that overwhelmed Caruana's defenses. The game concluded on move 49 after Carlsen centralized his with ...Bd4, forcing resignation and clinching Carlsen's eighth title with a round to spare. Carlsen's innovative rook sacrifice against Anish Giri in round 2 exemplified his tactical boldness early in the tournament. As White, Carlsen sacrificed the exchange on move 28 with Rxc6 in a complex middlegame arising from the , gaining active piece play and a strong initiative that pressured Giri's king. This bold decision disrupted Black's structure, leading to a winning endgame where Carlsen converted his advantage, marking his first classical win over Giri in Wijk aan Zee. In the Challengers section, Arjun Erigaisi's aggressive play shone in his round 8 win over Jonas Buhl Bjerre, solidifying his lead. Erigaisi, playing White, opted for a Sicilian Taimanov variation, gaining a positional advantage after Bjerre's forced move due to the , which he converted into a win by move 30, securing his sixth victory and propelling him into the world's top 100 live ratings. This game underscored Erigaisi's rising dominance, contributing to his eventual tournament triumph.

Incidents and Controversies

One notable absence from the 2022 Tata Steel Chess Tournament Masters section was that of Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja, then the world number two, who declined the invitation due to an unresolved dispute over compensation for a controversial incident from the 2021 edition. In the 2021 tournament, Firouzja had been involved in a dispute during his game against Radosław Wojtaszek when arbiters interrupted play over a phone call issue, leading to demands for financial redress that the organizers rejected, prompting his non-participation in 2022. Russian Grandmaster faced two forfeits during the event, both tied to protocols. In round 7, Dubov refused to wear a face mask as required by organizers following a positive test in his entourage, resulting in a default loss to . Later, after testing positive for via PCR on the rest day before round 11, Dubov withdrew entirely, forfeiting his remaining games, including a 0-1 loss to in round 13 without play. The tournament implemented several adaptations to ensure participant safety, including mandatory daily testing, face mask requirements except at the board, and the exclusion of spectators and amateur side events, with no major outbreaks reported beyond isolated cases like Dubov's and positive tests among coaches such as R. B. Ramesh and Fabiano Caruana's coach. These measures, enforced under contract clauses for unforeseen health situations, allowed the event to proceed without postponements or broader disruptions. Sergey Karjakin participated in the Masters section without incident, though his involvement occurred amid escalating geopolitical tensions between and in the lead-up to the February 2022 invasion, which later led to his exclusion from subsequent events.

References

Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.