2023 Year in Review: A Look Back at the Busy Year in Chess
The chess world had a whirlwind year in 2023, with major events like the World Championship and the Champions Chess Tour Finals captivating fans and players alike. As the year comes to a close, it’s time to look back at the standout performances, the biggest rating gains, and the most active players in both over-the-board and online chess.
In the realm of over-the-board chess, GM Fabiano Caruana emerged as the top performer of the year, with impressive victories in events like the Superbet Chess Classic and the Sinquefield Cup. His stellar performance saw him gain almost 40 rating points and reclaim the number two spot in the world rankings. Close behind him was GM Hikaru Nakamura, who continued his rise in the chess world with standout performances in Norway Chess and the FIDE Grand Swiss.
However, the most spectacular performance of the year came from GM Hans Niemann, who dominated the Tournament of Peace in Zagreb with a massive 8/9 score and a 2946 performance rating. Other notable performances included Mateusz Bartel’s resurgence in the Polish League and Vidit Gujrathi’s strong showing in the FIDE Grand Swiss.
When it comes to rating gains, Indian players dominated the list, with young talents like Verdant Nagarkatte and Velpula Sarayu making significant strides in their chess careers. In terms of games played, GM Oleg Korneev led the pack with an impressive 294 FIDE-rated games in 2023.
On the online chess platform Chess.com, the most active player of the year was bleuletalonoir, who played an astonishing 105,274 games in 2023. In the weekly Titled Tuesday events, Hikaru Nakamura continued his dominance with 17 wins throughout the year.
The year also saw a surge in chess content across social media platforms, with the FIDE World Championship match and the FIDE World Cup generating significant interest among fans. Magnus Carlsen’s arrival with only 30 seconds to play became a viral moment on YouTube, while TikTok posts featuring Magnus and Hikaru bidding in armageddon and chess puzzles garnered millions of views.
As we bid farewell to 2023, it’s clear that chess has captured the hearts and minds of fans around the world. What was your favorite chess moment of the year? Let us know in the comments!