Chess is one of the oldest and most respected games in the world. With its deep strategy, careful planning, and sometimes intense battles, it has captured the attention of millions. But today, it’s easier than ever to follow top-level chess tournaments. You no longer need to be in the same room as the players or even the same country. All you need is an internet connection and some knowledge of where to look. In this article, I’ll walk you through how you can keep up with the world’s biggest chess events, even if you’re new to following online chess.
The Rise of Online Chess
With the internet’s growth, chess has made its way onto our screens in more ways than one.
Major chess tournaments have embraced live streaming and digital platforms, which means we can now watch the games in real-time and follow the moves as they happen. And with tools like chess engines and analysis boards, it’s become much easier to understand what’s going on in a game—even if you’re not a grandmaster yourself.
But where should you start? The chess world can be a bit overwhelming, with so many different events, players, and platforms to choose from.
That’s why it’s important to know where to look and how to navigate all of this online chess content.
Major Chess Tournaments to Follow
Before diving into how to watch these tournaments online, let’s quickly talk about the most important tournaments that every chess fan should know about.
The World Chess Championship
The World Chess Championship is, without a doubt, the most prestigious chess event. It takes place every two years and determines who holds the title of the World Chess Champion.
The championship match is usually a long series of games between the reigning champion and a challenger, chosen through a series of qualifying events like the Candidates Tournament. It’s a must-watch for every chess lover.
Candidates Tournament
This is another major event to keep on your radar. The Candidates Tournament decides who gets to challenge the current World Champion.
Only the best of the best compete here, and the games are intense as the players are hungry for their chance at the world title.
Tata Steel Chess Tournament
Known as the “Wimbledon of Chess,” the Tata Steel Chess Tournament brings together a mix of elite grandmasters and rising talents.
It’s held annually in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, and has been running for decades. With its strong tradition and high-quality games, it’s one of the most anticipated tournaments each year.
Grand Chess Tour
The Grand Chess Tour is a series of top-level chess tournaments held around the world. It includes rapid, blitz, and classical formats, making it exciting and diverse.
Each year, the best players in the world travel to different cities to compete in these events, and the tour features plenty of thrilling games.
FIDE Chess Olympiad
The Chess Olympiad is a team event where countries from around the globe send their best players to compete. It’s not just about individual performance but also about how well teams work together.
You’ll see the world’s top players representing their countries, and it’s a great way to see national pride and chess talent in action. Now that you’re familiar with some of the biggest tournaments, let’s talk about how to actually watch these events online.
How to Find Chess Tournaments Online
To follow the world’s top chess tournaments online, the first step is knowing where to find them. There are several platforms and websites where you can watch live games, get analysis, and even play some practice games yourself.
Here are the main ways to stay connected with the chess world.
Chess.com
Chess.com is one of the most popular online chess platforms, and it’s perfect for following live games. During major tournaments, Chess.com has live broadcasts where you can watch the games unfold in real time.
They also provide expert commentary to help you understand the moves, even if you’re not a chess expert. The website also features a detailed analysis board, allowing you to replay games or try out different moves yourself.
Additionally, Chess.com offers coverage for all the major chess events, so you can stay updated on the latest tournament results and standings.
Lichess.org
Lichess is another great platform for watching live chess tournaments. It’s a completely free platform, and like Chess.com, it offers live broadcasts of games with a strong emphasis on community interaction. Lichess is especially known for its clean interface and easy-to-use analysis tools.
They also provide in-depth statistics on player performances, which can help you better understand the dynamics of any ongoing match.
YouTube
Believe it or not, YouTube has become a central hub for chess fans. Major tournaments often have official YouTube channels that stream games live. Channels like ChessBase India, Saint Louis Chess Club, and the official FIDE channel often cover the world’s biggest chess events.
You can also find recordings of past games, interviews with players, and deep analysis of key matches. If you ever miss a live game, YouTube is the perfect place to catch up.
Twitch
Twitch is a live streaming platform that has seen a surge in chess content. Popular chess streamers like Hikaru Nakamura, GothamChess (Levy Rozman), and Anna Cramling often provide live commentary on major tournaments.
They break down moves, offer personal insights, and make the games much more accessible to a wider audience. Watching these streamers can be especially fun if you enjoy a more interactive experience, as you can chat with other viewers and even ask questions during the stream.
More Platforms to Follow Chess Tournaments
Chess24
Chess24 is another major platform designed for chess fans. It offers live broadcasts of top-level chess tournaments, complete with commentary by some of the best grandmasters and chess personalities. One of the features that makes Chess24 stand out is its interactive nature.
You can follow the live games while toggling through different commentary streams, often available in multiple languages. The website also provides in-depth game analysis and a live chat, which allows users to discuss moves and strategies with fellow chess enthusiasts.
Another neat feature of Chess24 is that they often offer post-game interviews and summaries, helping you understand the players’ thoughts during key moments of the match. If you want to dig deeper into a particular game or tournament, their archives are full of useful materials, including videos, written summaries, and game databases.
Official Tournament Websites
Some of the larger tournaments have their own dedicated websites. For example, the official FIDE website (https://fide.com) covers events like the World Chess Championship and the Candidates Tournament, providing live updates, official standings, and results.
These websites are often a good source for the most up-to-date information straight from the tournament organizers themselves. They’ll also offer video streams, player profiles, interviews, and detailed schedules of events.
For events like the Tata Steel Chess Tournament or the Chess Olympiad, there will often be an official page set up just for that event. These websites are useful because they typically contain in-depth tournament info that you won’t find elsewhere, such as detailed player statistics, exclusive interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage.
Social Media
Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have become key places to follow chess events.
Major chess organizations like FIDE, Chess.com, and top players themselves regularly post updates on their social media channels. By following these accounts, you can get quick insights, see move-by-move updates, and hear thoughts from the players in real-time.
Twitter, in particular, has become a place where you can find rapid updates during tournaments. Many fans, analysts, and even grandmasters live-tweet their thoughts on the ongoing games.
This makes Twitter a great resource for quick analysis or when you want to get a sense of the overall reaction from the chess community. Facebook often has event pages where tournament organizers post schedules, highlight reels, and commentary clips.
Instagram is more visual, so you can expect behind-the-scenes photos, player stories, and game highlights.
Chess Engines and Analysis Tools
If you want to improve your understanding of the games you’re watching, using chess engines and analysis tools is crucial. Many platforms like Chess.com, Lichess, and Chess24 have built-in engines that analyze the games as they happen.
You’ll often see a bar on the side of the board that indicates which player has the advantage, based on the engine’s evaluation.
When following live games, you can use these analysis tools to see if the move just played was a strong one or if it was a mistake. Engines can also suggest the best move in any given position, helping you understand the optimal strategies.
You can even pause the game and explore different variations on your own. This is especially helpful if you’re trying to figure out why a grandmaster made a particular move or when you’re trying to improve your own chess by studying how the top players think.
How to Make the Most of Watching Online Chess Tournaments
Now that you know where to follow the games, let’s talk about how to get the most out of the experience. Watching chess online can be a passive experience, but if you want to engage deeply, there are several ways to become an active participant in the game, even from behind your screen.
Learn from the Commentary
One of the best ways to grow as a chess player while watching online tournaments is to pay close attention to the commentary. Many of the top platforms feature commentary from grandmasters who break down each move as it happens.
They explain why certain moves are good, why others are mistakes, and how the position could unfold in the next few moves.
Even if you don’t fully understand the more complex parts of the game, listening to experienced players talk through their thought processes can help you grasp new concepts and strategies. Take note of common patterns and tactical ideas they mention, like “forks,” “pins,” or “open files.”
Over time, these patterns will start to become more familiar, and you’ll be able to recognize them in your own games.
Pause and Analyze the Games Yourself
Another great way to improve your chess skills while following tournaments is to pause the game at key moments and think about what move you would make. Many platforms allow you to stop the live broadcast and play around with the board.
This practice forces you to get into the habit of analyzing the position on your own, rather than just passively watching the game unfold.
Try to predict the next move before it happens. After you’ve made your guess, see if the grandmaster made the same decision. If they did, try to understand why the move was strong. If they chose something different, try to figure out what you missed.
This kind of active engagement will make you a stronger player in the long run.
Take Advantage of Post-Game Analysis
Most platforms that cover top tournaments also provide detailed post-game analysis. This could be in the form of written articles, videos, or even interactive game breakdowns.
After watching a game, revisit the analysis to get a deeper understanding of the key moments.
These analyses often focus on critical turning points in the game, where one player made a mistake, missed an opportunity, or executed a brilliant tactical move. By going through these moments carefully, you can learn a lot about high-level decision-making and how to avoid common pitfalls.
Engaging with the Online Chess Community
One of the great things about following chess online is the strong and passionate community that surrounds the game. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced player, engaging with this community can not only make following tournaments more fun but also improve your chess understanding.
There are a variety of ways to interact with others who share your interest in chess.
Join Online Chess Forums
Chess forums are great places to discuss ongoing tournaments, famous games, and strategies. They’re also a fantastic resource for learning about chess openings, middlegame tactics, and endgame theory.
Websites like Chess.com and Lichess have very active forums where players of all levels come together to share insights and ask questions. You can read analysis from other players, contribute your thoughts, or ask for advice on specific games or positions.
Reddit is another platform where you can join chess-related discussions. The subreddit r/chess is home to a large and active community where you’ll find everything from casual chess banter to deep analysis of professional games.
During major tournaments, the subreddit often hosts live discussions where fans talk about the games move by move. This can be a great way to stay engaged during a long match, as you can hear multiple viewpoints on the moves being played.
Participate in Live Chat During Streams
If you’re watching tournaments on platforms like Twitch or YouTube, don’t be shy about joining the live chat. Many streamers provide commentary on top tournaments while interacting with their viewers.
You can ask questions about the game, share your thoughts on a move, or even join in the fun discussions that happen during a stream. It can be quite exciting to be part of a live conversation with thousands of other chess fans while watching the best players in the world compete.
The great thing about chess streams is that they cater to a wide range of viewers. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a more advanced player, you’ll find that the streamers and chat communities often create a welcoming environment.
Don’t worry about asking basic questions—even seasoned chess players are usually happy to help newcomers learn the game.
Follow and Interact with Chess Influencers
As with any sport or hobby, certain personalities have become famous for their involvement in the chess world. Following these influencers can help you stay connected with the latest trends in chess, gain deeper insights into top-level play, and even get involved in their communities.
Players like Hikaru Nakamura, GothamChess (Levy Rozman), and Eric Rosen have large followings on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. They regularly provide commentary on major tournaments and also create educational content for players at all levels.
One of the benefits of following these influencers is that they often have direct connections to the tournaments you’re interested in.
They might know the players personally or have inside knowledge about the games that they share during their broadcasts. Plus, many of them run giveaways, host online tournaments for their followers, and offer personalized advice during streams.
When you engage with these influencers by commenting on their videos or chatting during their streams, you also become part of a larger online chess family. The fanbases of these personalities are typically active and supportive, giving you more opportunities to learn, share, and connect with fellow chess enthusiasts.
Use Social Media for Quick Updates
If you don’t always have time to sit down and watch a full tournament, following chess-related accounts on social media can be a quick way to stay updated. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are excellent for this.
For example, top players like Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Alireza Firouzja often post about their tournament experiences, thoughts on games, or general updates on their social media profiles. Following them can give you a closer look into the lives of these chess giants.
Chess organizations like FIDE, ChessBase India, and various national chess federations also post regular updates. These accounts will usually provide live updates during tournaments, including key moments like game-winning moves, player standings, and breaking news about the event.
The advantage of using social media is that you can get these updates instantly, even if you’re on the go.
How to Improve Your Own Game by Watching Tournaments
While watching world-class players compete, you’ll naturally want to apply what you’re learning to your own games. Let’s talk about some actionable ways to turn what you see in these tournaments into improvement in your own chess playing.
Study the Openings
One of the first things you’ll notice in top-level games is the importance of the opening phase.
Professional players often spend years perfecting their opening repertoire, and watching these tournaments can give you a sense of which openings are popular and effective.
As you watch games unfold, pay close attention to the opening moves and try to recognize the patterns that emerge. Are you seeing the same opening played frequently? Does one particular defense keep popping up? After watching the game, you can practice these openings yourself.
Platforms like Chess.com and Lichess offer opening databases where you can review specific openings, see how successful they are, and practice the variations on your own.
Watching grandmasters navigate the opening phase can give you a much better understanding of the purpose behind each move. For example, you’ll start to see how certain openings lead to strong control over the center of the board, or how specific pawn structures can set up long-term advantages.
Over time, you’ll develop a stronger sense of how to begin your own games with purpose and confidence.
Focus on Middlegame Tactics
Once the opening phase is over, the middlegame is where chess really comes alive. This is the part of the game where both players begin to create plans, look for weaknesses, and start launching attacks. As you watch tournaments, try to observe how grandmasters approach the middlegame.
Are they focusing on piece coordination? Are they launching a kingside attack or aiming for a pawn breakthrough in the center?
The great thing about watching professional games is that you get to see many different types of middlegame positions.
Some games will feature sharp tactical battles, while others might involve slow, strategic maneuvering. By paying attention to how grandmasters handle these situations, you can start to incorporate similar ideas into your own games.
You can also use online tools to practice middlegame tactics. Chess.com and Lichess both offer tactics trainers, where you can solve puzzles based on real positions from top-level games.
Solving these puzzles regularly will help you recognize common tactical patterns, such as forks, pins, and skewers. These are the same tactics you’ll see the world’s best players use in their tournament games.
Endgame Mastery
Finally, one of the most educational aspects of following chess tournaments is learning how top players handle the endgame. Endgames often get less attention than openings or middlegames, but they are absolutely crucial in high-level chess.
When you watch a tournament, pay special attention to how grandmasters convert small advantages into wins in the endgame.
Do they promote a passed pawn? Do they use their king actively? Are they sacrificing material to gain an unstoppable advantage? Endgames require precise calculation and a deep understanding of piece activity, and watching the best players in the world can teach you valuable lessons.
To improve your own endgame, you can practice specific positions that arise often in tournament play.
There are endgame drills available on most chess platforms, where you can practice techniques like king and pawn vs. king, rook endgames, or bishop and knight checkmates. By mastering these basics, you’ll be more confident in your own games when the endgame phase arrives.
Annotating Games
One of the best ways to learn from watching chess tournaments is to annotate the games yourself. You don’t need to be a grandmaster to give it a try! Simply pause the video or live stream at key moments and write down your thoughts on what’s happening.
For example, you might note why a certain move seemed strong or why another move surprised you.
After the game, compare your notes to the official analysis provided by the commentators or chess engines. This can be a humbling experience, but it’s one of the best ways to improve your chess understanding.
Over time, you’ll get better at evaluating positions on your own and spotting critical moments during the game.
The Entertainment Side of Chess Tournaments
Chess may be known as a serious, intellectual pursuit, but with the rise of online streaming and chess personalities, the game has taken on an entertaining twist. Chess tournaments today are not just about the moves on the board but also about the personalities, commentary, and sometimes even the drama that unfolds during and around the games.
Chess as Spectator Entertainment
For many years, chess was viewed as a game for a select few who could understand its complexities. But thanks to platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and more entertaining, down-to-earth commentary, chess has become something of a spectator sport.
Major tournaments are broadcast with commentators who break down the game for viewers of all levels. They often explain moves in an engaging way, using humor or storytelling to keep things fun.
Grandmasters like Hikaru Nakamura, who streams regularly on Twitch, not only play games but also offer live commentary, interact with fans, and explain deep chess ideas in a way that’s easy to understand.
It’s not just about watching the game anymore—it’s about the experience, the conversation, and the thrill of seeing top players under pressure. Even people who don’t play chess at a high level can enjoy watching it when the commentators make it more accessible.
Watching chess today is also about being part of a global audience, chatting live with other fans, and sharing in the excitement of each key moment, blunder, or brilliancy. If you want to get a deeper enjoyment out of chess as entertainment, follow streamers and commentators who add personality to the game.
For instance, Levy Rozman (GothamChess) is known for his humorous approach to chess, while Magnus Carlsen’s streams are popular for their more analytical but still relaxed tone.
Chess Memes, Stories, and Pop Culture
The online chess community has also birthed its own culture, filled with memes, funny moments, and pop-culture references. These moments add a layer of fun to the serious nature of the game.
One recent example is the phrase “PogChamps,” a tournament organized by Chess.com for online influencers, streamers, and YouTubers. While the players weren’t grandmasters, the tournament drew a massive audience, turning chess into a fun and competitive spectacle.
If you’re active on social media, you might notice memes related to blunders in professional games, clips of funny moments during streams, or even jokes about chess players’ personalities.
These memes often reference famous chess moves or situations in a lighthearted way, making it easier for casual fans to stay connected to the chess world.
Additionally, if you’re following chess tournaments online, it’s worth keeping an eye on behind-the-scenes stories about the players themselves.
Every tournament has its narrative: a favorite being upset, a young talent rising through the ranks, or a dramatic tiebreak game that leaves everyone holding their breath. These stories bring an emotional element to chess tournaments, making them more than just a series of games but a series of personal journeys.
Keeping Track of Player Rankings and Progress
When you follow chess tournaments online, it’s not just about the individual games. Part of the excitement comes from tracking how players rise and fall in the rankings, how they perform over time, and how they compare to their peers.
Let’s talk about how to stay on top of these chess rankings and why they matter.
FIDE World Rankings
FIDE (the International Chess Federation) maintains an official ranking system that tracks the world’s best players. This ranking system is based on the Elo rating system, which calculates a player’s skill based on their game results.
Players earn or lose Elo points depending on whether they win, lose, or draw games against opponents, and the amount of points gained or lost depends on the strength of the opponent.
FIDE’s website (https://fide.com) is the official place to find updated world rankings, but many chess platforms like Chess.com and Lichess also show these rankings.
FIDE rankings are particularly important during tournaments like the World Chess Championship and the Candidates Tournament because only the highest-rated players get invited to these events. If you’re following a specific player, tracking their Elo rating will give you a good idea of how close they are to competing for world titles.
When a tournament is in progress, you can check the live standings to see how each player’s rating is impacted by their wins and losses. Sometimes, a player might gain or lose significant Elo points from a single tournament, especially if they perform much better or worse than expected.
Chess.com and Lichess Ratings
Aside from FIDE rankings, many players have separate ratings on platforms like Chess.com and Lichess. These ratings work in a similar way to the Elo system, but they’re platform-specific.
This means a player might have a 2800 rating on Chess.com but a slightly different rating on Lichess, for example. Keeping an eye on these ratings can help you follow players across different formats, such as blitz, bullet, and rapid chess.
Platforms like Chess.com also feature leaderboards for specific types of chess, so you can see who the top blitz player or rapid player is at any given time.
Some players excel in faster time controls, while others are masters of classical chess. If you’re interested in watching a specific format, it’s worth checking these leaderboards to see who the top competitors are in that style.
Performance Rating
During tournaments, especially prestigious ones like the Candidates or World Chess Championship, you’ll often hear about a player’s “performance rating.” This is a temporary rating that shows how well a player is doing in a particular event.
A high performance rating might indicate that a player is playing far above their usual level, while a lower performance rating suggests they’re struggling compared to their average strength.
The performance rating is useful because it gives a clearer picture of a player’s form during a specific tournament, rather than relying on their long-term rating, which may not always reflect their current ability.
Platforms like Chess24 or tournament-specific websites often highlight performance ratings so fans can see which players are excelling in real time.
Behind the Scenes: Chess Drama, Rivalries, and Personal Stories
While chess is often seen as a quiet and thoughtful game, there’s plenty of drama, rivalry, and personal storytelling going on behind the scenes. Part of what makes following chess tournaments exciting is learning about the rivalries between top players, the tension during high-stakes games, and the human stories behind the champions.
Famous Rivalries
In chess history, rivalries have always added an extra layer of excitement to the game. Think of the famous battles between Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov or, more recently, Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana.
When two players have a history of closely matched games, their encounters in tournaments become much more thrilling.
As you follow tournaments online, it’s worth keeping an eye on these rivalries. Chess websites and commentators often talk about the personal history between players, noting past games, psychological battles, or even off-the-board stories that might influence the current match.
If a player has lost several games to a rival in the past, they might be extra motivated to perform better, adding drama to every move.
The Pressure of the Chess Clock
One aspect of chess tournaments that often goes unnoticed but can add significant drama is the pressure of time. Players are not only battling each other but also the chess clock.
In some games, especially blitz or rapid formats, players can be forced into quick decisions that lead to mistakes or blunders.
Watching the time tick down while a player is in a difficult position can be nerve-wracking, and it’s something that adds excitement to online broadcasts. Many online platforms display the clock prominently during games, showing how much time each player has left.
A tense time scramble at the end of a game can turn a slow, methodical match into a heart-pounding race against the clock.
Player Personalities
Finally, getting to know the personalities of the players adds another layer of enjoyment to watching tournaments. Some players are calm and composed, never showing any emotion during their games.
Others wear their emotions on their sleeves, reacting visibly to their opponents’ moves. For example, Magnus Carlsen is known for his icy composure, while players like Daniil Dubov or Richard Rapport bring a bit more flair and unpredictability to the board.
Understanding these personalities can help you connect more deeply with the tournaments you follow. Platforms like YouTube and Twitch often feature interviews with the players after their games, where they discuss their thoughts, plans, and feelings during the match.
These interviews provide insight into their mindset and give you a glimpse of the mental battle that takes place during a chess game.
Let’s wrap things up with some final thoughts
Consistency is Key
One of the most important things to remember when following or participating in chess tournaments is that improvement comes through consistent effort. Whether you’re watching world-class players or participating in your own online events, try to engage regularly.
Set a schedule where you can watch games, review key moments, or play a few tournament games yourself. The more you interact with chess, the faster you’ll improve. Treat each tournament—whether you win or lose—as an opportunity to learn, and over time, you’ll see real progress.
Learn from the Best
Following the world’s top chess tournaments gives you access to the strategies and thought processes of the best players in the world. Don’t just watch passively—immerse yourself in the experience.
Pay attention to the commentary, analyze the games, and try to understand why players make certain decisions. Studying how grandmasters handle complex positions can inspire you to adopt similar techniques in your own games.
Use platforms like Chess.com, Lichess, or YouTube to revisit key moments and learn from professional analysis.
Enjoy the Journey
Chess is a game that offers endless possibilities, and part of the joy comes from the journey itself. Whether you’re a beginner watching your first tournament or an experienced player participating in high-stakes games, remember to have fun.
Chess tournaments—online or in person—are as much about the experience and camaraderie as they are about winning. Engage with the community, follow your favorite players, and embrace the ups and downs that come with competitive play.
Engage with the Community
One of the most rewarding aspects of following chess tournaments online is the community that comes with it.
Whether you’re participating in Twitch chats, discussing games on Reddit, or following your favorite streamers, you’ll find a passionate and knowledgeable group of people who love the game as much as you do. By interacting with others, asking questions, and sharing your own insights, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of chess and build connections that make the game even more enjoyable.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
Modern chess technology gives you tools that were unavailable just a few decades ago. Take advantage of chess engines, online tutorials, and game databases to sharpen your skills.
Platforms like Chess.com and Lichess allow you to analyze your games, try out different openings, and solve puzzles that can rapidly improve your tactical awareness. Use these resources to supplement what you learn from watching tournaments, and apply those lessons in your own games.
Set Personal Goals and Stay Motivated
Finally, stay motivated by setting personal goals. Whether it’s improving your rating, mastering a specific opening, or just finishing an online tournament without timing out, having clear objectives will keep you focused.
And remember, every chess player—whether a beginner or a grandmaster—faces challenges along the way. The key is to stay persistent, keep learning, and enjoy the thrill of discovery that chess offers at every level.
Wrapping it up
In summary, following chess tournaments online is a fantastic way to improve your skills, engage with the global chess community, and stay connected to the world’s best players. Whether you’re watching or participating, consistency is key. Learn from grandmasters, enjoy the journey, and use technology to enhance your understanding of the game. Set personal goals and stay motivated, knowing that every step—win or lose—helps you grow as a player.
If you want to elevate your game, join us at the Global School of Chess. We offer tailored coaching and resources to help you improve. Visit gschess.com and start your chess journey with us today!
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