American grandmaster Wesley So (23) has won the 79th edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament. Playing with black he managed to beat Russian Ian Nepomniatchi and thus managed to leave behind world champion Magnus Carlsen, Chinese super talent Wei Yi and Levon Aronian. They were all half a point behind So before the start of the 13th round, which was opened by former world champion Anatoli Karpov, and so were all still competing for first place. It’s the first time So has won a tournament in which Carlsen was participating.

Carlsen came in second in the Tata Steel Masters. The first regular match between Carlsen and Karjakin since their world championship match in New York ended in a draw today. Wesley So has remained unbeaten for 56 matches in a row and is now the world’s number three chess player. So after his victory: “Winning this prestigious tournament has been a goal for a long time. I really love the Tata Steel Chess Tournament”. So received the award from Anatoli Karpov and Theo Henrar, chairman of the directors of Tata Steel Nederland. Henrar announced that the 80th edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament will take place in Wijk aan Zee from 12 – 28 January 2018.

Other winners

Gawain Jones (UK) managed to win the Tata Steel Challengers. The fight for first place was fierce in this group as well during the last round, which started with three players still in the race for victory. Winning the Tata Steel Challengers means that Jones will participate in the Tata Steel Masters in 2018. The top amateur group was won by Lucas van Foreest (15), brother of Jorden van Foreest (17).

The latter participated in the Tata Steel Challengers. His victory means that Lucas van Foreest will participate in the Tata Steel Challengers in next year’s edition. The Vugar Gashimov Fair Play Award was won by Adhiban Baskaran (India) and Eric Hansen (Canada). They received the award from Sarkhan Gashimov, Vugar’s brother. The Professor Van Hulst Young Talent Award was won by 16-year-old American Jeffery Xiong, who secured third place in the Tata Steel Challengers. He received the prize from 106-year-old Johan van Hulst.

Steel and chess: creativity and innovation

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament has a long tradition. Starting as an employee tournament, it has grown into an international tournament of world class renown, for which grand masters and amateurs alike will clear their diaries. Tata Steel has chosen for chess, because chess entails strategic thinking and focuses on finding creative solutions for complex issues. Tata Steel has that very same focus. Steelmaking is a high-tech process with a crucial role for innovation.

Tata Steel employees are continuously and relentlessly working on finding clever solutions to improve processes and products. That is how Tata Steel is able to provide top products to its customers, allowing them to distinguish themselves in their markets. At the same time Tata Steel contributes to creating a sustainable society through its product and process innovations. Among chess aficionados the tournament in Wijk aan Zee is known as ‘The Wimbledon of Chess’.